MIPInfo.com

Learn about video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and its benefits versus “open” surgery.

VATS represents an advance in the treatment of many medical conditions, including lung cancer. Unlike open surgery, which requires a large incision in the chest, VATS allows the surgeon to perform a surgical procedure through small ports, or openings, in the chest cavity while watching the surgical activity on a video monitor.

The use of VATS has increased dramatically in recent years. In fact, many thoracic surgeons (doctors who perform surgery in the chest cavity) are now performing complex procedures with VATS that were once thought to require open surgery.

Discover when VATS is used

VATS can be used to perform biopsies (the removal of tissue samples from the body) to determine the presence of disease. It is also effective for removing diseased tissue or even an entire organ, such as a cancerous lung. Talk to your doctor about other applications for which VATS is appropriate.

Discover the medical advantages VATS offers patients

Since only a few small incisions are made, VATS results in less trauma than open surgery, while allowing the surgeon to perform a thorough, highly effective procedure.¹ – VATS patients often can return to work and other activities as soon as one week after their surgery.² This contrasts with open surgery, which typically requires 4 to 6 weeks of recovery time.² (Remember that it is very important to follow your surgeon’s specific instructions regarding your recovery.) – Other benefits can include a shorter hospital stay, less need for intensive care,² and generally less pain.³

Learn how new technology and VATS are helping lung cancer patients.

VATS (video-assisted thoracic surgery) is changing the way many patients receive care, and Ethicon Endo-Surgery is leading the charge. The more patients learn about the benefits of VATS, the more likely they are to choose a procedure of this type vs traditional open surgery.

Below are some of the advantages determined by a respected source within the thoracic community, the International Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS). According to a 2007 ISMICS Consensus

Statement:

Lung cancer patients undergoing a VATS procedure face significantly lower risk (70%) of postoperative complications than those undergoing an open procedure.*⁴

VATS procedures are associated with significantly lower (61%) incidence of pulmonary complications compared with open procedures.*⁴

In addition, follow-up delivery of planned chemotherapy may be more feasible after VATS compared with an open procedure.*⁴

VATS procedures may reduce the incidence of chronic pain and the need for treatment lasting longer than one year when compared with open procedures.*⁴

Studies show that lung cancer patients recovering from a VATS procedure in the hospital may take significantly less analgesic (pain killing) medication and for shorter duration when compared with those undergoing open procedures.*⁴

*Patients with clinical stage 1 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

While many surgeons have recommended video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for performing lobectomies in lung cancer patients, some disadvantages to the procedure have been identified. These include accidental intrasurgical bleeding, insufficient mediastinal node dissection, and prolonged postoperative air leakage.⁵

¹McKenna RJ Jr, Houck WV. New approaches to the minimally invasive treatment of lung cancer. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2005;11(4):282-286.

²University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Video assisted lung and chest surgery. (VATS). Available at: http://www.thoracicsurgery.medicine.pitt.edu.

³McKenna RJ Jr, Houck W, Fuller CB. Video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy: experience with 1,100 cases. Ann Thorac Surg. 2006;81(2):421-426

⁴Downey RJ, Cheng D, Kernstine K, et al. Video-assisted thoracic surgery for lung cancer resection: A consensus statement of the International Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS) 2007. Innovat Tech Cardiothorac Vasc Surg. 2007;2(6):293-302

⁵Dürrleman N, Massard G. Thoracic incisions - general considerations. Multimedia Manual of Cardiothoracic Surgery. 2006:3. According to a Consensus Statement of the International Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS) 2007, the following advantages have been determined: • VATS lobectomy is associated with a significantly lower (70%) risk of overall postoperative complications compared with open lobectomy.* • VATS lobectomy is associated with significantly lower incidence (61%) of pulmonary complications compared with open lobectomy.* • Delivery of planned adjuvant chemotherapy may be more feasible after VATS lobectomy compared with open lobectomy.* • VATS lobectomy may significantly reduce chronic pain and need for treatment greater than one year compared with open lobectomy.* • VATS lobectomy can be recommended for patients with clinical stage 1, peripherally located NSCLC to reduce postoperative complications.