Lobectomy of the lung is a

surgical Surgery is a medical specialty that uses manual and instrumental techniques to diagnose or treat pathological conditions (e.g., trauma, disease, injury, malignancy), to alter bodily functions (e.g., malabsorption created by bariatric surgery ...

operation where a lobe of the

lung The lungs are the primary Organ (biology), organs of the respiratory system in many animals, including humans. In mammals and most other tetrapods, two lungs are located near the Vertebral column, backbone on either side of the heart. Their ...

is removed. It is done to remove a portion of diseased lung, such as early

stage Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly Brit ...

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

Administration

The most common type of lobectomy is known as a

thoracotomy A thoracotomy is a surgical procedure that involves cutting open the chest wall to gain access into the pleural cavity, It is mostly performed by specialist cardiothoracic surgeons, although emergency physicians or paramedics occasionally also ...

. When this type of surgery is done the chest is opened up. An incision will be made on the side of the chest where the affected area of the lung is located. The incision will be in between the two ribs located in that area. The surgeon will then be able to have access to the chest cavity once the two involved ribs have been pried open. The surgeon will then be able to remove the lobe where the problem is contained. Another less invasive lobectomy procedure can be performed through a video assisted surgery, where the surgeon does not need to pry the two ribs open in order to get access. A few small incisions are made and surgical tools are inserted into the chest cavity aided by a small video camera. The video images will be projected onto a screen that the surgeon can see. Once the problem area is located the small tools that were previously inserted will be utilized to perform the surgery. Once the surgery is complete, the patient will remain in the intensive care unit of the hospital for a day. They will then remain in a regular hospital room for about 4 to 7 days.

Risks

As with any surgery, complications may occur. Post lobectomy air leak is a significant clinical problem, and patients undergoing pulmonary resections often present with postoperative air leaks. Other risk factors include infections, reactions to anesthesia, bleeding,

pneumothorax A pneumothorax is collection of air in the pleural space between the lung and the chest wall. Symptoms typically include sudden onset of sharp, one-sided chest pain and dyspnea, shortness of breath. In a minority of cases, a one-way valve is ...

and bronchopleural fistula. New methods for sealing tissue are evaluated in research studies, aimed to determine their efficacies in preventing air leakages. The main infection that a patient runs the risk of is

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

. Pneumothorax occurs when there is air trapped between the lung and the chest wall; this can leave the patient's lung unable to fully inflate ("collapsed lung"). A bronchopleural fistula is when there is a tube-like opening that allows air to escape. Minimally invasive surgery is beneficial for patient outcome, with reduced risk of complications.

Post-surgery

Once the surgery is complete, the patient will remain in the intensive care unit of the hospital for a day. They will then remain in a regular hospital room for about 4 to 7 days. After the patient returns home they typically remain in recovery for about four to six weeks, although some patients may be able to return to work and normal activities sooner. Pain is very common amongst patients for quite some time after a lobectomy and doctors will usually prescribe pain medication to help with this. Chest tubes are left inside the patient in order to help excess fluid drain and are removed after a few days. Before removal, doctors must ensure that there is no air or fluid leaking from them. In addition to this, follow-up appointments will be scheduled with the patient's doctor. X-rays will be taken of the patient's lung to make sure everything is healing properly. Patients that have had a lobectomy with no major risks shall recover in no longer than three months. File:Diagram showing the removal of one lobe of the lung (lobectomy) CRUK 366.svg, Removal of one lobe of the lung File:Diagram showing the removal of two lobes of the lung (bilobectomy) CRUK 367.svg, Removal of two lobes of the lung

References

External links

Video
of minimally invasive lung lobectomy * {{Commons category-inline Lung cancer Surgical oncology Surgical removal procedures Pulmonary thoracic surgery

Administration

Risks

Post-surgery

See also

References

External links