What is thoracoscopic surgery?
The full name is “TV-assisted thoracoscopic surgery”, abbreviated as VATS, which refers to the use of endoscopic instruments to perform surgery on certain chest diseases through a thoracoscopic camera system. It has the advantages of small incision, less injury, less complications, faster recovery and shorter hospital stay, which meets the requirements of modern minimally invasive surgery technology and people’s cosmetic concept, and is the development direction of thoracic surgery technology.
What is the incision of thoracoscopic surgery?
Usually for lung cancer the 3-hole method is commonly used, including 1 main operating port 3-5cm long and 2 auxiliary operating holes, both 1.5cm. currently for some cases, a single hole or single operating hole can be used.
1.Is thoracoscopic surgery safe?
With experienced surgeons, with advanced thoracoscopic imaging system and special surgical instruments, thoracoscopic surgery is fully able to meet the safety standards of conventional surgery.
2.Can thoracoscopic surgery achieve radical lung cancer treatment?
With experienced surgeons, thoracoscopic surgery can fully meet the international requirements of radical lung cancer surgery, specifically, complete removal of the lung lobe where the tumor is located, as well as the surrounding, hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes. Because thoracoscopy, with the help of illumination and magnification of light source, can display more clearly than under direct vision of the naked eye and can better observe every corner of the chest cavity, therefore, it can more thoroughly remove the smaller lymph nodes that are more hidden and avoid residual.
3.What are the advantages of thoracoscopic surgery?
(1) First of all, it is the advantage of minimally invasive surgery, because the incision is small and does not cut off the rib cage, the pain is light, the postoperative recovery is fast, the incision is beautiful, and the postoperative activities have little impact and good quality of life.
(2) Better protection of the body’s function and immune status, which is conducive to receiving the next step of treatment and improving the prognosis.
(3) Secondly, the patient’s psychological burden is small, which is conducive to cultivating a positive mindset and returning to daily life and work as soon as possible.
4.What are the disadvantages of thoracoscopic surgery?
(1) It is usually not suitable for removing huge central tumors, cases with invasion of chest wall and large blood vessels, etc.
(2) The cost is higher, about 20,000 Yuan more than the cost of conventional surgery.
5.What procedures can be done by thoracoscopy?
(1) Pulmonary resection, including radical lung cancer surgery (pneumonectomy + lymph node dissection); lobectomy for benign lung diseases, such as bronchiectasis; local lung resection, such as benign and malignant lung tumors, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, etc.
(2) mediastinal tumors, including enlarged resection of the thymus for severe myasthenia gravis, and resection of mediastinal tumors.
(3) minimally invasive orthopedic surgery for funnel chest (Nuss procedure)
(4) resection of esophageal tumors.
(5) Biopsy of thoracic lesions for pathology.