[Prediction of Pleural Adherence Area Used by Ultrasound Sonography]

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has been used to treat lung cancer. However, pleural adhesions may increase the risk of lung injury while making the access port. We report a case of lung cancer in which preoperative lung ultrasound sonography was used to predict the pleural adherence area. An octogenarian man had undergone chest surgery for right spontaneous pneumothorax 20 years ago. He was recently diagnosed with a right middle lobe carcinoma and thoracoscopic surgery was scheduled. On preoperative lung ultrasound sonography, adhesion in the area surrounding the previous incision line was predicted to be strong. However, a sliding lung sign was observed in the pleura on the caudal side, where no adhesions were expected. The thoracoscopic findings during the operation revealed that adhesions were present in the upper and middle regions of the pleural cavity in the locations and to the extent predicted before surgery, but no adhesion was observed on the caudal side. We were able to make an access port avoiding the adherence area in the pleural cavity. Lung ultrasound sonography was useful for detection of the adherence area between the parietal and visceral pleura in this case.