What Complications Can You Experience After a Lobectomy?
Updated January 01, 2015.
Because a lobectomy is a major surgical procedure, complications are not uncommon. Your surgeon will discuss these with you prior to your surgery, and talk about why he feels the benefits of surgery outweigh the risk that you may experience any serious problems following surgery. Quitting smoking, if you smoke, prior to surgery can lessen the chances of complications overall.
Some Potential Lobectomy Complications Include:
- The need for a respirator for a prolonged period after surgery
- A persistent air leak requiring the chest tube to remain in place longer than planned
- Infections, such as pneumonia
- Lobar torsion (part of the lung that remains after surgery becomes twisted)
- Bleeding
- Heart problems, such as a heart attack or abnormal heart rhythms
- Stroke
- Blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) or traveling to your lungs (pulmonary embolism)
- Problems related to anesthesia
- Kidney problems or kidney failure
- Persistent pain in your incision or where your ribs were cut
Lobectomy Prognosis
The prognosis following a lobectomy depends on many factors. Some of these include which lobe is removed, the stage of the cancer, sex (women tend to do better than men), and how healthy you are in general prior to surgery.In one large study, the 5-year survival rates for stage 1 lung cancer were 95% for VATS lobectomy and 82% for open lobectomy (this difference didn’t mean that VATS lobectomy was superior, however, since patients with more extensive cancers were treated with an open lobectomy).
Lobectomy In-Depth
- Lobectomy Overview - Procedures and Indications
- Preparing for Your Lobectomy
- The Lobectomy Procedure
- Your Recovery"
Sources:
American Cancer Society. Detailed Guide: Lung Cancer – Non-Small Cell. Surgery. Updated 12/16/10. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/lungcancer-non-smallcell/detailedguide/non-small-cell-lung-cancer-treating-surgery
Erhunmwunsee, L. and M. Onaitis. Smoking cessation and the success of lung cancer surgery. Current Oncology Reports. 2009. 11(4):269-74.
Sawada, S. et al. Comparison in prognosis after VATS lobectomy and open lobectomy for stage I lung cancer. Surgical Endoscopy. 2007. 21(9):1607-11.
Whitson, B. et al. Surgery for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review of the video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery versus thoracotomy applications to lobectomy. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2008. 86(6):2008-16.
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