Diseases of the lungs – surgical treatment

1. Big picture

Surgical treatment of lung diseases is mainly about deciding who benefits from resection or thoracoscopic intervention without causing unacceptable respiratory failure.

For the exam, think in three surgical questions:

1. Is the patient OPERABLE?
   → Can the patient physiologically tolerate surgery?
   → FEV1, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO/TLCO), exercise tolerance, cardiac status.

2. Is the disease RESECTABLE?
   → Can the lesion be completely removed anatomically?
   → CT, PET-CT, bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound, mediastinal staging.

3. Is surgery CURATIVE or only palliative?
   → Early lung cancer, localized bronchiectasis, localize