Application of ICG Fluorescent Endoscope Systems in Identifying Small Lung Cancers on the Periphery of the Lungs in Thoracoscopic Surgery

In 1992, Lewis et al. first reported thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer in order to reduce the surgical stress [1]. Since then, thoracoscopic surgery has rapidly expanded. In 2015, according to the annual report by The Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery, 64.4% of lung cancer surgery and 61.7% of lobectomy were performed by thoracoscopy [2]. Meanwhile, advances in imaging equipment have increased the detection of small-sized lung cancer. Because definitive diagnosis of small lesions is less likely to be obtained preoperatively, a partial resection of the lesion is often performed to confirm the diagnosis with rapid pathologic examination during the course of surgery, followed by additional pulmonary resection.