� Pneumonectomy : An entire lung is removed . A pneumonectomy is most often used to treat lung cancer that cannot be treated with a less radical surgery . It may also be the best treatment option for a tumor located next to the heart that involves the main blood vessels to the lung .
Surgical Approaches
� VATS ( Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery ): This is a minimally invasive surgical technique using several small ( 2 to 4 cm ) incisions . A videoscope ( a long , thin tube with a camera on the end ) and other instruments are inserted through the small incisions . These allow the surgeon to see the abnormal lung tissue and remove it . This approach does not require rib spreading or cutting through muscle .
Pneumonectomy
� Pleurectomy / Decortication ( P / D ): The lining ( called the pleura ) of the chest wall on one side is removed . The pleura that covers or coats the lungs , the mediastinum ( space between the lungs ), and the diaphragm ( large , dome-shaped muscle beneath the lungs ) is also removed on that side . This surgery can be used to try to cure some cancers , but it is also used to relieve symptoms in cases where the entire tumor cannot be removed . It can help control the buildup of fluid , improve breathing , and decrease pain caused by the cancer .
Possible Incision Sites for Thoracoscopy
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