Thoracic Surgery

Information for Patients Undergoing A Thoracosopic Lung Biopsy

Prior to Surgery

  • Do not take any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (i.e. Motrin, Ibuprofen, and Aleve) or Aspirin products for 1 week prior to your surgery date.
  • Do not smoke at least 2 weeks prior to surgery; you may be tested the day of your surgery to make sure you have not been smoking. If you are smoking your surgery will be cancelled.
  • You need to have a driver available to take you home the day of surgery.
  • You need to make sure someone is able to stay with you over night.
  • If you are on home oxygen, please make sure you bring a tank with you to the hospital for your ride home after surgery.

After Surgery

Managing your Pain

  • You will be given a prescription for pain medication - DO NOT TAKE IT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. Make sure you are able to tolerate food or milk, before you take any pain medication. It is very common to have some problems with feeling nauseated for up to 24 hours after having general anesthesia. If nausea continues after 24 hours, call the thoracic surgery office or nurses, to see why this is continuing.
  • Pain medication can make you constipated. Please eat a high fiber diet, and take in plenty of fluids. If you have not moved your bowels within 3 days after surgery you will need to take an over the counter laxative (Milk of Magnesia, Ducolax, Fleets enema) to help move your bowels. Please feel free to contact the office if you are having any concerns.
  • It is very normal to have pain, and/or a burning sensation below your breast on the same side as the surgery. This discomfort is caused from the irritation of the nerve endings near your incisions. Often the best way to help relieve this pain is to take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (also know as NSAIDS) such as Motrin or Advil. Please note if you are on Prednisone you should not take any NSAIDS. Also if you have ever been told to avoid these medications please do not take them. If you take an NSAID please note you must take this medication with food. We would recommend Motrin or Ibuprofen 400mgs(an over the counter NSAID is 200 mg, so take 2 tablets) 2-3 times a day. You can take this in addition to your narcotic pain medication (Vicodin, Tylenol #3).
  • A heating pad or warm shower may also help with your discomfort. It is not uncommon to experience a sensation of numbness, tingling (like your skin has fallen asleep) or hypersensitivity below your breast. This usually takes about 2 months to go away.
  • It is also important to note that it is very common to cough up a little blood. This may last for a few days after the biopsy. If you are concerned with the amount, color, quantity, or duration, please do not hesitate to contact the office. However, if you cough up a moderate amount of bright red blood and are more short of breath, you need to call 911 or report to the nearest emergency room.
  • Generally, for those patients who are having a nodule removed shortness of breath is not expected. If you experience shortness of breath, please contact our office.
  • If your biopsy is for pulmonary fibrosis, it is very common to feel more short of breath for about 2 weeks after your surgery.

Taking care of your Incisions

You will have 3 incisions on your side about 1 inch in length. Generally in the operating room your incisions are closed with a dissolvable suture and/or "glue" to close the skin edges. Please do not get your incisions wet for 2 days after your surgery. After that time you will be able to get in the shower, clean your incisions with warm soap and water daily. You may notice that there is a yellowish film around your incision; this is from the "glue". To remove the glue you may use some Vaseline or cold cream, and then wash your incision with soap and water. Do not let the Vaseline or cold cream stay on your incision for any period of time. Look at your incisions daily. If you notice signs of redness, drainage, swelling, or run a fever greater than 101.0 F you need to contact us. If your incision is in a place that you can not see you may want to have someone look at your surgery site for you.

You may have a suture where the chest tube "drainage tube" was; this suture is not dissolvable and needs to be removed 5-7 days after your surgery. Your family member, primary care doctor or you can come back to us to have this suture removed (depending on where you live). The suture is pulled very tight, to remove it - pick up both ends and slip the scissors underneath and cut, and pull, it is a small purse string suture.

Activity and Restrictions:

  • For the first 4-5 days you should not lift anything greater than 10lbs (a gallon of Milk is 9 lbs.). After this time you will generally have no restrictions.
  • Remember that you will not be allowed to drive if you are taking narcotic (Vicodin, Tylenol #3) pain medications.
  • If you are driving a long distance, we recommend that you get out and walk around every 2-3 hours to help prevent blood clots, for the first day after surgery. It is also a good idea to practice lower leg exercise. These exercises include; pointing your toes up and then straight-ahead and doing circles with your ankles 10 times each hour. Please wear your seat belt when riding or driving in a car.

Please note it takes approximately 5 business days for the pathology results, if you feel that 5 business days have passed and no one has contacted you; call the thoracic surgery nurses.