Variations of lobar branches of pulmonary arteries in thoracic surgery patients.

PURPOSE: Anatomical investigation is important for safer surgical procedures and to focus on aims. Pulmonary artery anatomy is very important point for thoracic surgery, especially in lobectomy procedure.

METHOD: Between January 2005 and December 2008 at Eskişehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Thoracic Surgery, 85 right or left, upper, middle or lower lobectomy patients were included in this study who were operated because of various lung diseases which include bronchial carcinoma, inflammatory pseudotumor, bronchiectasis, carcinoid tumor of lung. Seventy-four male and 11 female patients were included in this study. Mean age of patients was 59 years.

RESULTS

Different types of variations were observed in 10 of 85 lobectomy cases; two types of variations could not be found in literature.

CONCLUSION

The vascular anatomy of the lung and possible variations of the pulmonary artery should be well known by surgeon to prevent complications. The various branching pattern of the pulmonary arteries should be determined to prevent excessive and unnecessary resection with life-threatening bleeding.