CASE REPORTS  THORACIC SECTION 

The journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 2004 December;45(6):581-3

Copyright © 2009 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Patent foramen ovale after lobectomy. A contraindication to completion pneumonectomy

Leo F., Venissac N., Rabary O., Guillot F., Khelef S., Mouroux J.

Thoracic Surgery Department Pasteur Hospital, Nice, France

Patency of the foramen ovale (FO) is a very rare complication after lobectomy. Completion pneumonectomy after FO reopening has never been described before. In the reported case, a patent FO was diagnosed in a 52-year old man 9 months after a left upper sleeve lobectomy for a squamous cell carcinoma pT2N1. At the same time, bronchoscopy showed an endobronchial recurrence in the left main bronchus. The foramen was closed percutaneosly by a 35 mm Amplatzer prosthesis. Dyspnea improved dramatically in the following 4 weeks and no more oxygen therapy was required. After complete restaging, a completion pneumonectomy was performed without any postoperative complication. This case report suggests that pneumonectomy in such delicate patients is feasible.