Pneumonectomy
Pneumonectomy is removal of 1 whole lung, usually with the lymph glands around it. The operation is done with you asleep via open surgery (thoracotomy). Surgery usually takes between one and three hours. The remaining lung will expand but there is still a space in the chest. This space fills with fluid.
Recovery in hospital and recovery at home apply to recovery after pneumonectomy. Pneumonectomy involves removing more lung tissue than other operations so your recovery may take longer than the quoted timescales. Most people go home within 2 weeks of surgery. Everyone recovers at a different pace; do not worry if you need more time.
You will experience some shortness of breath after pneumonectomy. This should slowly improve with time and you can return to normal activity. You will need to do things at a slower pace than before surgery.
Recovery in hospital and recovery at home apply to lung volume reduction surgery.
See also sections on Pain control and Exercise and physiotherapy
Possible complications of thoracic surgery apply to pneumonectomy.
In addition the following are risks of pneumonectomy:
Minor more common risks
Your kidneys may not work as well after surgery but this is usually temporary and gets better with extra fluid.
Major less common risks
As mentioned above you will feel short of breath at first. If you already have lung disease there is a higher risk of being severely breathless, including needing to have oxygen at home.
Shortness of breath may severe enough to require help from a ventilator machine. This can be with a face mask with you fully awake. It may also be need via a tube in your windpipe with you under sedation. If you need help breathing via a tube for a long time it may be better to have a temporary tracheostomy. This is a tube put in through the neck which is removed once breathing improves.
A hole may form near the staples (bronchopleural fistula), this is usually only happens with an infection. It causes air to keep coming out of the lung but can be difficult to diagnose. You may need antibiotics and another operation to fix the hole.
Fatty fluid may collect in the chest (chyle leak), it is rare. You may require a temporary change in diet, a chest drain or another operation to treat this.
This operation is considered high risk. Nationally 19 in 20 people are alive 1 month after surgery and 1 person dies. Your individual risk may be higher or lower depending on your health.
Some rare symptoms may happen after pneumonectomy, including sudden increased shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing and fainting. You may require another operation to get rid of the symptoms.