Minimally invasive lung cancer surgery combines Chinese and Western medicines

A super minimally-invasive surgery to treat lung cancer has been introduced in clinical practice through the combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, local medical experts said on Tuesday, World Lung Cancer Day.

Anesthesia through acupuncture and medicine allows doctors to do surgery without conducting tracheal intubation. The practice helps patients better endure surgery, suffer less trauma and potential complications from anesthesia, and have a quicker recovery period.

Acupuncture anesthesia is a special anesthetic measure that can sedate, control pain, stabilize circulation and protect organs. No intubation is used in the surgery, and the dosage of anesthesia medicine is greatly reduced with the use of acupuncture, according to Dr Chen Tongyu, director of the cardiothoracic surgery department at the Shanghai Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, the developer of the procedure.

"We are adopting a theory called Enhanced Recovery After Surgery, or ERAS, to reduce patients' surgical trauma and aid quicker recovery," said Zhou Jia, president of Yueyang hospital, whose acupuncture anesthesia won the top prize in the traditional Chinese and Western technology award category in Shanghai last year.

"Acupuncture anesthesia is an important tool to help achieve ERAS, which allows patients to wake up quickly and eat and drink soon after surgery. Hospitalization time is shortened and patients' medical bills are one-third less costly due to reduced use of medicines and quicker recovery."

Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer in Shanghai. Thanks to the promotion of CT scans and citizens' increasing awareness of the issue, more cases are detected in the early stages, experts said.

Ti Gong