What is a thoracoscopic approach?

What is a thoracoscopic approach?

Thoracoscopy is a procedure a doctor uses to look at the space inside the chest (outside of the lungs). This is done with a thoracoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a light and a small video camera on the end.

How long does thoracoscopic surgery take?

During VATS , you may be in surgery two to three hours and may stay in the hospital for a few days, though that can vary, depending on the extent of the procedure and your situation.

Is thoracoscopy major surgery?

Surgical Consultation for Thoracoscopy Even though a thoracoscopy is considered a minimally invasive procedure, it still requires a surgical consultation to ensure the patient is eligible.

Is thoracoscopic surgery safe?

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Is a Safe and Effective Alternative to Thoracotomy for Anatomical Segmentectomy in Patients With Clinical Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Ann Thorac Surg.

Why do a VATS procedure?

Healthcare providers can use VATS to completely remove part or all of an organ. For example, your healthcare provider might need to remove part or all of a lung because of traumatic injury, infection, or cancer. VATS is also used to remove part or all of the esophagus or the thymus, often because of cancer.

How long are you in hospital after VATS?

This video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) technique reduces a patient’s hospital stay to about three to four days and the patient experiences a more rapid recovery with less pain after VATS lobectomy surgery as compared with the traditional thoracotomy approach.

Why is thoracic surgery so painful?

The origin of post thoracic surgery pain is very complex. It comes from chest wall and parietal pleura passing thought intercostal nerves. Furthermore, it comes from diagrammatic or mediastinic pleura going through vagus nerve fibers.

Which is the most painful thoracic incision?

Thoracotomy is considered the most painful of surgical procedures and providing effective analgesia is the onus for all anaesthetists. Ineffective pain relief impedes deep breathing, coughing, and remobilization culminating in atelectasis and pneumonia.