VATS Endoscopic Closed Thoracic Surgery

The VATS method, which was developed thanks to the endoscopy system thoracoscopy used in the imaging of the chest area, is considered within the scope of the new generation surgical approaches that allow surgery without opening the chest wall.

Open surgeries are operations that have a higher risk rate, are open to complications, and have a difficult recovery period. In closed surgical applications such as VATS, these risks are extremely low and since the chest wall is not opened, the discomfort felt by the patient after the operation is significantly reduced.

The general trend in thoracic surgery is in favor of endoscopic closed thoracic surgery, except in some cases where open surgery is mandatory.

What is VATS Surgery and How Is It Done?

VATS surgery, which is used in the diagnosis and treatment of all diseases related to thoracic surgery, is a video-assisted thoracic surgery technique performed by entering the thorax with minimal incisions on the soft tissue between the ribs.

VATS is performed under general anesthesia with incisions made from 1 or 3 points depending on the content of the surgery and treatment. In one of these three pots, the chest cavity is visualized by thoracoscopy, while surgical procedures are performed with the others.

VATS Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery is used in the following situations:

• In the treatment of lung cancer, removal of cancerous tissue.
• In the removal of parts/tissue/fluid from the lungs for biopsy.
• In the removal of tumors, cysts and nodules in the lung and chest cavity.
• In the treatment of lung collapse / pneumothorax.
• In Pleural Effusion disease, that is, water accumulation in the lung, in the discharge of accumulated water.

The NUSS technique, which is used in the treatment of Pectus Excavatum disease, known as shoemaker’s chest, is one of the closed technique thoracic surgery applications performed with the VATS method.

Advantages of Closed Thoracic Surgery

• Operation time is significantly shortened.
• VATS surgeries performed with small incisions without opening the thorax are effortless operations that cannot be compared with open chest surgeries.
• Post-operative pain and discomfort felt by the patient is greatly reduced.
• The healing process is faster and easier.
• Shorter hospital stay
• As the bleeding is reduced, the risk of infection and complications is significantly reduced.
• The scar is much smaller.