Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is minimally invasive surgery to access the chest cavity. Four small incisions are made for a thin instrument with a video at the end (thoracoscope) and three surgical instruments, without the need to spread the ribs as in a traditional or open thoracotomy.

Diseases And Conditions Treated: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

These diseases and conditions may be treated with the surgical procedure Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery:

Early-stage lung cancer (small tumors)
Thymectomy (removal of the thymus gland)
Pulmonary blebs
Pulmonary bullae
Pulmonary atelectasis (collapsed lung tissue)
Removal of blood clots (hemothorax)
Inflate a collapsed lung (pneumothorax)

Non-Surgical Options: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

These non-surgical medical options may be possible alternative treatments to performing Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery:

Chemotherapy

Other Surgical Options: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Surgical procedure options to consider as an alternative for Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery may include these surgeries:

Anesthetic Requirements for Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

These surgical anesthetic requirements for the procedure Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery may include:

General anesthesia

Procedure Complications: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Possible surgical complications of Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery may include:

Bleeding
Infection
Chest tube
Collapse of lung
Nerve damage
Adverse reaction to anesthesia
Arrhythmia
Lung failure
Return/spread of lung cancer
Need for traditional or open surgical technique

Prognosis for a Good Outcome: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

The prognosis for a good medical outcome: The prognosis is good with few complications.