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Pleurectomy
A surgical procedure that removes part of the pleura (the thin layer of tissue covering the interior wall of the chest cavity) in order to relieve symptoms when a tumor cannot be completely removed. Alleviating some of the symptoms of pleura cancer can help free the lung to expand, control the buildup of fluid, and decrease pain. Contrasts with a pneumonectomy, the removal of an entire lung. See a woman speak about her late husband’s decision to undergo a pneumonectomy.
