What is Thoracoscopy Surgery?

Thoracoscopy surgery is a surgery performed to look inside the chest with an endoscope, usually for the purpose of diagnosing or treating a lung ailment. This surgery is a minimally invasive alternative to procedures where the chest wall is opened in order to visualize the contents of the chest. Thoracoscopy surgery may be recommended by a physician for a number of different conditions, and it is performed in a hospital setting.

In a thoracoscopy surgery, small incisions are made in the side of the chest. One of the lungs is deflated, and tubes are introduced. A camera can be fed through a tube to look into the chest, and the surgeon can also take samples for biopsy or perform a lobectomy, where one of the lobes of the lung is removed. When the procedure is finished, drainage tubes may be left in place and the incisions are closed so that the patient can be taken into recovery.

Depending on the patient's general level of health and the preference of the surgeon, thoracoscopy surgery may be performed with general anesthesia or local anesthesia and sedation. Before the surgery takes place, an interview is conducted with the patient to identify any risk factors that might complicate the surgery. The patient is screened by an anesthesiologist and some medical testing such as blood work may be performed to confirm that the patient can safely be operated on.

After the procedure, the patient is monitored and given analgesics while he or she recovers. Once a patient is fully stable and it is clear that the lungs are functioning fully after the anesthesia, the patient can be released to go home and recover. If the procedure was performed for diagnostic reasons, the results will be reviewed and discussed with the patient. When done for therapeutic reasons, the patient will return for a follow up to confirm that the surgery was successful and the patient is doing better.

Opening up the thoracic cavity, even with small incisions like those used in thoracoscopy surgery, comes with risks. Patients may experience internal bleeding and can develop infections. It is also possible for the lungs to be damaged during the surgery in an accident or as a result of the anesthesia. Patients are monitored carefully while they are on the operating table for any signs of emerging complications so that interventions can be provided in a timely fashion. It is important for people to disclose all aspects of their medical history prior to a thoracoscopy surgery, in case there are risk factors.