Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy for giant intralobar pulmonary sequestration: A case report

Pulmonary sequestration, which can be divided into 2 main types: intralobar pulmonary sequestration (IPS) and extralobar pulmonary sequestration, is an uncommon congenital condition for which surgical resection is usually indicated. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, as compared with open thoracotomy, has increasingly become the preferred operative procedure in the treatment of PS, owing to less postoperative pain and faster recovery. This report describes a rare and challenging case with a giant IPS undergoing video-assisted thoracic lobectomy. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 39-year old woman suffered from recurrent pneumonia for nearly 3 years. An enhanced computed tomography scan performed in our hospital revealed a 12.0 cm × 10.0 cm-sized IPS in the left lower lobe, supplied by an 8-mm aberrant artery originating from the descending thoracic aorta. DIAGNOSIS: Histology of the resected lobe confirmed the diagnosis of giant intralobar pulmonary sequestration associated with infection. INTERVENTIONS: Thoracoscopic left lower lobectomy was performed. OUTCOMES: The patient has been discharged from the hospital on the ninth day after surgery with an uneventful recovery, she was in good health after a 1-year follow-up. LESSONS: Although full of challenges, thoracoscopic lobectomy for giant IPS is a safe and feasible surgical procedure associated with reduced surgical trauma and postoperative pain as well as improved cosmetic results compared with traditional thoracotomy.