Finishing the Lung Lobectomy
After a lung
lobectomy, your lung will probably leak air and fluid for a while. This is normal. However, the fluid and air can cause your lung to collapse and make breathing difficult. For this reason, you will have one or more chest tubes put in during the surgery. These tubes drain fluid and air from around your lung, help your lungs stay inflated, and make it easier for you to breathe.
After the tubes are in, your rib cage will be closed with heavy-duty stitches. The stitches help your rib cage heal and keep it from moving. After this, the skin and the layers of tissue underneath it are closed with more stitches. Most of the stitches will dissolve inside your body over time. Finally, your skin is stitched closed and covered with a bandage.
After the lung lobectomy, you may still have the breathing tube, chest tube, catheter, and stomach tube inside your body.
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