Aftm. Verhagen et Lkmh. Lacquet, COMPLETION PNEUMONECTOMY - A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF INDICATIONS AND RESULTS, European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery, 10(4), 1996, pp. 238-241
Between 1970 and 1993, 446 patients underwent pneumonectomy. Completio
n pneumonectomy was performed in 37 patients (8.3): 34 men and 3 women
, with a mean age of 61 years (range 20-78 years). Indications were be
nign disease in 4 patients and carcinoma in 33. Of the latter, 21 pati
ents underwent resection for metachronous lung cancer, 6 for recurrent
lung cancer, 4 for previous incomplete resection, 1 for primary lung
cancer after previous resection for benign disease acid 1 patient afte
r previous segmentectomy for metastasis. The mean interval between fir
st operation and completion pneumonectomy was 41 months (range 1-187 m
onths) for the whole group, 30 months for benign disease and 42 months
for carcinoma. The overall operative mortality was 6/37 (16.2%); 1/4
patients with benign disease and 5/33 (15.2%) patients with carcinoma.
Nine patients (29%) had one or more major non-fatal complication. Act
uarial 3- and 5-year survival rates were 41.0% and 24.5% for the entir
e group, 75% at both times for patients with benign disease, 36.4% and
18.3% for all patients with carcinoma at the time of completion pneum
onectomy and 24.3% and 14.59% for patients with metachronous or recurr
ent lung cancer. For 15 patients with stage I or II metachronous lung
cancer, the 3- and 5-year survival rates were 33.9% and 16.9%. All six
patients with stage III metachronous cancer died within 18 months. In
conclusion, completion pneumonectomy carries a high operative mortali
ty and morbidity. Long-term survival is negatively influenced by stage
III lung cancer.