American Hospital Dubai raises the bar with new minimally invasive lung surgery technique

UAE - The first minimally-invasive lung surgery was performed to remove a tumour from a Dubai resident, at the American Hospital in Dubai.

Precise, flexible surgical tools used to make minimal incisions were used to remove a lung cancer tumor from the resident. The surgery was performed using state-of-the-art capabilities including 3-D high-definition visualization of the chest cavity.

"Minimally-invasive and robotic surgeries are improving the gold standard of traditional open surgery," said Dr Ali Al Dameh, Consultant Oncology Surgeon.

"Unlike a thoracotomy (traditional lung surgery), which requires a long incision and often a long recovery, surgery using the VATS minimally-invasive technique is performed with three small incisions so spreading of the patient's ribs to access the lung is avoided. The end result is a more delicate and precise surgical procedure with smaller incisions, less post-operative pain and a shorter hospital stays for most patients. American hospital Dubai is committed to adopt the latest technologies and continues to deliver several industry-first procedures", he added.

Traditional surgery in the chest cavity can be debilitating and often very painful. Surgeons must cut between the ribs in order to access the lung, leaving patients with a large incision on the side of their chest as well as a long and painful post-operative recovery. Lobectomies using high-definition minimally-invasive techniques enabled Dr Dameh to remove a centralized tumor from the patient's right upper lung and dissecting major vessels from the beating heart without the need for large incisions or spreading of the ribs.

The procedure was completed in approximately four hours and the patient was discharged from the hospital just five days after being admitted with no post-operative pain. As a disruptor of the traditional view of medical care, American hospital Dubai aims to support the community with the highest levels of patient-centric care.