About ESTS

Diagnosis

You have probably gone through numerious diagnostic tests after the initial consultation at your pulmonologist. Diagnostic tests are useful to determine the type of tumor and the extent of the disease.

In some scenarios, patients are sent to surgery because previous tests did not offer a definitive result. In these cases, surgery plays a double role, as a diagnostic tool and treatment modality. A surgical approach may be needed to ascertain information about your disease. If this is the case, your surgeon will explain you about procedures such as navigational bronchoscopy, EBUS, mediastinoscopy (VAM, VAMLA), mediastinostomy or VATS approaches for lymph node biopsy or resectability evaluation of your tumor.

For more information about diagnosing non-small cell lung cancer, please click here.

Surgical Procedures

Navigational Bronchoscopy

During this procedure a bronchoscopy with a GPS-type system will be used to biopsy the lesion even in very difficult areas of the lung

EBUS or EndoBronchial UltraSound

A technique combining bronchoscopy with ultrasound to visualize lymph nodes and biopsy them from the airways. Sometimes your pulmonologist will perform this technique

Mediastinoscopy (VAM, VAMLA)

A small incision is made in the neck for mediastinal lymph nodes biopsy. This procedure can be useful for staging and diagnosis of the cancer. It can be performed assisted by a camara system then the procedure is known as VAM or VAMLA.

VATS approaches for lymph node biopsy

VATS or video-assisted thoracic surgery refers to a minimally invasive approach to the pleural cavity where the lung and lymph nodes are located. Using this type of approach, the thoracic surgeon can perform almost any procedure from biopsy of lymph nodes, biopsy or excision of lesions on the lung to complete lung resection or mediastinal procedures.

Resectability evaluation of your tumor

Robotic procedure means a minimally invasive approach and procedure using the complex robotic system. It can have a role also on the diagnostic staging

Further information about cancer diagnosis can be found here

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