Left lower lobectomy without pericardial reconstruction in a patient with a congenital pericardium defect.

Abstract

Pericardial defects are rare congenital disorders. We report a case of a left lower lobectomy in a patient with lung cancer, a congenital complete left-sided pericardial defect and severe pleural adhesions. The pleural adhesions between the epicardium and lungs were carefully dissected. A left lower lobectomy with mediastinal nodal dissection was performed under complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery without pericardial reconstruction. The patient remained asymptomatic for 20 months postoperatively. Careful dissection of severe adhesions is necessary in patients with severe cardiac pulsations.