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VATS lobectomy is surgery to remove an entire lung lobe using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. A camera and instruments enter the chest through small incisions between the ribs. The remaining lung tissue stays in place.
read more about vats lobectomy ...A surgeon may recommend lobectomy for certain lung cancers or other conditions confined to a lobe. Tests assess the location of the disease and whether the remaining lungs can support breathing after surgery. The surgeon also decides whether a video-assisted approach is suitable.
The surgeon uses a camera to view the chest and instruments to separate the affected lobe from its blood vessels and airway. The lobe is removed through an incision, and a chest tube is placed to drain air and fluid. If the operation is for cancer, nearby lymph nodes may also be examined or removed.
The care team monitors breathing, pain, and drainage from the chest tube. Walking and breathing exercises begin during the hospital stay. Recovery at home depends on lung function, the extent of surgery, and whether complications occur.
Risks include bleeding, infection, pneumonia, an irregular heartbeat, and an air leak that lasts longer than expected. The surgeon may need to switch to an open incision if the operation cannot be completed safely through VATS. Some people notice reduced exercise tolerance after a lung lobe is removed.
No. It removes one lobe of a lung. Surgery to remove an entire lung is called pneumonectomy.
A chest tube is generally placed to drain air and fluid after the operation. The team removes it when drainage and lung healing allow.
No. A lobectomy removes an entire lung lobe, while a wedge resection removes a smaller portion of lung tissue.
Yes. The surgeon may need a larger incision if bleeding, anatomy, or another issue makes the video-assisted approach unsuitable.
Lung Lobectomy: Surgery, Recovery & Outlook. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17608-lobectomy. Date Accessed September 30, 2026.
Recovery after VATS and Robotic Lobectomy Surgery. McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. https://med.uth.edu/cvs/patient-care/conditionsandprocedures/video-assisted-thoracic-surgery-vats/recovery-after-vats-and-robotic-lobectomy-surgery/. Date Accessed September 30, 2026.
V.A.T.S Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery. Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. https://www.blackpoolteachinghospitals.nhs.uk/patients/patient-leaflets/PL868. Date Accessed September 30, 2026.
Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) lobectomy procedure. McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. https://med.uth.edu/cvs/patient-care/conditionsandprocedures/video-assisted-thoracic-surgery-vats/. Date Accessed September 30, 2026.
Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Lobectomy. UCI Health. https://www.ucihealth.org/medical-services/treatments/vats-lobectomy. Date Accessed September 30, 2026.