[Anatomical pulmonary resections via median sternotomy]

During a 10-year period a total of 5 anatomical pulmonary resections (2 lobectomies, 2 pneumonectomies with mediastinal tumor extirpation and 1 polysegmental resection-S1-3) were carried out in 4 patients via median sternotomy. They were operated on for bilateral complicated pulmonary hydatidosis (2), mediastinal teratocarcinoma with right lung invasion and mediastinal Hodgkin's disease after chemotherapy failure. The mean operative time was 161 minutes, and the mean in-hospital stay was 12.75 days. The postoperative period was complicated in 1 patient by pulmonary edema, successfully treated by medication. Teratocarcinoma patient died on the 73th postoperative day with disease progression. The long-term postoperative results in the rest 3 cases (follow-up between 5 and 8 years) are considered very good. In conclusion, median sternotomy is acceptable approach for unilateral or bilateral pulmonary resections in carefully selected patients.