What is lobectomy?

A lobectomy is a surgical procedure to remove one lobe from your lung. You have five lung lobes—three on the right and two on the left. This surgery helps diagnose and treat lung conditions, including lung cancer, emphysema and infections.

Lobectomy is a standard procedure performed by thoracic surgeons who specialize in conditions in the chest. When cancer hasn’t spread too far in the lung, lobectomy helps preserve some of your healthy lung tissue instead of removing the entire lung.

older couple smiling and dancing in their living room

Types of lobectomy

Depending on your specific condition and needs, there are different types of lobectomies. Your surgeon may use a traditional surgical approach, which uses a single large incision or a minimally invasive lobectomy, including video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or robotic surgery. These procedures use several small incisions to remove your lung lobe.

Open lobectomy surgery

Open lobectomy surgery is performed with a procedure called a thoracotomy. A thoracotomy uses a single incision—usually several inches long—following the curve between two ribs from the side of your chest to your back. Your surgeon may have to spread apart the ribs to provide better access to your lung and remove the lobe.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) uses several small incisions instead of one large one. Your surgeon inserts a tiny camera and special tools into the incisions to guide and perform the surgery. The recovery time for VATS is typically faster than that for traditional surgery.


Robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Robot-assisted thoracoscopy surgery is a minimally invasive lung surgery using several small incisions. Instead of holding the surgical tools directly, your surgeon uses a console and robotic arms to perform your surgery. Like other types of robotic surgery, this is less invasive and often has a faster recovery time.

Pneumonectomy vs. lobectomy

With a lobectomy, your surgeon only removes one of the five lobes that make up your two lungs. With pneumonectomy, your surgeon removes an entire lung.

When possible, lobectomy is the preferred treatment option because it preserves more of your lung tissue. However, the right procedure depends on the size, location and stage of your lung condition. For example, some lung tumors are large, have spread or are in the middle of the chest, so they can only be treated by removing the entire lung.

older male patient sitting in hospital bed after lobectomy smiling off camera

Why is a lung lobectomy performed?

Your care team may recommend a lobectomy when you have a lung condition that only affects one lobe. By removing the lobe, your surgeon can treat your symptoms and try to prevent the condition from spreading to other areas of the lung.

One of the most common reasons to have a lobectomy is for the treatment of lung cancer, but several other conditions can be treated with this surgery, too.

  • Tuberculosis: Tuberculosis is a chronic infection in the lungs caused by bacteria. While it’s often treated with other options, like medications, a lobectomy is sometimes needed to remove a damaged area of the lung.
  • Lung abscess: A lung infection may lead to fluid forming in the lung, which is called a lung abscess. If this condition can’t be treated with other options and becomes severe, you may need a lobectomy.
  • Emphysema: Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that damages the lungs and makes it hard to breathe. While there isn’t a cure, a type of lung resection known as lung volume reduction surgery can help decrease symptoms in some people.
  • Benign tumor: While benign tumors are not cancerous, they can still cause issues or symptoms as they grow in the lung. A lung lobectomy is sometimes recommended to remove the tumor and resolve these problems.
  • Lung cancer: Especially in the early stages, lung cancer may be treated by only removing a lobe of the lung. Lobectomy is a standard treatment for non-small cell lung cancer.
  • Fungal infection: In addition to bacterial infections in the lung, it’s also possible to develop a fungal lung infection. You may need a lobectomy to remove part of the lung that is damaged by this type of infection.

Preparing for lobectomy surgery

To get ready for a lobectomy and choose the procedure that is right for you, your doctor may order additional tests to check on your health, including blood and lung function tests. Before surgery, your care team will give you specific instructions about how to prepare in the weeks and days leading up to your lobectomy.

Some things to discuss with your care team include:

  • Changing or stopping your medications before surgery, especially blood thinners.
  • Getting help to quit smoking so that you qualify for surgery.
  • Starting pulmonary rehabilitation to improve your lung health.
  • Adding more exercise, such as walking, to your routine.
  • Preparing your house for a smooth recovery and planning for a support person at the hospital and home.
female patient stretching band in physical therapy after lobectomy

What to expect during a lobectomy

Your care team will walk you and your family through each step of your lobectomy pre-op, surgery and recovery. All types of lobectomies are performed under general anesthesia—meaning you’ll be asleep during the procedure. You’ll also need to stay in the hospital as part of your recovery, but the exact number of days will depend on what type of surgery you have.

Before

In the days leading up to your lobectomy, you may have other procedures to help check on your lungs and plan your surgery. For example, a pulmonary function test will give your care team more details about how well your lungs might work after surgery. If you have lung cancer, procedures like imaging tests and bronchoscopy help your team with lung cancer staging.

On the day of your surgery, you’ll meet with several members of your care team in the pre-op area, sign consent forms, ask questions and get an IV and monitors placed on your body. You may also be given antibiotics before your procedure.

Risks and complications of a lung lobectomy

As with all types of lung surgery, a lung lobectomy has risks. The exact risks will depend on a few factors, such as whether you have an open or minimally invasive procedure and your overall health before surgery.

It’s important to talk with your doctor about the benefits, risks and goals of your lobectomy so that you can feel confident in your path forward.

Some risks of lobectomy include:

  • Side effects of anesthesia
  • Infection around the incision or a chest infection, like pneumonia
  • Lung collapse or pneumothorax
  • Excess fluid buildup around the lungs, called pleural effusion
  • Irregular heartbeats, including atrial fibrillation
  • Excessive bleeding
  • Blood clots
  • Buildup of pus in the chest cavity
  • Ongoing pain after surgery, called post-thoracotomy syndrome

Frequently asked questions