CARDIOVASCULAR | THORACIC/CHEST | OTHER VASCULAR

Thoracoscopic/Minimally - Invasive Chest Surgery

Tremendous advances have been made in chest surgery over the last 10 – 15 years.  Minimally invasive operations are performed using small separate incisions to introduce surgical instruments and scopes into the chest.  The scopes have attached cameras which permit the surgeon to visualize the inside the chest, and the end result is an operation with only a few small incisions.  The greatest benefits to patients are less pain, a shorter hospitalization and faster recovery.

Minimally invasive chest surgery may be used for patients with tumors, collections of fluid, lung problems requiring biopsy, collapsed lung, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Thoracoscopic Chest Procedures:

• Lung Resection for Tumor
• Lung Biopsy
• Treatment of Pleural Effusions
• Treatment of Recurrent Pneumothorax
• Lung Volume Reduction Surgery

Open Chest Surgery

Certain diseases still require the standard chest incision, a 4-6 inch incision on the side of the chest.  Open chest surgery is performed when this offers a patient the highest chance of cure, as with certain cancers.  These procedures are more complex and generally require a brief stay in the surgical intensive care unit during the post operative period.

Open Chest Procedures:

• Lung Resection for Cancer - Lobectomy and Pneumonectomy
• Removal of Chest Wall Tumors
• Removal of Mediastinal Tumors