RATS brachiocephalic vein aneurysmectomy: Technical feasibility and surgical considerations

Brachiocephalic vein aneurysms are extremely rare entities, for which diagnostic and therapeutic approaches remain poorly defined. We report the case of a 49-year-old woman who presented with intermittent pulsating chest pain and was initially suspected of having a thymoma. Further evaluation with contrast-enhanced chest CT and MRI revealed a saccular lesion with a narrow stalk, strongly suggestive of a brachiocephalic vein aneurysm. Surgical resection was safely performed using robot-assisted thoracic surgery via a subxiphoid approach with a robotic stapler, without complications. This case suggests that robotic surgery may be a safe and effective treatment option for brachiocephalic vein aneurysms in carefully selected patients.