Variation in the lobes and fissures of the right lung: an anatomical perspective

ABSTRACT

The right lung is known to exhibit variations regarding the presence of fissures and lobes. Often the anomalies pertaining to the lungs remain undetected if they are asymptomatic. The variations may be detected incidentally in routine autopsies and cadaveric dissections. We studied thirty five cadaveric right lungs [n=35] to detect any anomalies pertaining to fissures and lobes. Out of thirty five specimens studied, anomalous fissure and lobe was detected in a single lung specimen. The anomalous lung exhibited a single oblique fissure which did not extend to the inferior border, rather it extended to the anterior border of the right lung. The presence of the single oblique fissure resulted in formation of two lobes in the right lung. Anatomical knowledge of the abnormal fissures and lobes of the lungs may be important for surgeons performing lobectomies. The presence of the anomalous lobes and fissures may also result in erroneous interpretation of skiagrams