Removal of an entire lung is called -

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2024

Explanation

Pneumonectomy is the specific surgical term for the removal of an entire lung (either right or left).
This extensive procedure is typically reserved for treating diseases that affect a large portion of the lung, such as centrally located lung cancers, extensive tuberculosis, or severe bronchiectasis.
Due to the removal of an entire lung, it has significant implications for the patient's respiratory function and requires excellent pulmonary reserve in the remaining lung.

Option A: Lobectomy involves the removal of only one lobe of the lung, not the entire lung. The right lung has three lobes, and the left lung has two.
Option C: A segmental resection is a more limited procedure where only a specific bronchopulmonary segment (a subdivision of a lobe) is removed.
Option D: A wedge resection is the most limited resection, removing only a small, wedge-shaped piece of lung tissue, typically from the periphery. It does not follow anatomical planes.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Terminology of Thoracic Surgical Procedures as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Post-pneumonectomy nursing care is critical and focuses on careful respiratory and hemodynamic monitoring. Unlike other lung surgeries, chest tubes are not typically connected to suction to allow the post-pneumonectomy space to fill gradually with serosanguinous fluid.
Patient positioning is crucial. The patient is usually positioned on their back or on the operative side to prevent fluid from draining into the remaining healthy lung and to facilitate its expansion.
What if the tumor was small and located on the outer edge of a single lobe? In that case, a less radical procedure like a wedge resection or lobectomy would be preferred to conserve as much healthy lung tissue as possible.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is asking for the medical term for a specific surgical procedure.
Focus on the keywords 'removal' and 'entire lung'. This indicates the most extensive type of lung resection.
Evaluate each option based on your knowledge of medical terminology. 'Pneumo-' relates to the lung, and '-ectomy' means removal.
Differentiate between the options based on the amount of lung tissue removed: Pneumonectomy (entire lung), Lobectomy (lobe), Segmentectomy (segment), and Wedge resection (small piece).
Select the term that precisely matches the scope described in the question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 1 Part 2 p. 49-51

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 664-666

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