title: Minimally invasive thoracoscopic ligation of a persistent left superior vena cava.
abstract: Persistent left superior vena cava draining into the left atrium is a rare congenital venous anomaly, which remains asymptomatic and therefore undetected in most cases. Paradoxical embolization caused by right-to-left shunt is a severe complication and requires surgical correction. We describe the first thoracoscopic approach for ligation of a persistent left superior vena cava even though our patient had severe kyphoscoliosis because of Klippel-Feil syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany nora.goebel@rbk.de.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goebel
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Loewensprung
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, Kirchheim Clinic, Kirchheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich F W
authors.initials: UF
authors.lastname: Franke
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007714:Klippel-Feil Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010690:Phlebography / Q000379:methods; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Congenital defects; Malformation; Thoracoscopy