The term comes from a latin phrase that means at your pleasure but is used in health care to suggest how patients may manage certain aspects of their treatment and therapy.

answer;

no:

a diagnostic thoracoscopy is always included in the surgical vats

explanation;

vats means video assisted thoracic surgery.

thoracoscopy is an endoscopical procedure completed on the lungs to visualize pleura, lungs and mediastinum using an endoscope

one thing to note is that a surgical thoracoscopy always includes a diagnostic thoracoscopy.

the diagnostic thoracoscopy codes are differentiated by the site and type of procedure performed.