Pneumonectomy and lobectomy

Pneumonectomy and lobectomy are surgeries that doctors perform on lungs. These lung surgeries help people with lung problems.

Lung surgeries are helpful for people with lung cancer, severe emphysema or other lung tissue problems.

Pneumonectomy

A pneumonectomy is a surgery where a doctor removes a lung. Doctors do this surgery when someone has lung problems, such as lung cancer or a severe lung infection.

Here are reasons why a doctor might perform a pneumonectomy:

Lung cancer. This is when cancer cells are in a lung and the doctor needs to remove the lung to help the person with lung cancer.

Severe infection. This is when a person has a disease that hurts their lung badly and it cannot be fixed with medicine for lung problems.

A person might hurt their lung badly. They need a pneumonectomy to remove the damaged lung with lung problems.

Some people have lung disease that hurts their lungs and causes scars on their lung tissue with lung problems.

Here's what happens during a pneumonectomy:

The person gets medicine to sleep and not feel pain during the pneumonectomy surgery.

The doctor makes a big cut in the persons chest to access the lung that needs to be removed with lung problems.

The doctor removes the lung with lung problems. They might also remove some lymph nodes to check for lung cancer cells in the lung.

After the lung with lung problems is removed the doctor closes up the persons chest. They often put a tube in the chest to drain fluid or air from the lung area.

Some complications can occur during a pneumonectomy:

The person can get an infection from germs after the pneumonectomy surgery.

The person can lose a lot of blood during the pneumonectomy surgery.

The person can have trouble breathing after the pneumonectomy surgery.

The person can get pneumonia after the pneumonectomy surgery.

After a pneumonectomy:

Doctors and nurses closely monitor the person to ensure they are okay after the pneumonectomy.

The person needs to do exercises to breathe better and recover from the pneumonectomy surgery.

Some people need oxygen to help them breathe after the pneumonectomy surgery with lung problems.

Lobectomy

A lobectomy is a surgery where a doctor removes one part of a lung. The lung is divided into parts called lobes. A lobectomy is done often than a pneumonectomy because it saves more of the lung with lung problems.

Here are reasons why a doctor might perform a lobectomy:

Lung cancer. This is when lung cancer is in one part of the lung and the doctor can remove that part of the lung with lung cancer.

Some people have diseases that require a lobectomy to remove the damaged part of the lung with lung problems.

Some people have emphysema that hurts one part of their lung and needs to be removed with a lobectomy.

Here's what happens during a lobectomy:

The person gets medicine to sleep during the lobectomy surgery.

The doctor makes one cut in the persons chest to access the lung and remove the part that needs to be taken out with lung problems.

The doctor removes the part of the lung with lung problems. They try to save much of the lung as possible.

Some complications can occur during a lobectomy:

The person can lose a lot of blood during the lobectomy surgery.

The person can get an infection after the lobectomy surgery.

 The person can get pneumonia after the lobectomy surgery.

After a lobectomy:

The person needs to do exercises to breathe better and recover from the lobectomy surgery. Doctors and nurses need to ensure the person is not in pain after the lobectomy surgery.

The person usually needs to stay in the hospital for a days after the lobectomy surgery.

Pneumonectomy versus lobectomy:

A pneumonectomy removes a lung while a lobectomy removes one part of a lung with lung problems.

Both surgeries can have problems for people with lung problems.

In summary pneumonectomy and lobectomy are lung surgeries that help people with lung problems, such as lung cancer and severe emphysema with lung tissue problems. A pneumonectomy is usually done for lung cancer or severe infections that affect the lung with lung problems. A lobectomy is usually done for tumors or infections that only hurt one part of the lung with lung problems. The choice between pneumonectomy and lobectomy depends on how sick the persons lungs are how healthy they are overall with lung problems. Both surgeries can really help people with lung problems. Make a big difference, in their lives with lung problems.