VATS
Medical abbreviation · Respiratory
| Stands for | Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
VATS stands for Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, a respiratory abbreviation.
Minimally invasive chest surgery performed through small incisions using a camera and long instruments, used for lung biopsy, wedge resection, lobectomy, pleural procedures and treatment of pneumothorax. Compared with open thoracotomy it usually causes less pain and a shorter hospital stay.
Example: VATS right upper lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection; chest tube removed on day 2.
Usage notes
VATS lobectomy was first reported in the early 1990s and is now standard for early-stage lung cancer at many centers, with robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) as a related approach. Other uses include pleurodesis for recurrent pneumothorax or effusion and decortication of empyema. Pronounced "vats."
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This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.