Intrathoracic scapular dislocation following lung cancer resection

A 64-year-old man underwent right upper lobectomy combined resection with third-fifth rib for lung cancer and reconstruction of chest wall using Dual Mesh. Six days after surgery, he experienced acute severe pain in the right shoulder. The purulent drainage through the drainage tube was also found. Chest CT showed that the inferior angle of the scapula protruded into the right intrathoracic cavity. We performed a removal of Mesh. Although we did not want to use synthetic materials because of infection, we performed titanium plate fifth rib fixation to avoid the recurrent dislocation of the scapula. After the redo surgery, continuous lavages with physiologic saline of the thoracic cavity was also performed. Patient is now doing well without recurrences of cancer, infection and scapular dislocation, 14 months after the redo surgery.