VATS lobectomy

A cornerstone of surgical treatment of early stage lung cancer is aggressive removal of lymph nodes from the mediastinum; this enhances the likelihood of removing all cancer cells (complete resection) and identifies patients who will require additional treatment (i.e. adjuvant chemotherapy).

Finally, to allow time for the divided muscles and bone fractures to heal, patients must refrain from strenuous activity or lifting greater than 5 lbs for 6 weeks after surgery.

This leads to reductions in the intensity and duration of post-operative pain and allows patients to return to full activity more quickly.

Generally, endoscopic stapling devices are used to ligate and divide the vessels and the bronchus however conventional suture material can also be used.

A camera attached to the thoracoscope transmits the image to a video screen, which allows surgeons and assistants to observe the flow of the operation.

Removal of lymph nodes from the mediastinum is not compromised by VATS and remains a cornerstone of the surgical therapy of lung cancer.

But recent evidence suggests that thoracoscopic lobectomy is a feasible approach for selected patients undergoing resection after induction therapy, and is associated with shorter hospital stay and chest tube duration.

Also pneumonectomy by VATS is a safe and feasible treatment for both benign and malignant lung diseases that induces acceptable damage and has lower morbidity.