What is the procedure to remove the Lungs called?

Appeared in: UP CHO - 2018

Explanation

Pneumonectomy is the correct medical term for the surgical removal of an entire lung.
This procedure is typically indicated for extensive disease, such as a large or centrally located lung cancer, where a smaller resection is not feasible.
It involves dividing the pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins, and the main bronchus to the affected lung.

Option A: Lobotomy is a neurosurgical procedure involving the brain, not the lungs. It was historically used to treat psychiatric disorders.
Option B: A segmentectomy is a lung-sparing surgery that removes only a specific bronchopulmonary segment within a lobe, not the entire lung.
Option C: A wedge resection is the most limited type of lung resection, removing a small, non-anatomical, wedge-shaped piece of lung tissue, typically for small peripheral nodules.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Surgical Terminology for Lung Resection as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Post-pneumonectomy, the patient is often positioned on the operative side or in a supine position. This facilitates the expansion of the remaining lung and prevents fluid from the empty thoracic space from entering the healthy lung.
Unlike other lung surgeries, a chest tube is typically not used for drainage after a pneumonectomy. The empty space is allowed to fill with serosanguineous fluid, which eventually consolidates, preventing a mediastinal shift.
What if the patient only had a single lobe removed? This procedure is a lobectomy. In this case, chest tubes would be inserted to drain air and fluid, allowing the remaining lobes of the lung to re-expand and fill the thoracic space.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of medical terminology.
First, identify the key action in the question: "remove the Lungs".
Next, analyze each option and define it based on your medical vocabulary.
Lobotomy relates to the brain.
Segmentectomy and Wedge resection relate to removing parts of a lung.
Pneumonectomy is derived from 'pneumo-' (lung) and '-ectomy' (removal). This term directly corresponds to the removal of a lung.

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

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 2 p. 190-192

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