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Case Reports
. 2024 Feb 26;16(2):92-97.
doi: 10.4330/wjc.v16.i2.92.

Spontaneous coronary artery rupture after lung cancer surgery: A case report and review of literature

Ying-Ding Ruan  1 , Jian-Wei Han  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Spontaneous coronary artery rupture after lung cancer surgery: A case report and review of literature

Ying-Ding Ruan et al. World J Cardiol. .

Abstract

Background: Spontaneous coronary artery rupture (SCAR) is a rare and life-threatening complication after lung cancer surgery. We present a case of SCAR following left upper lobectomy, successfully managed through emergency thoracotomy and coronary artery ligation.

Case summary: A 61-year-old male patient underwent left upper lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection for lung cancer. The surgery was performed using single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, and there were no observed complications during the procedure. However, 19 h after surgery, the patient experienced chest discomfort and subsequently developed severe symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and a drop in blood pressure. Urgent measures were taken, leading to the diagnosis of SCAR. The patient underwent emergency thoracotomy and coronary artery ligation, successfully stopping the bleeding and stabilizing the condition. Despite postoperative complications, the patient made a successful recovery and was discharged from the hospital.

Conclusion: SCAR is a rare but life-threatening complication following lung cancer surgery. Immediate thoracotomy has been shown to be a life-saving measure, while stenting is not the preferred initial approach.

Keywords: Case report; Lung cancer; Spontaneous coronary artery rupture; Surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Imaging of pulmonary masses. A: Chest computed tomography (CT); B: Chest CT angiography revealed 50 HU.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Partial views of coronary angiography were performed after hemostasis completion, and no abnormalities were observed in the coronary arteries (arrow).
Figure 3
Figure 3
View of the operative field. After opening, we revealed a bleeding point in the left anterior descending coronary artery (arrow).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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