Minimally Invasive Lung Surgery for Early Stage Lung Cancer Now Available at Hanover Hospital

October 15, 2009 -
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States.  Approximately 180,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.

While surgical intervention offers the best chance of a cure for those with early-stage lung cancer the traditional open-chest procedure typically requires a week’s recovery in the hospital, with an extended recovery at home.

Now there is a new option, called Video-Assisted Lobectomy (VATS), for select patients as treatment of early-stage lung cancer.  This new minimally invasive procedure is now offered at Hanover Hospital.  Benefits for the patient include less pain, a faster recovery, a shorter hospital stay, and a proven success rate.

Dr. Wesley Harden, a Hanover Thoracic and General Surgeon, is trained to perform the new procedure.  He explains that lobectomy, the surgical removal of a large section of lung, is the most common surgery performed to treat lung cancer. During traditional surgery, a long incision is made on the side of the chest between the ribs, and the ribs are spread apart to expose the lung.

The new VATS lobectomy is much less invasive.  Several small incisions are made in the chest to provide access to the chest cavity, without spreading the ribs. Guided by images on a computer monitor, the surgeon uses a thorascope (a small video camera) and surgical instruments to remove the tumor or affected tissue from the lung through the incisions.  Patients typically can return to work in a week or two, versus six to eight weeks with the open-chest procedure.                         

“Laparoscopic (video-assisted) procedures have become the standard of practice,” said Dr. Harden.  Though the new VATS procedure is considered for every patient, some may not be candidates. 

For more information, please contact Dr. Harden, at (717) 637-1202.

About Dr. Harden:

Wesley R. Harden, III, M.D., FACS, received his medical degree at Thomas Jefferson University – Jefferson Medical College.  He is Board Certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and is Fellowship Trained in Cardiac Physiology at University of Pennsylvania.   Dr. Harden has been a member of the Hanover Hospital Medical Staff since November, 1986.