Groundbreaking “First” – Porunai Hospitals Pioneers South Tamil Nadu’s First Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) Lobectomy

Porunai Hospitals, a multi-speciality hospital, puts Tirunelveli in the spotlight with the successful completion of the region’s first-ever advanced Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) lobectomy – a breakthrough in lung lobe resection! This complex, minimally invasive procedure-once limited to large metropolitan healthcare centres-is a pioneering step towards making advanced thoracic care accessible to patients in South Tamil Nadu.

Minimally invasive VATS lobectomy at Porunai Hospital using small incisions and a camera to reduce lung trauma and speed up recovery

By achieving this significant milestone, Porunai Hospitals alleviates the need for conventional open thoracotomy – an approach that requires a very large incision, often necessitating the breaking of ribs to access the lung. Resection through open thoracotomy causes considerable discomfort and pain, increases the risk of complications, and prolongs the recovery period.

The advanced VATS technique, however, requires only a single, small incision through which a specialised camera and other surgical instruments are inserted to perform the complete resection of the lung lobe – with remarkable precision and without the need for a large cut or rib spreading.

Porunai Hospitals is proud to introduce this advanced surgery that benefits patients with:

• Reduced surgical trauma and post-operative pain

• Smaller incisions and minimum risk of infection

• Shorter hospital stay and expedited hospital discharge

• Quicker post-surgical recovery and return to routine activities

Their surgical precision and medical expertise were pivotal in navigating the complexities of this procedure. Porunai Hospitals’ anaesthesiology and critical care teams also deserve special recognition for meticulously managing the patient’s physiological vitals throughout the procedure. With this multi-disciplinary approach, Porunai Hospitals is alleviating the need to seek long-distance medical care.

“This VATS procedure is a significant advancement for thoracic surgery here in South Tamil Nadu,” said Dr D.R. Sivakumar, Medical Superintendent, Head of Surgery Division, General and Laparoscopic Surgeon. “We are now able to offer patients requiring lung resection a far less traumatic option with faster recovery and better outcomes compared to traditional open surgery. Performing this here at Porunai Hospitals underscores our commitment to bringing the latest surgical techniques and the highest standards of care closer to our community”, he further elaborated. Dr D.R. Sivakumar concluded, saying, “It’s a testament to the collaborative expertise of our surgical and anaesthesiology teams.”

In addition to this landmark achievement, a spokesperson from Porunai Hospitals highlighted another key clinical milestone – the successful completion of 660 procedures across various specialities since the hospital’s establishment in November 2024.

Among these, the most frequently performed procedures were:

• Coronary Angiogram

• Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

• Urological procedures, including:

1. Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS)

2. Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL)

• Laparoscopic Appendectomy

About Porunai Hospitals
Porunai Hospitals is one of Tirunelveli’s top healthcare destinations in the South Tamil Nadu region – offering a top-notch, comprehensive range of medical services with a focus on an empathetic, patient-centric care approach. The institution is powered by state-of-the-art medical technology and a team of diversely talented doctors – whose expertise puts Porunai Hospitals on the map for cutting-edge healthcare.