Lung resection (lobectomy)
What is a Lung Resection (Lobectomy)?
A lung resection, specifically a lobectomy, is a surgical procedure to remove one of the lobes of the lung, typically to treat conditions like lung cancer, infections, or benign tumors. As a major thoracic surgery, it aims to eliminate diseased tissue while preserving as much healthy lung function as possible. In India, lobectomies are performed in advanced medical centers with skilled thoracic surgeons, offering high-quality care at affordable costs. For patients and families in India, understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) is crucial for informed decision-making and optimal outcomes.
Why do you need Lung Resection (Lobectomy)?
A lobectomy involves removing one of the lung’s lobes (the right lung has three lobes; the left has two) to treat conditions such as:
- Lung cancer: Early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common indication.
- Infections: Chronic infections like tuberculosis or fungal infections resistant to treatment.
- Benign tumors: Non-cancerous growths causing symptoms or complications.
- Lung abscesses or bronchiectasis: Localized lung damage requiring surgical intervention.
In India, lobectomies are performed in specialized hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, Tata Memorial, and AIIMS, using advanced techniques to improve outcomes and reduce recovery time. The procedure is often curative for early-stage lung cancer and significantly improves quality of life for other conditions.
Why Do Lobectomy Costs Vary in India?
The cost of a lobectomy in India ranges from ₹2 lakh to ₹8 lakh, depending on:
- Procedure Type: Open lobectomy (₹2–4 lakh) is cheaper than VATS (₹3–6 lakh) or robotic-assisted lobectomy (₹5–8 lakh).
- Hospital & Location: Top hospitals in metro cities (e.g., Apollo, Tata Memorial) charge more; government hospitals (₹50,000–₹2 lakh) are cheaper but may have wait times.
- Surgeon Expertise: Experienced thoracic or oncologic surgeons charge higher fees.
- Extra Costs: Diagnostics, ICU, medications, or post-surgery treatments (e.g., chemotherapy) increase expenses.
- Insurance & Aid: Most insurance plans cover lobectomy for cancer/infections; schemes like Ayushman Bharat or crowdfunding can help.
Lobectomy Procedure
The lobectomy process involves several stages, tailored to the patient’s condition and the extent of disease:
- Before Surgery Evaluation:
- Diagnosis is confirmed via imaging (CT scan, PET scan, or MRI) to assess the tumor or lesion’s size and location.
- Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) evaluate lung capacity to ensure the patient can tolerate lobe removal.
- Bronchoscopy or biopsy confirms the diagnosis (e.g., cancer type).
- Blood tests, ECG, and cardiac evaluations assess surgical fitness, especially for older patients or those with comorbidities.
- Surgical Techniques:
- Open Lobectomy (Thoracotomy):
- Performed under general anesthesia, lasting 2–4 hours.
- A large incision (6–10 inches) is made on the chest to access the lung.
- The surgeon removes the affected lobe, nearby lymph nodes (for cancer staging), and ensures clear margins.
- A chest tube is placed to drain fluid and air post-surgery.
- Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) Lobectomy:
- A minimally invasive approach using 3–4 small incisions and a thoracoscope (camera).
- Specialized instruments remove the lobe, with less tissue trauma.
- Preferred for early-stage cancers or smaller lesions, offering faster recovery and less pain.
- Takes 2–3 hours under general anesthesia.
- Robotic-Assisted Lobectomy:
- A high-precision VATS variant using robotic systems (e.g., da Vinci) for enhanced accuracy.
- Used in select centers, with similar benefits to VATS but higher costs.
- Open Lobectomy (Thoracotomy):
- After Surgery:
- Patients are monitored in the ICU for 1–2 days to manage pain, breathing, and chest tubes.
- Hospital stay lasts 4–7 days for open lobectomy or 2–4 days for VATS/robotic surgery.
- Chest tubes are removed once drainage and lung expansion are stable.
- Follow-up imaging and pathology reports confirm the success of resection and guide further treatment (e.g., chemotherapy for cancer).
Recovery After Lobectomy
Recovery depends on the procedure type, patient’s health, and underlying condition:
- Hospital Stay:
- Open lobectomy requires 4–7 days, including 1–2 days in the ICU.
- VATS or robotic lobectomy involves 2–4 days, with 1 day in the ICU.
- Post-Surgery Care:
- Pain is managed with medications (e.g., paracetamol, opioids initially).
- Chest tubes are monitored for drainage, typically removed within 2–5 days.
- Breathing exercises (using a spirometer) and physiotherapy prevent lung complications and improve capacity.
- Antibiotics prevent infection, especially in open surgery.
- Rehabilitation:
- Light walking is encouraged within days to prevent blood clots and promote lung expansion.
- Strenuous activities, heavy lifting, or driving are avoided for 6–8 weeks (open surgery) or 3–4 weeks (VATS/robotic).
- Smoking cessation and a balanced diet support lung health and recovery.
- Follow-Up:
- Follow-up visits at 1, 3, and 6 months include chest X-rays or CT scans to monitor lung function and detect recurrence (in cancer cases).
- Long-term monitoring is critical for cancer patients, with additional treatments as needed.
Most patients resume normal activities within 4–8 weeks (VATS) or 6–12 weeks (open surgery). For lung cancer, five-year survival rates for early-stage disease post-lobectomy are 60–80%, depending on stage and treatment adherence.
Risks and Complications
Lobectomy is a major surgery with potential risks, though advancements have reduced these:
- Surgical Risks:
- Bleeding or infection at the incision or chest tube site.
- Prolonged air leaks from the lung, delaying chest tube removal.
- Lung-Related Complications:
- Pneumonia or atelectasis (lung collapse), preventable with breathing exercises.
- Reduced lung capacity, causing shortness of breath, especially in patients with pre-existing lung disease.
- General Risks:
- Adverse reactions to anesthesia.
- Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism), requiring anticoagulants.
- Cancer-Specific Risks:
- Tumor recurrence or metastasis, necessitating further treatment.
- Incomplete resection, requiring additional surgery or therapy.
Prompt reporting of symptoms like fever, chest pain, or difficulty breathing ensures timely management.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What causes the need for a lobectomy?
Common causes include lung cancer, chronic infections (e.g., tuberculosis), benign tumors, or lung abscesses.
Is VATS better than open lobectomy?
VATS offers faster recovery, less pain, and smaller scars but is suitable only for early-stage or smaller lesions.
How much lung function is lost after a lobectomy?
Losing one lobe reduces lung capacity by 20–30%, but healthy patients adapt well with rehabilitation.
How soon can I resume normal activities?
VATS patients resume activities in 4–6 weeks; open surgery patients take 6–12 weeks.
Is lobectomy covered by insurance in India?
Most insurance plans cover lobectomy for cancer or infections. Confirm with your provider.
What are the signs of complications post-lobectomy?
Fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, or swelling require immediate medical attention.
Can elderly patients undergo a lobectomy?
Yes, elderly patients can undergo VATS lobectomy if their lung and overall health are adequate, as assessed by PFTs.
What lifestyle changes are needed post-lobectomy?
Quit smoking, practice breathing exercises, maintain a healthy diet, and avoid respiratory irritants like pollution.
Conclusion
A lobectomy is a highly effective procedure for treating lung cancer, infections, or benign conditions, enabling patients in India to regain health and quality of life. With advanced techniques like open surgery, VATS, or robotic-assisted lobectomy, hospitals like Apollo, Tata Memorial, and AIIMS offer affordable, world-class care. By understanding the procedure, cost variations, recovery, risks, and FAQs, patients can approach lobectomy with confidence. For personalized guidance, consult a thoracic surgeon or pulmonologist at a reputed hospital to ensure timely and successful treatment.
Looking for Best Hospitals for Lung resection
Note: we are not promoting any hospitals
we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)
- click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
| City | Minimum Price (₹) | Maximum Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
Agra |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Ahmedabad |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Ajmer |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Aligarh |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Allahabad |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Amritsar |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Aurangabad |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Bangalore |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Bareilly |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Belgaum |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Bhopal |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Bikaner |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Chandigarh |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Chennai |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Coimbatore |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Dehradun |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Delhi |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Dhanbad |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Durgapur |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Faridabad |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Ghaziabad |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Gorakhpur |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Guntur |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Gurgaon |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Guwahati |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Gwalior |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Hyderabad |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Indore |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Jabalpur |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Jaipur |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Jalandhar |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Jamshedpur |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Jodhpur |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Kanpur |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Kochi |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Kolkata |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Kollam |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Lucknow |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Ludhiana |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Madurai |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Mangalore |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Meerut |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Moradabad |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Mumbai |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Mysore |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Nagpur |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Nashik |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Noida |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Patna |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Pune |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Raipur |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Rajkot |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Ranchi |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Surat |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Thane |
4,50,000 |
8,50,000 |
Vadodara |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Varanasi |
4,00,000 |
8,00,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
4,25,000 |
8,25,000 |
Disclaimer
This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.