Question

A surgeon removed three adjacent bronchopulmonary segments from the left lung of a patient with TB. Almost half of the lung was removed, yet there was no severe bleeding and relatively few blood vessels had to be cauterized (closed off). Why was the surgery so easy to perform? A) Collapsed lung condition

B) Fibrotic lung tissue
C) Lack of blood supply to removed segments
D) Surgeon's experience

Answer 1

The ease of performing the surgery to remove almost half of the left lung with minimal bleeding likely stemmed from: (C) Lack of blood supply to removed segments

Step-by-step explanation:

In cases of advanced tuberculosis (TB), lung tissue often becomes fibrotic and loses its blood supply due to the disease's destructive nature. The compromised blood flow and tissue scarring (fibrosis) might result in reduced vascularity within the affected segments.

As a consequence, the surgeon might encounter fewer blood vessels needing cauterization, leading to decreased intraoperative bleeding and facilitating the surgical procedure. This scenario highlights the pathological changes in the lung due to TB, particularly the diminished blood supply to the affected lung segments, making the surgery comparatively less challenging in terms of controlling bleeding.