Successful lobectomy for central large pulmonary arteriovenous malformation

Abstract

A pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is caused by abnormal communications between the pulmonary arteries and veins. In this study, a 64-year old woman presented with a large PAVM in the central upper lobe of the right lung. As feeding vessels were large and short, the patient was scheduled for resection therapy. By clamping the right main pulmonary artery, the blood flow into the PAVM was controlled and lobectomy was performed safely. Although advances in interventional radiology have led to the introduction of obliterative techniques, surgical resection is still an effective first option for patients with a large, centrally located PAVM. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.