Comparison of awake and intubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in the diagnosis of pleural diseases: A prospective multicenter randomized trial

Abstract

Our study showed that awake video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is safe, has similar reliability and diagnostic accuracy compared to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery performed under general anesthesia, and is less costly. Awake video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery can be the first method of choice in all patients, not only in those with comorbidities.