Upper left robotic/VAT lobectomy

Posted by jill7517 @jill7517, Feb 19 8:47pm

I am 76 years old, have a 1.6 cm nodule on my left upper lung and am scheduled for a lobectomy in 3-4 weeks. It cannot be biopsied because it is inaccessible, but my surgeon is 85% sure it is malignant.

I will have a robotic/VAT lobectomy which my surgeon says should take 1-2 hours. He does this surgery 20 times a week. He doubts that my lymph glands are involved, but will check this during the surgery.

I am pretty fit and slim, work out in a gym 2-3 times a week, but more weights than cardio. I have never smoked a single cigarette my entire life. I would love to know realistically how soon I can expect to resume a normal life. I also have rheumatoid arthritis, but am symptom-free.

My surgeon says I will only stay in hospital 1 night and will feel very tired for several weeks and experience "discomfort" but not pain. I will lose 20% lung capacity, but still be able to work out and be active. Is this over-optimistic?

My surgeon also says I will not need any home care. However, I live alone, so wonder if I should get a nurses' aide for the first 1, 2 or more days and nights, as well as for the night in hospital.

Thank you in advance for any tips, advice and shared experiences.

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denisek1971 | @denisek1971 | Feb 20 7:15am

Hi,
I’m sorry you have to go through the surgery. I had a robotic, assisted thoracic surgery, wedge, resection with lymph node sampling in June 2023. They removed about 3.4 cm total of my lung tissue that includes lymph nodes. However, they only removed about 2% of my lung.
I am a non-smoker, and in pretty good shape for my age. I have lupus, and other autoimmune diseases, but otherwise, I am relatively healthy from the outside.
I would highly suggest you get someone to help you for at least the first few days at home. I think sometimes surgeons overestimate how quickly we can recover, but even though I am in decent shape, it was not easy at all the first few days. Plus, you will likely get a fever after surgery which they say is normal, but it can be very uncomfortable on top of your orher issues that are going on. In addition, you are going to be taking some pain medication which can make you a little tired, groggy, and loopy anyways. I went home the second day after surgery, but in retrospect, I probably should’ve stayed in the hospital another day. I developed a high fever and was shaking pretty uncontrollably at home and it was pretty miserable

I also got one of those large pill boxes to make sure that I was organized with my pain meds and my other meds. I also added the app on my phone which is called the Pill Reminder. It really helped me as well if you’re text savvy.

Also, if you have any pets, I would suggest getting someone to help you with feeding and/or walking if necessary. You won’t be able to walk more than a block for the first week or so.

I wish you the best of luck in your surgery. Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. Take care.

allstaff | @allstaff | Feb 20 9:08am

I had lower left lobe removed Dec. 12th and just now starting to feel myself. Previously 12 years ago (I'm 78 and good shape and health) I lost my right upper lobe as well so I have lost 40%. I just reached a milestone of being able to walk a mile without a struggle.
I stayed one night. I didn't need a nurse although having my husband there for comfort was wonderful. I would say if you have a good friend that could be there for a few days just to help you a long and maybe fix you some soup (that's all I really wanted)
Make sure you drink plenty of fluids because you will have pain meds., I didnt and got dehydrated which is not fun. Please reach out if you have any questions. I have found this support group a tremendous help.

jill7517 | @jill7517 | Feb 20 10:35am

In reply to @denisek1971 "Hi, I’m sorry you have to go through the surgery. I had a robotic, assisted thoracic..." + (show)

Thank you so much for this helpful info.

Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | Feb 20 11:49am

Hi @jill7517, Welcome to Mayo Connect. I'm glad that you found us. Surgery is always scary, but many here have gone through it, and done quite well. There's no reason to think that you can't continue to be active long term. You'll figure out what works for you over time, but don't rush into doing too much too soon either. I'm sure you never expected to hear 'lung cancer' from your doctors. Unfortunately, anyone with lungs can get lung cancer.
Hopefully they find that you don't have cancer!, but if it is cancer, you should ask about biomarker testing. Being a never smoker, one of the gene mutations may be driving your cancer (EGFR, ALK, KRAS, etc.), and that would impact any post-surgical treatments if needed. Not all insurances will pay for this biomarker testing when the cancer is found at an early stage, but it may be a good discussion to have with your pulmonologist or oncologist.
Please keep us updated.

denzie | @denzie | Feb 20 11:55am

My VATS was for a failed talc pleuradesis but some of the same recovery. You might find it more comfortable to sleep in a recliner, lying flat puts more strain on the ribs that were manipulated and the muscles that are injured in the course of the surgery. If you don't have a recliner, use a wedge pillow and tuck other pillows in to support the ribs. Also, keep a small pillow on hand to hug if you feel a cough or sneeze coming on.

jannam | @jannam | Feb 20 1:20pm

YES! I would definitely get help the first few days. So grateful that I did!

denisek1971 | @denisek1971 | Feb 20 4:56pm

In reply to @jill7517 "Thank you so much for this helpful info." + (show)

You’re so welcome.

jill7517 | @jill7517 | Feb 21 3:30am

In reply to @denzie "My VATS was for a failed talc pleuradesis but some of the same recovery. You might..." + (show)

I don’t believe that my ribs will be manipulated because I am having robotic/VATS surgery. Thank you anyway.

jill7517 | @jill7517 | Feb 21 3:32am

In reply to @jannam "YES! I would definitely get help the first few days. So grateful that I did!" + (show)

Thank you for replying. What did you need the help for? Nursing care, dressing, bathing or food prep? Day and night?

spikeb1 | @spikeb1 | Feb 21 5:15am

I had a left upper lobectomy in November 2022 at age 72. Like you, I was in pretty good shape and found recovery pretty easy. I had little discomfort and was able to resume normal activities in a short time frame.

I was the primary caregiver for my mother who lived with me and a friend and fellow nurse came and stayed for 2-3 days. She helped with my Mom but I needed little to no assistance. It’s probably good to have someone with you or readily available should you need assistance.

I have not experienced any major changes in my lifestyle related to the surgery. My PFTs are not as good as the pre-op values (basically normal) but I have no significant respiratory symptoms during exercise. I now walk about an hour 3-5 days a week and do best on a flat surface mostly related to my knees. 😊 Wish you a smooth recovery!