Pulmonary artery reconstruction using a great saphenous vein autograft in the treatment of bronchogenic cancer

Abstract

Sleeve resection of the pulmonary artery, followed by reconstruction with or without bronchoplasty, for bronchogenic carcinoma located at a major lobar orifice has been reported as an alternative to pneumonectomy in patients with poor respiratory functional reserve. We describe herein what is, to our knowledge, the first, report of a successful pulmonary arterial reconstruction using a saphenous vein autograft. This operation was performed in a 63-year-old man with poor pulmonary functional reserve who was diagnosed as having a large bronchogenic cancer in the left lower lobe of the lung, located close to the pulmonary hilum. First, a left lower lobectomy was performed with segmental resection of the pulmonary artery, from the basal artery to the lingular artery, after which pulmonary arterial continuity was reconstructed using a saphenous vein autograft. The patient had an uneventful recovery and remains well without any sign of recurrence 4 months after his operation.