Metastatic renal cell carcinoma with involvement through the pulmonary veins to the left atrium is very rare. We report the case of a 70-year-old male with metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the right lower lobe of the lung abutting the inferior pulmonary vein with extension to the left atrium without pre-operative evidence. Surgical resection was achieved through a posterolateral thoracotomy. Lung masses that abut the pulmonary veins should prompt further investigation with a pre-operative transoesophageal echocardiogram to minimize unexpected intraoperative findings.
Keywords: Inferior pulmonary vein; Left atrium; Renal cell carcinoma.
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.