S¹⁺² Segmentectomy of the left upper lobe: a good solution to preserve the pulmonary function of patients with stage I NSCLC

Limited resections for early stage lung cancer have recently aroused increasing interests. However, it is still unclear if a limited resection could preserve the pulmonary function more than a standard lobectomy, especially in the field of the minimally invasive surgery. It seems that postoperative functional benefit could be expected only if at least more than half of the lung parenchyma in the corresponding lobe is preserved. In this context, the role of S¹⁺² segmentectomy could be fundamental, in order to preserve the pulmonary function of the patient. Here, we present a case of a patient with a minimally invasive adenocarcinoma in the S¹⁺² segment of the left upper lobe treated with a S¹⁺² segmentectomy. A 55-year-old female patient came to our attention for a chest CT-scan finding of a 9.8 mm subsolid nodule in the S¹⁺² segment of the left upper lobe. As we considered the lesion highly suspicious for a tumour, a surgical excision was proposed. So, a left S¹⁺² segmentectomy by minimally invasive approach was performed. The post-operative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on the 4th post-operative day. Final histopathological examination revealed a minimally invasive adenocarcinoma of the lung. In the treatment of patient with early stage lung cancer located in S¹⁺² segment of the left upper lobe, S¹⁺² segmentectomy is a safe and radical therapeutic procedure that permit to spare the remaining segments of the left upper lobe.