LUNG DECORTICATION

Course overview

LUNG DECORTICATION IS A SIMPLE YET FORMIDABLE PROCEDURE. IT INVOLVES THE EXCISION OF THE THICK FIBRINOUS PEEL FROM THE PLEURAL SURFACE, THEREBY PERMITTING THE EXPANSION OF THE UNDERLYING LUNG PARENCHYMA. PATIENTS WITH LONG-STANDING EMPYEMA, PLEURAL THICKENING, HEMOTHORAX, AND PLEURAL TUMORS ARE CANDIDATES FOR DECORTICATION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE RELEVANT ANATOMY, TECHNIQUE, AND POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS OF LUNG DECORTICATION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS UNDERGOING THIS PROCEDURE.