Expert Video - What are the different types of lung cancer surgery, and how are they done?

Dr. Madhuri Rao, Director of Robotic Thoracic Surgery at the University of Minnesota, explains the different types of surgery for lung cancer. The most common is a lobectomy, where the section of the lung with cancer is removed along with its blood supply, airway, and nearby lymph nodes. Smaller surgeries include a wedge resection, which removes a wedge-shaped piece, or a segmentectomy, which removes a larger portion within a lobe. In some cases, a pneumonectomy is needed to remove an entire lung. These procedures can often be done using minimally invasive surgery called thoracoscopy, sometimes with robotic assistance. If this is not possible, an open approach called a thoracotomy may be used.

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