Pioneering technique allows lung patients to recover more quickly
SHEFFIELD IS leading the way using a new technique which is reducing the risk, complications and operating time on lung patients.
And Nick Ross, 70, is one of the patients at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals to benefit from a new, minimally invasive technique which is enables people to recover faster and go home sooner after lung surgery.
The technique, known as a single port VATS, has allowed patients who have undergone major surgery to mobilise within two hours and return home after just four days in hospital.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals is one of the first NHS trusts in the UK to widely use the new procedure.
Rather than open surgery or two or three separate incisions, it requires just one four-centimetre incision for surgical instruments and a camera to be inserted. Video monitoring is then used to carry out the operation.
A lung cancer patient could have a third or half of a lung removed and return home from hospital after four days. Using traditional surgery, this would have been eight days.
The whole thoracic surgery unit is now using the technique on about 70 per cent of operations – compared to 18 per cent in 2012.
Mr Ross, a retired commercial director, from Derbyshire, who was treated at the Northern General, said: “I’ve received an amazing turnaround; this is very important because I believe the recovery process is greatly enhanced by being able to go home as quickly as possible after treatment.
“From being able to have the operation to be medically fit to go home so soon is just brilliant and greatly appreciated by both myself and my family.”
Consultant thoracic surgeon Laura Socci said: “It makes it much less invasive and painful for the patient and recovery is faster.
“Patients are happy with the outcome, because it has good results, a smaller scar and they can get back to a normal life more quickly.”