A case of abnormal branching of the right A7+8+10

Abstract

A 70-year-old-man presented to our hospital because of an abnormal lung shadow identified during a medical checkup. Preoperative chest computed tomography revealed a mediastinal pulmonary artery branching from the right main pulmonary artery. It flowed into the lower lobe after passing between the bronchus and right superior pulmonary vein. The primary lesion located in the right lower lobe was a solid mass measuring 3.5 cm. Based on the results of a transbronchial biopsy, he was diagnosed with lung cancer (adenocarcinoma, cT2aN0M0), and a video-assisted right lower lobectomy was performed. A7+8+10 descending between the bronchus and the right superior pulmonary vein was identified. He underwent successful resection without any intraoperative complications. A right mediastinal basal pulmonary artery is a rare anatomical variant, and this is the fourth case reported in Japan. To prevent intraoperative injury, it is important to accumulate information pertaining to rare anatomical anomalies and accurately interpret preoperative computed tomography findings.