Polypoid pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing hemothorax treated with thoracoscopic wedge resection

Abstract Background Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) can be associated with life-threatening complications such as paradoxical embolization, cerebral abscess, and hemothorax. Therefore, all adults with PAVMs should be offered treatment. Percutaneous transcatheter embolization is the fir...

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Main Authors: Haruhiko Shiiya, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Shigeo Yamazaki, Kichizo Kaga
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Japan Surgical Society 2018-03-01
Series:Surgical Case Reports
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Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40792-018-0428-1
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author Haruhiko Shiiya
Yasuhiro Suzuki
Shigeo Yamazaki
Kichizo Kaga
author_facet Haruhiko Shiiya
Yasuhiro Suzuki
Shigeo Yamazaki
Kichizo Kaga
author_sort Haruhiko Shiiya
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) can be associated with life-threatening complications such as paradoxical embolization, cerebral abscess, and hemothorax. Therefore, all adults with PAVMs should be offered treatment. Percutaneous transcatheter embolization is the first-line treatment, but 5–25% of cases require further treatment due to persistence after embolization. Recently, the role of minimally invasive thoracic surgery as a definitive treatment has been evaluated. We describe a case of a small peripheral PAVM causing hemothorax, which was safely treated with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). In our case, the PAVM appeared to protrude into the pleural cavity on chest computed tomography (CT), perhaps explaining why it led to a hemothorax. Case presentation A 64-year-old man with a history of a brain abscess, for which he underwent surgery 6 months previously, developed a left-sided hemothorax. He had experienced recurrent epistaxis and received anticoagulation therapy for chronic atrial fibrillation. Chest CT after drainage revealed a solitary 15-mm nodule in the periphery of the left lower lobe, and identification of a feeding artery and draining vein on three-dimensional CT suggested that the node was a PAVM. The PAVM was adjacent to the diaphragm and multi-detector CT (MDCT) and three-dimensional CT (3DCT) showed that the nodule slightly displaced the diaphragm and protruded into the pleural cavity. After discussion in a multidisciplinary conference, it was decided that surgical treatment would be preferable to catheter embolization. The patient underwent VATS with three ports, the largest of which was 15 mm. The PAVM protruded from the peripheral lung like a polyp, and wedge resection was performed after simple adhesiolysis. There were no complications, and the patient is asymptomatic after 1-year of follow-up. Conclusions As in the present case, PAVMs protruding into the pleural cavity can cause hemothorax, and surgical wedge resection of the involved lung as a definitive treatment is feasible and possibly safer than catheter embolization, particularly if the PAVM is localized close to the visceral pleura. Protrusion into the pleural cavity (polypoid appearance) was detected using MDCT and 3DCT preoperatively.
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spelling doaj-art-9bf9c82260f4462cb28f284f50d746ab2025-08-20T03:34:04ZengJapan Surgical SocietySurgical Case Reports2198-77932018-03-01411410.1186/s40792-018-0428-1Polypoid pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing hemothorax treated with thoracoscopic wedge resectionHaruhiko Shiiya0Yasuhiro Suzuki1Shigeo Yamazaki2Kichizo Kaga3Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of MedicineDepartment of Surgery, Keiyukai Sapporo HospitalDepartment of Surgery, Keiyukai Sapporo HospitalDepartment of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of MedicineAbstract Background Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) can be associated with life-threatening complications such as paradoxical embolization, cerebral abscess, and hemothorax. Therefore, all adults with PAVMs should be offered treatment. Percutaneous transcatheter embolization is the first-line treatment, but 5–25% of cases require further treatment due to persistence after embolization. Recently, the role of minimally invasive thoracic surgery as a definitive treatment has been evaluated. We describe a case of a small peripheral PAVM causing hemothorax, which was safely treated with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). In our case, the PAVM appeared to protrude into the pleural cavity on chest computed tomography (CT), perhaps explaining why it led to a hemothorax. Case presentation A 64-year-old man with a history of a brain abscess, for which he underwent surgery 6 months previously, developed a left-sided hemothorax. He had experienced recurrent epistaxis and received anticoagulation therapy for chronic atrial fibrillation. Chest CT after drainage revealed a solitary 15-mm nodule in the periphery of the left lower lobe, and identification of a feeding artery and draining vein on three-dimensional CT suggested that the node was a PAVM. The PAVM was adjacent to the diaphragm and multi-detector CT (MDCT) and three-dimensional CT (3DCT) showed that the nodule slightly displaced the diaphragm and protruded into the pleural cavity. After discussion in a multidisciplinary conference, it was decided that surgical treatment would be preferable to catheter embolization. The patient underwent VATS with three ports, the largest of which was 15 mm. The PAVM protruded from the peripheral lung like a polyp, and wedge resection was performed after simple adhesiolysis. There were no complications, and the patient is asymptomatic after 1-year of follow-up. Conclusions As in the present case, PAVMs protruding into the pleural cavity can cause hemothorax, and surgical wedge resection of the involved lung as a definitive treatment is feasible and possibly safer than catheter embolization, particularly if the PAVM is localized close to the visceral pleura. Protrusion into the pleural cavity (polypoid appearance) was detected using MDCT and 3DCT preoperatively.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40792-018-0428-1Pulmonary arteriovenous malformationVideo-assisted thoracic surgeryWedge resectionHereditary telangiectasia
spellingShingle Haruhiko Shiiya
Yasuhiro Suzuki
Shigeo Yamazaki
Kichizo Kaga
Polypoid pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing hemothorax treated with thoracoscopic wedge resection
Surgical Case Reports
Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation
Video-assisted thoracic surgery
Wedge resection
Hereditary telangiectasia
title Polypoid pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing hemothorax treated with thoracoscopic wedge resection
title_full Polypoid pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing hemothorax treated with thoracoscopic wedge resection
title_fullStr Polypoid pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing hemothorax treated with thoracoscopic wedge resection
title_full_unstemmed Polypoid pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing hemothorax treated with thoracoscopic wedge resection
title_short Polypoid pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing hemothorax treated with thoracoscopic wedge resection
title_sort polypoid pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing hemothorax treated with thoracoscopic wedge resection
topic Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation
Video-assisted thoracic surgery
Wedge resection
Hereditary telangiectasia
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40792-018-0428-1
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AT yasuhirosuzuki polypoidpulmonaryarteriovenousmalformationcausinghemothoraxtreatedwiththoracoscopicwedgeresection
AT shigeoyamazaki polypoidpulmonaryarteriovenousmalformationcausinghemothoraxtreatedwiththoracoscopicwedgeresection
AT kichizokaga polypoidpulmonaryarteriovenousmalformationcausinghemothoraxtreatedwiththoracoscopicwedgeresection