Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) is a modern and minimally invasive surgical technique used in thoracic surgery. It involves the use of a video camera and specialized instruments to perform surgery on the chest cavity, including the lungs, pleura, mediastinum, and diaphragm. The procedure allows surgeons to operate with smaller incisions as compared to traditional open surgery, resulting in reduced trauma, faster recovery times, and fewer complications for patients.
During Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery, several small incisions are made on the chest wall, through which a tiny camera and surgical instruments are inserted. The camera provides a high-resolution video feed, allowing the surgeon to have a clear view of the surgical site on a monitor. This visibility enables precise and controlled manipulation of the instruments inside the chest cavity.
Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery can be used for a wide range of thoracic procedures, including lung biopsy, lobectomy (removal of a portion of the lung), wedge resection (removal of a small part of the lung), mediastinal tumor excision, thymectomy (removal of the thymus gland), and treatment of conditions like empyema and pneumothorax.
Compared to traditional open surgery, VATS offers several advantages, including reduced postoperative pain, decreased risk of infection, minimal scarring, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery, and improved cosmetic outcomes. However, not all thoracic surgeries can be performed using VATS, as the technique requires expertise and appropriate patient selection. A thorough assessment by the surgical team is usually conducted to determine if VATS is suitable for a particular case.
