The extent of surgery is determined by the patient's medical, physical and emotional condition in addition to the amount of disease. For example, lobectomies, bilobectomies, sleeve lobectomies and pneumonectomies are performed almost exclusively for cancer. Our numbers of pneumonectomy (whole lung removal) are much lower than many other surgical programs where it can be as high as 30 percent. Sleeve resection, an advanced surgery not widely performed, avoids pneumonectomy yet has the same cure rate while saving lung tissue. This results in fewer complications and preserves quality of life.
Mediastinal Lymph Node Dissections with Anatomic Lung Resections, 2005-2008
Standard of care mandates mediastinal lymph node dissection as a vital part of curative lung cancer surgery for accurate staging and possibly improved survival. However, only approximately 60 percent of lung cancer surgeries in the United States include this accepted practice (Patterns of surgical care of lung cancer patients. Little et al. Ann Thorac Surg 2005;80:2051-6). These data demonstrate the nearly 90 percent performance of the Providence Thoracic Surgery Program surgeons in this crucial area.
Types of Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS), 2005-2008
Minimally invasive, video-assisted thoracic surgery is appropriate for a variety of procedures, from lobectomy for cure of lung cancer to palliative procedures to improve patient's quality of life.
