What is Thoracoscopic surgery in children ?
It is very rare for a child to undergo lung treatment but it does happen. Thoracoscopic
surgery is recommended for kids and infants who are suffering from a lung ailment. In
Thoracoscopic surgery, a thoracotomy tube is inserted into the chest's pleural cavity to
reach a child’s heart, lungs and oesophagus. It is an emergency procedure performed
to heal or remove the abnormal growth in the chest cavity.
It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that puts the child at ease in this surgery.
How to know if my child needs to go for Thoracoscopic surgery ?
There are certain situations that we consider the ideal scenarios for Thoracoscopic
surgery. These become necessary in very rare circumstances like:
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If the child suffers from constant breathing ailment.
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A sudden case of fluid retention in the lungs keeps on happening again and
again.
How is Thoracoscopic surgery performed ?
This is the aptest surgery for young kids and infants as it’s the least invasive than the
traditional form of surgery. In Thoracoscopic surgery, we only use specifically designed
instruments which is a small tube with a camera and light on one end.
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A small trocar tube is placed through a small incision in the lower shoulder blade.
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A C02 is pumped into the chest cavity which separates the body wall from the
organs.
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And the surgeon inserts the Thoracoscope through which the surgeon sees
inside the lungs and performs the operation internally.
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After the surgery, Two tubes are inserted while one drains out the excess fluid
build-up from the chest. The other tube supplies the medicine in liquid form to
quicken the healing.
FAQ
What is the difference between thoracoscopic vs traditional surgery?
n traditional lung surgery, the cuts are larger in size and the whole process is very
painful. But such is not the case with Thoracoscopic surgery as it’s minimal and the
child will sleep through the whole surgery. The recovery time is quicker too in this
surgery than the traditional surgery.
How long does a thoracoscopic surgery take?
This surgery usually takes around two to three hours and the kid may need to spend a
little time in the hospital for a full recovery. The full extent of surgery depends on the
gravity of the ailment which afflicts the lungs hence always choose this.