A case of abnormal branching of A⁵ and A⁸_b as a common trunk from the left main pulmonary artery

Abstract

A 84-year-old man underwent left upper lobectomy for primary lung adenocarcinoma. As demonstrated in the preoperative CT-scan, the branch of the mediastinal type from the left main pulmonary artery was recognized. The branch descended anteriorly to the left upper bronchus, and ran mainly into the left lower lobe as A⁸_b, adjacent anteriorly to the left lower lobe bronchus. A⁵ was bifurcated in the middle portion of the branch, adjacent anteriorly to the lingular lobe bronchus. A⁵ was ligated and cut on the peripheral side of the bifurcation so as to preserve A⁸_b. This is a very rare case of abnormal branching of A⁵ and A⁸_b as a common trunk from the left main pulmonary artery.