Left upper lobectomy
Surgical Technique

Left upper lobectomy

Jungang Zhao, Kaiming Ren, Jun Tang

Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China

Corresponding to: Jungang Zhao, M.D. Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China. Email: zhaojg@sj-hospital.org.

Abstract: This is a 32-year-old woman with a left peripheral lung lesion about 3 cm in diameter found by physical examination. Lung cancer of the left upper lobe is suspected in preoperative diagnosis.

Keywords: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS); left upper lobectomy; lung cancer


Submitted Jun 21, 2013. Accepted for publication Jul 31, 2013.

doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2013.08.01


Video 1 Left upper lobectomy.

Video description

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) left upper lobectomy (Video 1) was performed. Three ports were created at 3th (3 cm), 7th (1.2 cm) and 9th (2.5 m) intercostal spaces, with the observation port in the 7th intercostal space. The left upper lobe vein was first treated, followed by the left upper lobe bronchus. After partial separation of the fissure, the branches of the upper lobe pulmonary artery were divided by ligation and transection or with a stapler. After removal of the fissure, the left upper lobe was resected, and stations 5, 6, 7 and 10 lymph nodes and intrapulmonary nodes were dissected. Postoperative pathological exam suggested adenocarcinoma, without evidence of lymph node metastasis in any station.

The surgical approach provided a clear field of operation with less bleeding and definite structural exposure, which was convenient for handling the vessels and bronchial lymph nodes. However, there could be a risk of undesired injury to the trunk of the left pulmonary artery when removing the upper lobe bronchus.


Acknowledgements

Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest.


Cite this article as: Zhao J, Ren K, Tang J. Left upper lobectomy. J Thorac Dis 2013;5(Suppl 3):S295. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2013.08.01

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