Thoracic surgery

Thoracic surgery
Thoracic surgery is any surgery performed in the chest (thorax) Purpose: The purpose of thoracic surgery is to treat diseased or injured organs in the thorax, including the esophagus (muscular tube that passes food to the stomach), trachea (windpipe that branches to form the right bronchus and the left bronchus), pleura (membranes that cover and protect the lung), mediastinum (area separating the left and right lungs), chest wall, diaphragm, heart, and lungs.

General thoracic surgery is a field that specializes in diseases of the lungs and esophagus. The field also encompasses accidents and injuries to the chest, esophageal disorders (esophageal cancer or esophagitis), lung cancer, lung transplantation , and surgery for emphysema.

Lobectomy A lobectomy removes part of the lung to get rid of a cancerous tumor. During the procedure, the lymph nodes in the tissues surrounding the lung may also be taken out and tested for lung cancer cells. Most people need to stay in the hospital for about five to seven days after a lobectomy. Although your symptoms may improve after the procedure, it is important to remember that it is not a cure in all cases.

What Is a Lobectomy? Lobectomy is a procedure that is used to take out part of the lung (called a lobe), because it has a cancerous tumor in it. It is used to relieve some or all of the lung cancer symptoms that a person is feeling. A lobectomy can keep a person's health from getting worse and it may provide the best chance for curing the disease.

Preparing for Lobectomy Lobectomy is performed on an inpatient basis, which means you will stay in the hospital after the procedure. Some people also stay overnight before the lobectomy. Your healthcare provider should give you specific instructions, telling you where and when to arrive at the medical facility, how to prepare for your procedure, and what to expect the day of and the days following your lobectomy. You will be asked to not eat or drink anything for at least eight hours before the lobectomy. Following the lobectomy, most people need to stay in the hospital for about five to seven days. Some people need to stay longer. You may want to have someone drive you to the hospital and help you get settled in.

Complications of Lobectomy No procedure is ever completely free of risks. However, lobectomy has been performed for many years with successful results and limited complications. Some lobectomy complications include, but are not limited to: Infection Bleeding Heart attack Stroke Lobar torsion Irregular heart rhythm.

If any of these lobectomy complications develop, the treatment will depend on where it happens, how serious it is, and other factors, including your overall health. You may need to stay in the hospital longer than planned, and for some complications you might even need to have a blood transfusion or another surgery.

Summary of Lobectomy The goal of a lobectomy is to take out part of a lung that has a malignant tumor. Recovering from a lobectomy may take time, but the surgery can help you live longer and feel better. Some of your symptoms may improve after lobectomy, but it's important to remember that this may not be a cure. Each person will have different results depending on his or her health, as well as the size, type, and location of the tumor.

PNEUMONECTOMY A pneumonectomy (or pneumectomy) is a surgical procedure to remove a lung. Removal of just one lobe of the lung is specifically referred to as alobectomy, and that of a segment of the lung as a wedge resection (or segmentectomy).

A pneumonectomy is most often used to treat lung cancer when less radical surgery cannot achieve satisfactory results. It may also be the most appropriate treatment for a tumor located near the center of the lung that affects the pulmonary artery or veins, which transport blood between the heart and lungs. In addition, pneumonectomy may be the treatment of choice when the patient has a traumatic chest injury that has damaged the main air passage (bronchus) or the lung's major blood vessels so severely that they cannot be repaired.

An chest x-ray of a person who has had their right lung removed

The most common reason for a pneumonectomy is to remove tumourous tissue arising from lung cancer. In the days prior to the use of antibiotics intuberculosis treatment, tuberculosis was sometimes treated surgically by pneumonectomy. The operation will reduce the respiratory capacity of the patient; before conducting a pneumonectomy, the surgeon will evaluate the ability of the patient to function after the lung tissue is removed. After the operation, patients are often given an incentive spirometer to help exercise their remaining lung and to improve breathing function. A rib or two is sometimes removed to allow the surgeon better access to the lung.

TYPES There are two types of pneumonectomy: Simple pneumonectomy: removal of just the affected lung Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP): removal of the affected lung, plus part of the diaphragm, the parietal pleura (lining of the chest) and the pericardium (lining of the heart) on that side. The linings are replaced by Gore-Tex in this radical and painful surgery that is used primarily for treatment of malignant mesothelioma.