Pulmonary Resection In Patients Research Articles

How long can pulmonary resection surgery be performed after SARS-CoV-2 infection? A multicenter retrospective study.

No studies to date have focused on the timing of pulmonary resection in patients with previous severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In the present study, the authors analyzed the surgical outcomes and evaluated the optimal time point of pulmonary resection surgery following SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, patients were divided into different groups according to the time interval between SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and pulmonary resection. The primary outcome measure was postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery, which was investigated to determine the optimal time point of pulmonary resection. Logistic regression models were used to calculate the risk factors for postoperative complications. In total, 400 patients were enrolled, and the postoperative pathologic examination of 322 (80.5%) patients showed lung cancer. As the interval between SARS-CoV-2 infection and pulmonary resection increased, the incidence of complications gradually decreased in each group. The incidence of grade ≥II complications was higher in the ≤2-week and 2-week to 4-week groups than in the 4-week to 6-week, 6-week to 8-week and >8-week groups [3 (21.4%), 17 (20.2%), 10 (10.6%), 13 (7.9%), and 3 (6.5%), respectively] ( P <0.05). Multiclassification regression analysis showed that the risk of grade ≥II complications in the ≤2-week and 2-week to 4-week groups was significantly higher than that in the >8-week group [odds ratio (95% CI), 3.937 (1.072-14.459), P =0.039 and 3.069 (1.232-6.863), P =0.015]. The logistic regression analysis suggested that underlying disease, persistent SARS-CoV-2 symptoms, and surgical timing (≤4 weeks) were independent risk factors for complications of pulmonary resection after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pulmonary resection should be delayed for at least 4 weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection to reduce the risk of postoperative complications.

Sublobar resection or lobectomy and postoperative respiratory complications in emphysematous lungs.

Pulmonary resection in patients with severe emphysema may impact postoperative respiratory complications. Low-attenuation areas evaluated using three-dimensional computed tomography to assess emphysematous changes are strongly associated with postoperative respiratory complications. Herein, we investigated the relationship between low-attenuation area, the surgical procedure and resected lung volume, which has not been explored in previous studies. We retrospectively evaluated patients with primary or metastatic lung cancer who underwent surgical resection. The low-attenuation area percentage (low-attenuation area/total lung area × 100) and resected lung volume were calculated using three-dimensional computed tomography software, and the relationship with postoperative respiratory complications was analysed. Postoperative respiratory complications occurred in 66 patients (17%) in the total cohort (n = 383). We set the median value of 1.1% as the cut-off value for low-attenuation area percentage to predict postoperative respiratory complications, which occurred in 24% and 10% of patients with low-attenuation area >1.1% and <1.1%, respectively (P < 0.001). Postoperative respiratory complications occurred in approximately one-third of the patients with low-attenuation area >1.1%, whose resected lung volume was ≥15.8% or ≥5 resected subsegments. Multivariable analysis revealed that sublobar resection was associated with a significantly lower risk of postoperative respiratory complications in patients with low-attenuation area >1.1% (odds ratio 0.4, 95% confidence interval 0.183-0.875). Emphysema is a risk factor for postoperative respiratory complications, and lobectomy is an independent predictive risk factor. Preserving more lung parenchyma may yield better short-term prognoses in patients with emphysematous lungs.

Survival with optimal medical management in a cohort of severe necrotizing bacterial lung infections.

Necrotizing pneumonia and lung gangrene represent a continuum of severe lung infection. Traditionally, severe cases have been referred for surgical debridement. However, this has been linked to high mortality. Some groups have published encouraging results using a conservative medical approach. Unfortunately, lack of a standardized definition of necrotizing pneumonia has precluded meaningful comparison between medical and surgical approach in severe cases. Our objective was to describe the outcome of a cohort of severe necrotizing pneumonia treated with optimal medical management. We conducted an observational retrospective study by reviewing charts and radiology records of patients hospitalized between 2006-2019 in a tertiary center. We included all patients with severe necrotizing infection, defined as a necrotizing cavity involving at least 50% of a lobe, or smaller multilobar cavities. We made no distinction between necrotizing pneumonia and gangrene as there are no standardized criteria. A total of 50 consecutive patients were included. On imaging, 42% had multilobar cavities and mean diameter of the largest cavity in each case was 5.9 cm. 50% required mechanical ventilation (median duration 12 days) and 44% needed vasopressors. Four patients (8%) had decortication surgery, while none underwent lung resection. Four patients (8%) died. The extent of infiltrates and number of cavities were not associated with mortality but the extent of infiltrates was associated with risk of intubation (P=0.004). We presented one of the largest series of medically-treated severe necrotizing lung infections in the pre-coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) era. The overwhelming majority of patients recovered with optimal medical management alone. Our results strongly support avoiding pulmonary resection in patients with severe necrotizing bacterial lung infections.

CT-Derived Sarcopenia and Outcomes after Thoracoscopic Pulmonary Resection for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

We aimed to evaluate whether computed tomography (CT)-derived preoperative sarcopenia measures were associated with postoperative outcomes and survival after video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) anatomical pulmonary resection in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive patients that underwent VATS anatomical pulmonary resection for NSCLC between 2012 and 2019. Skeletal muscle mass was measured at L3 vertebral level on preoperative CT or PET/CT scans to identify sarcopenic patients according to established threshold values. We compared postoperative outcomes and survival of sarcopenic vs. non-sarcopenic patients. A total of 401 patients underwent VATS anatomical pulmonary resection for NSCLC. Sarcopenia was identified in 92 patients (23%). Sarcopenic patients were predominantly males (75% vs. 25%; p < 0.001) and had a lower BMI (21.4 vs. 26.5 kg/m2; p < 0.001). The overall postoperative complication rate was significantly higher (53.2% vs. 39.2%; p = 0.017) in sarcopenic patients and the length of hospital stay was prolonged (8 vs. 6 days; p = 0.032). Two factors were associated with postoperative morbidity in multivariate analysis: BMI and American Society of Anesthesiologists score >2. Median overall survival was comparable between groups (41 vs. 46 months; p = 0.240). CT-derived sarcopenia appeared to have a small impact on early postoperative clinical outcomes, but no effect on overall survival after VATS anatomical lung resection for NSCLC.

Factors Affecting Postoperative Lung Functions in Patients Undergoing Lobectomy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background and Objectives: The estimation of lung function impairment after pulmonary lobectomy for primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been of great interest since the reduction of respiratory function might severely affect a patient’s quality of life. The perioperative factors that may have an influence on widening the gap between the postoperative measured lung function and predicted postoperative lung function were our greatest concern. We aimed to analyze the perioperative patient factors that may influence postoperative lung function in patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using the medical records of 199 patients who underwent lobectomy for lung cancer between July 2017 and May 2020. After comparing the achieved postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and predicted postoperative (ppo) FEV1, patients were divided into two groups: group A (n = 127), who had preserved pulmonary lung function; and group B (n = 72), who had decreased pulmonary lung function. Primary endpoints included location of pulmonary resection, preoperative performance status, body mass index (BMI) on admission, total muscle area, and muscle index. Results In group A, the proportion of normal weighted patients was significantly higher than that in group B (67.7% vs. 47.2%, p = 0.003). Conversely, the proportion of overweight patients was significantly higher in group B than in group A (47.2% vs. 28.3%, p = 0.003). Group B had a significantly high incidence of upper lobe resection (p = 0.012). The mean total muscle area in group A was higher than that in group B, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: A greater decrease in postoperative lung function than in ppo FEV1 was associated with BMI and the location of pulmonary resection in patients who underwent lobectomy. Postoperative physiologic changes due to high BMI and the resection of upper lobes need to be discussed to prevent postoperative morbidities.

Role of surgery in high-grade neuroendocrine tumors of the lung.

Background This study aims to evaluate the surgical results for high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas and to identify factors that influence prognosis. Methods Between January 2009 and December 2017, a total of 71 patients (58 males, 13 females; mean age: 62±9.6 years; range, 38 to 78 years) with a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung were retrospectively analyzed. Overall survival and five-year overall survival rates were evaluated. Results The mean overall survival was 60.7±6.9 months with a five-year survival rate of 44.3%. The mean overall survival and five-year overall survival rates according to disease stage were as follows: Stage 1, 67±10.8 months (46%); Stage 2, 61.4±10.8 months (45%); and Stage 3, 33.2±8.6 months (32%) (p=0.02). The mean overall survival and five-year overall survival rate according to histological types were as follows: in large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, 59.4±9.2 months (45%); in small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, 68.6±12.2 months (43%); and in combined-type neuroendocrine carcinoma, 40.9±10.1 months (35%) (p=0.34). Conclusion Thoracic surgeons should be very selective in performing pulmonary resection in patients with Stage 3 high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas and combined cell subtype tumors.

Prediction of preoperative intrathoracic adhesions for ipsilateral reoperations: sliding lung sign

IntroductionVideo-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for ipsilateral reoperations is controversial, because after the first surgical intervention, pleural adhesions occur frequently in the thoracic cavity and/or chest wall. This study assessed the usefulness of preoperative ultrasonography to reduce the incidence of lung injury at the time of the initial port insertion during secondary ipsilateral VATS.Materials and methodsThis was a retrospective, single-center study. Nine patients who underwent thoracic surgery at Vanvitelli Hospitalfrom September 2019 to February 2022, were scheduled for a second VATS surgeryon ipsilateral lung, because of inconclusive intraoperative histologic examination. All nine patients underwent preoperative ultrasonography to assess the possible presence of pleural adhesions. We evaluated the lung sliding, since the presence of pleural adhesions does not permit to appreciate it.Statistical analysisHard severe adhesions were observed in all nine patients without sliding lung sign (specificity 100%). In this series, the sensitivity, PPV, and NPV of the sliding lung sign were 93%, 100% and 94% respectively.ResultsThe presence of the lung respiratory changes can be evaluated as the “sliding lung sign” by chest ultrasonography; we believe that the sliding lung sign might also predict intrathoracic adhesion.ConclusionsPreoperative detection of pleural adhesions using transthoracic ultrasonography was useful for ipsilateral secondary pulmonary resection patients undergoing VATS. Using preoperative ultrasonography can improve the safety and feasibility of placing the initial port in VATS.

Effects of Inhalation versus Total Intravenous Anesthesia on Postoperative Pulmonary Complications after Anatomic Pulmonary Resection.

BackgroundNo consensus exists regarding whether volatile anesthetics are superior to intravenous anesthetics for reducing postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in patients undergoing general anesthesia for surgery. Studies of this issue focused on anatomic pulmonary resection are lacking. This study compared the effects of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) versus volatile anesthesia on PPCs after anatomic pulmonary resection in patients with lung cancer.MethodsThis retrospective study examined the medical records of patients with lung cancer who underwent lung resection at our center between January 2018 and October 2020. The primary outcome was the incidence of PPCs, which included prolonged air leak, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, empyema, atelectasis requiring bronchofiberscopy (BFS), acute lung injury (ALI), bronchopleural fistula (BPF), pulmonary embolism, and pulmonary edema. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the 2 groups. In total, 579 anatomic pulmonary resection cases were included in the final analysis.ResultsThe analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the volatile anesthesia and TIVA groups in terms of PPCs, except for prolonged air leak. Neither of the groups showed atelectasis requiring BFS, ALI, BPF, pulmonary embolism, or pulmonary edema after PSM. However, the length of hospitalization, intensive care unit stay, and duration of chest tube indwelling were shorter in the TIVA group.ConclusionVolatile anesthetics showed no superiority compared to TIVA in terms of PPCs after anatomical pulmonary resection in patients with lung cancer. Considering the advantages of each anesthetic modality, appropriate anesthetic modalities should be used in patients with different risk factors and situations.

Predictors of Readmission After Pulmonary Resection in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: Postoperative readmissions are considered an indicator of healthcare quality. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors associated with readmission following pulmonary resection for lung cancer. Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Web of science, the Cochrane Library, and databases of CNKI and Wanfang. We collected the factors associated with readmission following pulmonary resection from the included studies, and data analysis was conducted with STATA SE12.0 software. Results: A total of 11 studies (386 012 participants) were included. The meta-analysis results showed that age (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.093), male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.260), Charlson score (SMD = 1.408), forced expiratory volume in 1 second predicted (SMD = -0.203), congestive heart failure (OR = 1.708), peripheral vascular disease (OR = 1.436), and histology (OR = 0.804) were associated with readmission (P < .05), while hypertension was not. Patients with postoperative empyema, pneumonia, air leak, and arrhythmia (all P < .05) had higher odds of hospital readmission. Conclusion: The predictive factors for readmission can help in establishing individualized discharge and follow-up plans and programs for reducing hospital readmissions after pulmonary resection in patients with lung cancer.

Individualization of risk factors for postoperative complication after lung cancer surgery: a retrospective study

BackgroundThe risk factors for postoperative complications after pulmonary resection in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been elucidated.MethodsClinical data of 956 patients with NSCLC were analyzed. Patient factors such as sex, age, comorbidities, smoking history, respiratory function, and the lobe involved in lung cancer and operative factors such as operative approach and operative procedures were collected and analyzed.ResultsMale sex (odds ratio [OR]: 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–2.75, p = 0.01), coexistence of asthma (OR 2.68, 95% CI 1.19–6.02, p = 0.01), low percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.02–1.95, p = 0.03), and lobectomy or greater resection (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.66–3.68, p < 0.01) were identified as significant risk factors for postoperative complications. Male sex (OR 1.98; 95% CI 1.03–3.81, p = 0.03) and complete video-assisted thoracic surgery and robot-assisted thoracic surgery (OR 1.64; 95% CI 1.09–2.45; p = 0.01) were identified as significant risk factors for postoperative air leakage. Coexistence of asthma (OR 9.97; 95% CI 3.66–27.38; p < 0.01) was identified as a significant risk factor for postoperative atelectasis or pneumonia. Lobectomy or greater resection (OR 19.71; 95% CI 2.70–143.57; p < 0.01) was identified as a significant risk factor for postoperative arrhythmia.ConclusionMale sex, coexistence of asthma, low percentage of FEV1, and operative procedure were significant risk factors for postoperative complications. Furthermore, risk factors varied according to postoperative complications.

Analysis of Pulmonary Surgery in Children and Adolescents in Germany: Who Is doing What?

In Germany, pediatric surgery is organized in a decentralized manner. A nationwide clinical registry does not exist. The aim of this research is to analyze the current status of pulmonary surgery in the country in respect of children and adolescents. Claims data have been extracted from two health insurance databases representing 34% of the German population. Operative diagnoses and procedures, as well as patients' characteristics, were recorded from 2016 to 2019. The incidence of the four index diagnoses investigated matched the current literature in three of four entities. The main indications <8 years were congenital lung malformations (61%) and spontaneous pneumothorax at age 8 to 17 years (77%). Furthermore, 1,668 pediatric pulmonary procedures (0-17 years) were identified (668 pulmonary resections). Two age peaks were identified: 13% of patients were operated on before 1 year old and 50% of patients were between 15 and 17 years old. Video-assisted-thoracoscopic-surgery (VATS) for pulmonary resections was applied in 62% of cases. 96% of pulmonary resections in patients <1 year and 70% of pulmonary resections in children between 1 and 14 years were performed by pediatric surgeons. Of patients between 15 and 17 years old, only 14% were operated on in pediatric surgery. The estimated average pulmonary resection caseload was 3.2 cases per year and per institution for pediatric surgery and 1.5 for adult surgery. Indications for pulmonary surgery in children arise from rare diagnoses. In total, 66% of lung resections are performed in patients <1 year and >14 years. The majority of lung resections are performed as VATS. Patients ≤14 years are predominantly operated on by pediatric surgeons. The accessibility of pediatric pulmonary surgery is acceptable, but there is a low caseload per center.

Significance of pulmonary resection in patients with metachronous pulmonary metastasis from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundPulmonary metastases from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are relatively rare. Systemic chemotherapy is the first choice of treatment in patients with distant metastases, and the role of metastasectomy is controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the outcome of patients with pulmonary metastases after resection of PDAC and the indications for metastasectomy.MethodsWe retrospectively analysed patients with pulmonary metastases as the first recurrence after resection of primary PDAC between January 2006 and December 2018. Clinical data were obtained from the patients’ medical records. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analysed using the Kaplan–Meier method, and statistical significance was evaluated by the log-rank test.ResultsOf the 417 patients with resected PDACs, 24 (7.9%) had pulmonary metastases. Six patients (25.0%) underwent pulmonary resection and 18 (75.0%) received systemic chemotherapy and best supportive care. There were no major complications requiring therapeutic intervention after pulmonary resection. The median RFS was 24.0 months (95% CI 10.8–37.2), and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS rates were 66.7%, 33.3%, and 4.2%, respectively. The median OS was 50.0 months (95% CI 15.9–84.1), and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 95.8%, 70.3%, and 46.4%, respectively. All patients with resected pulmonary metastases were alive at the end of the study, whereas the median OS of the patients who did not undergo resection was 37.0 months (95% CI 34.4–39.6). Therefore, patients with resected pulmonary metastases had a significantly better prognosis (p = 0.008).ConclusionsPulmonary resection may improve the prognosis in selected patients with pulmonary metastases from PDAC. However, the present study is based on a small number of patients and may include a selection bias; therefore, a multi-institutional prospective study is needed to clarify the indications for pulmonary resection.

Risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications and prolonged hospital stay in pulmonary resection patients: a retrospective study

BackgroundPostoperative pulmonary complications are the main cause of morbidity and mortality after pulmonary resection. This study was undertaken to determine the risk factors associated with postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) and length of hospital stay (LOS) in pulmonary resection patients in a tertiary teaching hospital in Brazil. MethodsA retrospective data gathering from 196 patients who underwent pulmonary resection between 2012 and 2016 was conducted. Demographic and hospital admission data were collected from patients with complete medical records. Univariate analysis was performed, followed by Poisson’s regression for predicting the prevalence of postoperative pulmonary complications and length of hospital stay. ResultsThirty-nine patients (20%) displayed pulmonary complications in the postoperative period. The risk factors associated with an increased prevalence of postoperative pulmonary complications in a multivariate analysis were: American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA) ≥ 3 (PR 4.77, p = 0.03, 95% CI: 1.17 to 19.46), predicted diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide – corrected single breath (PR 0.98, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.96 to 0.99) and age of the patient (PR 1.04; p = 0.01; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.06). Those associated with an increased prevalence of prolonged hospital stay were: duration of surgical procedure longer than five hours (PR 6.94, p = 0.01, 95% CI: 1.66 to 12.23), male sex (PR 5.72, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 1.87 to 9.58), and presence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PR 11.92, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 7.42 to 16.42). ConclusionsThe rate of postoperative pulmonary complications in the study population is in line with the world average. Recognizing risk factors for the development of PPCs may help optimize allocation resources and preventive efforts.

Comparison between lung perfusion scan and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography for predicting postoperative lung function after pulmonary resection in patients with borderline lung function.

We compared the usefulness of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) and lung perfusion scintigraphy (LPS) for predicting postoperative lung function by comparing patients with borderline lung function. A total of 274 patients who underwent simultaneous LPS and SPECT/CT and had a forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) or diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) under 80% were included. The % uptake by LPS was calculated by the posterior-oblique method. The concordance and difference of the % uptake, predicted postoperative (ppo) FEV1 and ppoDLCO as determined by 2 methods were evaluated. The association between ppo values and actual postoperative FEV1 and DLCO was examined. Subgroup analysis was conducted in redo-operation cases. The % uptake of each lobe, except the right middle lobe, showed fair concordance (concordance correlation coefficients for right upper, middle, lower, left upper and lower lobe = 0.61, 0.37, 0.71, 0.66 and 0.69, respectively). ppoFEV1 and ppoDLCO also revealed high concordance between both methods (concordance correlation coefficient = 0.93 for ppoFEV1 and concordance correlation coefficient = 0.92 for ppoDLCO) without a significant difference (P = 0.42 for ppoFEV1; P = 0.31 for ppoDLCO). Both ppoFEV1 and ppoDLCO showed a significantly high correlation with the actual FEV1 (r = 0.77, P < 0.01 for LPS, r = 0.77, P < 0.01 for SPECT/CT) and DLCO (r = 0.62, P < 0.01 for LPS, r = 0.62, P < 0.01 for SPECT/CT). High concordance of % uptake, ppoFEV1 and ppoDLCO was present in redo-operation patients. Both LPS and SPECT/CT showed high predictability for actual postoperative lung function, and LPS showed good performance to estimate ppoFEV1 and ppoDLCO with reference to SPECT/CT, even in redo-operation cases.

Impact of Sarcopenia on Early Postoperative Complications in Early-Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

BackgroundRisk assessment for pulmonary resection in patients with early-stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is important for minimizing postoperative morbidity. Depletion of skeletal muscle mass is closely associated with impaired nutritional status and limited physical ability. We evaluated the relationship between skeletal muscle depletion and early postoperative complications in patients with early-stage NSCLC.MethodsPatients who underwent curative lung resection between 2016 and 2018 and who were diagnosed with pathological stage I/II NSCLC were included, and their records were retrospectively analyzed. The psoas volume index (PVI, cm3/m3) was calculated based on computed tomography images from routine preoperative positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Early postoperative complications, defined as those occurring within 90 days of surgery, were compared between the lowest sex-specific quartile for PVI and the remaining quartiles.ResultsA strong correlation was found between the volume and the cross-sectional area of the psoas muscle (R2=0.816). The overall rate of complications was 57.6% among patients with a low PVI and 32.8% among those with a normal-to-high PVI. The most common complication was prolonged air leak (low PVI, 16.9%; normal-to-high PVI, 9.6%), followed by pneumonia (low PVI, 13.6%; normal-to-high PVI, 7.9%) and recurrent pleural effusion (low PVI, 11.9%; normal-to-high PVI, 6.8%). The predictors of overall complications were low PVI (odds ratio [OR], 2.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07–4.09; p=0.03), low hemoglobin level (OR, 0.686; 95% CI, 0.54–0.87; p=0.002), and smoking history (OR, 3.93; 95% CI, 2.03–7.58; p<0.001).ConclusionLow PVI was associated with a higher rate of early postoperative complications in patients with early-stage NSCLC.

Comparison of Length of Postoperative Hospital Stay in Pulmonary Resection Patients With and Without Autologous Fibrin Sealant: a Retrospective Descriptive Study

Prolonged air leak and excessive pleural fluid drainage are important factors affecting morbidity and mortality following pulmonary resection. This study investigated the effects of autologous fibrin sealant on length of hospital stay in patients who underwent pulmonary resection. A total of 90 patients who underwent lobectomy or bilobectomy in our center were included in the study. Thirty-seven of the patients were treated with autologous fibrin sealant after resection, while the other 53 patients were not (control group). The patients’ records were retrospectively examined to compare demographic, surgical, and postoperative data between the groups. There were no significant differences between the autologous fibrin sealant group and the control group in terms of age, sex, type of operation, indications for surgery, or preexisting comorbidities (p > 0.05). Mean time to drain removal and mean postoperative time to hospital discharge were significantly shorter in the autologous fibrin sealant group (p = 0.0001). Our results indicate that using autologous fibrin sealant decreases the time to drain removal as well as length of postoperative hospital stay.

SELECTION OF PATIENTS WITH CONCOMITANT CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE DISEASE FOR ANATOMICAL RESECTIONS IN LUNG CANCER (review of literature)

The analysis of literature on the possibility of performing anatomical pulmonary resections in patients with concomitant COPD was performed. According to most researchers, FEV1 and DL (CO) more than 80 % indicated a high probability of an uncomplicated postoperative period after any anatomical resection of the lung. If the specified parameters were less than 80 %, additional studies were required: functional tests (6-minute walk test, staircase test), stress testing, calculation of predicted postoperative values of respiratory function, and, if necessary, lung scintigraphy could be performed to study regional respiratory function. The decision about the possibility and need for surgical treatment should have been made individually at the threshold values of these parameters. At the same time, there is currently no system for assessing the risk of postoperative complications for a particular patient, based on all the information about it, which represents the potential for further research.The authors declare no conflict of interest.The authors confirm that they respect the rights of the people participated in the study, including obtaining informed consent when it is necessary, and the rules of treatment of animals when they are used in the study. Author Guidelines contains the detailed information.

Oligometastatic pulmonary metastasis in pancreatic cancer patients: Safety and outcome of resection

ObjectiveTo assess the perioperative and long-term outcome following pulmonary resection in patients with metachronous metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). BackgroundMost patients with PDAC relapse or develop tumor spread to secondary organs. Currently, it remains unclear how to proceed with pulmonary metastasis in the metachronous setting. In particular, the role of surgery remains controversial. MethodsData of patients with pulmonary metachronous metastasis after PDAC collected from 2003 to 2015 in databases of two high-volume pancreatic cancer centers were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and pathological aspects of primary PDAC as well as the perioperative and long-term outcome following pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) was evaluated, respectively. Patients with synchronous liver metastasis or metastasis to other secondary organs were excluded. Univariate survival analysis was performed. ResultsWe identified 15 patients undergoing pulmonary resection for suspected metastasis after primary pancreatic resection. Operative and histopathologic evaluation revealed resectable pancreatic pulmonary metastasis in 11 patients (73.3%). The median disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) after PM diagnosis was 18 months and 26 months, respectively. The median time to metachronous metastasis (TMM) was 17 months [3–64 months]. Perioperative morbidity was low with only one readmission (8.3%). There was no perioperative mortality. Patients who developed pulmonary metastasis later than 17 months after primary surgery showed better OS compared to those who did earlier (32.2 vs. 14.75 months, p = 0.025). In addition, patients with high-grade tumors had worse survival (12.4 vs. 31 months, p = 0.02). Elevated serum CEA levels or CA 19-9 levels were also not associated with shortened OS. ConclusionsThis study suggests that pulmonary metastasectomy after PDAC is safe and effective. Patients with extended DFS after primary pancreatic surgery as well as favorable tumor grading seem to particularly benefit from pulmonary surgery.

The impact of pulmonary metastasectomy from gastric cancer

Gastric cancer remains the most commonly-occurring cancer and the third most frequent cause of cancer-associated mortality in Japan. Solitary pulmonary metastasis of gastric cancer is rare and the outcome of pulmonary metastasectomy is still unclear. Herein we report the impact of pulmonary resection in patients with metastasis from gastric cancer. The present study retrospectively reviewed the preoperative data and clinical courses of 10 patients who underwent pulmonary resection for metastasis from gastric cancer at our institution between July 1986 and December 2017. The data on the outcomes, including morbidity, mortality and survival, were obtained from the patient records. All patients were followed-up from the time of pulmonary resection until mortality or referral to another hospital. The statistical analyses were performed using EZR (Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University, Saitama, Japan), which is a graphical user interface for the R software program (The R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). The study population included 7 male patients and 3 female patients. A total of 5 patients underwent total gastrectomy, and 5 underwent distal gastrectomy. The median disease-free interval after initial gastric resection was 34.5 months. Five patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, of the 10 thoracotomies, 5 were lobectomy, 3 were wedge resection and 2 were segmentectomy. The median overall survival following pulmonary metastasectomy was 59 months and the 5-year survival rate was 40.5%. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that pulmonary resection may be an effective therapeutic option for metastatic gastric cancer when a patient has a solitary metastatic lesion.

Feasibility and surgical outcomes of video-assisted thoracoscopic pulmonary resection in patients with advanced-stage lung cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is regarded as the standard treatment for lung cancer. However, the feasibility and safety of VATS for lung cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is unclear. This study evaluated the feasibility and safety of VATS in patients who had received neoadjuvant CRT.MethodsBetween January 2008 and December 2017, 85 patients who were administered neoadjuvant CRT and underwent anatomic lung resection were enrolled. Fifty‐nine patients underwent open thoracotomy and 26 patients underwent VATS. The clinical characteristics and perioperative outcomes were reviewed.ResultsIn six of the initial 32 patients who underwent VATS, the procedure was converted to thoracotomy. Adjacent structural invasion (33.9% vs. 11.5%; P = 0.037) and combined resection (16.9% vs. 0%; P = 0.025) were higher in the open group than in the VATS group. Surgical duration was higher in the open group than in the VATS group (203.86 ± 65.97 vs. 173.27 ± 59.87 minutes; P = 0.046). With regard to postoperative outcomes, the length of the hospital stay was longer in the open group compared to the VATS group (14.46 ± 16.94 vs. 8.62 ± 4.72 days; P = 0.017). There was no significant difference in the three‐year disease‐free survival (69.3% vs. 67.9%; P = 0.879) or overall survival rates (76.6% vs. 61.9%; P = 0.516).ConclusionIn selected patients, VATS pulmonary resection after neoadjuvant CRT showed results comparable to that of thoracotomy in terms of postoperative outcomes, operative morbidities, and survival rate.