Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Side Effects and Warnings

Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have VATS, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Anesthesia-related problems
• Air leaking from the lungs
• Chest pain
• The need to switch to open chest surgery (eg, to remove a larger area of the lung)

Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Pre-existing heart or lung condition
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Previous chest surgery
• Use of certain medicines

Discuss these risks with your doctor before surgery.

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Cough or shortness of breath
• Coughing up yellow, green, or bloody mucus
• New chest pain
• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from an incision site
• Difficulty urinating (eg, pain, burning, urgency, frequency, or bleeding)
• Pain and/or swelling in your feet, calves, or legs
• Persistent nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea
• Headache, feeling faint or dizzy
• Other worrisome symptoms

Call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately if any of the following occurs:

• Sudden chest pain
• Sudden shortness of breath

If you think you have an emergency, CALL 911.