A pneumonectomy (say "new-muh-NEK-tuh-mee") is surgery to remove one of your lungs. It's usually done to treat cancer that can't be removed with a lobectomy (removing part of a lung) or segmentectomy (removing one or more small pieces of a lung). It might also be done to remove a lung that’s been damaged by an infection, disease, or injury.

It’s possible to live with only one lung. But your remaining lung, your heart, and your whole body will have to adjust to this change.

To remove one of your lungs, the doctor will usually do a thoracotomy. This is open lung surgery. That means the doctor will make a cut between your ribs to open up your chest. Then they'll remove the lung that’s causing health problems.

In some cases, the doctor might be able to do video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) instead. These are called minimally invasive surgeries because the doctor can make smaller cuts and use a camera to see inside your chest.

Before the surgery, doctors will do tests to learn more about your overall health. If you smoke, do your best to quit. Not smoking will help you heal better after surgery and lower the risk of health problems. Talk to your doctor if you need help quitting.

Make sure to ask your doctor about when to stop or adjust any medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you're taking. On the day before surgery, follow your doctor's instructions about when to stop eating or drinking.

After surgery the space in your chest where your lung was fills with air. The air is replaced with fluid over time. Your remaining lung will expand to take over some of the work and help you breathe.

You'll have to stay at the hospital for several days to recover. You'll get medicines to help with pain. After you leave the hospital, you’ll need to rest at home to give your body time to heal. This may take weeks or even months, depending on the type of surgery you had, your age, and your overall health.

You’ll probably notice that you get tired and short of breath more easily. That’s normal because your remaining lung and your heart have to work harder. Talk to your doctor about when it’s safe to resume your normal activities like work, driving, and being active.

Many people who have a pneumonectomy do well. But like every surgery, there are risks. Some risks include:

• Respiratory failure.
• Bleeding.
• Infection.
• A collapsed lung.
• Blood clots in the lung (pulmonary embolism).
• An irregular heartbeat.