VCOM Research Day Program Book 2023

Medical Student Research Biomedical

18 Cadaveric Study of Pulmonary Anatomy: Considerations for Bronchoscopy and Cancer Staging

Tiffany Carpenetti; Bryce Lerew; Frederic Rawlins III Corresponding author: blerew@vt.vcom.edu

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Virginia Campus

A profound grasp of pulmonary anatomy is central to the successful application of bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS TBNA). Grossly, typical anatomy includes a left lung with two lobes and a single fissure and a right lung with three lobes and two fissures. Typical arrangement of the roots of the lungs, if sectioned just medial to the branching of the primary bronchus and pulmonary artery, is (superior to inferior) pulmonary artery, superior

and inferior pulmonary veins, and main bronchus. As there exists a few Indian cadaveric studies and a paucity of American studies characterizing this anatomy, the aim of this study is to characterize this anatomy in American cadavers. A total of 32 pairs of adult lungs from the department of Anatomy at VCOM-VC were observed for their variations of gross pulmonary anatomy. As with many anatomic regions, variation of lung hilar anatomy is frequent; thus, the characterization of this region is important

for a provider to decrease the chances of procedural complications such as noncurative resection and massive hemorrhage.

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