Which surgery would be most appropriate for a patient requiring complete lung removal?

The most appropriate surgery for a patient requiring complete lung removal is a pneumonectomy. This procedure involves the surgical resection of an entire lung, typically performed to treat conditions such as lung cancer, severe lung infections, or other significant lung diseases affecting one lung.

In contrast, a lobectomy involves the removal of just one lobe of the lung, which would not suffice for a patient needing a complete lung removal. Thoracoplasty is a surgical procedure that entails removing a portion of the rib cage to correct chest wall deformities or to allow for lung expansion after other types of surgery; it does not involve the removal of lung tissue itself. Lastly, decortication of the lung is focused on removing a fibrous covering around the lung, often done to treat conditions like empyema or to free up adhesions rather than to remove lung tissue itself.

Therefore, when a complete lung removal is required, pneumonectomy is the definitive procedure chosen to achieve that surgical goal.