Figure 5.

Intersegmental veins and oncological validity in anatomical segmentectomy. Lymph flow follows the intersegmental vein as well as the segmental bronchus. If the intersegmental vein is a drainage vein from the tumor, there is a possibility of caner extension in lymph flow. In this case, it might be valid to resect the vein and set the resection line outside the true intersegmental plane (i.e., the plane along the vein) as shown by the interrupted line (a). Although conventional anatomical segmentectomy for infectious disease recommends developing the intersegmental plane along the intersegmental vein to preserve the vein as a land mark [interrupted line (b)], this technique might be inappropriate in oncological surgery.