Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been widely used for diagnostic wedge resection of lung nodules. When VATS is performed for multiple lung nodules, preoperative localization for each target nodule is required. In this study, we evaluated the clinical effectiveness of computed tomography (CT)-guided simultaneous coil localization in one-stage VATS wedge resection for multiple lung nodules. Between November 2015 to March 2018, 19 patients with multiple target nodules underwent CT-guided simultaneous coil localization and one-stage VATS resection at our center. Data on the technical success of simultaneous localization and wedge resection, complications, and pathological results were collected. A total of 43 nodules were localized. The localization was successfully achieved in 42 of 43 nodules (97.7%). The technique of simultaneous localization was successfully achieved in 18 of 19 patients (94.7%). Fifteen patients underwent unilateral lung localization and four patients underwent bilateral lung localization. Three patients (15.8%) experienced asymptomatic pneumothorax after localization. All patients successfully underwent one-stage wedge resection for all target nodules. The mean duration of one-stage VATS procedure was 171.8 ± 84.0 min. The mean volume of blood loss was 94.2 ± 58.0 mL. Three patients experienced pleural effusion after VATS. During a follow-up of 6–31 months (median 18 months), no patient developed new lung nodules or distant metastasis. Preoperative simultaneous coil implantation is a safe and simple method for localization of multiple lung nodules. Simultaneous coil localization could effectively guide a one-stage VATS diagnostic wedge resection procedure.

Uniatrial biventricular connection (UBC) is a rare cardiovascular anomaly characterized by absence of one atrioventricular connection and drainage of the other atrium via a solitary atrioventricular valve into both ventricles. The absent atrioventricular connection may affect either the left or right atrium. Because of the absence of one atrioventricular connection hearts with UBC have been classified among functionally univentricular hearts requiring palliative treatment according to the Fontan principle. We report two further patients with UBC. In one of these patients careful echocardiographic examination of the atrioventricular junction in early infancy revealed the possibility of biventricular repair based on the favorable anatomy of the atrioventricular valve and balanced ventricles in the presence of an inlet ventricular septal defect (VSD). Both patients presented in the neonatal period for evaluation of complex congenital heart disease. The anatomy of the atrioventricular valves in our patients was indistinguishable from atrioventricular septal defects exhibiting the morphology of a common valve with superior and inferior bridging leaflets. The common atrioventricular valve was connected exclusively to the right atrium draining into both ventricles while the left atrium drained into the right atrium via a secundum atrial septal defect. In one of our patients biventricular repair with good longterm-result was performed by reseptation of the atria, patch repair of the VSD and septation of the atrioventricular valve. The second patient underwent univentricular palliation according to the Fontan principle. The echocardiographic findings in our patients suggest that at least some patients with UBC represent a variant of atrioventricular septal defects associated with extreme ventriculoatrial malalignment resulting in fusion of the deviated primary atrial septum with the lateral aspect of the atrioventricular junction. This offers the option of septation of the common atrioventricular valve and biventricular repair in patients with adequate size of both ventricles. Exact echocardiographic analysis of the morphology of the atrioventricular valve is essential to distinguish these patients with a morphologically common atrioventricular valve in early infancy from other variants of absent atrioventricular connection and to select those who are suitable for biventricular repair.

Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a life-threatening condition that requires surgical intervention. Stroke remains an extremely serious adverse outcome that can occur in ATAAD patients undergoing aortic arch repair, leading to higher rates of patient mortality and decreased postoperative quality of life. In the present study, we sought to determine whether carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT) is a reliable predictor of postoperative stroke risk. This was a prospective study of 76 patients with ATAAD undergoing aortic arch repair. For all patients, cIMT was determined preoperatively through a Doppler-based method. Incidence of different forms of neurological dysfunction, including temporary neurological dysfunction (TND) and stroke, was monitored in these patients, and the relationship between cIMT and stroke incidence was assessed using a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Prognostic variables associated with stroke risk were further identified through univariate and multivariate analyses. A total of 26/76 (34.2%) patients in the present study suffered from neurological dysfunction, of whom 16 (21.0%) suffered from TND and 10 (13.2%) suffered a stroke. The remaining 50 patients (65.8%) did not suffer from neurological dysfunction. The cIMT values in the stroke, TND, and neurological dysfunction-free patients in this study were 1.12 ± 0.19 (mm), 0.99 ± 0.13 (mm), and 0.87 ± 0.13 (mm), respectively. A total of 4 patients in this cohort died during the study, including 1 in the TND group and 3 in the stroke group. An ROC curve analysis indicated that cIMT could predict stroke with an area under the curve value of 0.844 (95% CI, 0.719–0.969; p < 0.001). A multivariate analysis revealed that cIMT > 0.9 mm was independently associated with stroke risk (p = 0.018). We found that cIMT can be used to predict postoperative stroke risk in ATAAD patients undergoing aortic arch repair, with a cIMT > 0.9 mm coinciding with increased stroke risk in these patients. ChiCTR1900022289. Date of registration 4 April 2019 retrospectively registered.

Bằng cách phân tích các biến chứng trong và sau phẫu thuật cũng như thời gian sống sót tổng thể lâu dài, chúng tôi đã tổng hợp kinh nghiệm 8 năm phẫu thuật thực quản McKeown ít xâm lấn cho bệnh nhân ung thư thực quản tại một trung tâm y tế duy nhất. Nghiên cứu theo dõi hồi cứu này bao gồm 1023 bệnh nhân ung thư thực quản liên tiếp đã trải qua phẫu thuật MIE-McKeown từ tháng 3 năm 2013 đến tháng 10 năm 2020. Các biến số liên quan đã được thu thập và đánh giá. Tỷ lệ sống sót tổng thể (OS) và tỷ lệ sống sót không bệnh (DFS) đã được phân tích bằng phương pháp Kaplan-Meier. Đối với 1023 bệnh nhân ung thư thực quản trải qua MIE-McKeown, các biến chứng trong phẫu thuật chính là chảy máu (3,0%, 31/1023) và tổn thương khí quản (1,7%, 17/1023). Không có ca tử vong nào xảy ra trong quá trình phẫu thuật. Tỷ lệ chuyển đổi từ nội soi lồng ngực sang mổ mở lồng ngực là 2,2% (22/1023), và từ nội soi ổ bụng sang mổ mở ổ bụng là 0,3% (3/1023). Tỷ lệ biến chứng sau phẫu thuật là 36,2% (370/1023), trong đó rò mắt nối chiếm 7,7% (79/1023), biến chứng hô hấp 13,4% (137/1023), tràn dịch bạch huyết 2,3% (24/1023), và tổn thương dây thần kinh quặt ngược cổ 8,8% (90/1023). Tỷ lệ cắt bỏ triệt để (R0) là 96,0% (982/1023), tỷ lệ tử vong trong 30 ngày là 0,3% (3/1023). Đối với 1000 ca ung thư biểu mô tế bào vẩy, ước tính tỷ lệ sống sót tổng thể sau 3 năm và 5 năm lần lượt là 37,2% và 17,8%. Ngoài ra, hóa trị liệu trước phẫu thuật đã cung cấp lợi thế về tỷ lệ sống sót không bệnh sau 3 năm cho bệnh nhân giai đoạn tiến xa (đối với giai đoạn IV: 7,2% so với 1,8%). Nghiên cứu hồi cứu đơn trung tâm này chứng minh rằng quy trình MIE-McKeown là khả thi và an toàn với tỷ lệ biến chứng trong và sau phẫu thuật thấp, cũng như kết quả ung thư lâu dài chấp nhận được.

Cardiac arrest during the Nuss procedure is the most serious complication and is related to cardiac injury by the surgical instruments and pectus bars. To avoid the cardiac injury, there are several techniques with various devices, including crane and wire suture, lifting hook, the Kent or Langenbeck retractor, and the Vacuum Bell device. However, a case of cardiac arrest without direct cardiac injury during the Nuss procedure has been reported in the pectus excavatum patient with coronary-to-pulmonary arterial shunts. Recently, we encountered a case of cardiac arrest without cardiac abnormalities in preoperative studies and cardiac injury during the Nuss procedure.

Recent developments in robotic technology have brought significant changes in robotic video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (r-VATS) worldwide, particularly including the treatment in the thorax for the mediastinal, esophagus, and pulmonary lesions. Currently, there are only a few reports describing the procedural experience and outcomes with r-VATS. The objective of this study is to provide our initial experience using r-VATS at a single center, with specific attention to safety, efficacy, and procedural details. We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent a newly modified r-VATS procedure for various surgical operations at the thoracic department of our hospital, from July 2018 to January 2020. Multiport trocars were placed in the classic triangular arrangement as in conventional VATS (c-VATS) but with modifications based on the type of surgery. The peri- and postoperative outcomes such as duration of surgery, complications, and duration of hospital stay for these patients were reported. Overall, 142 patients underwent r-VATS for lobectomy (66), wedge resection (15), thymectomy (22), mediastinal tumor resection (30), pneumonectomy (4), transthoracic esophagectomy (1), esophageal tumor resection or esophageal diverticulum repair (2), diaphragm plication (1), and mediastinal tumor resection plus thymectomy (1). For the entire cohort, the median operative time was 110 min, and the median length of hospital stay was 5 days. Conversion to open thoracic surgery was reported only in a total of 3 (2.1%) patients of pneumonectomy (1.4%) and mediastinal tumor resection (0.70%). All our patients were managed successfully with no postoperative complications and mortality. Our method of r-VATS was found to be safe and effective and may be applied to different surgical operations. Adequate and proper training of thoracic surgeons is immediately needed for the transition from c-VATS to r-VATS. The utility and advantages of triangular trocar configuration for r-VATS require further refinement and research before it can be routinely adopted in clinical practice. Retrospectively registered.

In spontaneous pneumothorax, clamping the chest drain before its removal may avoid reinsertion in case of early recurrence, but may be unsafe and may prolong hospital stay. The objective of this study was to examine the incidence of early recurrence in both clamped and unclamped pneumothorax episodes, and factors associated with it. Retrospective chart review of primary and secondary spontaneous pneumothorax episodes in which chest drain was inserted during the period April 2012 to March 2014. Data of 122 episodes were analysed. There were 36 primary pneumothorax and 86 secondary pneumothorax episodes. Mean age was 59 years with 92% males. Clamping of the chest drain was done in 68 episodes (55.7%), and not done in 54. The clamping group was significantly younger, had more primary pneumothorax, and had shorter time from cessation of air leak to clamp/removal. Recurrence within 24 h were seen in 12 (17.6%) clamped episodes and 4 (7.4%) non-clamped episodes, although in only eight episodes were reinsertion of chest drain saved. Significantly more previous pneumothorax episodes were seen in the early recurrence group. We observed no new onset of tension pneumothorax or subcutaneous emphysema associated with clamping. The practice of clamping the chest drain before removal in spontaneous pneumothorax appear safe. Clamping saved chest drain reinsertion in 11.8% of cases, and has the potential to save more if clamped for up to 24 h. However, clamping may result in more early recurrences. Prospective randomised studies are needed.

A 12-year-old Chinese girl was demonstrated multivessel distortion and malformation: aortic coarctation with the narrowest lumen diameter measuring of 4 mm located between the left common carotid artery and the left subclavian artery, a huge and thin-walled aneurysm is connected to the coarctation, and the descending aorta was distorted. Cerebrovascular revealed distorted arteries and a completely aberrant brain blood supply. She underwent correction of the aortic coarctation by establishing a bypass between the ascending aorta and the descending aorta using a 13-mm Gore-tex tube. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, at 6-month follow-up, the cervical vascular pulsatility was relieved and she is in good condition.

Pulmonary tumour embolism and lymphangitis carcinomatosa are complications of malignancy that may mimic the clinical presentation of pulmonary embolism. We present the case of a 52-year-old male patient with acute-onset right ventricular strain and dyspnoea with elevated D-dimer and without signs of pulmonary embolism on computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) and ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy. The patient died eleven days after initial presentation. The diagnosis of pulmonary tumour embolism and lymphangitis carcinomatosa due to carcinoma of unknown origin was made post-mortem by immunohistochemical examination. Pulmonary tumour embolism and lymphangitis carcinomaosa are complications of malignancy and potential causes of acute right ventricular strain. Radiological signs are unspecific and the clinical course usually fatal. These differential diagnoses should be considered in patients with acute right ventricular strain, dyspnoea and positive D-dimer if there are no signs of pulmonary embolism on CTPA.

Traumatic pericardial rupture is a rare presentation. Pericardial rupture itself is asymptomatic unless complicated by either hemorrhage or herniation of the heart through the defect. Following diagnosis surgical repair of the pericardium is indicated because cardiac herniation may result in vascular collapse and sudden death. Here we present a case of traumatic, non-herniated pericardial rupture with complete skeletonization of the phrenic nerve. An 18-year-old healthy male suffered multi-trauma after falling 50 feet onto concrete. The patient could not be stabilized despite exploratory laparotomy with splenectomy, IR embolization and packing for a liver laceration. Right posterolateral thoracotomy revealed a ruptured pericardium with a completely skeletonized phrenic nerve. The pericardium was repaired with a Goretex(R) patch. A high level of suspicion for pericardial rupture is necessary in all patients with high-velocity thoracic injuries.