Right ventricular infarction during a lung lobectomy in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: report of a case.

A 63-year-old man with a low forced expiratory volume in 1 s underwent a wedge resection for peripheral lung cancer; however, it relapsed in the residual lobe. We decided that a lobectomy was feasible after further examinations focusing on gas exchange. During the lobectomy right ventricle myocardial infarction occurred, possibly due to coronary spasm, and it was successfully treated with intra-aortic balloon pumping. The patient has been doing well without relapse for 7 years. Our findings indicate that some patients with low spirometry data may therefore be candidates for a lobectomy.