Long-term outcomes of completion pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Completion pneumonectomy (CP) is the removal of remaining lung tissue after initial resection. Our aim in this study was to investigate the factors affecting mortality, morbidity, and survival after CP.

METHODS: Patients who underwent CP in our clinic between January 2000 and December 2015 were evaluated retrospectively. The patients' demographic information, morbidity, mortality, histopathological characteristics, and 2-, 5-, and 10-year survival were evaluated.

RESULTS: Of the 32 non-small cell lung cancer patients in the study, 31 (96.9%) were male and one (3.1%) was female. The postoperative mortality rate was 9.4% and the morbidity rate was 46.9%. The most common complication was atrial fibrillation (31.3%). Median survival time was 67 ± 10.3 months; 5- and 10-year survival rates were 50.3 and 31.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Completion pneumonectomy involves an acceptable mortality rate but high morbidity rate. Based on the results of this study, the interval between initial resection and CP does not affect survival time.