What Is A Lung Resection Procedure Types Recovery?

A lung resection is surgery to remove part or all of a lung. Surgeons perform it most often to treat lung cancer, but also for certain noncancerous conditions, severe infections, or damage that will not heal. The type of resection — from a small wedge of tissue to an entire lung — depends on what is being removed and why. Recovery is measured in weeks to months, and it varies widely based on the extent of surgery and a person’s underlying lung function.

What Is A Lung Resection Procedure and Why Is It Done?

A lung resection is the surgical removal of lung tissue. The amount removed can range from a small piece of one lobe to a complete lung.

The most common reason is lung cancer. When a tumor is confined to part of a lung and the person has enough reserve breathing capacity, removing that section offers the best chance of eliminating the cancer. Surgery is generally considered for early-stage disease, though it can sometimes play a role in more advanced cases alongside other treatments.

Resection is also performed for:

• Benign tumors or nodules that cannot be safely left alone
• Severe bronchiectasis, where damaged airways cause repeated infections
• Lung abscesses that do not respond to antibiotics
• Fungal infections that have destroyed part of a lung
• Trauma that has severely damaged lung tissue
• Certain congenital lung abnormalities

The decision to operate is not automatic. Surgeons weigh the stage and type of disease against the person’s lung function, heart health, age, and overall fitness. A person with poor lung function may not tolerate removing a large section, even if the disease itself would otherwise warrant it. In those cases, other options such as radiation or targeted therapy may be considered instead.

One point that often surprises people: not every lung nodule needs surgery. Many small nodules turn out to be benign, and doctors monitor them with repeat scans before recommending an operation. The threshold for operating has shifted over time as imaging has improved and less invasive surgical techniques have become more common.

What Are the Different Types of Lung Resection?

The four main types of lung resection differ by how much tissue is removed. The right lung has three lobes; the left has two.

A lobectomy is the most common operation for lung cancer that is confined to one lobe. It removes more tissue than a wedge or segmentectomy but has historically shown lower rates of cancer returning. Whether a smaller operation works as well for certain small tumors is an active area of research, and results have been mixed. Some studies suggest segmentectomy may be appropriate for selected small tumors, while others continue to favor lobectomy. This is a decision best made with a thoracic surgeon who knows the specifics of the case.

A pneumonectomy is a major operation. It is used less often than it once was, partly because surgeons can now remove smaller amounts of tissue in many situations. People who undergo pneumonectomy need good function in the remaining lung before surgery.

How Is Lung Resection Surgery Performed?

Most lung resections today are done with minimally invasive techniques. The two main approaches are thoracoscopy (often called VATS, for video-assisted thoracic surgery) and robotic-assisted surgery.

In both, the surgeon makes a few small incisions between the ribs and inserts a camera and instruments. This avoids spreading the ribs the way open surgery does. Compared with open surgery, minimally invasive approaches are generally associated with less pain, shorter hospital stays, and faster return to normal activity. Not every tumor or every patient is a candidate, though. Large tumors, tumors near the center of the chest, or scar tissue from prior surgery may require an open approach.

Open lung surgery is called a thoracotomy. The surgeon makes a larger incision and spreads the ribs to reach the lung. It remains necessary in some cases and is a well-established operation.

During the procedure, the surgeon removes the diseased section and closes off the airways and blood vessels leading to it. In some cases, nearby lymph nodes are also removed and examined to check whether cancer has spread.

General anesthesia is used. A tube is placed in the airway to ventilate the lungs during surgery. In many cases, the surgeon leaves a chest tube in place afterward to drain fluid and air from the chest cavity as the lung re-expands.

What Does Recovery From Lung Resection Look Like?

Recovery happens in stages, and the timeline depends heavily on the type of surgery and the person’s health before the operation.

In the hospital, most people stay for a few days after minimally invasive surgery and longer after open surgery. Chest tubes are usually removed within a few days once drainage slows. Pain is managed with medication, and staff encourage early movement — walking soon after surgery helps prevent complications like blood clots and pneumonia.

Breathing exercises are a routine part of recovery. Using an incentive spirometer, a device that measures how much air you can pull in, helps keep the remaining lung tissue working well. A physical therapist or respiratory therapist often guides this.

At home, the first few weeks involve gradually increasing activity. Shortness of breath with exertion is common and often improves over time as the remaining lung adjusts. Fatigue can last for several weeks.

Full recovery generally takes weeks to a few months. People who had a small wedge resection often recover faster than those who had a lobectomy or pneumonectomy. Returning to work depends on the job — desk work may be possible sooner than physically demanding work.

Some people notice lasting changes in breathing capacity, especially after larger resections. The remaining lung does not grow new tissue, but it can expand and function more efficiently over time. How much this compensates varies from person to person.

What Are the Risks and Complications?

All surgery carries risk, and lung resection is no exception. The most common complications include:

• Air leaks from the lung that require the chest tube to stay in longer
• Pneumonia or other lung infections
• Blood clots in the legs or lungs
• Bleeding
• Irregular heart rhythms
• Persistent pain at the incision site

Serious complications are less common but possible, including respiratory failure or, rarely, death. The risk is higher for people with poor lung function, heart disease, or other major health conditions, and for those undergoing more extensive surgery.

Some complications, like air leaks, are common enough that surgeons plan for them. Others, like blood clots, are addressed with preventive measures such as early movement and, in some cases, blood-thinning medication.

The evidence on long-term outcomes after lung resection for cancer is substantial: for early-stage lung cancer, surgery offers the best chance of long-term survival compared with other treatments. For noncancerous conditions, outcomes depend on the underlying disease.

How Do You Prepare for Lung Resection?

Preparation begins before surgery and can affect recovery. Doctors typically run tests to assess lung function, heart health, and overall fitness for anesthesia.

Pulmonary function tests measure how well the lungs move air. These help predict how much breathing capacity will remain after surgery. Blood tests, imaging, and sometimes a cardiac evaluation are also part of the workup.

If you smoke, stopping before surgery is one of the most meaningful steps you can take. Smoking increases the risk of complications and slows healing. How long before surgery to stop is a decision to discuss with your care team.

Some people are referred to pulmonary rehabilitation before surgery — a program of supervised exercise and breathing training. This can improve fitness and may help recovery, though evidence on how much it changes outcomes is still developing.

Planning for after surgery matters too. Arranging help at home, understanding medication schedules, and knowing when to call the doctor can make the recovery period smoother.