Lung Surgery for Lung Cancer
Why It Is Done
A thoracotomy may be done to:
- Confirm the diagnosis of lung cancer.
- Remove a lung cancer.
- Remove scar tissue or fix an air leak in your lung.
VATS may be done to:
- Confirm the diagnosis of lung cancer.
- Biopsy Reference lymph nodes Opens New Window in the center part of your chest (mediastinum).
- Do a wedge resection of your lung cancer. This removes the cancer and the lung tissue surrounding the cancer.
- Remove the segment (lobe) of the lung that contains the cancer.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: September 12, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Michael Seth Rabin, MD - Medical Oncology |
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