Pediatric Thoracoscopy Treatment in India
About Pediatric Thoracoscopy
Key Highlights
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Minimally Invasive: Uses small incisions instead of a large chest opening, leading to less tissue trauma.Reduced Pain & Scarring: Results in significantly less post-operative pain and minimal, cosmetically better scars.Faster Recovery: Allows for a quicker hospital discharge and return to normal daily activities and play.listrongEnhanced Visualization:/strong The high-definition camera provides a magnified, detailed view of chest structures for accurate diagnosis./lilistrongLower Complication Risk:/strong Associated with a lower risk of infection, bleeding, and respiratory complications compared to open surgery./li/ul
Who is this surgery for?
- Diagnosis of unexplained pleural effusions (fluid around the lung) or pleural thickening.
- Evaluation and biopsy of lung nodules, masses, or interstitial lung disease of unknown cause.
- Management of recurrent or persistent pneumothorax (collapsed lung).
- Treatment of empyema (infected fluid collection in the pleural space).
- Biopsy of mediastinal lymph nodes or masses for diagnosis.
- Evaluation of congenital malformations of the lung or chest.
- Staging of certain thoracic cancers (e.g., lymphoma).
- Drainage of symptomatic pericardial effusions (fluid around the heart) in select cases.
How to prepare
- A comprehensive pre-operative evaluation including medical history, physical exam, and consultations with the pulmonologist and anesthesiologist.
- Pre-operative tests such as chest X-ray, CT scan of the chest, blood tests, and pulmonary function tests (if age-appropriate).
- Fasting as instructed, typically for 6-8 hours for solids and 2 hours for clear liquids before the procedure.
- Discussion of all current medications; some (like blood thinners) may need to be paused temporarily.
- Informed consent process where the procedure, risks, and benefits are explained to the parents/guardians (and child, if appropriate).
- Pre-operative counseling to prepare the child and family for what to expect before, during, and after the procedure.
Risks & possible complications
- Reaction to anesthesia, including breathing difficulties or adverse drug reactions.
- Bleeding (hemorrhage) during or after the procedure, though uncommon.
- Infection at the incision sites or within the chest cavity (empyema).
- Persistent air leak from the lung, potentially requiring a longer hospital stay or additional intervention.
- Injury to surrounding structures like blood vessels, nerves, the diaphragm, or the heart (rare).
- Subcutaneous emphysema (air trapped under the skin, causing a crackling sensation).
- Conversion to an open thoracotomy if minimally invasive techniques cannot be completed safely.
- Post-operative pain, which is generally manageable with medication.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Initial recovery in a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) with close monitoring of vital signs and oxygen levels.
- Pain management with intravenous or oral medications to ensure comfort and encourage deep breathing.
- Encouragement of deep breathing exercises and incentive spirometry to prevent lung collapse (atelectasis) and pneumonia.
- Early mobilization; walking is encouraged soon after the procedure to aid recovery.
- The chest tube (if placed) is removed once drainage and any air leak have resolved.
- Incision care instructions: keeping the sites clean and dry, and monitoring for signs of infection.
- Follow-up appointment with the pulmonologist to discuss biopsy results (if taken) and assess recovery.
- Temporary activity restrictions, such as avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous play for a few weeks.
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Typical hospital stay:
2-5 days
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Expected recovery time:
2-4 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering pediatric thoracoscopy in India, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Popular choices for pediatric thoracoscopy in India include Kamineni Hospital, King Koti, Manipal Hospital Varthur Road, Artemis Hospital Gurgaon, known for experienced specialists and advanced surgical infrastructure.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform pediatric thoracoscopy. MediFyr helps you compare pulmonologists and book consultations online.
The overall cost depends on hospital category, surgeon’s experience, room type, implant or device used (if any), length of stay, tests, and post-operative care. Our team can help you get cost estimates from multiple hospitals before you decide.
Procedure cost in other countries
Here is an overview of how the estimated cost, hospital stay, and recovery time for pediatric thoracoscopy compare across other countries where we have data.
Top hospitals for Pediatric Thoracoscopy in India
These partner hospitals in India have dedicated pulmonology teams and experience managing patients undergoing pediatric thoracoscopy.
Hyderabad, India
20 Doctors
Sneha Gupta is a 7-year-old girl...
Sneha Gupta is a 7-year-old girl from a close-knit family. She loves dancing and school but has always been a little smaller and more easily winded than her classmates. For over a year, Sneha had a persistent, dry cough that worsened at night and with activity. Multiple rounds of antibiotics for suspected pneumonia provided no lasting relief. A chest X-ray revealed a persistent shadow in her right lung. Her pediatric pulmonologist, Dr. Mehta, recommended a pediatric thoracoscopy. He explained it was a minimally invasive 'keyhole' surgery to look directly at her lung, take a small biopsy, and potentially drain any abnormal fluid to find the root cause. Sneha was nervous about the 'robot camera' but the child-life specialist used a doll to show her the three tiny incisions. After the procedure, Dr. Mehta explained they found and drained a localized empyema (a pocket of infected fluid) and confirmed it wasn't cancer, which was her parents' deepest fear. Recovery in the hospital involved managing pain with medication and gentle breathing exercises. Within a week, her cough was dramatically better. The emotional journey was intense; her parents grappled with fear of the unknown and serious diagnoses. Post-procedure, the relief of having a clear answer and a treatable condition was overwhelming. Sneha, proud of her 'brave scars,' is now back in dance class with more energy than ever.
Pulmonologists for Pediatric Thoracoscopy
Explore experienced pulmonologists who regularly perform pediatric thoracoscopy and provide pre- and post-operative care in India.
- 15 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 23 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 24 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 22 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar
- 20 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Artemis Hospital Gurgaon, Gurgaon
- 35 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Kamineni Hospital LB Nagar, Hyderabad
- 33 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
- 33 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Kamineni Hospital LB Nagar, Hyderabad
- 32 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Kamineni Hospital, King Koti, Hyderabad
- 32 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Metro Hospital, Sector 11, Noida
- 29 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
- 26 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 25 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Kamineni Hospital LB Nagar, Hyderabad
- 15 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Kamineni Hospital, Tadigadapa, vijayawada
- 14 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Metro Hospital, Sector 12, Noida
- 12 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Kamineni Hospital LB Nagar, Hyderabad
- 8 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar
- 7 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Metro Hospital, Sector 12, Noida
- 6 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Kamineni Hospital LB Nagar, Hyderabad
- 4 Years Experience
- Pulmonologist
Kamineni Hospital, Tadigadapa, vijayawada