Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the implication of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis on the surgical treatment for primary lung cancer. Methods Between January 1994 and June 2006, ...870 patients with primary lung cancer were surgically treated. Fifty-six (6.4%) of 870 patients had complications with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and their data were retrospectively reviewed. There were 50 men and 6 women with an average age of 68 years. The incidence of squamous cell carcinoma was 28 (50.0%). Surgical procedures consisted of 7 wedge resections of the lung, 5 segmentectomies, 43 lobectomies, and 1 bilobectomy. Results Surgery-related hospital mortality was higher in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis than in patients without (7.1% vs 1.9%; P = .030). Four (7.1%) of these 56 patients had acute postoperative exacerbation of pulmonary fibrosis and died because of this complication. No factors such as pulmonary function, serologic data, operative data, and histopathologic data were considered predictive risk factors for the acute exacerbation. The postoperative 5-year survival for pathologic stage I lung cancer was 61.6% for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and 83.0% for patients without ( P = .019). The causes of late death were the recurrence of cancer or respiratory failure owing to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Conclusions Although idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis causes high mortality after pulmonary resection for lung cancer and poor long-term survival, long-term survival is possible in patients with these two fatal diseases. Therefore, in selected patients, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis may not be a contraindication to pulmonary resection for stage I lung cancer.
Objective: It remains controversial whether video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) major pulmonary resection (VMPR) with systematic node dissection (SND) is a feasible approach for clinical N0 ...and pathological N2 non-small cell lung cancer (cN0-pN2 NSCLC). We compared the clinical outcome of patients who underwent VMPR with SND for cN0-pN2 NSCLC with the outcome of patients who underwent MPR with SND by thoracotomy. We conducted this study to determine the feasibility of VMPR for cN0 and pN2 NSCLC patients and intraoperative node staging by node sampling. Methods: Between 1997 and 2006, 770 patients underwent MPR with SND for NSCLC, wherein 450 patients had VMPR and 320 were subjected to open thoracotomy. There were 673 clinical N0 patients. Among them, we retrospectively reviewed 69 patients (10.3%) with cN0-pN2 NSCLC of which the greatest tumor dimension ranged from 20 to 50 mm. These patients were divided into two groups: 37 patients under group V, who underwent VMPR, and 32 patients under group T, who underwent MPR by thoracotomy, for cN0-pN2 NSCLC. The majority of the patients underwent postoperative chemotherapy. Results: There were no differences between the two groups regarding preoperative data or the number of nodes dissected. The rate of nodal metastasis (number of metastatic nodes/number of dissected nodes) was similar between the two groups (group V vs group T, 0.24 vs 0.24 in total nodes dissected, 0.24 vs 0.23 in mediastinal nodes dissected). The 3-year and 5-year recurrence-free survivals were similar (60.9% vs 49.6% and 60.9% vs 49.6%), as well. Most of the pattern of recurrence was due to remote metastasis. In like manner, the 3-year and 5-year survivals were similar (67.6% vs 57.7% and 45.4% vs 41.1%). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that VMPR with SND is a feasible surgical therapy for cN0-pN2 NSCLC without loss of curability. It is unnecessary to convert the VATS approach to thoracotomy in order to do SND even if pN2 disease is revealed during VMPR.
We sometimes run across difficulty in dissection of the pulmonary arteries due to dense pleural adhesions and bleeding from the pulmonary artery during the video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) ...lobectomy. In these cases, conversion of the VATS approach to open thoracotomy is a requisite. The presence of an easy and safe technique for pulmonary artery clamping will make the switch of the surgical procedure unnecessary. We developed the new technique for pulmonary artery clamping using 1-0 silk suture. This may become one of the standard techniques for pulmonary artery clamping not only in VATS but also in open thoracotomy, as well.
Background Endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta has recently emerged as a feasible treatment option; however, little is known about its application for aortobronchial fistula (ABF). ...Experience with endovascular repair of the thoracic aorta and the outcome of patients with ABFs was reviewed to assess whether thoracic endovascular repair is a realistic option. Methods From February 2001 to May 2011, 386 patients were successfully treated with endoluminal grafts to the distal arch or descending thoracic aorta. Among them, 26 patients with ABF underwent thoracic endovascular repair. These cases were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Follow-up was 100% complete (mean, 21 months). Results The subjects included 26 patients (22 males, 85%; 4 females, 15%) with a median age of 71 years. Ten patients (38%) were diagnosed with atherosclerotic aneurysms, 13 (50%) had pseudoaneurysms associated with prior open surgical repair, 1 (4%) had rupture of dissecting aneurysm, and 2 (8%) had mycotic aneurysm. There were 4 (15%) in-hospital mortalities, in which the causes included bleeding owing to recurrence of hemoptysis (n = 3, 11%) and multiple organ failure (n = 1, 4%). None sustained postoperative stroke or paraplegia. During follow-up, ABFs recurred in 4 patients; of these, endograft explantation occurred in 3 patients and 1 patient required additional open surgery. No hospital mortality resulted among the 4 patients with ABF recurrence. Conclusions Endovascular management of ABFs appears to be safe and well tolerated with minimal risk, even in surgically high-risk patients. Endovascular stent-graft repair is likely the first choice for ABF presenting as hemoptysis.
Purpose
To evaluate the association of previous abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) graft replacement with infradiaphragmatic malperfusion in patients with acute aortic dissection.
Methods
Between ...November 2006 and June 2011, 133 patients were referred to our hospital for management of acute aortic dissection. Eight (6.0 %) of these patients had undergone AAA graft replacement prior to the acute aortic dissection. We compared the computed tomography (CT) images of these 8 patients with those of the remaining 125 patients without previous AAA graft replacement, in terms of organ ischemia as a complication induced by acute aortic dissection.
Results
Infradiaphragmatic malperfusion from acute aortic dissection was confirmed in four of the eight patients who had undergone AAA graft replacement. Contrasted CT scan images indicated that the main cause of infradiaphragmatic malperfusion was collapse of the true lumen from compression by the false lumen into the suprarenal aorta. Although there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of cerebral ischemia and myocardial ischemia, bilateral leg ischemia and visceral ischemia occurred more frequently in the patients who had undergone AAA graft replacement.
Conclusion
Previous AAA graft replacement is a risk factor for infradiaphragmatic malperfusion in patients with acute aortic dissection.
Background
We examined the effectiveness of right axillary arterial perfusion through an interposed Dacron graft in the prevention of cerebral embolism or complications related to ascending aortic ...cannulation in open proximal anastomosis technique of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest through left thoracotomy.
Methods
Between May 2000 and August 2012, 44 patients underwent TAA or TAAA repair using open proximal technique under DHCA. These patients were divided into two groups for evaluation of the effectiveness of right axillary arterial perfusion. Group A included patients who underwent TAA or TAAA repair with ascending aortic cannulation (
n
= 15). Group B was composed of patients who had TAA or TAAA repair with right axillary arterial perfusion through the interposed Dacron graft (
n
= 29).
Results
Mortality in this series was 4.5 % (2 of 44 patients; 1 in each group); wherein, the causes were sepsis due to graft infection and aortic dissection (Stanford type A). The incidence rates of cerebral embolism were 27 % (4 of 15 patients in group A) and 3.4 % (1 of 29 patients in group B) (
p
= 0.0392, Fisher’s exact test). The rates of complications in relation to the aortic cannulation site (dissection or bleeding) were 13 % (2 of 15 patients in group A) and 0 % (0 of 25 patients in group B).
Conclusions
Right axillary perfusion facilitates easy evacuation of air and allows prompt recommencement of upper body circulation. Consequently, it minimizes the risk of cerebral embolism or complications in relation to aortic cannulation through left thoracotomy.
Objective
Early thrombosed aortic dissection is a form of aortic dissection and includes the condition called aortic intramural hematoma. It was generally considered as surgical emergency. However, ...the optimal treatment strategy for acute type A intramural hematoma is becoming controversial after recent studies indicated more benign clinical course for this disease. We evaluated our strategy that integrated medical therapy, serial imaging, and timed surgery.
Methods
We reviewed 34 consecutive patients who were admitted to our hospital for early thrombosed Stanford type A acute aortic dissection from 2006 to 2011. Medical therapy or timed surgery was offered on the basis of radiological findings. Emergency or urgent surgery was not considered for a hemodynamically stable patient unless the ascending aortic diameter was ≧50 mm or the thickness of the thrombosed false lumen was ≧10 mm. Follow-up computed tomography was performed to detect a potential progression to aortic dissection.
Results
During the average follow-up period of 24.3 months, there was no aortic dissection-related mortality. And aortic dissection-related event was not recorded in patients who had surgical repair; however, in patients who did not have surgery, 3 (8.8 %) surgical conversions were recorded due to aortic dissection progression during the follow-up period. Twenty-one patients (61.8 %) ultimately had surgical repair, and 13 patients (38.2 %) had complete medical therapy. The overall survival rate at 3 years was 86.5 %.
Conclusions
Our strategy for the treatment of early thrombosed Stanford type A acute aortic dissection is reasonable, and the mid-term results were acceptable.
Background The purpose of this study was to compare the late results of combined mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement with double valve replacement for patients with rheumatic heart ...disease. Methods From 1981 to 2003, 128 patients underwent aortic valve replacement with either mitral valve repair (n = 47) or mitral valve replacement (n = 81) for rheumatic disease. Mean follow-up was 9.1 ± 4.5 years. Results Rates of actuarial freedom from cardiac-related death (81.4% versus 75.9% at 12 years; p = 0.60), thromboembolism (79.8% versus 85.1% at 12 years; p = 0.78), and bleeding (97.3% versus 95.7% at 12 years; p = 0.77) were similar in both combined mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement and double valve replacement. However, freedom from mitral valve reoperation was significantly lower in combined mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement compared with double valve replacement (52.6% versus 76.8% at 12 years; p = 0.002). Mitral valve repair ( p = 0.002) and mitral bioprosthesis ( p = 0.0001) were independent risk factors for mitral valve reoperation. Conclusions Potential advantages of preserving, rather than replacing, the native mitral valve, such as better cardiac survival or fewer thromboembolic complications, were not identified in combined mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement compared with double valve replacement for patients with rheumatic disease. Indeed, combined mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement was associated with a significantly higher incidence of mitral valve reoperation. Therefore, in double valve surgery for rheumatic disease, mitral valve repair should be limited to the correction of mitral valve lesions only when excellent durability can be expected.
Chylothorax is a life-threatening clinical entity. Traditional surgical management for cases refractory to conservative treatment is thoracic duct ligation through a right open thoracotomy or closure ...of the site of duct laceration through an open thoracotomy. We report herein two patients with left chylothorax successfully treated by supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct (STD) ligation through left-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). This approach offers optimal exposure for the thoracic duct ligation and is useful for treatment of left chylothorax after left-sided thoracic surgery and idiopathic left chylothorax.
Delayed neurologic deficits, paraplegia and paraparesis, are devastating complications after repair of a descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA). A treatment protocol has not ...been established, although strategies such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage, maintaining blood pressure and medication have been described. Cerebrospinal drain status /oxygen delivery/patient status (COPS) therapy for delayed neurological deficit can improve spinal cord ischemia through reducing intraspinal pressure, improving oxygen delivery and maintaining high blood pressure. We describe one patient (Case 1), in whom descending thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms were treated by endovascular aortic repair, and another (Case 2) with Crawford type II TAAA, who developed delayed neurological deficits that were treated with immediate COPS therapy (Modified Tarlov scale; Case 1, improved from 2 to 4; Case 2, from 0 to 4). These findings indicate the benefit of COPS for treating delayed neurological deficits after descending thoracic and TAAA.
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