Summary
Two hundred and sixty-one patients underwent a total of 295 Operations for pulmonary
metastases between 1972 and 1984. Some characteristics are essential for the surgical
strategy of Operations on pulmonary metastases:
-
Upon thoracotomy about 40% of the patients show more uni- or bilateral metastases
than expected after the most careful preoperative diagnostic examinations.
-
Approximately 25% of the patients exhibit preoperatively undiagnosed metastases on
the contralateral side.
-
Bilateral consecutive thoracotomy is associated with the risk of secondary inoperability.
The median thoracotomy takes these characteristics more into consideration than all
other routes as both pleural cavities, lung and mediastinum can be explored and treated
at the same time. The necessary prerequisites for radical resections are obtained
only in this way and Potential eure should always be the aim of surgery for metastases.
Simultaneous bilateral pulmonary resections require careful postoperative intensive
care.
The advantage for the patient is a one-stage Operation and thus less subjeetive stress,
a much shorter hospitalization and the Chance to Start necessary postoperative chemotherapy
as soon as possible. The median thoracotomy allows all Standard resection techniques.
With 66%, the atypical and segmental resections were the techniques mainly used. The
overall mortality was 3.3%.
Key words
Pulmonary metastases - Surgical technique - Median thoracotomy - Resection techniques
- Complications
