Minimally invasive thoracic surgery is a way of performing surgery in the chest through small incisions, without making large cuts or incisions in the body, and does not require spreading apart of the ribs. Surgeons use a camera and instruments to get to the lung through small incisions in between the ribs. There are two different options available for minimally invasive thoracic surgery; video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and robotic-assisted surgery.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a procedure in which a small tube called a thoracoscope is inserted through a small incision between the ribs. At the end of the tube is a small camera. This lets the surgeon see the entire chest cavity without having to open up the chest or spread the ribs. The surgeon then removes lung tissue with specially designed instruments inserted through one or two additional small incisions.
SURGICAL PROCEDURES
- ICU Stay: 1 day
- HOSPITAL Stay: 5-6 days
- TOTAL Stay in TURKEY (range in DAYS*; unless any other complications!): 14 – 18 Days
GENERAL INFO
Before Surgery
- Consultations – (Preop – *(Only Anesthesia and Chest Diseases are preoperatively included in the total charges!): Anesthesia and Chest Disease (if needed)*
- Blood Tests: Yes (Hemogram, Serology, Biochemistry, Blood type)
- Chest X-Ray: Yes
- Abdominal X-Ray: If needed!
- PFT (Pulmonary Function Test): Yes – *(Not-included in the total charges!)
- V/Q Scan (Lung Ventilation / Perfusion Scan): Not routine! (If needed)* *(Not included in the total charges!)
- Chest and/or Abdominal CT Scan – *(If the patient have the CT scans already done, then no need to take additional CT scans preop): Yes – Preop evaluation *(Not included in the total charges!)
- PET / CT Scan (Positron Emisson Tomography): Yes – Preop evaluation *(Not included in the total charges!)
- MRI (Chest, Abdomen and/or Brain) – *(If the patient have the MRI already done, then no need to take additional MRI preop): Yes – Preop evaluation *(Not included in the total charges!)
- Bone Scan: Not routine – If needed!* – Preop evaluation *(Not included in the total charges!)
- USG / Ultrasonography (Chest, Abdomen, and/or others) – (*Not included in the total charges!): Not routine – If needed!* – Preop evaluation *(Not included in the total charges!)
During Surgery
- General Anesthesia: Yes
- Local/Regional Anesthesia: No
- Local Anesthesia + Sedation: No
- Spinal / Epidural Anesthesia: No
- PCA (Patient Controlled Analgesia; Epidural or IV route): Not routine!; *If needed for Postop Analgesia *(Not included in the total charges!)
After Surgery
- HOSPITAL STAY after the ICU period, if ever: 5-6 Days
- STAY AT HOTEL after being discharged from Hospital – *’Wound Dressing’ Everyday till the Control Day!: 8-10 Days; *Dressing Everyday!
- First CONTROL Day! – *Get the Stitches removed, If ever!: 10th Day after being discharged to HOTEL!: Yes
- Discharged to HOME – *Take your prescription – DO NOT FORGET! – 10-12th Postop Day (After being discharged to HOTEL)! Patient generally could have “a safe flight to home” after the FIRST CONTROL!: Yes
- After – Surgery ( 3rd to 4th Weeks) – Needs CONSULTATIONS by “Medical AND Radiation Oncology Clinics”: Yes
- Late – CONTROLS (1st -3rd – 6th – 12th -24th months in concordance with “the Medical & Radiation Oncology Departments Follow-ups”)!: Yes