Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Occupational lung disease surgery
Introduction
Overview
Overview
The mainstay of treatment for occupational lung disease is medical therapy. Surgery is usually reserved for patients with progressive massive fibrosis or lung cancer.
Indications
Indications
- Surgery is not the first-line treatment option for patients with occupational lung disease. Surgery is usually reserved for patients with either:[1]
- Progressive massive fibrosis
- Lung cancer
- Inflammatory lung disease
Surgery
Surgery
Pneumonectomy
- Pneumonectomy is removal of the lung or part of the lung, and is reserved for progressive massive fibrosis or resectable lung cancer.[1]
- Parts of the diaphragm, pericardium and pleura may also be removed, such as in the case of mesothelioma.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Hadeel Maksoud M.D.[2]