Lung surgery

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Pulmonary lobectomy - series

Overview

Recovery

Risks

Lung surgery

Alternative Names:

Thoracotomy; Lung tissue removal; Pneumonectomy; Lobectomy; Lung biopsy; Thoracoscopy

Expectations after surgery:

The outcome depends on the type and severity of the problem, but many patients recover nicely.

Convalescence:

Hospital stay is usually 7 to 10 days. Deep breathing is important to help prevent pneumonia and infection and to re-expand the lung. The chest tube remains in place until the lung has fully expanded.

Pain is managed with medication. The patient usually recovers fully by 1 to 3 months after the operation.

Review Date: 5/30/2006
Reviewed By: J.A. Lee, M.D., Division of Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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