Segmentectomy

Overview and Facts about Segmentectomy

Segmentectomy is a treatment for abnormal growths on the lung. During this type of thoracic surgery, part of your lung will be entirely removed to get rid of the cancer or tumor. The rest of your lung will be saved, which means you shouldn’t lose too much lung capacity.

Segmentectomy can be a good treatment for:

• Non-cancerous tumors in the lung
• People who don’t have healthy enough lungs for a lobectomy (the removal of an entire lobe of the lung)
• Stage 0 non-small cell lung cancer (this means the cancer is still at an early stage and has not spread to the whole lung)

What to Expect with Segmentectomy

There are two main types of segmentectomy: open surgery and minimally invasive surgery.

Open surgery is the traditional form of segmentectomy. In this procedure, the surgeon will make an incision on the side of your chest between your ribs and then cut away the affected part of the lung. After the removal is completed, the incision will be closed.

During the minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon will make much smaller incisions in the chest and then use a camera to help guide them. Next, tools will be inserted into the chest to deflate the lung. This makes it easier to cut away the diseased part. Once all the affected parts are removed, the lung will be inflated and the incisions will be closed.

For both of these procedures, you’ll be under general anesthetics during the entire surgery, so you won’t feel anything.

What are the Side Effects of a Segmentectomy?

Your side effects depend on the type of thoracic surgery you had. If you had minimally invasive segmentectomy, you’ll typically have less pain and swelling than if you had open surgery.

As with any lung surgery, it’s common to have a significant amount of sputum, which is a mixture of saliva and mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract and fluid develop in the lungs.

This will cause you to cough and make it harder to breathe. Your doctor may also insert a tube into your chest to help the fluid drain.

You’ll undergo breathing exercises to help regain your lung capacity.

What are the Risks of Segmentectomy?

There is a chance of more serious side effects with a segmentectomy, though this is rare. These risks can be life-threatening and include:

• A collapsed lung
• Bad reactions to anesthesia, which can include stroke or death
• Heart attack or an irregular heartbeat
• Internal bleeding
• Long-term air leaks in the lung (if the lining of the lung is damaged)
• Pneumonia (infection of the lung) or infection of the wound
• Respiratory failure or trouble breathing