Pneumonectomy

Pneumonectomy is the removal of an entire lung, almost always performed for lung cancer. Select patients with adequate pulmonary function can survive and function on only one lung if needed. Pneumonectomy is considered an aggressive surgical approach and does have significant risks - mortality rates have been historically quoted at 8-12% compared to 1-2% for lobectomy. Based upon anatomical considerations, a pneumonectomy usually requires a traditional thoracotomy approach but some surgeons are attempting to perform this minimally invasively using a video assisted approach.