lobectomy
Meaning of lobectomy: A lobectomy removes one entire lobe of an organ, most often the lung, sparing the rest of the organ and its function.
Definition of lobectomy
A lobectomy is a surgical procedure that removes an entire lobe, a naturally distinct section, of an organ, while leaving the remaining lobes in place. It is most commonly performed on the lung, where the organ is divided into separate lobes with their own blood supply and airway branch, but the term also applies to lobectomies of the liver, thyroid gland, or brain.
A lung lobectomy is typically performed to remove a tumor or an area of infected or damaged tissue confined to a single lobe, preserving the function of the lung tissue that remains. A liver lobectomy removes a diseased portion of that organ, taking advantage of the liver's ability to regenerate much of its remaining tissue afterward.
Because only the affected lobe is removed, a lobectomy is generally less extensive than removing an entire organ, and how much function remains afterward depends heavily on which organ and how many lobes are involved.
Used in a sentence
The patient underwent a lobectomy to remove a tumor confined to the upper lobe of the right lung.
Good to know
A lobectomy removes only the affected lobe rather than the entire organ, a distinction relevant when comparing it with more extensive procedures such as a pneumonectomy, which removes an entire lung.
Word origin
Where “lobectomy” comes from
Formed from Greek lobos, meaning lobe or a rounded projecting part, and the suffix -ectomy, from Greek ektome, meaning a cutting out.