Mesothelioma Thoracoscopy

Thoracoscopy is the name of a procedure by which a thin tube with a camera is inserted into the chest cavity between two ribs by making small cuts in the skin. This method is used to collect tissue samples for diagnostic purposes, such as detecting lung cancer or mesothelioma. It may also be used for thoracoscopic wedge resection or thoracoscopic lobectomy; that is, removal of a portion of the lung.

General anesthesia is administered to patients before starting with mesothelioma thoracoscopy. Some doctors also prefer to do it under use local anesthesia. This procedure is very common in examination of lungs in most mesothelioma cases. When thoracoscopy is used to examine the lungs, it is also called pleuroscopy, after the pleura, which is the lining of the lungs.

Procedure

Before beginning the procedure, the surgeon takes an X-ray to determine the location where the incision has to be made since the tubes will enter the lung from that exact point. Once in, the area is viewed through the camera and any suspicious tissue is removed and sent for a pathological test. In addition to diagnostic usage, the method also facilitates administration of mesothelioma medication directly to the affected area and even draining of fluids that may have collected around the lung. In this fashion, thoracoscopy also lends itself to a therapeutic usage while being mainly a diagnostic procedure.

After the tube is removed, the incisions are stapled. The risks associated with the procedure include bleeding, infection, air leaks through the lung wall and lung inflammation, although the operating surgeon would take good care to prevent these side effects.

Mesothelioma thoracoscopy effects & recommendations

The benefits of Thoracoscopy are that it is less invasive than open surgery which requires cutting and separation of the rib cage. Also, the small incisions required by this procedure heal faster and better than cuts required in general in mesothelioma surgery. The down side to it is that it cannot be used for heart patients, those with a tendency to blood clots, or with those with limited lung function.

In the post operative stages, patients should be discouraged from heavy lifting and yard work. Activities can be started slowly in the course of several weeks. A lot of rest aids in healing and being breathless and tired is detrimental. Walking is recommended as it increases circulation, builds up strength, and increases lung capacity. Slow walking will also ease the difficulty in breathing that is reported in the early days after the thoracoscopy surgery.