Preface to the 3rd International Uniportal VATS Course-Berlin Special Issue
The International Uniportal VATS Course is a three-day-masterclass symposium jointly organized by the University Hospital Charité in Berlin (Germany), the University Hospital in Coruña (Spain), and the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai (China). This symposium addresses the techniques and advances in uniportal VATS by lectures, discussions and video sessions on the first day and Live Surgery of major pulmonary resections via uniportal VATS on the second day. The third day is a Hands-on class (Wetlab) for a limited group.
The 3rd International Uniportal VATS took place successfully in Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Berlin (Germany) from March 16th to 18th 2016 and gathered many famous thoracic surgeons that worked jointly to improve the development of uniportal VATS. A total of more than 130 participants from different countries attended the course.
It was a great pleasure and a privilege for us to act as co-editors for the special issue of the Journal of Thoracic Disease, which was dedicated to the 3rd edition of the course. Our selection covers several tips and tricks for performing uniportal anatomical lung resections and difficult cases such as esophagectomies and thymectomies. It also provides an overview of the state of the art of uniportal-VATS surgery in different countries.
We hope that all the information collected in the present issue will be interesting and useful not only for the experts in the field but also for trainees who are taking their first steps in this amazing and expanding world of uniportal-VATS surgery.
