[Thoracic surgery: the major surgical procedures]

The most frequent thoracic surgeries are performed for the treatment of primary lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma. For lung cancer, the standard procedures are pneumonectomy and lobectomy with associated mediastinal lymphadenectomy. In order to avoid pneumonectomy, extended lobectomy with sleeve bronchoplasty and/or angioplasty can be done. When adjacent organs are involved, extended resections are accepted (chest wall, vena cava...). For small lesions (<2 cm) without lymph nodes involvement and for patients with limited respiratory function, segmentectomy is an option (results under evaluation). For the treatment of pleural mesothelioma, the accepted oncologic resection is extra-pleural pneumonectomy extended to the diaphragm and pericardium. This surgical indication requires careful evaluation of tumour staging and patient's capacities. The morbidity and mortality of these resections require comprehensive follow-up (clinical, biological (including blood gases) and radiological).