If your doctor recommends surgery to treat lung cancer, you may be a candidate for a minimally invasive procedure – da Vinci ® Surgery. Using the most advanced technology available, da Vinci Surgery provides your doctor with superior vision, precision, dexterity and control. A da Vinci lobectomy (removal of the section of the lung containing the tumor) allows for improved access inside the chest cavity and lungs. Because da Vinci Surgery is performed through a few tiny incisions, spreading your ribs to access the lung is avoided. da Vinci is minimally invasive, unlike thoracotomy. Thoracotomy is the traditional way to access the chest cavity; it requires a long incision between the ribs, and often a long and painful recovery.
A da Vinci lobectomy offers lung cancer patients the benefits of surgery, but with a minimally invasive approach. Those potential benefits include:
- Low cancer reoccurrence, mortality in advanced disease
- Minimal pain, including low postoperative neuralgia (pain caused by nerve damage)
- Low blood loss
- Few complications
- Fast return of pulmonary function
- Short hospital stay
- Fast recovery
The da Vinci Surgical System is designed to provide surgeons with enhanced capabilities, including magnified, high-definition, 3D vision. Your doctor controls the da Vinci System, which translates his or her hand movements into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside your body. Though it is often called a “robot,” da Vinci cannot act on its own. The surgery is performed entirely by your doctor.
Together, da Vinci technology allows surgeons to perform complex procedures, such as a lobectomy, through just a few tiny openings. As a result, you may be able to get back to normal activities faster, without the usual recovery following major surgery.
The da Vinci System has been used successfully worldwide in hundreds of thousands of procedures to date.
As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery is specific to each patient and procedure. Before you decide on surgery, discuss treatment options with your doctor. Understanding the risks of each treatment can help you make the best decision for your individual situation.