Pneumonectomy
What is Pneumonectomy?
A pneumonectomy is a major surgical procedure to remove an entire lung, typically performed to treat lung cancer or other severe lung conditions that cannot be managed with less invasive treatments. This surgery significantly impacts lung function but can be life-saving for patients with localized disease. In India, pneumonectomy is conducted in specialized thoracic surgery centers with advanced facilities, 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 essential for informed decision-making and optimal outcomes.
Why do you need Pneumonectomy?
A pneumonectomy involves the complete removal of either the right or left lung to eliminate diseased tissue. It is indicated for:
- Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): When the tumor is large, centrally located, or involves major lung structures, and lobectomy is insufficient.
- Extensive infections: Severe tuberculosis, fungal infections, or bronchiectasis unresponsive to treatment.
- Trauma: Irreparable lung damage from injury.
- Rare conditions: Congenital lung abnormalities or metastatic tumors confined to one lung.
In India, hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Tata Memorial, Medanta, and AIIMS specialize in pneumonectomy, using advanced techniques to optimize outcomes. The procedure is considered when preserving part of the lung (e.g., via lobectomy) is not feasible, and the patient’s remaining lung and overall health can support reduced lung capacity.
Why Do Pneumonectomy Costs Vary in India?
The cost of a pneumonectomy in India ranges from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹8 lakh, depending on:
- Procedure Type: Open pneumonectomy (₹2.5–5 lakh) is cheaper than VATS (₹4–7 lakh) or extrapleural pneumonectomy (₹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 surgical oncologists charge higher fees.
- Extra Costs: Diagnostics, ICU, medications, or post-surgery treatments (e.g., chemotherapy) increase expenses.
- Insurance & Aid: Many insurance plans cover pneumonectomy for cancer/infections; schemes like Ayushman Bharat or crowdfunding can help.
Pneumonectomy Procedure
The pneumonectomy process involves several stages, tailored to the patient’s condition:
- Before Surgery Evaluation:
- Diagnosis is confirmed via imaging (CT scan, PET scan, or MRI) to assess tumor size, location, and spread.
- Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) evaluate lung capacity to ensure the remaining lung can sustain adequate breathing.
- Bronchoscopy or biopsy confirms the diagnosis (e.g., cancer type).
- Cardiac tests (ECG, echocardiogram) and blood work assess surgical fitness, especially for older patients or those with comorbidities like COPD or heart disease.
- Surgical Techniques:
- Open Pneumonectomy (Thoracotomy):
- Performed under general anesthesia, lasting 3–5 hours.
- A large incision (thoracotomy, 6–12 inches) is made on the side of the chest to access the lung.
- The surgeon removes the entire lung, along with nearby lymph nodes for cancer staging, and ligates major blood vessels and the bronchus.
- A chest tube is placed to drain fluid and air, and the chest cavity is left to fill with fluid (pleural space adaptation) to stabilize the mediastinum.
- Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) Pneumonectomy:
- A minimally invasive approach using 3–4 small incisions and a thoracoscope (camera), though rarely used for pneumonectomy due to technical complexity.
- Suitable for select early-stage cancers or smaller lungs, offering less pain and faster recovery.
- Takes 3–4 hours under general anesthesia.
- Extrapleural Pneumonectomy (EPP):
- A more extensive variant for cancers like mesothelioma, removing the lung, pleura, part of the diaphragm, and pericardium.
- Performed in specialized centers, with higher risks and costs.
- Open Pneumonectomy (Thoracotomy):
- After Surgery:
- Patients are monitored in the ICU for 1–3 days to manage pain, breathing, and chest tubes.
- Hospital stay lasts 5–10 days for open pneumonectomy or 3–7 days for VATS.
- Chest tubes are removed once drainage and lung expansion stabilize.
- Pathology reports guide further treatment (e.g., chemotherapy or radiation for cancer).
Recovery After Pneumonectomy
Recovery is challenging due to the loss of an entire lung, requiring significant lifestyle adjustments:
- Hospital Stay:
- Open pneumonectomy requires 5–10 days, including 1–3 days in the ICU.
- VATS pneumonectomy involves 3–7 days, with 1–2 days in the ICU.
- Post-Surgery Care:
- Pain is managed with medications (e.g., opioids initially, then NSAIDs).
- Chest tubes are monitored for drainage, typically removed within 3–7 days.
- Breathing exercises (using a spirometer) and physiotherapy prevent lung complications and strengthen the remaining lung.
- Antibiotics reduce infection risk, particularly for open surgery.
- Rehabilitation:
- Pulmonary rehabilitation begins within weeks, including supervised exercise, breathing techniques, and nutritional counseling.
- Light activities (e.g., walking) resume within days; strenuous activities, sports, or heavy lifting are avoided for 3–6 months.
- Smoking cessation, avoiding pollutants, and a high-protein diet support lung health and recovery.
- Follow-Up:
- Follow-up visits at 1, 3, and 6 months include chest X-rays, CT scans, and PFTs to monitor lung function and detect recurrence (in cancer cases).
- Long-term monitoring is critical for cancer patients, with additional treatments (e.g., chemotherapy) as needed.
Most patients adapt to single-lung function within 3–6 months, though exercise capacity is reduced (30–40% loss of lung function). For early-stage lung cancer, five-year survival rates post-pneumonectomy are 30–50%, depending on stage, tumor type, and adjuvant therapy.
Risks and Complications
Pneumonectomy is a high-risk surgery due to its impact on lung function:
- Surgical Risks:
- Bleeding or infection at the incision or chest tube site.
- Bronchopleural fistula (air leak from the bronchial stump), requiring further surgery.
- Lung-Related Complications:
- Respiratory failure or pneumonia, especially in patients with poor baseline lung function.
- Post-pneumonectomy syndrome (mediastinal shift causing airway compression), rare but serious.
- Cardiac Complications:
- Arrhythmias (e.g., atrial fibrillation) or heart strain due to increased right heart pressure.
- Pulmonary edema from fluid shifts in the chest.
- 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 therapy.
Prompt reporting of symptoms like fever, chest pain, or shortness of breath ensures timely management.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What causes the need for a pneumonectomy?
Common causes include lung cancer, severe infections (e.g., tuberculosis), trauma, or rare congenital conditions.
Is pneumonectomy better than lobectomy?
Lobectomy is preferred when feasible, as it preserves lung function. Pneumonectomy is reserved for cases where the entire lung is affected.
Can I live a normal life with one lung?
Yes, most patients adapt, but exercise capacity and stamina are reduced. Rehabilitation and lifestyle changes are critical.
How soon can I resume normal activities?
Light activities resume in 4–6 weeks; strenuous activities take 3–6 months, depending on recovery.
Is pneumonectomy covered by insurance in India?
Most insurance plans cover pneumonectomy for cancer or infections. Confirm with your provider.
What are the signs of complications post-pneumonectomy?
Fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, or swelling require immediate medical attention.
Can elderly patients undergo pneumonectomy?
Elderly patients may undergo pneumonectomy if their lung and heart function are adequate, though VATS may reduce risks.
What lifestyle changes are needed post-pneumonectomy?
Quit smoking, avoid respiratory irritants, practice breathing exercises, maintain a healthy diet, and adhere to follow-up care.
Conclusion
Pneumonectomy is a critical procedure for managing severe lung conditions like cancer or infections, offering a chance for cure or symptom relief. With advanced techniques like open surgery or VATS, India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Tata Memorial, AIIMS) provide affordable, high-quality care. By understanding the procedure, cost variations, recovery, risks, and FAQs, patients and families can approach pneumonectomy 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 pneumonectomy
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 |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Ahmedabad |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Ajmer |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Aligarh |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Allahabad |
3,00,000 |
7,50,0008 |
Amritsar |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Aurangabad |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Bangalore |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Bareilly |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Belgaum |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Bhopal |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Bikaner |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Chandigarh |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Chennai |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Coimbatore |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Dehradun |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Delhi |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Dhanbad |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Durgapur |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Faridabad |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Ghaziabad |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Gorakhpur |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Guntur |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Gurgaon |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Guwahati |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Gwalior |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Hyderabad |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Indore |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Jabalpur |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Jaipur |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Jalandhar |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Jamshedpur |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Jodhpur |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Kanpur |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Kochi |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Kolkata |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Kollam |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Lucknow |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Ludhiana |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Madurai |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Mangalore |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Meerut |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Moradabad |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Mumbai |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Mysore |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Nagpur |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Nashik |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Noida |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Patna |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Pune |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Raipur |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Rajkot |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Ranchi |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Surat |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Thane |
3,50,000 |
8,00,000 |
Vadodara |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
Varanasi |
3,00,000 |
7,50,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
3,25,000 |
7,75,000 |
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.