Video-assisted thoracic surgery
Video-assisted thoracic surgery, or VATS, is a minimally invasive technique our specialists use to treat diseases of the lung, esophagus and other areas of the throat and chest.
VATS allows our surgeons to perform extremely precise treatments using a small incision, with patient benefits including less pain and shorter recovery time.
What you should know about video-assisted thoracic surgery
- Specialists typically use VATS for biopsies, to remove all or part of the lung, or to drain fluid from the lung.
- During VATS, our surgeons make a small incision and insert a miniature fiber-optic camera into the chest. The camera allows surgeons to view detailed images of the inside of the chest on a video monitor.
- The VATS camera helps guide our surgeons throughout the procedure, ensuring accuracy. VATS is an effective surgery option for early-stage cancers.
Why choose Geisinger for your video-assisted thoracic surgery?
- We offer the latest technique in VATS procedures, which includes robotic surgery.
- We have performed the most VATS procedures of any medical facility in the region.
Treats these conditions
Our surgeons use VATS to treat the following conditions:
- Lung and esophageal cancers
- Hiatal hernia
- Breathing trouble
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Thymus gland conditions
Specialties and institutes
Connect with other specialties at Geisinger to learn more about these treatments.
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