Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has been used by thoracic surgeons for more than a decade and there is clinical evidence that supports the benefits versus open surgery.35 In particular, VATS procedures result in less trauma and pain, and offer a significantly lower risk of postoperative complications – as much as 70% in some thoracic procedures.35 Despite this, only about 25 percent of thoracic surgeons have adopted VATS.
VATS offers the surgeon a variety of procedure options. It can be used to take biopsies and is also effective for removing diseased lung tissue (tumors) in the lungs or chest cavity.38 These procedures need just a small number of incisions compared to many types of open surgery, where a large incision and other invasive measures are required that may result in a high degree of postoperative pain and discomfort.37
For example, a VATS procedure for patients with clinical stage-one, non-small cell lung cancer may offer a number of important medical advantages when compared to open surgery. Patients experience as much as 61% less pain after surgery and require fewer analgesics, leave the hospital more quickly, and return to normal life sooner.35,37,38
Regardless of whether the surgeon uses a laparoscopic or open approach to the procedure, wound closure plays an integral role in patient outcomes. While the fascia and skin heals, it is important to choose a wound closure device that provides the necessary strength and support to maintain wound integrity and addresses complications such as dehiscence and surgical site infections.155
At Ethicon, we're committed to working with the thoracic surgery community to spread the word about the benefits of VATS. We also continue to advance the innovation of our devices to offer more options for minimally invasive techniques. In the end, our goal is to help you better serve the needs of your patients: From offering patient education materials for specific procedures, to providing outreach to doctors and professional training for the latest minimally invasive approaches.
We have a number of devices that have proven useful for you to consider, including:
Endocutter Technology – Our ECHELON ENDOPATH™ Line of Straight and Articulating Endocutters combines compression and strength to handle all your thoracic procedures along with innovative design needed for precise surgical performance. Developed with Halsted’s principles of surgery in mind, they are designed to create hemostasis and enable the gentle handling of tissue while applying appropriate tissue compression. The most recent addition to the family, ECHELON FLEX™ Stapler, delivers our ECHELON enhanced system-wide compression with natural articulation and can be operated with only one hand
Wound Closure Technologies – Our DERMABOND® Portfolio transforms skin closure with a complete set of solutions that add strength and protection against bacterial contamination to an incision. Additionally, Ethicon’s line of Plus Antibacterial Sutures remain the only commercially available sutures that protect against colonization of the suture by pathogens commonly associated with surgical site infections.1,117
