What you can expect

Usually people undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery are given a general anesthetic, which means they're asleep during surgery. You'll have a breathing tube put down your throat into your trachea to provide oxygen to your lungs. Then a surgeon makes small incisions in your chest and inserts specially designed surgical instruments to perform the procedure.

During VATS, you may be in surgery two to three hours and may stay in the hospital for a few days, though that can vary, depending on the extent of the procedure and your situation.