Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 20, 2026
11:17
Thoracoscopic Extended Right Middle Plus Lower Sleeve Lobectomy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Published on: February 27, 2026
573
Is it safe and worthwhile to perform pulmonary resection after contralateral pneumonectomy?
Levon Toufektzian1, Vasileios Patris2, Konstantinos Potaris3
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Guy's Hospital, London, UK tlevon@gmail.com.
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
|November 16, 2014
Summary
Pulmonary resection after a previous pneumonectomy is safe and worthwhile for select patients. Sublobar resection is preferred, offering rewarding long-term survival, especially for metachronous lung cancer.
Area of Science:
- Thoracic Surgery
- Oncology
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Pulmonary resection after a previous pneumonectomy is a rare clinical scenario.
- Assessing the safety and efficacy of this procedure is crucial for patient selection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of pulmonary resection in patients who have previously undergone a pneumonectomy.
- To identify optimal surgical approaches and patient selection criteria.
Main Methods:
- A best-evidence topic review was conducted, analyzing 8 retrospective studies.
- Included patients (n=102) underwent pulmonary resection after contralateral pneumonectomy.
- Data on postoperative complications, mortality, and survival rates were extracted and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Postoperative complication rates ranged from 21% to 44% (mean 36.8%).
- Mortality rates varied, with sublobar resections showing 6.2% mortality and lobectomies 33.3%.
- Five-year survival rates ranged from 14% (metastatic disease) to 50% (metachronous lung cancer).
Conclusions:
- Pulmonary resection after pneumonectomy can be performed with acceptable morbidity and low mortality in carefully selected patients.
- Sublobar resection is the preferred approach, demonstrating favorable long-term outcomes, particularly for metachronous lung cancer.
