Pulmonary metastasectomy: indication and technique

Distant metastases of solid tumours are most frequently located in the lung. Most patients with lung metastases suffer from multiple pulmonary?lesions or metastases in other organs, which makes these patients unsuitable for surgical treatment. However, several studies suggest a survival benefit if complete resection of all pulmonary metastases is possible. In some patients pulmonary metastasectomy may even be the only curative treatment option. If pulmonary metastases are suspected contrast-enhanced computed tomography is the diagnostic procedure of first choice. Generally accepted rules for intended curative pulmonary metastasectomy are control of the primary tumour, technically completely resectable metastases, the exclusion of extrapulmonary metastases except for potentially completely?resectable hepatic metastases and a functional operability. The most important prognostic factors are complete resection, the exact entity of the tumour, disease-free interval and, to a limited extent, also the number of metastases. In bilateral disease sternotomy and sequentially staged or one-stage thoracotomy are the standard surgical approaches to be considered, whereby thoracotomy is more advantageous in cases of centrally located lesions and left lower lobe metastases. In unilateral disease, video-assisted resection may be considered under certain circumstances. Primary aim must be R0 resection. Tissue-sparing pulmonary dissection techniques are proposed besides anatomic resections. In particular in cases of centrally located or multiple lesions an extensive expertise in thoracic surgery is necessary to preserve as much functional lung parenchyma as possible. Secondary mediastinal lymph node involvement is associated with an adverse prognosis and should therefore be ruled out preoperatively.