Background: Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer with pulmonary artery invasion is very difficult to treat surgically. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of pretreatment blocking of intrapericardial pulmonary artery in operation of lung cancer with pulmonary artery invasion.
Methods: Pericardium was dissected and pretreatment blocking of intrapericardial pulmonary artery was used in patients, who were diagnosed as lung cancer with pulmonary artery invasion through either preoperative radiological examination or exploratory thoracotomy.
Results: Twenty-eight patients were enrolled, and eighteen of them received blocking of pulmonary artery during operation. All the tumors were resected completely. There was no heavy bleeding or pneumonectomy.
Conclusions: The use of pretreatment blocking of intrapericardial pulmonary artery can improve the safety of operation, achieve complete resection and decrease the application of pneumonectomy for lung cancer with pulmonary artery invasion.