[Two cases of wedge pneumonectomy in primary lung cancer involved into carina]

Right wedge pneumonectomy was performed on two cases of primary lung cancer involved into carina. A 59-year-old male involved with primary lung cancer was found with bloody sputum. Preoperative data confirmed as the superficial spread type of squamous cell carcinoma in carinal lesion and tumor was resectable with wedge pneumonectomy. In the second case, abnormal shadow was pointed out on chest X-ray film of a 61-year-old male patient. Preoperative examination defined as primary lung cancer of rt-S6 with subcarinal lymph node metastasis. The operation indicated wedge pneumonectomy with patch plasty using the wall of right main bronchus. Although wedge pneumonectomy is not common compared to sleeve pneumonectomy, if available this procedure is technically easier and post-operative management may be more successful. Wedge pneumonectomy limits resectable area, because the continuation of tracheo-bronchial wall must be remained in part. Therefore, the indication of this procedure for surgical treatment of lung cancer is limited. However, when this procedure indicates to selected case with limited lesion of carina, this may be an useful procedure as surgical treatment of primary lung cancer.