Others

VATS & Thoracoscopy

1)What is VATS or Thoracoscopic Surgery?

Ans: VATS means Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery.VATS or thoracoscopic surgery is a newly emerging discipline in thoracic surgery.It is a ‘Minimal Access Surgery’ where with the help of video monitor, camera,telescope,keyhole incision with or without ports , special instruments&staplers almost all the operations of thoaric surgery may be performed with proper training.

2)What are the advantages of VATS or Thoracoscopic surgery?

Ans:There are many advantages to mention a few: most important is that post operative pain is much less.Secondly due to small incisions post operative complications are much less including blood loss.Hospital stay is less.

3)What are the types of VATS or Thoracoscopic Surgery?

Ans: VATS may be done to diagnose a thoracic or chest disease(Diagnostic VATS) VATS may be done to treat thoracic or chest disease (Therapeutic VATS)

4)Is VATS a minor procedure?

Ans :It is commonly misunderstood.VATS is a minimal access procedure commonly termed as micro surgery but this is not at all a minor surgery.All the precautions to be taken for conventional open thoracic surgery are to be taken during VATS or Thoracoscopic Surgery.

5)How VATS is performed?

Ans:Like Laparoscopic surgery VATS or Thoracoscopic surgery requires Telescope,TV monitor,special instruments ,staplers etc. Diagnostic thoracoscopy or VATS done under Intravenous sedation or General anaesthesia(GA). Therapeutic VATS done under GA .The lung in the operating side is collapsed with the help of a special tube passed through wind pipe(Double Lumen endotracheal tube) Then small key hole incisions are made on the chest wall. Then With or without help of instrument introducer(Port) VATS instruments go inside the chest cavity & operation is performed by looking at the TV monitor. The operation is challenging & technically demanding because commonly it is done looking at a two dimensional monitor while actually you are operating on a three dimensional organ.