Intraoperative complications in lung cancer surgery.

Lung cancer surgery is burdened by complications often related to the performed procedure. An accidental damage to thoracic structures may be caused by the surgeon's incorrect operative management. Elective thoracic surgery for lung cancer includes technically well-known operations. However, thoracic anatomy is characterized by a number of variants which a thoracic surgeon should know to be able to tackle serious situations. In this review the major variants and hazards which may be the cause of operative problems are presented. An approach to control hiatrogenic damages while performing lung resection for neoplastic lesions is suggested. It is stressed that surgical injuries, especially in thoracic surgery, should be prevented rather than repaired.