Surgical management of solitary pulmonary nodules - An enexpected lucky case

The case of a 63-year-old woman with a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) is r eported. Surgical wedge resection revealed an hamartoma. Digital examinatio n of the lung parenchyma showed an unexpected (not previously visualized by thoracic imaging) second nodule that intraoperative frozen examination rev ealed an adenocarcinoma. The operation was completed with a right upper lob ectomy and complete lymphoadenectomy. The authors recommend an early open s urgical procedure for any SPNs with risk factors for developing lung cancer .