Segmental Anatomy as Applied to Segmental Resection

True segmental resection is not a simple matter and there is need to redefine accurately the term. Knowledge and employment of anatomy are necessary to avoid devitalization of some segments and unnecessary removal of other segments. The segmental anatomical hazards must be understood to perform accurate segmental resections.

The limitations of segmental resection must be appreciated as well as the advantages.

There are three segments readily resectable individually on each side, the anterior, superior and medial basal; there are three segments resectable with difficulty individually, the apical, posterior and anterior basal; and the segments inadvisable to resect individually are the segments of the lingula and middle lobe, the subsuperior, the posterior basal and lateral basal.