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Association of liver dysfunction with outcomes after cardiac surgery-a meta-analysis.

To perform a meta-analysis of studies reporting outcomes in patients with liver dysfunction addressed by the model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores undergoing cardiac surgery. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify contemporary studies reporting short- and long-term outcomes in patients with liver dysfunction compared to patients with no or mild liver dysfunction undergoing cardiac surgery (stratified in high and low score group based on the study cutoffs). Primary outcome was perioperative mortality. Secondary outcomes were perioperative neurological events, prolonged ventilation, sepsis, bleeding and/or need for transfusion, acute kidney injury, and long-term mortality. A total of 33 studies with 48,891 patients were included. Compared with the low score group, being in the high score group was associated with significantly higher risk of perioperative mortality (Odds ratio, OR 3.72, 95% confidence interval, CI 2.75-5.03, P < 0.001). High score group was also associated with a significantly higher rate of perioperative neurological events (OR 1.49, CI 1.30-1.71, P < 0.001), prolonged ventilation (OR 2.45, CI 1.94-3.09, P < 0.001), sepsis (OR 3.88, CI 2.07-7.26, P < 0.001), bleeding and/or need for transfusion (OR 1.95, CI 1.43-2.64, P < 0.001), acute kidney injury (OR 3.84, CI 2.12-6.98, P < 0.001), and long-term mortality (incidence risk ratio, IRR:, 1.29, CI 1.14-1.46, P < 0.001). The analysis suggests that liver dysfunction in patients undergoing cardiac surgery is independently associated with higher risk of short and long-term mortality and also with an increased occurrence of various perioperative adverse events.

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Does the division of the inferior pulmonary ligament in upper lobectomy result in improved short-term clinical outcomes and long-term survival?

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was 'Does the division of the inferior pulmonary ligament (IPL) in upper lobectomy result in improved short-term clinical outcomes and long-term survival?'. Altogether 43 papers were found using the reported search, of which 6 studies represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question, including a previous best evidence topic study, a meta-analysis and 4 retrospective cohort studies. The author, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type and relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. Most of the enrolled studies reported that there is no significant difference between the division groups and the preservation groups in terms of drainage time, drainage volume, postoperative dead space and complications. While 3 cohort studies revealed unfavoured postoperative pulmonary function in the division groups, including lung volume, forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s. The previous meta-analysis and a recent cohort study also found that the division of IPL might lead to increased bronchus angle change or torsion. Moreover, 2 cohort studies found that the division of IPL could not improve the long-term survival of patients undergoing upper lobectomy. Current evidence showed that dividing the IPL could not result in clinical benefits but might lead to decreased pulmonary function instead. Therefore, we recommended not dissecting the IPL routinely during upper lobectomy.

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Is video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery comparable with thoracotomy in perioperative and long-term survival outcomes for non-small-cell lung cancer after neoadjuvant treatment?

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was 'Is video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery comparable with thoracotomy in perioperative and long-term survival outcomes for patients with non-small cell lung cancer following neoadjuvant therapy intended for anatomical lung resection?'. Altogether 655 papers were found using the reported search, of which 12 studies represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The author, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type and relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. Almost all of the enrolled cohort studies reported that video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was comparable with thoracotomy in negative surgical margin rate, postoperative mortality, complication rate, overall survival and disease-free survival. Moreover, 7 studies found patients in the VATS group had a significantly shorter hospital stay. Furthermore, in these well-matched cohort studies (6 studies), it still held true that VATS was comparable with thoracotomy in long-term prognosis with enhanced recovery. However, the issue regarding surgical radicality and intraoperative conversion to thoracotomy still should be noted carefully among these patients receiving VATS surgery because all the current available evidence was retrospective based on relatively small sample sizes. Nevertheless, thoracic surgeons should not consider VATS inferior to thoracotomy for patients after neoadjuvant treatment. VATS surgery could be an alternative for selected patients with locally advanced but relatively small, peripheral, fewer positive N2 lymph nodes and non-squamous NSCLC intended for anatomic lung resection.

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Continuous vagal intraoperative neuromonitoring during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for left lung cancer: its efficacy in preventing permanent vocal cord paralysis.

We investigated the safety and efficacy of continuous intraoperative neuromonitoring (CIONM) during video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy for left lung cancer in preventing recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. From August 2015 to March 2020, 22 patients with left lung cancer without CIONM (unmonitored) and 20 patients with left lung cancer with CIONM underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy with complete mediastinal lymph node dissection including 4L dissection. Clinical outcomes from these 2 groups were compared. The incidence of 4L metastasis was 7.14% (3 patients). There was no significant difference in the total number of dissected 4L lymph nodes between the 2 groups (3.23 ± 2.2 in the unmonitored group, 3.95 ± 2.0 in the CIONM group). CIONM was successful in all of the cases. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative vocal cord palsy (22.7% in the unmonitored group, 20% in the CIONM group, P = 1.000). All of the 5 patients (100%) had permanent vocal cord palsy in the unmonitored group. Although statistically insignificant, 75% (3 patients) had total recovery of the vocal cord function, with only 1 patient remaining in permanent vocal cord palsy in the CIONM group. CIONM was safe and efficient. CIONM might be helpful to avoid permanent vocal cord palsy by immediately warning the surgeon about impending nerve injury, so the surgeon can stop delivering further injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

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