About Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery
Key Highlights
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Minimally Invasive: Involves only small incisions, avoiding the need for large chest openings.Reduced Pain & Scarring: Significantly less post-operative pain and minimal visible scarring compared to open surgery.Shorter Hospital Stay: Patients typically go home much sooner, often within 1-3 days.listrongFaster Recovery:/strong Quicker return to daily activities and work due to less tissue trauma./lilistrongEnhanced Visualization:/strong High-definition camera provides a magnified, detailed view of the chest structures for greater surgical precision./lilistrongLower Risk of Complications:/strong Generally associated with a lower risk of infection, bleeding, and other complications common in open procedures./li/ul
Who is this surgery for?
- Diagnostic lung or pleural biopsy for unexplained masses, nodules, or interstitial lung disease.
- Treatment of recurrent or persistent pleural effusions (fluid around the lung).
- Resection of lung cancer (lobectomy or wedge resection) in early-stage disease.
- Removal of benign lung tumors or metastatic lesions.
- Management of spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lung).
- Drainage of empyema (pus in the pleural space).
- Sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).
- Biopsy or resection of mediastinal tumors.
- Pericardial window creation for pericardial effusion.
How to prepare
- Complete pre-operative medical evaluation, including blood tests, chest X-ray, and CT scan.
- Cardiac and pulmonary function tests to assess fitness for surgery and anesthesia.
- Detailed consultation with the surgeon and anesthesiologist to discuss the procedure, risks, and anesthesia plan.
- Discontinuation of certain medications (e.g., blood thinners like aspirin or warfarin) as advised by the doctor, typically 5-7 days prior.
- Fasting (no food or drink) for 6-8 hours before the scheduled surgery time.
- Smoking cessation is strongly recommended to improve lung function and healing.
- Arranging for help at home and planning for time off work during the initial recovery period.
Risks & possible complications
- Bleeding (hemorrhage) during or after the procedure.
- Infection at the incision sites or within the chest (empyema).
- Persistent air leak from the lung, potentially requiring a longer hospital stay or additional intervention.
- Pneumonia or respiratory complications.
- Reaction to anesthesia.
- Injury to surrounding structures like blood vessels, the heart, or the diaphragm (rare).
- Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis) that could travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
- Chronic post-operative pain (uncommon but possible).
- Conversion to an open thoracotomy if complications arise or adequate access is not achieved.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Hospital stay is typically 1-3 days for monitoring, pain management, and chest tube care.
- A chest tube is usually placed during surgery to drain air/fluid and is removed once the lung is fully expanded.
- Pain is managed with oral medications; it is most significant in the first few days and subsides gradually.
- Deep breathing exercises and incentive spirometry are crucial to prevent lung collapse and pneumonia.
- Light walking is encouraged soon after surgery to promote circulation and healing.
- Avoid heavy lifting (more than 5-10 kg), strenuous exercise, and driving for 2-4 weeks or as advised.
- Incision sites must be kept clean and dry; follow specific wound care instructions.
- Follow-up appointments are scheduled to monitor healing, remove stitches/staples, and discuss pathology results.
- A full return to normal activities, including work, usually takes 2-4 weeks for non-physical jobs and longer for manual labor.
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Typical hospital stay: 1-3 days
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Expected recovery time: 2-4 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering video assisted thoracoscopic surgery in India, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Top-rated hospitals in India with laparoscopic surgery departments and experienced surgeons are ideal for this procedure. Use MediFyr to compare facilities, reviews, and doctor profiles before you decide.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform video assisted thoracoscopic surgery. MediFyr helps you compare laparoscopic surgeons 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 video assisted thoracoscopic surgery compare across other countries where we have data.
Sai Saxena, a 58-year-old software engineer...
Sai Saxena, a 58-year-old software engineer and father of two, had been a heavy smoker for over 30 years before quitting five years ago. For the last eight months, he'd been plagued by a persistent, dry cough and increasing shortness of breath during his evening walks. A CT scan revealed a suspicious 2.5 cm nodule in the upper lobe of his right lung. His pulmonologist, Dr. Chen, recommended a VATS procedure for both diagnosis and potential treatment, explaining it was far less invasive than traditional open surgery. Sai was terrified, convinced this was a death sentence and worried about being unable to provide for his family. The surgery itself went smoothly; he was amazed to have only three small incisions. The biopsy during VATS confirmed it was an early-stage adenocarcinoma, and the surgeon was able to remove the entire lobe. Recovery in the hospital was painful but manageable, and he was home in three days. Six weeks later, his breathing was significantly improved, and the final pathology showed clear margins with no spread. The emotional weight lifted from Sai and his family was immense. He shifted from a state of dread to one of profound gratitude and a renewed commitment to his health, becoming a vocal advocate for smoking cessation in his community.
Laparoscopic surgeons for Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery
Explore experienced laparoscopic surgeons who regularly perform video assisted thoracoscopic surgery and provide pre- and post-operative care in India.
- 23 Years Experience
- Laparoscopic surgeon
Manipal Hospital Hebbal, Bangalore
- 13 Years Experience
- General surgeon
Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar
- 18 Years Experience
- General surgeon
Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar
- 13 Years Experience
- General surgeon
Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar
- 13 Years Experience
- Laparoscopic surgeon
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 8 Years Experience
- Laparoscopic surgeon
KMC Hospital Mangalore, Mangalore
- 12 Years Experience
- Laparoscopic surgeon
Manipal Hospital Dhakuria, Kolkata