What is VATS Surgery for Lung Cancer?
Lung Cancer
What is VATS Surgery for Lung Cancer?
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or VATS is a surgical procedure used to remove small lung cancer tumors. The procedure is performed if the tumor is limited to a single lobe of the lung, so it is usually reserved for early stage cancers.
During VATS, your surgeon makes three small cuts in the chest wall. Then a special camera and surgical tools are inserted and the cancerous tissue is removed. People who get VATS usually do very well, although there is a small chance of complications such as air leaks, excessive bleeding and release of tumor cells into the chest cavity. That’s why it is important that you find a surgeon who is not only skilled, but also has the experience to know when a situation is not amenable to VATS.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or VATS is a surgical procedure used to remove small lung cancer tumors. The procedure is performed if the tumor is limited to a single lobe of the lung, so it is usually reserved for early stage cancers.
During VATS, your surgeon makes three small cuts in the chest wall. Then a special camera and surgical tools are inserted and the cancerous tissue is removed. People who get VATS usually do very well, although there is a small chance of complications such as air leaks, excessive bleeding and release of tumor cells into the chest cavity. That’s why it is important that you find a surgeon who is not only skilled, but also has the experience to know when a situation is not amenable to VATS.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Treatment: Early Stages
Treatment: Stage Three
There are several types of lung cancer surgery, and the decision about which is best is based largely on the location of your cancer, its size and whether it has started to spread.
Treatment: Surgery
There are several types of lung cancer surgery, and the decision about which is best is based largely on the location of your cancer, its size and whether it has started to spread.