A case report of peripheral pulmonary nodule due to pulmonary infarction with polycythemia diagnosed by video assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Abstract

The patient was a 38-year-old male. Chest CT showed an approximately 1 cm nodule shadow in S8 of the left lung. The margin of the nodule was relatively clear but a ground glass area surrounded it. Sputum cytology and CT guided needle aspiration cytology did not reveal malignancy but malignancy could not be ruled out absolutely on CT findings. Therefore, partial resection with video assisted surgery (VATS) was performed. As the location of the lesion was not identified under VATS, small thoracotomy was added. The lesion was identified by finger and partial resection was performed. The specimen was examined pathologically during the operation, and it was highly suspected as pulmonary infarction. We did not add further resection and finished the operation. This patient had polycythemia. It was possible that pulmonary infarction was due to this disease.