2015 Volume 29 Issue 1 Pages 101-105
We report 2 cases of idiopathic azygos vein aneurysm resected by thoracoscopic surgery. In case 1, a man in his 50s without any symptom, the enlargement of a right hilar mass was pointed out in a chest radiograph. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional CT showed aneurysmal change of the azygos vein in the azygos arch, without a thrombus. Thoracoscopic resection of the aneurysm was performed using an endostapler. In case 2, a woman in her 70s with lung cancer, an azygos vein aneurysm was revealed during thoracoscopic lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection. The aneurysm, located in the azygos arch, was resected using an endostapler. No postoperative complication was observed in either case. Idiopathic azygos vein aneurysm is rare. Although there is no unified treatment, surgical resection is generally selected to prevent thrombosis and rupture of the aneurysm. Three-dimensional CT is useful to confirm the location, shape, and relation of the surrounding structures, which easily facilitate decision-making regarding the operative procedure. Thoracoscopic resection is possible if the aneurysm is located in the azygos arch and sufficiently distant from the superior vena cava.
