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Pleurectomy

When a patient is first diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, the patient’s oncologist will determine the best course of treatment for the disease. The type of treatment chosen will depend on the stage of the cancer, the location of the cancer, the age of the patient, and the overall health of the individual as well. In some cases, a surgical procedure known as pleurectomy is recommended in order to remove the tumor or simply to make the patient more comfortable.

What is a Pleurectomy?

A pleurectomy is the surgery most often used to manage pleural mesothelioma.
During this procedure, the surgeon removes the pleura, which is where most of the malignant tumor is generally located. In some cases, namely when the cancer is in a very early stage, doctors view a pleurectomy as a potential curative treatment. However, most patients receive a pleurectomy as a palliative form of treatment in order to reduce symptoms.  

There is a fairly low mortality rate associated with a pleurectomy so if it is deemed helpful, doctors will indeed suggest that the surgery be performed. Again, whether or not a pleural mesothelioma patient is a candidate for this surgery will depend on several factors that will be discussed by the oncologist, surgeon and other members of the patient’s medical team.

What to Expect During a Pleurectomy

A pleurectomy is performed in a hospital operating room under general anesthesia. An incision is made above the affected area and the pleural layers are removed. Additional affected lung tissue may also be removed during the surgery. Stitches are made once the surgery is complete and the incision is cleaned and bandaged.

In most cases, the hospital stay after a pleurectomy is about a week. This can vary depending on the overall health of a patient and the development of any post-operative complications. A patient will be encouraged to move around the room within 24 hours after surgery and a therapist will help the patient perform deep breathing exercises to keep the lungs working properly.

There is a risk for bleeding or infection after a pleurectomy. Patients should be on the lookout for symptoms that include fever, drainage from the incision, or redness and swelling around the area of the incision. Once the patient returns home, he or she can usually resume normal activity within a week. It may take longer to gain the energy to perform vigorous tasks.

After evaluating the success of the surgery, doctors recommend some additional multi-modal treatments, which may include chemotherapy or radiation. This is especially the case when pleural mesothelioma is advanced and pleurectomy does not offer a cure. 

Sources:

1. http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary/?CdrID=476760