What thoracic procedure involves inserting a scope into the chest between the pleural sacs?

The procedure that involves inserting a scope into the chest between the pleural sacs is best described by pleuroscopy. This technique is specifically designed for visualizing the pleural space, allowing for direct observation of the pleura and enabling procedures such as obtaining biopsies or draining fluids.

Mediastinoscopy, while also an endoscopic technique, involves accessing the mediastinum rather than the pleural space. It is performed through an incision at the base of the neck, aiming to evaluate structures in the mediastinum, such as lymph nodes, which is distinct from pleuroscopy’s focus on the pleural cavities.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) typically refers to surgical procedures performed with camera guidance through small incisions in the thoracic cavity to allow for more extensive surgical interventions, often involving lung or pleural surgeries, but it is not specifically limited to the pleura as pleuroscopy is.

Thoracotomy is a larger surgical approach that involves making an incision in the chest wall to gain access to the thoracic cavity, which does not involve the use of a scope as the definition of the question implies.

Thus, pleuroscopy is the most accurate answer for the procedure that specifically involves inserting a scope into