Lobectomy Health Article

Risks

Specific risks vary from surgery to surgery and should be discussed with a physician. In general, any surgery requiring a general anesthetic may, uncommonly, result in death. Improperly performed brain surgery may result in permanent brain damage. Depending on the surgeon and the size of the tissue removed, patients may be at risk for some types of brain damage. As previously mentioned, patients having part of a lung removed may have difficulty breathing and may require the use of oxygen. Patients may also experience infection (pneumonia), or blood clots. Liver resection (surgery) may result in the following complications: coma, slow return of normal bowel function, and biliary leakage.

Normal results

Most patients who undergo temporal lobectomy experience few or no seizures after surgery (some estimates range from about 70% to about 90% success rate). Unfortunately, lung lobectomy is not as successful. 50% of cancer patients with completely removable stage I non-small cell cancer of the lung survive five years after the procedure. If the cancer has progressed beyond this stage, or if the cancer is not completely removable, the chances for survival drop significantly. The results of liver resection vary. The possible outcomes of each surgical type should be discussed with the patient's physician. Generally, the less severe the cancer, and the less tissue that needs to be removed, the better the outcome.

Abnormal results

Abnormal results vary from operation to operation and should be discussed thoroughly with the patient's physician before surgery. Patients who undergo temporal lobectomy may, rarely, die as a result of the operation (a complication in less than 1% of patients). Patients may also have problems with their vision, or problems with speech. Abnormal results from the removal of part of the lung could include pneumonia or blood clots (which may result in stroke, heart attack, or other problems) after the surgery. Also, a small percentage of patients undergoing lung lobectomy die during or soon after the surgery. The percentage of patients who suffer death varies from about 3% to 6% depending on the amount of lung tissue removed. Finally, abnormal outcomes from liver resection can include coma, death, and problems with liver function.

Resources

BOOKS

Braunwald, Eugene, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 12th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, Medical Publishing Division, 1991. pp. 1106-1108.

PERIODICALS

Tatum, W. O., S. R. Benbadis. "The neurosurgical treatment of epilepsy." Archives of Family Medicine 9(10) (Nov-Dec, 2000):1142-1147.

OTHER

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine online, Chapter 90: Neoplasms of the lung. <http://www.harrisonsonline.com/>.

"Lung Surgery." Healthsquare.com. <http://www.healthsquare.com/htm>.

Koike, Atsushi, M.A., Hiroyuki Shimizu, M.D., Ichiro Suzuki, M.D., Buichi Ishijima, M.D., and Morihiro Sugishita, Dr. H.S., Dr. M.S. "Preserved musical abilities following right temporal lobectomy." Journal of Neurosurgery (December 1996). 24 July 2001 <http://www.c3.hu/~mavideg/jns/1-4-prev1.html>.

Michael Zuck, Ph.D.