Lobectomy for lung cancer

The choice of lung resection method is mainly based on the location and range of tumor invasion and the patient's respiratory function reserve. It can generally be divided into wedge or local resection, segmental resection, lobectomy or sleeve lobectomy.

Lobectomy is suitable for lung cancer with lesions confined to one lobe. Lobectomy can remove the lobe where the tumor is located together with the lymph nodes around the lobar bronchus and mediastinal lymph nodes that drain it. It can not only completely remove the tumor tissue, but also preserve normal lung tissue to the greatest extent. Patients can generally tolerate the surgery. The surgical complications and mortality rate are significantly lower than those of pneumonectomy. It is currently the best surgical treatment for lung cancer.

Bilobectomy refers to the removal of the upper and middle lobes on the right side, or the middle and lower lobes on the right side. The former is suitable for peripheral lung cancer that grows across the interlobular fissure, while the latter is mainly suitable for central lung cancer in the middle or lower lobe. The lesion is located near the opening of the middle and lower lobes, and only bilobectomy can completely remove the tumor tissue. In a few cases, the reason for bilobectomy is the invasion of blood vessels or lymph nodes between the lobes.