Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS)



Anesthesiology Cardiovascular/Thoracic Surgery General Surgery



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Video Assisted Thoracic Sugery (VATS)

What is VATS?

Video Assisted Thoracic Sugery (VATS) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to diagnose and treat illness or injury to the lung and other organs in the chest cavity (thorax). During VATS, a tiny camera with a light source is inserted through a small incision between the ribs. A second small incision is used to insert special instruments between the ribs into the chest cavity. Traditional thoracic surgery involves a large (six-to-ten inch) incision in which the ribs are spread apart for the surgeon to gain access to the organs in the chest cavity. This procedure, known as a thoracotomy is still very safe, but involves a longer recovery than a VATS procedure. VATS patients can typically go home in one to three days (often the following day). Other benefits of VATS include less pain and a quicker return to a normal active lifestyle.

What conditions can be treated using a VATS procedure?

VATS can be used to diagnose and stage lung cancer, remove cancerous and benign tumors, diagnose and treat fluid around the lung or heart, remove portions of a diseased lung and diagnose and treat certain conditions of the esophagus including cancers. New uses for VATS are continually being developed.

Thoracic Surgery at
Rush University Medical Center

At Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons, researchers and nurse specialists work in teams to address the full scope of heart and lung problems, whether common or complex.

Working in state-of-the art facilities, using some of the world’s most sophisticated technology, Rush cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons are on the leading edge of diagnosis, treatment and discovery. They performed Chicago’s first successful heart transplant nearly four decades ago. And they continue to pioneer minimally invasive surgical techniques that give new hope to patients who would not be candidates for traditional heart or lung surgery.

For more information about cardiovascular services at Rush visit our Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery home page.

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