R Lobectomy
Posted By admin On 25/07/22Lobectomy: The lungs are made up of 5 lobes (3 on the right and 2 on the left). In this surgery, the entire lobe containing the tumor(s) is removed. If it can be done, this is often the preferred type of operation for NSCLC. Segmentectomy or wedge resection: In these surgeries, only part of a lobe is removed. This approach might be used if a. Fournel L, Zaimi R, Grigoroiu M, Stern JB, Gossot D. Totally thoracoscopic major pulmonary resections: an analysis of perioperative complications. Ann Thorac Surg. Richards J, Dunning J, Oparka J, Carnochan F, Walker W. Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy: the Edinburg posterior approach. Ann Cardiothoracic Surg 2012;1:61-9.
R Lobectomy
Video-Assisted Lobectomy as a type of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with approximately 180,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
While surgical resection offers the best chance of a cure for those with early-stage lung cancer, the traditional open-chest approach (called a thoracotomy) typically requires five to seven days of recovery in the hospital, with an extended recovery at home.
Cleveland Clinic thoracic surgeons offer a less invasive surgical approach called a video-assisted lobectomy for select patients as treatment of early-stage lung cancer. This video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) technique reduces a patient’s hospital stay to about three to four days and the patient experiences a more rapid recovery with less pain after VATS lobectomy surgery as compared with the traditional thoracotomy approach.
Cleveland Clinic is one of the few centers in the nation with significant experience in video-assisted lobectomy. In addition, the surgical outcomes of video-assisted lobectomy are comparable to traditional lobectomy outcomes.
What is a lobectomy?
A lobectomy is the surgical removal of a large section of lung. Lobectomy is the most common surgery performed to treat lung cancer.
Lobectomy has been traditionally performed during thoracotomy surgery. During thoracotomy surgery, an incision is made on the side of the chest between the ribs. The ribs are then spread apart so the surgeon can see into the chest cavity and remove the tumor or affected tissue.
Lung Procedures, Tests & Treatments
What Is a Lobectomy?
A lobectomy is a surgical procedure where an entire lobe of your lung is removed for a variety of reasons that may include a lung cancer diagnosis, infection, COPD or benign tumors. There are three lobes of your right lung and two lobes of your left lung. The procedure includes either a few small incisions (minimally invasive) or one longer incision (thoracotomy) on the side of your chest based on your particular diagnosis. With either approach, along with a lobe, nearby lymph nodes are also removed because of the possible spread of disease or cancer.
What to Expect
Prior to your lobectomy, you have blood and breathing tests (pulmonary function tests), along with a history and physical examination done by your surgeon. Depending on your age and physical condition, further tests to check your heart may be recommended. If you smoke, it is recommended that you quit as soon as possible to decrease your risk of complications during and after surgery. Before surgery, you will be asked not to eat or drink prior to arriving at the hospital. During the operation, you will be completely asleep under general anesthesia, and when you wake up, you will have a drainage tube, or chest tube, coming from your chest to allow excess fluid and air to be removed.
Upper Right Lobe Removal
What Happens Next?
Bilobectomy
Following your surgery, you will likely stay in the hospital two to four days, depending on your surgeon’s preference and how you are recovering. You will be expected to get up and walk around, and will be encouraged to stay out of bed as much as possible starting on the day after your procedure. You will have some pain, which can be controlled with medications and usually resolves within one to two weeks. Upon discharge, you will be given specific wound care instructions and plans for follow-up with your surgeon. The results of your lab and other findings resulting from your procedure will be discussed during that appointment, along with any further care you may need. Most patients are back to their normal routines by one month following surgery.
What Are the Risks?
Lobectomy Procedure
What To Expect After Lobectomy
As with any procedure, there is a risk of bleeding or infection. You will be given antibiotics around the time of surgery to help prevent infection, and the risk of bleeding is minimal with this procedure. There is a small risk that you will need a drainage tube in for a prolonged period of time due to a leak in your lung. This usually heals on its own and will not require further procedures. As with any major surgery, there are also risks related to general anesthesia, such as a heart attack, stroke, blood clots or pneumonia. Your surgeon will discuss each of these risks with you at your preoperative appointment.
Page last updated: February 19, 2020