Goa, 28 March, 2023: Manipal Hospitals, Goa, has successfully completed a Video Assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), a one-of-its-kind surgery for lung cancer, in Goa. The surgery was performed on an 80-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with right side lung cancer. Dr. Sredharan M, Dr. Jagannath Kulkarni Operating surgeons and Dr. Shekhar Salkar, head of surgical oncology department, Dr. Yogesh Gaude, Anesthetist and Dr Prabhu Prasad, Pulmonologist, who were part of this surgery said that through VATS technique, the tumor and the involved lobe of lung was entirely removed. Complete mediastinal lymph node removal was done to reduce the risk of recurrence. The procedure was completed with minimal blood loss.
6 hours after the successful VATS operation the patient was able to move around pain free. The chest tube was removed later on third day and she was shortly discharged on the fourth day.
Dr. Sredharan M, Operating Surgeon, Manipal Hospitals Goa said, “Lung cancer is the second most common cause of cancer related deaths in India next only to oral cavity cancer. Most of lung cancers are diagnosed at advanced stage. Lung cancer surgery is a major surgery with considerable risk of complications. VATS is a minimally invasive method to remove cancers inside the chest with much lesser post-surgery pain, lesser blood loss, faster recovery and fewer complications. It is much easily tolerated compared to open surgery especially in elderly. It is done for early-stage lung cancer, esophagus (food pipe) cancer, removal of metastases from lung in selected stage IV cancers. This method has revolutionized lung cancer surgery in the past decade”
Dr. Shekhar Salkar, head of surgical oncology, Manipal hospital, Goa said, “This is a significant advancement in cancer surgery. It’s a good addition to the already available advanced laparoscopy surgeries for colon, rectum and uterus cancers in our hospital. VATS procedure will be a part of the comprehensive cancer care that we currently offer to our patients.”
