Explore Thoracic Surgery: Discover the types, procedures, and recovery steps. GetWellGo guides international patients through every step of your journey.
Thoracic surgery is a branch of surgery that deals comprehensive treatment for the diseases that involves organs and structures in the chest, mainly including the:
Lungs
Esophagus
Trachea and bronchi
Chest wall
Diaphragm
Mediastinum (area between the lungs containing the heart, major blood vessels, etc.)
Common Thoracic Surgeries:
Lobectomy – removal of a lobe of the lung (often due to lung cancer).
Pneumonectomy – removal of an entire lung.
Wedge Resection/Segmentectomy – removal of a portion of a lung lobe.
Esophagectomy – removal of part or all of the esophagus (often for esophageal cancer).
Thymectomy – surgical removal of the thymus gland (in such conditions as myasthenia gravis or thymoma).
Pleurodesis – treatment for recurrent pleural effusion or pneumothorax.
Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) – endoscopic surgery technique involving the use of video camera with small instruments.
Robotic Thoracic Surgery: Minimally invasive approach of the surgical procedures with a help of the specially designed robots.
Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery
Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery of the chest is the surgical procedure that enables the thoracic surgeon to operate within the chest cavity with smaller incisions than those used in thoracotomy as well as the surgery results in lesser trauma and shorter recovery period.
Types of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery:
VATS (Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery):
Employ a small, thin tube with a tiny camera called the thoracoscope and other small instruments through 2-4 incisions.
The chest of the patient is examined through a monitor by a surgeon.
Commonly used for:
Lung cancer resection (lobectomy, wedge resection)
Pneumothorax
Pleural biopsy or decortication
Thymectomy
Robotic-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (RATS):
Performed with robotic arms controlled by the surgeon from a console.
Provides higher accuracy, flexibility, and stereoscopic vision.
Used for:
Complex lung resections
Mediastinal tumors
Esophageal procedures (e.g., Heller myotomy)
Robotic Thoracic Surgery
Robotic Thoracic Surgery can be described as a minimal invasive surgical procedure to address any conditions affecting the chest cavities with the help of robotic systems. It provides the surgeon with finer control, as well as optimizes the speed that is required when performing intricate and intricate surgeries.
What Is Robotic Thoracic Surgery?
Performed by the surgical robot, the da Vinci® Surgical System.
These operations are performed with the help of robots while the surgeon uses his/her hands through a console that has 3D high definition view.
The instruments are inserted inside the body through small punctures usually of 5- to 10-mm in size.
The robotic arms also have the functionality of rejecting hand tremors and are capable of rotating in 360 degrees.
Common Procedures Done Robotic-Assisted:
Robotic Lobectomy – Removal of a lung lobe (lung cancer)
Robotic Wedge Resection – Small lung nodule removal
Robotic Thymectomy – Removal of the thymus (e.g., for myasthenia gravis)
Robotic Esophagectomy - part of the esophagus (where cancer occurs) is removed.
Robotic Mediastinal - Tumor Resection
Sympathectomy – Treatment for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
Thoracic Surgery Recovery Time
Lobectomy (lung lobe removal)
VATS/Robotic: 4-6 weeks
Open Thoracotomy: 6-12 weeks
Pneumonectomy (whole lung)
Open/VATS: 6-10 weeks
Wedge Resection
VATS/Robotic: 2-4 weeks
Thymectomy
Robotic/VATS: 2-4 weeks
Esophagectomy
Robotic/Open: 6-12 weeks
Pleurodesis (for pneumothorax)
VATS: 2-3 weeks
Thoracic Surgery Complications
Surgical operations in the chest region are surrounded by some risks and possible side effects as the chest is a sensitive area for surgery that involves organs. The risks also vary in relation to surgery type, patient overall health, ways of performing the surgery, and other diseases (cancer, COPD, etc.).
Common Thoracic Surgery Risks:
Pulmonary Complications
Pneumonia – Especially in elderly or smokers
Atelectasis – Lung collapse due to mucus blockage or poor lung expansion
Prolonged air leak as arising from the lung or bronchial stump.
Respiratory failure – Needing ventilation
Cardiovascular Complications
Arrhythmias (especially atrial fibrillation) – Seen in ~10–30% of cases
Pulmonary embolism (PE) – Blood clots traveling to the lungs
Bleeding/hemothorax – May require re-operation
Wound or Chest Wall Complications
Wound infection
Chest tube site infection or dislodgment
Empyema – Collection of pus in the pleural space
Other Risks
Chylothorax – Lymph fluid leak (especially after esophagectomy or mediastinal surgery)
Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury – Hoarseness or vocal cord paralysis
Esophageal leak – They are found if at some part of the esophagus has been operated
Diaphragm dysfunction – Especially after phrenic nerve injury
Thoracic Surgery Procedures
Thoracic surgeries are surgeries that require operations to be made on structures inside the thorax which include lungs, the esophagus, and the diaphragm, mediastinum and chest wall. These can be performed through open approach or via VATS or robotic approach.
Common Thoracic Surgery Procedures
Lung Surgery
Lobectomy – Removal of one lobe of the lung (common for lung cancer)
Pneumonectomy – Removal of an entire lung
Wedge Resection / Segmentectomy: In this process, the doctors remove a small portion of the lung tissue in case of a tumor or lesion.
Bullectomy – Removal of large air spaces (bullae) from damaged lungs (e.g., emphysema)
Pleural Surgery
Pleurodesis – Fusion of pleural layers to prevent fluid or air buildup (for recurrent pleural effusion or pneumothorax)
Pleurectomy/Decortication – The procedure in which surgeons remove a portion of the pleura (In the conditions such as mesothelioma or empyema).
Esophageal Surgery
Esophagectomy – Removal of part or all of the esophagus (e.g., esophageal cancer)
Heller Myotomy – Division of muscles used in solutions to achalasia
Fundoplication – For severe acid reflux (GERD)
Mediastinal Surgery
Thymectomy – Removal of the thymus gland (e.g., thymoma or myasthenia gravis)
Mediastinal mass resection – Removal of tumors in the central chest area
Chest Wall Surgery
Resection of chest wall tumors
Rib resection
Sternal reconstruction (after trauma or tumor removal)
Tracheal and Airway Surgery
It is where the windpipe is narrowed or has a tumor; tracheal resection and reconstruction
Bronchoplasty – Surgical operation where structures of bronchial nature are restructured or amended
Sympathectomy
Cutting sympathetic nerves to treat:
Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
Facial flushing
Some chronic pain syndromes
Factors Affecting Thoracic Surgery Cost
There are various ways that the cost of thoracic surgery is determined, and the common aspects are to help patients compare or choose a hospital or treatment plan.
Below is a breakdown:
Type of Procedure
Surgical Approach
Hospital Type & Location
Surgeon’s Fees
Preoperative Investigations
Hospital Stay & ICU Care
Postoperative Care
Best Thoracic Surgeons
Dr. Parveen Yadav
Dr. Arvind Kumar
Dr. Shaiwal Khandelwal
Thoracic Surgery Hospitals
Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon
Medanta-The Medicity, Gurgaon
Max Hospital, Saket
Thoracic Surgery Success Rate
Lobectomy (lung cancer)
90–95%
Pneumonectomy
85–90%
Wedge Resection
95–98%
Thymectomy
95–98%
Esophagectomy
80–90%
Pleurodesis
85–95%
Sympathectomy
95–98%
Why Choose GetWellGo for Thoracic Surgery?
GetWellGo is regarded as a leading supplier of healthcare services. We help our foreign clients choose the best treatment locations that suit their needs both financially and medically.
We offer:
Complete transparency
Fair costs.
24 hour availability.
Medical E-visas
Online consultation from recognized Indian experts.
Assistance in selecting India's top hospitals for thoracic surgery.
Expert thoracic surgeon with a strong track record of success
Assistance during and after the course of treatment.
Language Support
Travel and Accommodation Services
Case manager assigned to every patient to provide seamless support in and out of the hospital like appointment booking
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