Surgical Options for Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer often associated with exposure to asbestos. It is a brutal form of cancer because it can take as much as 40 years to manifest. That being said, there are three forms of surgery that are used although only two are really used for actual treatment.
Mesothelioma. It is not a word you want to hear form a physician. The abdomen, lungs and chest have a lining called the mesothelium. This lining can be adversely impacted by pollutants and become cancerous. One of the classic pollutants is asbestos which is breathed in by individuals and enters the body through the lungs. How exactly it causes cancer in the mesothelium is a bit of a mystery because of the long gestation period. Still, the diagnosis is not a favorable one and often ends in death.
The first form of surgery undertaken for Mesothelium is known as a thoracoscopy. This is not used to actually treat the patient. Instead, it scope is inserted surgically into the chest so that the physicians can view the condition of the mesothelium, lungs, heart and what have you. Having made a visual inspection, they are in a far better position to render a potential plan of treatment and assess the potential outcomes.
The second form of surgery is a pleurectomy. The purpose of this surgery is to remove the cancerous pleura in the chest area. In human terms, this means removing the mesothelium linings that have been affected in the hopes of cutting off the Mesothelioma before it spreads to the remaining lining.
The third surgery in question is known as an extrapleural pneumonectomy. This is similar to the pleurectomy except the pleura is not removed. Instead, the focus is on removing part or all of a cancerous lung, diaphragm and sac around the heart as needed. This is a very aggressive surgery and only the best surgeons are willing and should pursue such treatment. This is also a surgery of last chance as it tends to be undertaken when the patient is near the point of no return.
Every Mesothelioma case is different, so one cannot assume that a particular surgical operation will or will not work. Discuss your options with a qualified surgeon to learn the specifics as they relate to your case.
About the Author:
Thomas Ajava writes for AsbestosLawsuitTexas.com - where you can find information on the asbestos lawsuit situation in Texas.