Pleurectomy and decortication.

Pleurectomy and decortication (P/D) improve survival and quality of life in selected patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. The operative procedure was not standardized until recently. The goal of the operation is to perform a macroscopic complete resection of the tumor. This often involves resection of the parietal and visceral pleura and invariably a partial or complete resection and prosthetic reconstruction of ipsilateral hemidiaphragm. We describe our operative planning and technique as well as outcomes of P/D reported in current literature.