Introduction To Minimally Invasive Lung Cancer Surgery
There are several forms of treatment for lung cancer (LC), including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Depending on the extent to which the disease has spread, a patient may receive all three types. Surgery comes in three forms: wedge resection, lobectomy, and pneumonectomy. During a wedge resection, the surgeon will remove the diseased tissue along with a small perimeter of healthy tissue. A lobectomy is the removal of a lobe. A pneumonectomy is performed to remove the entire lung.
Below, we’ll focus primarily on lobectomies. The conventional approach was to perform thoracotomy during which the patient’s ribs were spread to provide the surgeon with room to operate. Today, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), a minimally invasive approach is used. We’ll explain the basics of the procedure and its advantages over thoracotomy. We’ll also describe what you can expect during the recovery period.
VATS Lobectomy Explained
During a VATS lobectomy, the surgeon will make four incisions into your chest. Three of them will measure less than one inch; the fourth incision may measure up to three to four inches. A thoracoscope (an instrument equipped with a video camera) is inserted through one of the incisions while other surgical instruments are inserted through the other incisions.
A video monitor displays images sent from the thoracoscope from inside the chest cavity. The surgeon will rely upon these images to guide the surgical instruments to the affected lobe. Once the lobe in which the diseased tissue exists has been dissected, it is removed through one of the incisions. Your surgeon may also remove nearby lymph nodes in order to confirm that the cancerous cells have not spread outside your lungs. Once the lobe and lymph nodes have been removed, the incisions are sewn closed.
Advantages Over Traditional Thoracotomy
Outcomes of VATS lobectomies suggest that the procedure is just as effective as traditional thoracotomy (and likely, even more effective). Moreover, the mortality rate is lower and there is less likelihood of bleeding and infection. Because a VATS lobectomy is a minimally invasive approach to lung cancer surgery, it is tolerated better by older patients and those who suffer poor health. What’s more, the recovery time is shorter than would be the case with thoracotomy and there is less pain in the chest following the procedure.
Recovery After Undergoing A Minimally Invasive Lobectomy
After undergoing minimally invasive lung cancer surgery, you can expect to stay in the hospital for three to four days. Once you return home, you will gradually regain your normal activity level. Within four weeks, you should be able to resume driving as well as any activities that are not overly taxing. Within six to twelve weeks, you should be able to resume all of your normal activities.
Minimally invasive lung cancer surgery is being performed within more hospitals and surgical centers than ever. While lobectomies performed through conventional thoracotomy still have value in certain circumstances, VATS lobectomies offer a shorter recovery time with fewer potential complications.
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