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Case Reports
. 2025 Jan 7;20(1):36.
doi: 10.1186/s13019-024-03323-4.

Anomalous drainage of lingular vein into left inferior pulmonary vein during thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery

Chenyang Guo #  1 , Yadi Zhang #  2 , Haoqian Zheng #  2 , Xing Wei  2 , Wei Dai  2 , Qiang Li  3   4
Affiliations
Case Reports

Anomalous drainage of lingular vein into left inferior pulmonary vein during thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery

Chenyang Guo et al. J Cardiothorac Surg. .

Abstract

Background: The intricate anatomical variations in lung structure often perplex thoracic surgeons, and the accurate identification of these variations is closely associated with favorable surgical outcomes.

Case presentation: A 53-year-old female patient who underwent computed tomography (CT) examination due to chest discomfort, revealing the presence of a partial solid nodule highly suspected of early-stage lung cancer, measuring approximately 2.8 × 2.6 cm in the left lower lobe. Consequently, the patient underwent a single direction thoracoscopic left lower lobectomy and lymph node dissection. Intraoperatively, while attempting to dissect and free the left lower lobe vein from surrounding tissues, technical difficulties were encountered. Upon meticulous review of preoperative CT scans during surgery, an anomalous connection between the lingular vein of the left upper lobe and the left lower lobe vein was identified. Once this anatomical variation was confirmed, surgical intervention proceeded uneventfully without any significant complications.

Conclusion: Precise recognition of pulmonary anatomical structures before and during surgery is paramount in recognizing rare variations such as this one as it aids in preventing potential intraoperative injuries and minimizing postoperative complications.

Keywords: Lingular vein variation; Lung cancer; Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Our study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Medical Research and New Medical Technology of Sichuan Cancer Hospital (No. SCCHEC-02-2024-137). Written patient consent for participation was obtained. Consent for publication: Written informed consent has been obtained from the patient and their family members for publication of relevant clinical information by the authors in pertinent medical publications. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A The chest CT scan revealed a partial solid nodule measuring 2.8 × 2.6 cm in the left lower lobe. B The lingular vein was observed on CT to exhibit drainage into the left inferior pulmonary vein (pulmonary window). C The lingular vein was observed on enhanced CT to exhibit drainage into the left inferior pulmonary vein (mediastinal window)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A The thoracoscopic view revealed that the lingular vein originating from the left superior lobe of the lung drained into the adjacent left inferior lobe, as evidenced by anatomical observations. B The lingular vein of the left superior lobe and the residual portion of the left inferior lobe were visually discernible
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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