Invasive thymoma leading to pulmonary artery embolism during operation: A case report

RATIONALE: Invasive thymoma with intraluminal tumor thrombus may cause pulmonary artery thrombus if the tumor thrombus shed off during operation. However, there is no clinical case report focused on such complication. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 40-year-old woman presented with repeated chest pain. DIAGNOSIS: Chest computer tomography showed huge mediastinal mass. Postoperative pathology revealed type B2 and B3 thymoma, with B3 as the main type. INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent tumor resection through midline sternotomy in our hospital on September 17, 2018. She received emergent pulmonary artery exploration because the tumor thrombus in superior vena cava shed off unexpectedly during operation. Postoperative pulmonary computer tomography angiography showed right pulmonary artery embolism. Then emergent right pulmonary artery embolectomy was performed through lateral thoracic incision on September 29, 2018. OUTCOMES: The patient recovered well after surgery. D-dimer reduced rapidly and returned to normal 1 month after the second operation. LESSONS: Intraluminal tumor thrombus in invasive thymoma patients has a risk of shedding off during operation. Prevention strategy should be made beforehand. Pulmonary artery exploration is necessary once happened.