Surgical procedures may be done, such as removing part or all of a lung if a mass is present. Your surgeon will give you instructions on how to get ready for the procedure and explain what the surgery can do to help treat your condition. The anesthesiologist can discuss the type of medications you'll be given during the procedure and answer your questions. General Anesthesia lets you sleep and keeps you free from pain during surgery. You may also receive an epidural, a thin, flexible tube, in your lower back.
Medication flows through the tube to help relieve pain.
Epidural medications can interfere with the muscle control in your lower body, so you may receive a bladder catheter to help drain your urine while the epidural is in place. Other pain-relieving procedures, such as a nerve block, may be done during the surgery. Once you're asleep, you're positioned comfortably on your side and covered with sterile drapes. Your surgeon then makes an incision across your side. Your rib cage is separated to expose your lungs.