Incidence and clinical features of the incidentally found vascular stump thrombus during routine follow up after oncologic lung surgery

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the incidence and clinical features of vascular stump thrombus after oncologic lung surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of records from our institutional database dated between 2009 and 2016 was performed. Data regarding demographics, clinical presentation, medication use, operative findings, pathology, and radiologic findings were retrieved. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 648 oncologic surgeries for primary lung cancer. The incidence of thrombus in the entire population was 5.7% (37/648). Most thrombi were incidentally found on follow-up chest computed tomography scans. Univariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that age (p = 0.02), adjuvant therapy (p <0.001), neoadjuvant therapy (p = 0.04), left-sided surgery (p = 0.02), complex surgery greater than simple lobectomy or segmentectomy (p <0.001), advanced stages (p <0.001), non-adenocarcinoma (p = 0.003), and thoracotomy approach (p = 0.009) were associated with an increased risk of vascular stump thrombus. There were no embolic events in our cohort, except for a case of pulmonary thromboembolism. During follow-up, 43.2% (16/37) of thrombi had completely resolved, 48.6% (18/37) showed partial regression and stabilization, and 8.1% (3/37) had progressed. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of vascular stump thrombus in our study was not negligible. The clinical course of stump thrombus appears to be benign in most cases. Anticoagulation may be used with caution based on an individual basis depending on each patient’s risk factors.