COMPLETION RIGHT LOWER LOBECTOMY FOR RECURRENCE AFTER LEFT PNEUMONECTOMY FOR METASTASES

Resection of pulmonary recurrences on the residual lung after pneumone ctomy for metastases is exceptional. A 37-year-old woman was submitted to left extended pleuro-pneumonectomy after left leg amputation for f ibrosarcoma. At 43 months later. a wedge resection on the right lower lobe was performed followed 32 months later by a further wedge resecti on in the same lobe. A completion right lower lobectomy fur a nem recu rrence was performed 17 months after the last pulmonary resection. The patient did not develop postoperative complications. She is still ali ve and free of disease 10 years and 9 months after pneumonectomy and 3 6 months after completion lobectomy on the residual lung. In highly se lected patients, aggressive surgery for metastases on the residual lun g can be successfully performed and it call improve survival. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.