For a small peripheral tumor, which resection approach best aligns with the goal of sparing lung?

For a small peripheral tumor, which resection approach best aligns with the goal of sparing lung?

• A. Wedge resection
• B. Lobectomy
• C. Pneumonectomy
• D. Segmentectomy

Answer: (A)

For a small peripheral tumor, the aim is to remove the lesion with a safe margin while preserving as much functional lung as possible. A wedge resection does exactly that: it removes a small, nonanatomic wedge of lung tissue that includes the tumor and a surrounding margin, without taking out entire anatomical units of the lung. Because it involves only a limited portion of parenchyma, this approach preserves more lung tissue than other options that require removing bigger anatomical blocks. Lobectomy and pneumonectomy remove large portions of lung, significantly reducing respiratory reserve, which is why they are less favorable when the goal is sparing lung in a small, peripheral lesion. Segmentectomy is more parenchyma-sparing than a lobectomy but still removes an entire bronchopulmonary segment, which is typically more tissue than a wedge resection. Therefore, for maximizing preserved lung tissue in this scenario, the wedge resection is the best choice.

For a small peripheral tumor, the aim is to remove the lesion with a safe margin while preserving as much functional lung as possible. A wedge resection does exactly that: it removes a small, nonanatomic wedge of lung tissue that includes the tumor and a surrounding margin, without taking out entire anatomical units of the lung. Because it involves only a limited portion of parenchyma, this approach preserves more lung tissue than other options that require removing bigger anatomical blocks.

Lobectomy and pneumonectomy remove large portions of lung, significantly reducing respiratory reserve, which is why they are less favorable when the goal is sparing lung in a small, peripheral lesion. Segmentectomy is more parenchyma-sparing than a lobectomy but still removes an entire bronchopulmonary segment, which is typically more tissue than a wedge resection. Therefore, for maximizing preserved lung tissue in this scenario, the wedge resection is the best choice.