Systemic Tumor Embolization Research Articles

Successful Percutaneous Thrombectomy of Aortic Tumor Emboli Extending into the Origin of the Superior Mesenteric Artery with Half-Deployment of a Nitinol Stent

A 73-year-old woman with leiomyosarcoma presented with a 3-day history of abdominal pain. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a 1.5-cm abdominal aortic mass extending into the origin of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) (arrow in Fig 1). Chest CT scan showed tumor thrombi in the left superior pulmonary vein and left atrium (straight and right-angle arrows in Fig 2) and multiple metastatic lesions in both lungs (arrowheads in Fig 2) and the left fourth rib (curved arrow in Fig 2). Together, these findings indicated that a pulmonary metastatic lesion had invaded the pulmonary vein and caused systemic tumor embolization. Aortography performed through a transfemoral 45-cm 8-F sheath (Super Arrow-Flex sheath; Arrow International, Inc, Reading, Pennsylvania) showed a filling defect at the SMA origin (arrow in Fig 3). A 16-F sheath (St. Jude Medical, Minnetonka, Minnesota) was inserted through the contralateral femoral artery using a “preclosure” technique. A 16-mm diameter self-expanding closed cell nitinol stent (Niti-S; Taewoong Medical Co, Ltd, Gimpo, Korea) was advanced through the sheath and halfdeployed, caudally, to capture emboli. A 6-F 20-mm thrombectomy-type

Spontaneous Systemic Tumor Embolism Caused by Tumor Invasion of Pulmonary Vein in a Patient with Advanced Lung Cancer

We describe a 72-year-old man who presented with left hemiparesis due to acute cerebral infarction in the right fronto-temporal lobe. Three months prior to admission, he was hospitalized for right hemiparesis due to the acute cerebral infarction in the left anterior cerebral artery territory. To investigate the cause of his recurrent embolic event, a chest computed tomography scan and echocardiography were performed, which revealed advanced lung cancer invading contiguously through the pulmonary veins to the right main pulmonary artery and left atrium. Tumor embolism is a rare cause of stroke, occurring with primary or metastatic neoplasms of the lung. Echocardiography is a useful tool in patients with cerebral embolic episodes.

Systemic Tumor Embolism Mimicking Gefitinib ('IRESSA')-induced Interstitial Lung Disease in a Patient with Lung Cancer

We describe a 55-year-old man with advanced adenocarcinoma of the lung who received gefitinib ('IRESSA'). After gefitinib administration for 7 months, computed tomography scan of the chest demonstrated diffuse ground glass opacity and he was suspected to have developed gefitinib-induced interstitial lung disease (ILD). However, transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) revealed tumor cells in the middle-size lung vessels. Afterwards, multiple infarctions of the brain, spleen and left kidney were detected. Then, he was considered to have developed systemic tumor emboli, a rare complication. The clinical presentation of this patient was difficult to discriminate from that of ILD, and TBLB was useful in the differential diagnosis.

Tumor emboli from lung neoplasms involving the pulmonary vein

Systemic tumor embolization during pulmonary resection for lung neoplasms is an uncommon but potentially catastrophic complication. In recent months, two patients undergoing pulmonary resection for bronchogenic carcinoma were found at operation to have tumor extending into a pulmonary vein. Both patients had systemic tumor embolization, one with a fatal outcome because of occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery. The possibility of systemic tumor embolization should be considered in patients with large, central tumors and particularly those that abut the pulmonary veins. The implications of such pulmonary vein involvement is reviewed, and an algorithm for postoperative evaluation and management of these patients is presented.

Systemic tumor embolism following thoracotomy partially masked by postoperative epidural analgesia

Systemic tumor embolism following thoracotomy partially masked by postoperative epidural analgesia

Massive systemic tumor embolization during pneumonectomy: a case report with comments on routine primary pulmonary vein ligation.

Massive systemic tumor embolization during pneumonectomy: a case report with comments on routine primary pulmonary vein ligation.