Cardiac herniation after operative management of lung cancer: a rare and dangerous complication

• DOI: 10.1007/s11748-012-0074-7
• Publication Date: 2012-05-24T10:20:14Z
• Authors: Jeroen E. H. Ponten; Ted W. O. Elenbaas; Joost F. ter Woorst; Erik H. M. Korsten; Ben E. E. M. van ...; Albert H. M. van ...
• Keywords: Thoracotomy

Cardiac herniation after pneumonectomy is recognized as a rare complication. This case report describes two cases. The mortality rate of this complication remains high as reported in the literature; in early-recognized cases 50 % and in late or unrecognized cases 100 %. In the following two cases a pneumonectomy was performed as a treatment for lung cancer. Within 48 h after the initial operative treatment, the clinical situation of the patients got worse and radiographic examinations showed a strongly deviated heart. After suspicion of the diagnosis, the patients were immediately transferred to the operation theatre for emergency thoracotomy. Per-operative the diagnosis was confirmed and the heart was returned into its original position while the defect in the pericardial sac was closed with a bovine pericardial patch. Both patients survived these procedures and did not suffer from any further complication.