Robotic Lung Surgery Blog

Recovery from any surgery can be challenging, whether big or small. Surgery is harsh on the body. Post-surgery, you may have to do things differently for a while to help your body heal. You may also need the help of friends and family for certain tasks until you’re back to your usual self.

Robotic lung surgery is a minimally invasive surgery that uses an intuitive robotic system for surgical assistance through video. With this surgery, people get curative surgery without large incisions or their ribs being spread. You will have less damage from incisions with a faster recovery and fewer complications.

Despite it being a less harsh surgical option, your body still will need to recover. Once you’re at home, what should you expect?

Your doctor will ask you to be very active by walking 5 to 6 times per day. The activity helps the recovery process.
You will be advised to use your incentive spirometer at least 2 to 3 times per day.
You will have a prescription for pain medication. No driving while on narcotics.
You cannot lift anything heavier than 5 to 8 pounds for 2 weeks.
It’s encouraged that you try to stretch your arms over your head often.
You may experience drainage from the chest tube site, which is normal. If it continues and is producing a foul smell, the doctor should be notified.
You can shower after the chest tube is removed.
You can clean the incision with soap. It should be gently patted dry. Baths are not allowed for 2 weeks after surgery.
If you have a frequent cough, you can take Robitussin.
If you experience pain/burning/numbness/tingling sensation in upper back, shoulder, under breast, and abdomen, you can add Motrin (600mg every eight hours) or Aleve (take as directed) to your pain medication. Talk to your doctor about what medication and dosage is right for you.
You may experience hypersensitivity of the skin, which is normal.
Your pain medication may cause constipation. If a bowel movement doesn’t occur at least every other day, you can take Milk of Magnesia or a laxative.
You will feel tired post-op, which is common and normal.

Your doctor will let you know, even more specifically, what to expect post-robotic lung surgery and what you need to do at home. Your home recovery plan will be tailored to your needs.

If you’re looking for a skilled surgeon to perform your robotic lung surgery, Dr. Peter Mikhail is a robotic lung specialist and surgeon. To learn more about the surgery, click Dr. Mikhail’s Tampa Robotic Lung Surgery page or call his office at 727-312-4844 to book an appointment or for more information. Dr. Mikhail is based in New Port Richey, Florida. He treats patients in Tampa and Clearwater.

You have decided to have robotic lung surgery. Although minimally invasive, this surgery is a big undertaking on your body. However, the outcome is that you will live longer and have a better quality of life.

Depending on what occurs during surgery and your individual plan, you will stay in the hospital for 2 to 4 days. You will likely be able to return to your own personal care and daily activities in an independent manner before heading home from the hospital.

Here’s what to expect immediately after your surgery:

You will be moved to the ICU after surgery and will spend 1 to 2 days there.
You may wake up with a breathing tube, but it is usually removed the day after surgery.
You will have to perform breathing and coughing exercises every hour while you are awake.
You will be hooked up to one (or more) IVs.
You will have chest tubes near the incision.
You will receive pain medication (as needed).
You may have blood drawn.
The doctor will discuss your diet with you.
You will come up with a plan with your doctor and family to help you with certain activities or tasks you are still unable to do on your own easily.
Your chest tube is removed after a couple of days.
After the chest tube is removed, you should wash the area with soap and water.
You should walk three to four times a day.

You are unique, so your number of days in the hospital and experience will vary depending on your age, other conditions you may have, pain levels, and any complications. Your doctor’s post-op plan for you will be tailored to your needs so you can be on the best path to recovery.

If you’re looking for a surgeon to perform your robotic lung surgery, Dr. Peter Mikhail is a robotic lung specialist and surgeon. He will let you know what to expect during and after your surgery. He is happy to answer all your questions and work with you every step of the way. To learn more about the surgery, click Dr. Mikhail’s Tampa Robotic Lung Surgery page or call his office at 727-312-4844 to book an appointment or for more information. Dr. Mikhail is based in New Port Richey, Florida. He treats patients in Tampa and Clearwater.

Surgery can be a scary experience, especially when your surgery is for cancer. When you and your doctor have come to the decision that minimally invasive robotic lung surgery is the best option for you, the doctor will detail you on what to expect before, during, and after surgery. As a Tampa robotic lung specialist and surgeon, Dr. Peter Mikhail takes the time to thoroughly explain the surgery and all it entails with his patients.

Knowledge is power and, as a patient, you have every right to know what your surgery entails. For a surgery to be the most successful, it’s essential that you properly prepare for it. Below, our team wants to share some pre-surgery tips on things you should do/ask so your surgery goes as well as it possibly can.

Ask your doctor what you can or cannot do or eat before surgery.
Ask about the hospital admittance process.
Ask about the type of anesthesia the doctor will use.
Figure out what your insurance will cover.
Ask your insurance if they will provide wellness benefits (discounted rehab or nutritional care).
Let your doctor know all medications, supplements, and vitamins you currently take.
See if you need certain medical clearance or tests before surgery such as x-rays, lab work, and pulmonary function tests.
Eat foods rich in iron before surgery. The iron helps boost the circulatory system and blood counts.
Find out if you need to lose weight before you can be cleared for surgery. The doctor may have you work with a nutritionist.
If you can, try to quit smoking. Smoking delays healing and recovery.
Ask the surgeon/doctor if you should be doing any pre-surgical exercises.
Fill out any necessary paperwork with your employer for disability claims.
If you are a regular alcohol consumer, talk to your doctor about his/her recommendations.
Let your doctor know if you use any controlled substances or narcotic pain medications. Regular use of these drugs can impact surgery and post-op pain control.

Robotic Lung Specialist and Surgeon Dr. Peter Mikhail will discuss with you more thoroughly the best pre-op care for you. The above list is just a sample of things to keep in mind.

If you’re looking for a surgeon to perform your robotic lung surgery, Dr. Mikhail performs these surgeries in the Tampa and Clearwater areas of Florida. He will answer all your questions about the surgery and help you to prepare for it.

To learn more about the surgery, click Dr. Mikhail’s Tampa Robotic Lung Surgery page or call his office at 727-312-4844 to book an appointment or for more information. Dr. Mikhail is based in New Port Richey, Florida.

If you’re suffering from lung cancer, you may have come to the decision with your doctor and surgeon to undergo robotic lung surgery

Robotic lung surgery is a minimally invasive surgery that uses an intuitive robotic system for surgical assistance through video. It is an alternative to open-chest operations. This surgical treatment is offered to patients with early-stages of lung cancer.

Surgery can be a scary concept to a lot of people, but the more you know beforehand, the more comfortable you will be with the idea of having the surgery.

It’s important for you to ask your doctor and/or surgeon any questions that come to mind. If you’re unsure what to ask, our office has provided some basic questions you should ask before surgery. Answers will vary depending on your particular surgery, healing process, and medical history.

What are the risks involved with robotic lung surgery? What are the benefits?
How long will the surgery take?
Why is this the best option for me?
What are the possible complications?
How much pain will I experience when I go home?
How should I manage the pain? Will I be given pain medication? For how long?
How long will I be in the hospital?
Will I be put on antibiotics?
Can I eat and drink normally after the surgery?
Will I be able to walk and shower by myself?
How long is recovery?
How often do you want to follow up with me post-op?
Can I go home after surgery or do I need to stay at a rehab facility?
Will I need physical therapy?
How long will it take me to be active again?
How long will it take me to return to my daily activities?
When can I drive again?
When can I return to work?
What activities need to be avoided following the surgery and for how long?
What will I have to change in my life?

If you’re looking for the right surgeon to perform your robotic lung surgery, Dr. Peter Mikhail is a robotic lung specialist and surgeon. He can help determine if you’re a candidate for the surgery and will answer all your questions about the surgery. To learn more about the surgery, click Dr. Mikhail’s Tampa Robotic Lung Surgery page or call his office at 727-312-4844 to book an appointment or for more information. Dr. Mikhail is based in New Port Richey, Florida. He treats patients in Tampa and Clearwater.

This article originally appeared on www.lungcanceralliance.org.

When a loved one finds out they have lung cancer, it can be hard to know how best to help them, what to say or even how they are feeling. Here are some tips to keep in mind when helping a love one through their lung cancer journey.

Take care of yourself. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but it is essential that you find your best support during this journey. You need to be strong and in the best health possible in order to be there for your loved one.
Don’t take it personally. Understand that your loved one is coping with their disease in their own unique way and try not to take things he or she says or does personally.
Respect independence. Your loved one may want to do more for him or herself to prevent burdening you. Go with it and let them as long as it doesn’t negatively impact his or her health.
Don’t change your relationship. When your loved one has cancer, it doesn’t mean that they want to be treated differently or want your relationship to change. Try your best to treat them the way you did before diagnosis.
Be open and direct. At the time of your loved one’s diagnosis, find out exactly what your loved wants throughout every step regarding treatment and support. This way, you will be on the same page and be able to make decisions as a team.

For more tips on your role as a caregiver, click here.

Dr. Peter Mikhail treats patients suffering from lung cancer in the Tampa, Clearwater, and New Port Richey areas of Florida. Call him to book an appointment for an evaluation of condition at 727-312-4844. You may be a good candidate for the da Vinci Surgical System.

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This article originally appeared on www.healthline.com

About lung cancer

Lung cancer originates in your lungs but can spread to other parts of your body. Cancer that begins elsewhere but spreads to your lungs isn’t lung cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), lung cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in the United States. Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, but nonsmokers can get it too. The rate of new lung cancer diagnoses has been slowly declining since 2001. According to the NCI, this decline is similar to the decline seen in smoking rates.

Who gets it and why

Anyone can get lung cancer, but certain factors put you at greater risk. Smoking is the number one risk factor. You’re also at increased risk if you have a family history of lung cancer, especially if one of your parents or siblings had it.

Other dangers include exposure to:

secondhand smoke
radon gas
asbestos

Substances like arsenic, nickel, and chromium can also pose a risk. Smokers who are exposed to additional cancer-causing agents are at an even greater risk.

Symptoms

People with early stage lung cancer often are unaware of an issue. As the cancer grows, a chronic cough may develop. Smokers may notice a change in their “smoker’s cough” or may start coughing up blood. Many people report:

hoarseness
wheezing
frequent shortness of breath
chest pain
bone pain
headache

Unexplained weight loss is also a common symptom of cancer.

Diagnostic tools

Imaging tests like an X-ray or CT scan can help diagnose lung cancer. Mucus from your lungs can be analyzed for cancer cells (sputum cytology). Your doctor can also perform a biopsy, taking a tissue sample for analysis under a microscope.

Your doctor can get lung tissue by inserting a needle through your chest and into the lung (needle biopsy). Or they can acquire a lymph node sample with a surgical instrument that’s inserted through an incision at the base of your neck (mediastinoscopy).

Your doctor may also do a bronchoscopy to examine your lungs. In a bronchoscopy, a lighted tube with a small camera attached is passed through your nose, down your throat, and into your lungs.

What “staging” means

Stages describe how far the cancer has progressed and where it has spread. Stage 1 means the tumor is less than 5 centimeters (cm) and hasn’t spread outside the lung. Stage 2 means the tumor is larger than 5 cm. Or it could also mean the tumor is smaller, but nearby tissues like the diaphragm, chest wall, or lymph nodes are affected.

In stage 3, the tumor is larger and has invaded nearby organs. It can also indicate a smaller tumor along with the presence of lung cancer cells in distant lymph nodes. Stage 4 is when cancer spreads to the second lung or more distant areas.

Treatment

Your treatment options depend on details unique to you. Surgery is often necessary to remove the tumor and some surrounding tissue, part of the lung or airways, or the whole lung.

Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to kill cancer cells throughout your body. Radiation therapy also kills cancer cells and can target specific areas.

It’s not always possible to know if there are any cancer cells left in your body, so your doctor may recommend a combination of treatments.

Other treatments

Laser therapy uses a narrow beam of light to kill cancer cells, and photodynamic therapy combines laser light with drugs. Cryosurgery freezes and destroys abnormal tissue, and electrocautery treatment uses a needle heated by an electric current to kill cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors are target therapies that prevent cancer cells from growing.

You may want to ask your doctor about clinical trials used to test newer cancer treatments.

Many people with cancer find comfort in local support groups.

Complications of lung cancer

Shortness of breath and pain can impact your quality of life. Lung cancer can also cause you to cough up blood.

Another complication is fluid accumulating in the area around your lung (pleural effusion). If that happens, you’ll need to have fluid drained from your chest.

A serious complication of lung cancer is metastasis, when cancer spreads to distant areas like the brain, liver, adrenal glands, or bones. Metastatic cancer can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including increased pain. Various treatments can help manage symptoms.

Outlook

Lung cancer can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. However, it’s important to note that your long-term outlook depends on many factors, including your overall health, age, and choice of treatment. The stage of the cancer at diagnosis is an important factor when considering your outlook. The highest survival rates are for people whose lung cancer is diagnosed during stage 1 or stage 2, so it’s easier to treat if detected early on.

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This article originally appeared on www.cancer.org.

Most lung cancers do not cause any symptoms until they have spread, but some people with early lung cancer do have symptoms. If you go to your doctor when you first notice symptoms, your cancer might be diagnosed at an earlier stage, when treatment is more likely to be effective. The most common symptoms of lung cancer are:

A cough that does not go away or gets worse
Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)
Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
Hoarseness
Weight loss and loss of appetite
Shortness of breath
Feeling tired or weak
Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back
New onset of wheezing

If lung cancer spreads to distant organs, it may cause:

Bone pain (like pain in the back or hips)
Nervous system changes (such as headache, weakness or numbness of an arm or leg, dizziness, balance problems, or seizures), from cancer spread to the brain or spinal cord
Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), from cancer spread to the liver
Lumps near the surface of the body, due to cancer spreading to the skin or to lymph nodes (collections of immune system cells), such as those in the neck or above the collarbone

Most of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by something other than lung cancer. Still, if you have any of these problems, it’s important to see your doctor right away so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.

Some lung cancers can cause syndromes, which are groups of very specific symptoms.

Horner syndrome

Cancers of the top part of the lungs (sometimes called Pancoast tumors) sometimes can affect certain nerves to the eye and part of the face, causing a group of symptoms called Horner syndrome:

Drooping or weakness of one eyelid
A smaller pupil (dark part in the center of the eye) in the same eye
Reduced or absent sweating on the same side of the face
Pancoast tumors can also sometimes cause severe shoulder pain.

Superior vena cava syndrome

The superior vena cava (SVC) is a large vein that carries blood from the head and arms back to the heart. It passes next to the upper part of the right lung and the lymph nodes inside the chest. Tumors in this area can press on the SVC, which can cause the blood to back up in the veins. This can lead to swelling in the face, neck, arms, and upper chest (sometimes with a bluish-red skin color). It can also cause headaches, dizziness, and a change in consciousness if it affects the brain. While SVC syndrome can develop gradually over time, in some cases it can become life-threatening, and needs to be treated right away.

Paraneoplastic syndromes

Some lung cancers can make hormone-like substances that enter the bloodstream and cause problems with distant tissues and organs, even though the cancer has not spread to those tissues or organs. These problems are called paraneoplastic syndromes. Sometimes these syndromes can be the first symptoms of lung cancer. Because the symptoms affect organs other than the lungs, patients and their doctors may suspect at first that a disease other than lung cancer is causing them.

Some of the more common paraneoplastic syndromes associated with lung cancer are:

SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone): In this condition, the cancer cells make a hormone (ADH) that causes the kidneys to retain water. This lowers salt levels in the blood. Symptoms of SIADH can include fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle weakness or cramps, nausea, vomiting, restlessness, and confusion. Without treatment, severe cases may lead to seizures and coma.
Cushing syndrome: In this condition, the cancer cells may make ACTH, a hormone that causes the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol. This can lead to symptoms such as weight gain, easy bruising, weakness, drowsiness, and fluid retention. Cushing syndrome can also cause high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels (or even diabetes).
Nervous system problems: Lung cancer can sometimes cause the body’s immune system to attack parts of the nervous system, which can lead to problems. One example is a muscle disorder called the Lambert-Eaton syndrome, in which the muscles around the hips become weak. One of the first signs may be trouble getting up from a sitting position. Later, muscles around the shoulder may become weak. A rarer problem is paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration, which can cause loss of balance and unsteadiness in arm and leg movement, as well as trouble speaking or swallowing.
High blood calcium levels (hypercalcemia): This can cause frequent urination, thirst, constipation, nausea, vomiting, belly pain, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, and other nervous system problems
Excess growth or thickening of certain bones: This is often in the finger tips, and can be painful.
Blood clots
Excess breast growth in men (gynecomastia)

Again, many of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by something other than lung cancer. Still, if you have any of these problems, it’s important to see your doctor right away so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.

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