Ask a doctor - Who needs lung surgery?

Q. Who needs lung surgery?

Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.

Answered by Secondmedic Expert

Lung surgery might be necessary for a variety of reasons, ranging from treating lung cancer to repairing damage from trauma or addressing certain lung diseases. Let's break it down:

1. Lung Cancer: When cancerous tumors develop in the lungs, surgery might be needed to remove them. Surgery could be the primary treatment if the cancer is localized and hasn't spread extensively.

2. Lung Infections: In some cases, severe lung infections like tuberculosis or fungal infections might require surgical intervention to remove damaged tissue or pockets of infection that aren't responding to medications.

3. Lung Diseases: Conditions such as severe emphysema or bronchiectasis might necessitate surgery to remove parts of the lung that are severely damaged and not functioning properly. This can improve breathing and quality of life for patients.

4. Trauma: Injuries to the chest or lungs from accidents, falls, or penetrating wounds may require surgery to repair damaged tissue, stop bleeding, or remove foreign objects.

5. Lung Transplant: For individuals with end-stage lung disease, a lung transplant might be the only option. Lung transplantation involves removing the diseased lung(s) and replacing them with healthy donor lungs.

6. Diagnosis: Sometimes, lung surgery is performed for diagnostic purposes. If imaging tests or biopsies are inconclusive, a surgeon may need to obtain a tissue sample directly from the lung for further examination.

The decision for lung surgery is typically made after careful consideration by a team of healthcare professionals, including pulmonologists, surgeons, oncologists, and other specialists. They evaluate the patient's overall health, the extent of the problem, and weigh the risks and benefits of surgery against other treatment options. It's important to note that lung surgery is a major procedure and carries inherent risks, so it's usually reserved for cases where the potential benefits outweigh the risks.