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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2020; 68(03): 256-260
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1684000
Short Communication
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Common and Uncommon Variations of Pulmonary Venous Drainage in Patients Undergoing Thoracoscopic Lobectomy

Dario Amore
1   Department of Thoracic Surgery, Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy
,
Dino Casazza
1   Department of Thoracic Surgery, Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy
,
Pasquale Imitazione
2   Department of Respiratory Diseases, University of Naples Federico II, Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy
,
Carlo Curcio
1   Department of Thoracic Surgery, Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

01 February 2019

20 February 2019

Publication Date:
19 April 2019 (online)

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Abstract

Background Variations in pulmonary venous anatomy should not be undermined by thoracic surgeons during procedures which involve the pulmonary veins.

Methods We have identified vascular anomalies in 25 of 346 patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy at our Thoracic Surgery Unit, between December 2016 and November 2018.

Results Some vascular anomalies described have not been reported in recent literature and include right V7 draining into the middle lobe pulmonary vein, accessory right V6 behind the bronchus intermedius, two V6 from the apical segment of left lower lobe, two V6 from the apical segment of right lower lobe, and one of them draining into the superior pulmonary vein.

Conclusion Thoracic surgeons should be aware of this type of anomalies because failure in the preoperative or intraoperative identification of the pulmonary venous variations may lead to serious complications.

Keywords

thoracoscopy/VATS - lung cancer - pulmonary venous drainage
 

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