Bronchus Intermedius Research Articles

Interfissural Fixation of the Right Middle Lobe after Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Right Upper Lobectomy: Bronchial Anatomical Changes and Efficacy in Preventing Torsion.

Torsion of the right middle lobe following right upper lobectomy is a rare but potentially fatal complication. To prevent this, fixation of the right middle lobe has been suggested. This study was performed to examine the impact of right middle lobe fixation on postoperative outcomes and bronchial changes. We enrolled patients who underwent curative-intent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) right upper lobectomy for lung cancer from 2019 to 2022. Participants were grouped based on whether they did or did not receive right middle lobe fixation. Bronchial angles were measured using preoperative and postoperative chest computed tomography images, and postoperative outcomes and bronchial changes were compared between the 2 groups. The study included a total of 50 patients, with 17 (34%) undergoing right middle lobe fixation. All procedures were performed using VATS. No significant differences between groups were observed in preoperative characteristics or postoperative outcomes. After surgery, both groups exhibited a significant increase in the right bronchus intermedius angle and a significant decrease in the branch angle. The postoperative right bronchus intermedius angle was significantly larger in the group without right middle lobe fixation compared to the group with fixation (47.38°±10.98° vs. 39.41°±9.21°, p=0.014). Three cases of atelectasis occurred in the group that did not undergo fixation while no cases were observed in the fixation group; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Fixation of the right middle lobe reduced postoperative angulation of the right bronchus intermedius, which may help prevent postoperative atelectasis.

Optimising central venous catheter placement by comparing cavoatrial junction position to chest X-ray landmarks: Across-sectional study using CT chest reconstruction.

Central venous catheter (CVC) tip placement guided by chest X-ray (CXR) landmarks is currently prone to inconsistency and malpositioning. This study aims to better define the relationship between the cavoatrial junction (CAJ) and selected X-ray landmarks. Chest CTs of 100 patients were retrospectively assessed. CT images were converted to a 'virtual CXR' using a digital workstation, enabling simultaneous localisation of the CAJ and evaluation of CXR landmarks. Vertical distances between the CAJ and selected landmarks were measured for each patient. Measurements were assessed for correlation with age and compared between age groups and sexes. The mean vertical distance of the following landmarks above the CAJ was found: the carina (46.2 mm), the intersection of the bronchus intermedius and the right heart border (7.6 mm) and the superior inflection of the right heart border (Sup-RHB) (13.0 mm). The maximum lateral bulge of the right heart border (Lat-RHB) was 18.4 mm below the CAJ. A new landmark: the mid-superior right heart border, defined as the mid-point between the Sup-RHB and Lat-RHB, was the closest to the CAJ, lying 2.6 mm below the CAJ. We propose that the CVC tip can be placed at the mid-superior right heart border landmark.

Spontaneous Resolution of an Endobronchial Mass

ABSTRACT Bronchial adenomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors accounting for 5% of primary pulmonary neoplasms. We report the case of a 21-year-old woman with recurrent episodes of lower respiratory tract infections requiring hospitalization since 2008. She was diagnosed with right middle lobe and lower lobe atelectasis and underwent fiber-optic bronchoscopy for further evaluation, which revealed a red, smooth, pedunculated mobile mass in the right bronchus intermedius. The post-bronchoscopy patient had hemoptysis. A review bronchoscopy performed for surgical management surprisingly revealed the disappearance of mass. The patient probably expectorated the mass during the episode of hemoptysis. Such incidence has been reported only once in the literature.

Comparison of chest radiographs against minimum intensity projection reconstruction computed tomography scans for detection of airway stenosis in children with lymphobronchial tuberculosis.

Ideally, suspected airway compression in symptomatic children with lymphobronchial tuberculosis (TB) would be diagnosed using modern computed tomography (CT) assisted by coronal minimum intensity projection (MinIP) reconstructions. However, in TB-endemic regions with limited resources, practitioners rely on conventional radiography for diagnosing TB and its complications. Furthermore, airway compression detected on conventional radiographs would upgrade a patient into the severe category according to the new World Health Organization guidelines, precluding the patient from shorter treatment protocols. The accuracy of conventional radiographs in the context of detecting airway compression in children with TB has not been specifically evaluated against an imaging gold standard. We aimed to compare frontal chest radiographs against thick-slab angled coronal CT MinIP in identifying airway stenosis at ten specific sites and to determine observer agreement between the modalities regarding the degree of stenosis. This retrospective cross-sectional study compared chest radiographs with standardized angled coronal CT MinIP in children with symptomatic lymphobronchial TB at ten predetermined airway locations. Chest radiographs were evaluated by one pediatric radiologist and CT MinIP reconstructions were independently interpreted by three readers. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using CT MinIP as the gold standard. Stenosis was graded as 1 for mild (1-50%), 2 for moderate (51-75%), 3a for severe (76-99%), and 3b for total occlusion (100%). Agreement between the two modalities regarding severity of stenosis was calculated using the kappa coefficient for each affected site. A total of 37 patients were included in the study. The median age of patients was 14.3 months (interquartile range 8.0-23.2). Three hundred and seventy individual bronchi (10 from each of the 37 patients) were evaluated for stenosis. Chest radiographs showed that 31 out of 37 (84%) patients had stenosis in at least one of ten evaluated sites, most commonly the left main bronchus and bronchus intermedius, and this was confirmed via CT MinIP. The gold standard (CT MinIP) demonstrated stenosis in at least one of ten sites in all 37 patients (100%). Left main bronchus stenosis was detected by chest radiography with a 92.9% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Sensitivity and specificity for bronchus intermedius stenosis were 80% and 75%, respectively. There was substantial agreement for grade of stenosis between chest radiographs and CT (kappa=0.67) for the left main bronchus and moderate agreement (kappa=0.58) for the bronchus intermedius. Severe stenosis was found in 78 bronchi on CT compared to 32 bronchi (Grade 3a: 9, Grade 3b: 23) on chest radiographs. The diagnosis of pulmonary TB in children continues to rely heavily on imaging, and we have shown that in young children, chest radiographs had a high sensitivity and specificity for detecting airway stenosis at certain anatomical sites, when adequately visualized, resulting from tuberculous lymph node compression at left main bronchus and bronchus intermedius. For most sites, the interobserver agreement was poor. Stenosis of the left main bronchus and bronchus intermedius should be the focus of chest radiograph interpretation and can assist both diagnosis and classification of patients for treatment.

Robot-assisted right wedge-shaped sleeve lower bilobectomy with knotless suture anastomosis: a case report

BackgroundIn bronchoplasty of wedge resections, it is necessary to transect the bronchus at a sharp angle and depth. As a result, anastomoses after wedge resections have the disadvantages of poor visibility and operability. Here, we report a case of right wedge-shaped sleeve bilobectomy that was successfully performed with continuous knotless suturing using robotic assistance.Case presentationAn 81-year-old male patient was referred for the treatment of a tumor in the right lower lobe, which protruded into the bronchus intermedius. The tumor was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma by transbronchial biopsy, cT1cN1M0 stage IIB carcinoma for which surgery was indicated. Because the pulmonary middle lobe artery was involved and a resection margin from the tumor protruding into the bronchial mucosal epithelium was necessary, a right wedge-shaped sleeve bilobectomy was performed. The bronchial anastomosis was performed with robotic assistance. After dissection of pulmonary vessels and interlobes, the upper lobe bronchial bifurcation was transected in a wedged shape, and a lower bilobectomy was performed. The bronchi were sutured continuously with knotless sutures. A continuous suture was performed from the ventral to the caudal side. After suturing to the dorsal side, another continuous suturing was performed from the cranial side. Continuous sutures were made until each thread passed through the other. Pericardial fat was wrapped around the anastomosis.ConclusionsA better visual field could be obtained owing to robot-assisted surgery, and robotic arms enabled an accurate and safe operation. Furthermore, continuous suturing using a knotless suture made it easier for the sutures to be handled and enabled bronchial anastomosis without assistance.

Right place, wrong pipe: A case of esophageal atresia with atypical tracheal anatomy

Esophageal Atresia (EA) is an uncommon but serious surgical emergency that typically presents at birth. It can be managed initially with gastrostomy tube placement and a delayed repair, unlike EA with TEF which is typically corrected in the newborn phase. When EA is diagnosed, VACTERL comorbidities must be investigated to assess perioperative risk. This case presents a patient with EA who was found to have an anomalous bronchus intermedius at the carina that was diagnosed using a guidewire and fluoroscopy.

Dysanapsis is not associated with exertional dyspnoea in healthy male and female never-smokers aged 40 years and older.

In healthy adults, airway-to-lung (i.e., dysanapsis) ratio is lower and dyspnoea during exercise at a given minute ventilation (V̇E) is higher in females than in males. We investigated the relationship between dysanapsis and sex on exertional dyspnoea in healthy adults. We hypothesized that females would have a smaller airway-to-lung ratio than males and that exertional dyspnoea would be associated with airway-to-lung ratio in males and females. We analyzed data from n=100 healthy never-smokers aged≥40 years enrolled in the Canadian Cohort Obstructive Lung Disease (CanCOLD) study who underwent pulmonary function testing, a chest computed tomography scan, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The luminal area of the trachea, right main bronchus, left main bronchus, right upper lobe, bronchus intermedius, left upper lobe, and left lower lobe were 22%-37% smaller (all p<0.001) and the airway-to-lung ratio (i.e., average large conducting airway diameter relative to total lung capacity) was lower in females than in males (0.609±0.070vs. 0.674±0.082; p<0.001). During exercise, there was a significant effect of V̇E, sex, and their interaction on dyspnoea (all p<0.05), indicating that dyspnoea increased as a function of V̇E to a greater extent in females than in males. However, after adjusting for age and total lung capacity, there were no significant associations between airway-to-lung ratio and measures of exertional dyspnoea, regardless of sex (all r<0.34; all p>0.05). Our findings suggest that sex differences in airway size do not contribute to sex differences in exertional dyspnoea.

Differentiating Imaging Features of Post-lobectomy Right Middle Lobe Torsion.

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in imaging features between patients with confirmed right middle lobe (RML) torsion compared to those suspected yet without torsion. This retrospective study entailing a search of radiology reports from April 1, 2014, to April 15, 2021, resulted in 52 patients with suspected yet without lobar torsion and 4 with confirmed torsion, supplemented by 2 additional cases before the search period for a total of 6 confirmed cases. Four thoracic radiologists (1 an adjudicator) evaluated chest radiographs and computed tomography (CT) examinations, and Fisher exact and Mann-Whitney tests were used to identify any significant differences in imaging features (P<0.05). A reversed halo sign was more frequent for all readers (P=0.001) in confirmed RML torsion than patients without torsion (83.3% vs. 0% for 3 readers, one the adjudicator). The CT coronal bronchial angle between RML bronchus and bronchus intermedius was larger (P=0.035) in torsion (121.28 degrees) than nontorsion cases (98.26 degrees). Patients with torsion had a higher percentage of ground-glass opacity in the affected lobe (P=0.031). A convex fissure towards the adjacent lobe on CT (P=0.009) and increased lobe volume on CT (P=0.001) occurred more often in confirmed torsion. A reversed halo sign, larger CT coronal bronchial angle, greater proportion of ground-glass opacity, fissural convexity, and larger lobe volume on CT may aid in early recognition of the rare yet highly significant diagnosis of lobar torsion.

Abnormal origin of the right posterior segmental bronchus: case report and literature review

BackgroundWith the increasing availability of chest computed tomography (CT), the detection of small pulmonary nodules has become more common, facilitating the development of lung segmental resection. However, anatomical variations of the bronchi are common, particularly in the right upper lobe of the lung.Case presentationWe report a case of thoracoscopic resection of the posterior segment of the right upper lobe of the lung. Preoperatively, the nodule was believed to be located in the superior segment of the right lower lobe. However, intraoperative exploration revealed that the nodule was located in the posterior segment of the right upper lobe, further showing that the bronchi of the posterior segment of the right lung opened into the bronchus intermedius. The procedure was completed uneventfully. Postoperative retrospective three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the lung CT images confirmed that the bronchi of the posterior segment of the right upper lobe originated from the bronchus intermedius.ConclusionsThis rare case highlights the importance of 3D reconstruction to guide accurate segmentectomy in patients with anatomic variations.

Clinical Outcomes After Tracheobronchoplasty With Ringed Polytetrafluoroethylene Vascular Graft

BackgroundThis report describes the surgical technique and outcomes of tracheobronchoplasty (TBP) with ringed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vascular graft. MethodsWe identified all patients who underwent PTFE-TBP for severe expiratory central airway collapse from January 1, 2018 to August 2021 at Mayo Clinic, Florida. Preoperative and postoperative St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), Cough-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (CSQLQ), pulmonary function testing, 6-minute walk test, and blinded dynamic bronchoscopy videos at 3-month follow-up were used to assess outcomes. ResultsFourteen patients (median age, 62.5 years; 64.3% female) underwent PTFE-TBP. The median operative time was 355 minutes, median hospital length of stay was 5 days, and median intensive care unit stay was 1 day. One patient had a Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3 complication. Comparison of preoperative and postoperative questionnaire scores demonstrated improvement in median SGRQ score by 14.79 (P = .013) and CSQLQ score by 22 (P = .005). Preoperative and postoperative pulmonary function and 6-minute walk test results showed no significant difference. Postoperative bronchoscopy demonstrated improvement in median collapsibility of mid trachea by 39.6% (P < .001), distal trachea by 50% (P < .001), left main bronchus by 38.2% (P < .001), right main bronchus by 37.9% (P < .001), and bronchus intermedius by 30.7% (P < .001). ConclusionsPTFE-TBP provides significant improvement in patients' symptoms and expiratory central airway collapse as judged by preoperative and postoperative quality of life questionnaires and bronchoscopy.

Additional V2 behind the bronchus intermedius identified by preoperative 3D-CT angiography and bronchography.

Additional V2 behind the bronchus intermedius identified by preoperative 3D-CT angiography and bronchography.

Association of age with computed tomography airway tree morphology in male and female never smokers without lung disease history

BackgroundSex and aging may affect the airway tree structure in patients with airway diseases and even healthy subjects. Using chest computed tomography (CT), this study sought to determine whether age is associated with airway morphological features differently in healthy males and females. MethodsThis retrospective cross-sectional study consecutively incorporated lung cancer screening CT data of asymptomatic never smokers (n = 431) without lung disease history. Luminal areas were measured at the trachea, main bronchi, bronchus intermedius, segmental and subsegmental bronchus, and the ratio of their geometric mean to total lung volume (airway-to-lung size ratio, ALR) was determined. Airway fractal dimension (AFD) and total airway count (TAC) were calculated for the segmented airway tree resolved on CT. ResultsThe lumen areas of the trachea, main bronchi, segmental and subsegmental airways, AFD and TAC visible on CT were smaller in females (n = 220) than in males (n = 211) after adjusting for age, height, and body mass index, while ALR or count of the 1st to 5th generation airways did not differ. Furthermore, in males but not in females, older age was associated with larger lumen sizes of the main bronchi, segmental and subsegmental airways, and ALR. In contrast, neither male nor female had any associations between age and AFD or TAC on CT. ConclusionOlder age was associated with larger lumen size of the relatively central airways and ALR exclusively in males. Aging may have a more profound effect on airway lumen tree caliber in males than in females.

Comparison of single coronal thick-slab minimum intensity projection with flexible bronchoscopy for airway compression in children with lymphobronchial tuberculosis

To generate standardised coronal minimum intensity projection (MinIP) computed tomography (CT) reconstructions, and compare these with flexible bronchoscopy in children with lymphobronchial tuberculosis (LBTB). Standardised coronal MinIP reconstructions were performed from CT images in children with LBTB and the findings of three readers were compared with the reference standard, flexible bronchoscopy (FB), regarding airway narrowing. Intraluminal lesions, the site of the stenosis, and the degree of stenosis were also evaluated. The length of stenosis was evaluated by CT MinIP only. Sixty-five children (38 males; 58.5% and 27 females; 41.5%), with ages ranging from 2.5 to 144 months were evaluated. Coronal CT MinIP demonstrated a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 89% against FB. The most common site of stenosis was the bronchus intermedius (91%), followed by the left main bronchus (85%), the right upper lobe bronchus RUL (66%), and the trachea (60%). Coronal CT MinIP reconstruction is useful in demonstrating airway stenosis in children with lymphobronchial TB, with high sensitivity and specificity. CT MinIP had additional advantages over FB in that it allowed objective measurement of the diameter of stenosis, measurement of the length of stenosis, and evaluation of post-stenotic segments of the airways and lung parenchymal abnormalities.

Literature Review for Office-Based Anesthesia

Literature Review for Office-Based Anesthesia

Coin in the Bronchus Intermedius for 25 Years: Complication of Chronic Foreign Body Aspiration

Chronic bronchial obstructions from inhaled objects are uncommon in the adult population. Long-term complications of foreign body aspiration have included hemoptysis, recurrent pneumonia, empyema, and abscess formation. We report the patient case of a 66-year-old man, with an accidental inhalation of a coin 25 years ago that was never retrieved, who presented with progressive shortness of breath and was found to have an infected lung bulla in the setting of giant bullous emphysema secondary to the chronic right bronchial foreign body.

Endoscopic resection of bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma in a young adult man: A case report and review of literature

Primary tracheobronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), derived from salivary mucus glands, is an uncommon neoplasm in adults. At present, surgery is still the preferred treatment for adult bronchial MEC, although it may cause significant trauma and loss of lung function. Here, we report a patient with endobronchial MEC who received the interventional bronchoscopic therapy to remove the neoplasm and no recurrence occurred during follow-up. A 28-year-old man was admitted to our unit with mild hemoptysis for 3 d. Physical examination did not show any abnormal signs, and the serological indexes were all in the normal range. Chest computed tomography (CT) indicated an intraluminal nodule in the bronchus intermedius with homogeneous density and a well-defined margin. Upon fiberoptic bronchoscopy, an endobronchial pedunculated polypoid was discovered without submucosal involvement. As the neoplasm was confined to the bronchus, interventional bronchoscopy was performed to remove the mass by high-frequency electric knife and laser resection. Tissue was sampled and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of low-grade MEC. As the proliferation index was low, no further treatment was given. During 2 years of follow-up, the patient's condition was good and no relapse was discovered under fluorescence bronchoscopy or CT scan. Interventional bronchoscopy can be considered for treatment of low-grade bronchial MEC, with few complications and preserved lung function.

The anatomical landmarks for positioning of double lumen endotracheal tube using flexible bronchoscopy: A prospective observational study

BackgroundTo examine the tracheobronchial anatomy and its common variations after double-lumen tube (DLT) placement, and to determine the anatomical landmarks that can be easily identified by practitioners for DLT positioning. MethodIn total, 200 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists I–II, who were aged 20–75 years and scheduled for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), were prospectively enrolled. The types of DLT position in each patient was recorded [Type I, the DLT bronchial end was in the left main bronchus (LMB), and the primary carina could be observed; Type Ⅱ, the DLT bronchial end was in the right bronchus intermedius (RBI); and Type III, an unidentified trachea or bronchus wall was observed from the DLT tracheal lumen] and the main tracheobronchial tree images were collected using Flexible bronchoscopy (FB). ResultFive patients were excluded due to excessive bronchus secretions impacting image collection. Type Ⅰ, II, and III positions of DLT were detected in 134 (68.7%) patients, 28 (14.4%) patients, and 33 (16.9%) patients, respectively. Examples of the tracheobronchial tree, common features, and variations in each lung lobe were demonstrated using FB. Furthermore, image analysis showed that each superior segment orifice of the right lower lobe (RLL) and the left lower lobe (LLL) was less variable and recognizable, determining it an important anatomical landmark for DLT positioning. ConclusionThe tracheobronchial tree and its common variations after DLT placement were described. The superior segment orifice of the RLL and LLL can be considered as an important landmark for DLT positioning.

A RIDDLE WRAPPED IN A MYSTERY: MUCOEPIDERMOID CARCINOMA (MEC) FOUND DURING EVALUATION OF PERSISTENT LUNG COLLAPSE

A RIDDLE WRAPPED IN A MYSTERY: MUCOEPIDERMOID CARCINOMA (MEC) FOUND DURING EVALUATION OF PERSISTENT LUNG COLLAPSE

RECANNULATION OF COMPLETELY OCCLUDED BRONCHUS INTERMEDIUS WITH A DIODE LASER

RECANNULATION OF COMPLETELY OCCLUDED BRONCHUS INTERMEDIUS WITH A DIODE LASER

ROLE OF DEBULKING FOR BENIGN ENDOBRONCHIAL LESIONS: A CASE OF CHRONICALLY ASPIRATED FOREIGN BODY PRESENTING AS NECROTIZING PNEUMONIA

ROLE OF DEBULKING FOR BENIGN ENDOBRONCHIAL LESIONS: A CASE OF CHRONICALLY ASPIRATED FOREIGN BODY PRESENTING AS NECROTIZING PNEUMONIA