Ethical considerations in the management of complications after lung resection: a narrative review.
- 1Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- 2Department of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Abstract
Complications following lung resection present complex clinical, ethical and interpersonal challenges that extend beyond technical management. Although substantial literature addresses the prevention and treatment of complications after lung resection, there is limited guidance regarding the ethical principles that should shape clinical decision-making as complications evolve. This review proposes a practical ethical framework for the management of complications following lung resection. Recommendations were developed based on clinical expertise and relevant published sources. A narrative literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase, supplemented by targeted searches of relevant clinical resources and reference lists. English-language literature published within the last fifteen years was considered, with more recent evidence prioritized alongside foundational literature. Where lung resection-specific evidence was limited, related thoracic surgery, critical care, perioperative medicine, and surgical ethics literature was incorporated. The developed framework is focused on six foundational ethical principles spanning patient-centered and provider-/systems-centered domains. Patient-centered principles include autonomy, shared decision-making and proportionate goal-concordant care, which help define patient values and integrate those values with clinical expertise to align treatment strategies with meaningful outcomes. Provider-/systems-centered principles include beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, transparency and accountability, all of which guide professional responsibility, equitable care, honest communication and collaboration throughout recovery. The application of these principles is examined across the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative phases of care. This framework emphasizes aligning treatment decisions with patient-defined goals, while balancing the potential benefits and burdens of intervention. Overall, these six ethical principles provide a structured and durable framework for navigating complications following lung resection.
Related
- Complications in anatomical lung resection: a comprehensive surgical perspective in a narrative review.
- Thrombotic Complications in Women Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technologies: Pathophysiology, Prevention, and Clinical Management—A Narrative Review
- Management Considerations for Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Lupus Spectrum Disease: A Narrative Review
- Clinically Actionable Prevention and Management of Major Complications During Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device Support: A Contemporary Narrative Review
- Phrenic Nerve Interventions for the Prevention and Management of Prolonged Air Leak and Residual Pleural Space After Pulmonary Resection: A Structured Narrative Review.
BibTeX
@article{zacharias2026ethical,
title = {{Ethical considerations in the management of complications after lung resection: a narrative review.}},
author = {Gloria Zacharias and Priya Joshi and Sarah Burki and Anastasiia K Tompkins and Cherie P Erkmen},
journal = {Journal of thoracic disease},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.21037/jtd-2026-1752},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996949},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Ethical considerations in the management of complications after lung resection: a narrative review.
AU - Gloria Zacharias
AU - Priya Joshi
AU - Sarah Burki
AU - Anastasiia K Tompkins
AU - Cherie P Erkmen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Journal of thoracic disease
DO - 10.21037/jtd-2026-1752
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42996949
AB - Complications following lung resection present complex clinical, ethical and interpersonal challenges that extend beyond technical management. Although substantial literature addresses the prevention and treatment of complications after lung resection, there is limited guidance regarding the ethical principles that should shape clinical decision-making as complications evolve. This review proposes a practical ethical framework for the management of complications following lung resection. Recommendations were developed based on clinical expertise and relevant published sources. A narrative literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase, supplemented by targeted searches of relevant clinical resources and reference lists. English-language literature published within the last fifteen years was considered, with more recent evidence prioritized alongside foundational literature. Where lung resection-specific evidence was limited, related thoracic surgery, critical care, perioperative medicine, and surgical ethics literature was incorporated. The developed framework is focused on six foundational ethical principles spanning patient-centered and provider-/systems-centered domains. Patient-centered principles include autonomy, shared decision-making and proportionate goal-concordant care, which help define patient values and integrate those values with clinical expertise to align treatment strategies with meaningful outcomes. Provider-/systems-centered principles include beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, transparency and accountability, all of which guide professional responsibility, equitable care, honest communication and collaboration throughout recovery. The application of these principles is examined across the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative phases of care. This framework emphasizes aligning treatment decisions with patient-defined goals, while balancing the potential benefits and burdens of intervention. Overall, these six ethical principles provide a structured and durable framework for navigating complications following lung resection.
SN - 2072-1439
SN - 2077-6624
ER -