Intravascular Lipoma of the Right Innominate Vein: Is Cardiopulmonary Bypass Required?

Intravascular lipomas are rare, benign tumors that grow slowly in large-caliber veins. We successfully treated a patient with an intravascular lipoma in the right innominate vein at the confluence of the subclavian and internal jugular veins. Through a median sternotomy with an extended skin incision toward the neck, the lipoma with a stalk was completely excised under the support of cardiopulmonary bypass. Here, we describe our strategy and discuss other surgical approaches that depend on the size and location of the right innominate vein.