Successful pulmonary arterial embolization followed by curative surgery for a lepidic predominant lung adenocarcinoma with severe hypoxemia.

BACKGROUND: Lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma is characterized by frequent refractory hypoxemia due to intrapulmonary shunting. Severe hypoxemia can induce perioperative complications in case of thoracic surgery.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 67 year-old woman with localized lepidic adenocarcinoma in the right lower lobe with severe hypoxemia. A selective arterial lung embolization allowed an instantaneous correction of the hypoxemia, and a curative lobectomy was safely performed 1 week after without any complication. The staging was pT3N0M0, and the patient received adjuvant chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first case-report of successful endovascular embolization before curative surgery for a lepidic predominant lung adenocarcinoma.