Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas, a leading thoracic surgeon and member of Top Doctors, has developed an innovative minimally invasive surgical technique to treat lung lesions. The procedure is performed under videothoracoscopy, with a single incision and sedation of the patient, thus avoiding the use of general anesthesia and intubation.
The advantages of this new advance are many. The adverse effects of tracheal intubation and the use of general anesthesia, such as intubation-related trauma, ventilation-induced lung injury, neuromuscular blockade, reduced cardiac function, nausea and vomiting, are minimized. In addition, since it is a minimally invasive technique with a single incision, the hospital stay is reduced and the patient’s recovery is much faster.
It is important to point out that the use of this technique also makes it possible to operate on patients whose health condition does not allow them to undergo general anesthesia. Patients with severe pulmonary disease or cardiac problems are affected by anesthesia due to its effects on heart and respiratory rate. In addition, in some of these cases intubation is not always a simple process, as when the tube is removed after the procedure, some patients may have difficulty breathing on their own. This new form of intervention is a safe option for them.
Another major advantage of this technique is that only a small incision is made. This means less pain for the patient, less risk and a shorter recovery time. The results obtained have been very positive. All patients intervened to date by major surgery (lobectomies) have not presented any type of complications and were able to return home after 2 or 3 days.
The development of this type of intervention represents an important advance, which is why some national and international media such as La Voz de Galicia and Examiner have taken an interest in this revolutionary technique.
The following videos show how the surgery is performed on patients without intubation: