You may want to take a fibre supplement every day. Sometimes, the drainage may start again after it has stopped. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take. It is common to feel tired for 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. Enter W573 in the search box to learn more about "Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS): What to Expect at Home". Rest is a vital part of your recovery. You will have stitches or staples in the incisions. A mild pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol. After your stay in the PACU, you will be taken to your hospital room. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to diagnose and treat problems in your chest. The VATS procedure uses an endoscope to explore the lungs. Your doctor will take these out 1 to 2 weeks after your surgery. At first, you will get tired easily but this will improve slowly and steadily over the next few weeks. After surgery for a serious illness, you may have new and upsetting feelings. If you don’t already have a MyMSK account, you can sign up by going to my.mskcc.org. Your doctor and nurse will ask you about your pain often and give you medication as needed. Do your breathing and coughing exercises every 1 to 2 hours while you’re awake. Walking helps prevent blood clots in your legs. The amount of time you will need to recover depends on the surgery you had. This helps to reduce pain and prevent blood clots in people with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. You may have some numbness below and in front of your incisions. An endoscope is a narrow bendable tube that has a light source on the end. Life After Lobectomy: 6 Steps to a Smooth Recovery After Lung Cancer Surgery. Drinks with caffeine, such as coffee and soda, pull fluid out of the body. If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if and when to start taking it again. If any fluid is draining from your incision(s), write down the amount, color, and if it has a smell. For most people, this will be at least 8 to 10 (8-ounce) glasses of water or other liquids (such as juices) each day. If you think your pain medicine is making you sick to your stomach: Take your medicine after meals (unless your doctor has told you not to). Your nurse or doctor will tell you what day and time you can expect to be discharged. These surgeries, which can be necessary f… Put your arms in front of your body and hold one end of a hand towel in each hand (see Figure 3). You'll need to take your time recovering from this procedure and will go through a period of healing in the hospital and then at home. Once home, most patients will regain most of their strength, energy and breathing after two to three weeks. This doesn’t mean that something is wrong. Don’t stop taking your pain medication suddenly. Log in to create and save frequently used communication boards. Try not to nap during the day. Cleveland Clinic thoracic surgeons offer a less invasive surgical approach called a video-assisted lobectomy for select patients as … It may ache or feel stiff for up to 3 months. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a surgical procedure that allows doctors to see inside the chest and lungs. Gradually increase the distance you walk. But you probably will need to take it easy at home for at least 1 to 2 weeks. This will help you notice any changes once you’re at home. The hospital stay for open surgery is longer than it is for VATS. Recovery time is generally shorter after minimally invasive surgery compared to open surgery, but you will still need time to rest and recover. The thoracoscope transmits images of the inside of your chest onto a video monitor, guiding the surgeon in performing the procedure.Mayo Clinic's … Pain medication may cause constipation (having fewer bowel movements than what’s normal for you). Rather, they operate between the ribs, which may result in less pain and a quicker recovery for many people. This is sometimes called minimally invasive surgery. For VATS, your surgeon will use a long, thin video camera and surgical tools during your surgery. Some will require a chest tube in the chest for a few days due to the buildup of fluid and the leaking of air. It has historically also been referred to as pleuroscopy. If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed. You can start doing this again right after your surgery, unless your doctor or nurse gives you other instructions. For example, use them when you bathe, brush your hair, and reach up to a cabinet shelf. Increase your activities each day as much as you can. It also lowers your risk of having other complications such as pneumonia. VATS Lobectomy Leads to Speedy Recovery. For example, call if: Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if: Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if you have any problems. During this appointment, your doctor will discuss the pathology results with you in detail. Create a custom communication board for patients who are not able to use their voice. You have pain that does not get better after you take pain medicine. It’s simple, and it’s safe. Take enough medication to do your exercises comfortably. If this happens, it’s a good idea to seek emotional support. Pat the areas dry with a towel after showering, and leave your incisions uncovered (unless there is drainage). To do the exercises, follow the instructions below. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a way to do surgery inside the chest using several small cuts (incisions) instead of one larger incision (open surgery). After 48 hours, if you don’t have any drainage, you can remove the bandage and keep your incision uncovered. Rest is a vital part of your recovery. Read more. Change the water often. Many patients can return to work within two to three weeks. Read our resource Call! How long you stay in the hospital depends on many things, such as the type of surgery you had and how you’re recovering. The tube enters your body between your ribs and goes into the space between your chest wall and lung (see Figure 1). Read the pathway handout that your nurse gives you to see what to expect and how to help your recovery while you’re in the hospital. Increase your activities each day as much as you can. Drink plenty of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to). Taking a warm shower is relaxing and can help decrease muscle aches. You will probably need to take at least 1 to 2 weeks off from work. Normally, you shouldn’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) for at least 3 weeks. If you have questions about your care, contact your healthcare provider. A: One of the many benefits of VATS is a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery. This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. You can shower 48 hours after your chest tube is removed. Slide your hands down to the back of your neck. Look at your incisions with your nurse before you leave the hospital. Sign up for MyMSK to send your questions and receive answers to your most pressing concerns. Stopped taking narcotic pain medication (pain medication that may make you drowsy) for 24 hours. These will help to relieve the pain on the side of your surgery. Your doctor or nurse will give you more information. Family and friends can help. If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Both over-the-counter and prescription medications are available to treat constipation. Pain medication is most effective 30 to 45 minutes after taking it. Some people may have soreness around their incision, tightness, or muscle aches for 6 months or longer. The best exercise is walking, climbing stairs, or doing another kind of aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. You may need to spend the first day after surgery in an intensive care unit (ICU). The recovery time for VATS is relatively short compared to most surgical procedures. Try to walk around after surgery. You may find that you have more energy in the morning or the afternoon. Your nurse will give you instructions on how to make this appointment, including the phone number to call. You need to take the full course of antibiotics. If you have questions about your diet, ask to see a dietitian. You will normally be sent an appointment to see your consultant surgeon in the outpatient department within two to six weeks of your discharge from hospital – this may be as soon as 10 days if you have had a surgical biopsy. Do not arch your back and do not force the movement if it is difficult. A chest tubeis placed in your chest during surgery, and usually, stays in place for 24 to 48 hours. You may also have appointments with other doctors after your surgery. Similar t… If you're a patient at MSK and you need to reach a provider after 5:00, All rights owned and reserved by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, © 2021 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, How to Enroll in MyMSK: Memorial Sloan Kettering's Patient Portal, Commonly Asked Questions: During Your Hospital Stay. Examples of things that can cause you to stay in the hospital longer include: Read our resource What You Can Do to Avoid Falling to learn about what you can do to stay safe and keep from falling at home and during your appointments at MSK. What Is a Lung Biopsy and Why Am I Having It? A nurse will be monitoring your body temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. The patient experiences a more rapid recovery with less pain and a shorter hospital stay (usually 3 days) with video-assisted lobectomy as compared with traditional thoracotomy surgery. Ask your doctor how long you should avoid heavy lifting. Take your medications as directed and as needed. This will help prevent blood clots in your legs and lower your risk of developing pneumonia. VATS also is different from open surgery because it does not require the doctor to cut through the ribs or breastbone (sternum). You may stay in the PACU for a few hours or overnight, depending on when an inpatient bed becomes available. Start with 1 of the following over-the-counter medications first: If you feel bloated, avoid foods that can cause gas, such as beans, broccoli, onions, cabbage, and cauliflower. It’s important to control your pain so you can cough, breathe deeply, use your incentive spirometer, and get out of bed and walk. Bring your arms over your head, straighten your elbows, and stretch toward your upper back. Walking 1 mile each day, which is 14 laps around the unit while you’re still in the hospital, is a good goal. Do breathing exercises at home if instructed by your doctor. Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd. You can eat your normal diet. Most people go home the same day that their chest tube is removed. You may return to your usual sexual activity as soon as your incisions are well healed and you can do so without pain or fatigue. After 5:00 pm, during the weekend, and on holidays, call 212-639-2000. Drink 8 (8-ounce) glasses (2 liters) of liquids daily, if you can. If you have strips of tape on the incisions, leave the tape on for a week or until it falls off. Normal recovery time Expect to stay in the hospital for 2 to 7 days after lung cancer surgery. Time for full recovery after surgery largely depends on two factors: 1. ©2006-2020 Healthwise, Incorporated. When you wake up after your surgery, you will be in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). If you need a letter to go back to work, contact your doctor’s office. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Most patients stay in the hospital two to three days after surgery, followed by about a week of recovery at home. However, it’s normal for your pain to increase slightly as you increase your level of activity. You can begin driving again after you have: Don’t travel by plane until your doctor says it’s okay. Returning to regular life at home after lung cancer surgery can be daunting. You will have more than 1 incision after your surgery. You may get a prescription for pain medication before you leave the hospital. Slowly twist the upper part of your body to the right side. A biopsy helps physicians narrow down an accurate diagnosis, which can inform your available treatment options. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Thoracoscopy (thor-ah-KOS-kah-pe) is a procedure to look inside your chest cavity using an endoscope. Many people say they felt weepy, sad, worried, nervous, irritable, and angry at one time or another. Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Ask your doctor how much you should drink each day. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. This is normal. After the tube is removed, the area will be covered with a bandage. He or she will also give you instructions about taking any new medicines. For more information about signing up for a MyMSK account, watch our video How to Enroll in MyMSK: Memorial Sloan Kettering's Patient Portal. For a smooth recovery and to help prevent further illness, follow these tips: Diet Eat well … Pain medication should help you resume your normal activities. Don’t take more acetaminophen than the amount directed on the bottle or as instructed by your doctor or nurse. You have loose stitches, or your incisions come open. When is my first appointment after my surgery? When you start again, remember that it will take time for you to return to your previous level of activity. That means it uses smaller cuts (incisions) than traditional open surgery. Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. Ask to speak to the thoracic surgeon on call. Your doctor will take these out 1 to 2 weeks after your surgery. Eating a balanced diet high in protein will help you heal after surgery. During a VATSprocedure, a tiny camera (thoracoscope) and surgical instruments are inserted into your chest through one or more small incisions in your chest wall. I had the surgery on Wednesday (just before Thanksgiving), was walking (and eating two Thanksgiving dinners) on Thursday, went home on Saturday and went to work on the following Wednesday. This is common. In minimally invasive surgery, your heart surgeon may have a better view of some parts of your heart than in open-heart surgery. Below are examples of ways you can help yourself recover safely. VATS provides adequate visualization despite limited access to the thorax. Don’t drive or drink alcohol while you’re taking prescription pain medication. Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS): 1 or more small incisions on your side, back, or both (see Figure 11). Your doctor will talk with you if you need to stay in the hospital longer than planned. If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine. Spread them out over the course of the day. It depends on the type of work you do and the surgery you had. As your incisions heal, you will have less pain and need less pain medication. Your chest tube will be removed when your lung is no longer leaking air and the drainage from your tube has decreased enough. The location of your incisions will depend on the type of surgery you had. Check with your doctor before you do any heavy lifting. You will stay in the hospital until your doctor feels you’re ready to go home. The thoracoscope transmits images of the inside of your chest onto a video monitor, guiding the surgeon in performing the procedure. This usually gets better after 2 to 3 weeks. This will help your lungs expand, which prevents pneumonia. The type of surgery you have 2. Your chest tube and drainage device. Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. You may still have some pain when you go home and will probably be taking pain medication. You can also contact the MyMSK Help Desk by emailing mymsk@mskcc.org or calling 800-248-0593. Change the bandage every day. Don't Fall! Rest when you feel tired. For more resources, visit www.mskcc.org/pe to search our virtual library. For more information, read our resource. Use the arm and shoulder on the side of your surgery in all of your activities. Your surgeon does this operation through two to four small cuts in the side of your chest, one about 2 ½ inches … You can use MyMSK to send and receive messages from your healthcare team, view your test results, see your appointment dates and times, and more. For more information, read the “How can I prevent constipation?” section below. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a surgical operation involving thoracoscopy, usually performed by a thoracic surgeon using general or local/regional anaesthesia with additional sedation as necessary. The doctor may have used VATS to find and treat problems with the lungs, heart, or spine. It is even more so as you’re healing after your surgery. You may have trouble passing stool (feces). Getting enough sleep will help you recover. You may have a urinary catheter in your bladder to monitor the amount of urine you’re making. Patients generally stay in the hospital for one day to recover from the surgery and anesthesia. Try to walk each day. These things can cause infection. Minimally invasive robotic surgery for lung, esophageal, and mediastinal resections achieves several benefits for patients, such as shorter hospital stays, less post-operative pain, and a lower chance of complications. This is done with a thoracoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a light and a small video camera on the end.The tube is put in through a small cut made near the lower end of the shoulder blade between the ribs. Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness. Try not to nap during the day. Thoracoscopy is a procedure a doctor uses to look at the space inside the chest (outside of the lungs). You will have a breathing tube in temporarily and one to two chest tubes which will be removed in the first several days. We will contact you directly. MSK is now offering COVID-19 vaccine to patients age 65 and over who live in New York State and are in active treatment with MSK on or after 1/1/19. Your chest may be sore where the doctor made the incisions and put in the surgical tools. One common reason to do VATS is to remove part of … Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do. Or VATS may have been done to operate on other organs in your chest. It may take some time until your normal sleep pattern returns. Recovery time is different for everyone. What is thoracoscopy? Recovery from a Thoracoscopy After the procedure, the chest tube must remain in place for at least two to three days, or until your lung fully expands without any leaks. RATS is similar to VATS in terms of less pain, blood loss, and recovery time. While surgical resection offers the best chance of a cure for those with early-stage lung cancer, the traditional open-chest approach (called a thoracotomy) typically requires five to seven days of recovery in the hospital, with an extended recovery at home. You may have some thin, yellow or pink-colored drainage from your incision. For more information, read our resource Constipation. MSK cancer experts are here to help. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Drink liquids to help keep your mucus thin and easy to cough up. Clasp your hands together (see Figure 2). Relax and return to the starting position. Talk with your nurse about how to manage constipation. During this time a respiratory therapist will visit with you, encouraging you to take deep breaths to reduce the risk of infection. to learn about what you can do to stay safe and keep from falling while you’re in the hospital. Do not take a bath for the first 2 weeks, or until your doctor tells you it is okay. The most common type of biopsy is the VATS procedure, and recovery time is about two weeks. You may take showers. Your first appointment after surgery will be 1 to 3 weeks after you leave the hospital. If it gets wet, change the bandage as soon as possible. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may also feel tightness, itching, numbness, or tingling around the incision for up to 3 months. Dr. Rundall performed Hugen's surgery, using a minimally invasive technique known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) to remove the entire upper lobe of his right lung. Try to hold the position for 5 seconds. It uses a special video camera called a thoracoscope. In a scalenectomy, the scalene muscles—which pass through the thoracic outlet—are removed to reduce compression on the nerves, arteries, and veins in the area. 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