[Surgical treatment of T4 lung cancer: combined resection of lung and heart or great vessels].

From 1980 to 1995, sixteen patients with T4 lung cancer underwent resection of left atrium (LA) or great vessels combined with pulmonary resection. For eight patients with lung cancer invading LA, LA was resected under simple clamp of LA in seven cases, and under extracorporeal circulation in one case. For three patients with lung cancer invading aorta, resection and reconstruction of aorta was performed under femoro-femoral bypass in one case, and under temporary bypass using a heparin-coated tube in two cases. For five patients with lung cancer invading superior vena cava (SVC), SVC was resected under partial clamp or simple clamp of SVC in each case. In remaining three patients, SVC was resected under internal bypass in one case, and under temporary bypass using a heparin-coated tube in two cases. Three were two operative deaths, one (SVC) died of acute heart failure, and the other (LA) died of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Four patients are alive without recurrence and three of them (one LA and two SVC) have been surviving more than five years after operation.