Definition

Noun: * Surgical removal of a lung: A major surgical operation where an entire lung is removed, typically performed as a treatment for conditions such as lung cancer, severe trauma, or certain infections.

Usage

• The term is used exclusively in medical contexts to describe a specific, serious surgical procedure.
• It is a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• The patient underwent a pneumonectomy to remove the tumor in his left lung.
• After the pneumonectomy, her breathing capacity was significantly reduced.
• The surgeon explained the risks and benefits of a pneumonectomy versus a less extensive lobectomy.

Advanced Usage

• The procedure can be specified by the lung removed: or .
• Extrapleural pneumonectomy: A more radical version of the surgery that also removes parts of the diaphragm, pericardium (lining of the heart), and parietal pleura (lining of the chest wall). This is sometimes performed for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Variants and Related Words

• Lobectomy (noun): Surgical removal of one lobe of a lung (a less extensive procedure than a pneumonectomy).
• Pulmonary (adjective): Relating to the lungs (e.g., pulmonary function).

Synonyms

• Lung resection (general term for lung removal surgery; pneumonectomy is a specific type).
• Pulmonary resection (general term).

Antonyms

• Lung transplantation (surgical procedure to replace a diseased lung with a healthy one).

Noun

1. surgical removal of a lung (usually to treat lung cancer)