Post Operative Care

Wedge Resection

  • Operation duration 15-20 minutes
  • Lung volume loss 1-2% (minimal)
  • Hospital stay 24-48 hours on average
  • Risks include: Bleeding, infection (Less than 1%), Mortality (Less than 0.1%)
  • Pain is variable, usually minimal at single incision site
  • Return to work 1 week on average

Segmentectomy

  • Operation duration 45-60 minutes
  • Lung volume loss 5-10%
  • Hospital stay 2-3 days on average
  • Risks include: Bleeding, infection (1-2%), Mortality rate (0.1-0.5%)
  • Pain is variable, usually minimal at single incision site
  • Return to work 2 week on average

Lobectomy

  • Operation duration 40-50 minutes
  • Lung volume loss 15-20%
  • Hospital stay 2-3 days on average
  • Risks include: Bleeding, infection (1-2%), Mortality rate (0.1-0.5%)
  • Pain is variable, usually minimal at single incision site
  • Return to work 2 weeks on average
  • Surveillance CT scan 6 monthly for 5 years

Sleeve Resection

  • Operation duration 2 hours average
  • Lung volume loss 15-20%
  • Hospital stay 2-3 days on average
  • Risks include Bleeding, infection (1-2%), Mortality rate (0.1-0.5%)
  • Pain is variable, usually minimal at single incision site
  • Return to work 2 weeks on average
  • Surveillance bronchoscopy at 3-6 months

Bronhoscopy

  • Operation duration 10 minutes to 2 hours variable if stenting, tumor removal required (2 hours)
  • Hospital stay 1 day
  • Risks include: Bleeding, infection 1% and mortality 0.1%
  • Return to work: few days to 1 week

Mediastinal

  • Operation duration 30-60 minutes
  • Hospital stay 24-38 hours on average
  • Return to work 1 week
  • Pain variable usually minimal at the incision site
  • Risks include: Bleeding, infection (1-2%), Mortality rate (0.1-0.5%)

Lung volume reduction surgery

  • Operation duration 30-60 minutes
  • Hospital stay 3-5 days (as frequently combined with pleurodesis)
  • Lung volume loss variable (30-40%) but already non-functional apical regions
  • Risks include: Bleeding, infection less than 1%, Mortality rate 1-2%
  • Pain variable usually minimal at the incision site
  • Return to work variable (depending on functioning ability pre-operatively)

Cardiac Devices

  • Operation duration 20-30 minutes
  • Hospital stay 6 - 12 hours
  • Return to work: few days to 1 week
  • PRisks include: Bleeding, infection less than 1%, pneumothorax below 1%, lead revision 1%, mortality below 0.1%
  • Pain variable usually minimal at the incision site

CABG

  • Operation duration 2-3 hours
  • Hospital stay 5-10 days
  • Risks include: Bleeding, infection under 5% and mortality 1%, risk of stroke 1%
  • Sternal precautions 6 weeks
  • Pain variable usually minimal at the incision site
  • Return to work variable usually 4-6 weeks

Valves (mitral, aortic, tricuspid, pulmonary)

  • Operation duration 2-3 hours
  • Hospital stay 5-10 days
  • Risks include: Bleeding, infection under 5% and mortality 1% - 5%, risk of stroke 1%, need for pacemaker 1-5%
  • Sternal precautions 6 weeks
  • Pain variable usually minimal at the incision site
  • Return to work variable usually 4-6 weeks

Chest Wall Reconstruction

  • Operation duration 30-60 minutes
  • Hospital stay 1-2 days
  • Risks include: Bleeding, infection below 1%, Mortality rate below 0.1%
  • Pain variable usually much improved
  • Return to work variable 1-2 weeks average
  • Precautions include no heavy lifting for 4-6 weeks
  • Return to driving 1-2 weeks