Presurgical invasive mediastinal staging in lung cancer, unexpected N2 and long-term survival: a registry-based study with data from the Spanish group for video-assisted thoracic surgery.

Background: Mediastinal lymph node staging is a key element in the diagnosis of lung cancer. The combination of computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) has improved staging but some circumstances are known to influence their negative predictive value. The objective of this study was to assess the impact on survival of avoiding invasive mediastinal staging in surgical lung cancer patients with negative mediastinum in CT and PET and intermediate risk of unexpected pN2. Methods: Data were collected from the prospective cohort of the Spanish Group for Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (GEVATS), from December 2016 to March 2018. For this study, patients were selected if they had negative mediastinum in CT and PET findings but tumours >3 cm or located centrally, or with cN1 disease. Patients who did and did not undergo invasive staging [invasive group (IG) and non-invasive group (NIG)] were compared, analysing unexpected pN2 and survival with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression. Results: A total of 2,826 patients underwent surgery for primary lung cancer. We selected 1,247 patients who had tumours >3 cm, central tumours or cN1. Invasive staging was performed in 275 (22.1%) cases. The unexpected pN2 rate was 9.6% in the NIG and 13.8% in the IG, but half of them were discovered prior to surgery in the IG. Five-year overall survival (OS) was poorer in the IG (52.4% vs. 64%; P<0.001). In the Cox regression model, male sex, older age, diabetes, synchronous tumour, lower diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, larger tumour size, higher pathological N-stage, and IG status were significant independent risk factors. Conclusions: Invasive staging recommended by guidelines could be reduced with an appropriate selection in mediastinal CT- and PET-negative patients with risk factors for unexpected pN2, because rates of pN2 and survival did not worsen without invasive staging.

Clinical trial on nurse training through virtual reality simulation of an operating room: assessing satisfaction and outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Virtual reality (VR) provides a firsthand active learning experience through varying degrees of immersion. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of VR as a potential tool for training operating room nurses to perform thoracic surgery procedures. METHODS: This is an open parallel-group randomized clinical trial. One group received basic formation followed by an assessment module. The experimental group received the same basic formation, followed by thoracic surgery training and an assessment module. RESULTS: Fifty-six nurses participated in the study (51 females), with a mean age of 41.6 years. Participants achieved a median evaluation mode score of 480 points (IQR = 32 points). The experimental group (520 points) achieved an overall higher score than the control group (440 points; P = .04). Regarding age, women in the second quartile of age among the participants (35-41 years) achieved significantly better results than the rest (P = .04). When we evaluated the results based on the moment of practice, exercises performed in the last 10 min obtained better results than those performed in the first 10 min (1064 points versus 554 points; P < .001). Regarding adverse effects blurred vision was the most frequent. The overall satisfaction rating with the experience was 8.5 out of 10. CONCLUSION: Virtual reality is a useful tool for training operating room nurses. Clinical trial with ISRCTN16864726 registered number.

Is histological confirmation necessary to avoid futile resections? Comparative of 4 university hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: There is no consensus in the literature on preoperative histological analysis for lung cancer. The objective of this study was to assess 4 diagnostic models used in different hospitals with differing practices regarding preoperative histological diagnosis and the consequences in terms of unnecessary surgery and futile major resection. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective observational study collected from 4 university hospitals in Spain over 3 years (January 2019 to December 2021). We included all patients with a confirmed diagnosis of primary lung cancer and any patients with suspected primary lung cancer who had undergone surgery. All patients underwent computed tomography and positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans. Each multidisciplinary committee was free to choose whether to perform flexible bronchoscopic or transthoracic lung biopsy. Decisions concerning whether to perform intraoperative sample analysis, the surgical approach and the type of resection were left to the surgical team. RESULTS: We included a total of 1642 patients. The use of flexible endoscopy and its diagnostic performance varied substantially between hospitals (range: 23.8-79.3% and 25-60.7%, respectively); and the same was observed for transthoracic biopsy and its performance (range: 16.9-82.3% and 64.6-97%, respectively). Regarding major resection surgery (lobectomy or more extensive resection), the lowest rate was observed in hospital C (1%) and the highest in hospital B (2.8%), with between-hospital differences not reaching significance (P = 0.173). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of histological sampling before lung cancer surgery still varies between hospitals. In spite of very diverse multidisciplinary management, the rate of futile lobectomy is not significantly higher in hospitals with lower rates of preoperative histological analysis.

Comparison of 5-Year Survival and Disease Recurrence After Trisegmentectomy or Left Upper Lobectomy: A Propensity Score Analysis of the National GEVATS Database.

INTRODUCTION: Trisegmentectomy, or resection of the upper subdivision of the left upper lobe with preservation of the lingula, is considered by some authors to be equivalent to right upper lobectomy with middle lobe preservation. Our objective was to compare survival and recurrence after trisegmentectomy versus left upper lobectomy procedures registered in the Spanish Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery group (GEVATS) database. METHODS: We compared mortality, survival and recurrence in patients with left upper lobectomy or trisegmentectomy after propensity score matching for the following variables: age, smoking habit, tumor size, histologic type, radiological density of tumor, surgical access, forced expiratory volume in one second, diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide, hypertension, chronic heart failure, ischemic heart disease, arrhythmia, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes and pre-surgery nodal status by positron emission tomography/computed tomography. RESULTS: A total of 540 left upper lobectomies and 83 trisegmentectomies were registered in the GEVATS database. After propensity score matching, 134 left upper lobectomies and 67 trisegmentectomies were selected. Survival outcomes were similar, but differences were found for recurrence (21.5% for trisegmentectomies vs. 35.4% for left upper lobectomies, p=0.05). Moreover, the recurrence patterns differed, with the lobectomy group showing a greater tendency to distant dissemination. CONCLUSIONS: Trisegmentectomy and left upper lobectomy show similar 5-year survival rates. In our database, recurrence after trisegmentectomy was lower than after left upper lobectomy, while the recurrence pattern differed among the 2 surgical approaches, with a greater tendency to distant metastasis after left upper lobectomy.

Analgesic Efficacy and Safety of Intrathecal Morphine or Intercostal Levobupivacaine in Lung Cancer Patients after Major Lung Resection Surgery by Videothoracoscopy: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Lung resection using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) improves surgical accuracy and postoperative recovery. Unfortunately, moderate-to-severe acute postoperative pain is still inherent to the procedure, and a technique of choice has not been established for the appropriate control of pain. In this study, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of intrathecal morphine (ITM) with that of intercostal levobupivacaine (ICL). Methods: We conducted a single-center, prospective, randomized, observer-blinded, controlled trial among 181 adult patients undergoing VATS (ISRCTN12771155). Participants were randomized to receive ITM or ICL. Primary outcomes were the intensity of pain, assessed by a numeric rating scale (NRS) over the first 48 h after surgery, and the amount of intravenous morphine used. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of adverse effects, length of hospital stay, mortality, and chronic post-surgical pain at 6 and 12 months after surgery. Results: There are no statistically significant differences between ITM and ICL groups in pain intensity and evolution at rest. In cough-related pain, differences in pain trajectories over time are observed. Upon admission to the PACU, cough-related pain was higher in the ITM group, but the trend reversed after 6 h. There are no significant differences in adverse effects. The rate of chronic pain was low and did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: ITM can be considered an adequate and satisfactory regional technique for the control of acute postoperative pain in VATS, compatible with the multimodal rehabilitation and early discharge protocols used in these types of surgeries.

Results in mediastinal lymph node staging of surgical lung cancer: Data from the prospective cohort of the Spanish Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Group.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of combined computerised tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) in mediastinal staging of surgical lung cancer based on data obtained from the prospective cohort of the Spanish Group for Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (GEVATS). METHODS: A total of 2782 patients underwent surgery for primary lung carcinoma. We analysed diagnostic success in mediastinal lymph node staging (cN2) using CT and PET. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed of the factors involved in this success. The risk of unexpected pN2 disease was analysed for cases in which an invasive testing is recommended: cN1, the tumour centrally located or the tumour diameter >3 cm. RESULTS: The overall success of CT together with PET was 82.9% with a positive predictive value of 0.21 and negative predictive value of 0.93. If the tumour was larger than 3 cm and for each unit increase in mediastinal SUVmax, the probability of success was lower with OR 0.59 (0.44-0.79) and 0.71 (0.66-0.75), respectively. In the video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) approach, the probability of success was higher with OR 2.04 (1.52-2.73). The risk of unexpected pN2 increased with the risk factors cN1, the tumour centrally located or the tumour diameter >3 cm: from 4.5% (0 factors) to 18.8% (3 factors) but did not differ significantly as a function of whether invasive testing was performed. CONCLUSIONS: CT and PET together have a high negative predictive value. The overall success of the staging is lower in the case of tumours >3 cm and high mediastinal SUVmax, and it is higher when VATS is performed. The risk of unexpected pN2 is higher if the disease is cN1, the tumour centrally located or the tumour diameter >3 cm but does not vary significantly as a function of whether patients have undergone invasive testing.

Quantification of Pneumothorax Volume on Chest X-Ray: A More Accurate Index Based On Measurements Made With 3D-printed Models.

PURPOSE: Owing to the extent of lung collapse estimated on chest radiograph it is still the complementary test most commonly used in the management of patients with pneumothorax. There are several indices to assess the extent of lung collapse. The objective of this study was to develop a more accurate index, using the 3D printing technology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We created physical hemithorax models using 3D printing. In this way, we obtained simple radiographs of models for which the lung volume was known accurately. In the first part of the study, we estimated the intraobserver and interobserver agreement as well as the agreement between methods. We created 2 new indices and the results obtained with these; the Light index and the Collins method were compared with data on real lung volume loss using linear regression analysis and by calculating the coefficient of determination (r2). In the second part of the study, we validated the 4 equations, comparing the Light index, the Collins method, and the 2 new indices using regression analysis. For this analysis, we used STATA V14. RESULTS: Both intraobserver and interobserver agreements were very high (<0.9). The agreement between the Collins method and the Light index was poor, with a mean difference of 18.6%. The equation that best represented real lung collapse was the new equation 2. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the poor agreement between the Light index and Collins method for measuring the extent of lung collapse in pneumothorax and proposes a more accurate equation for this measurement based on a simple chest radiograph.

Treatment and intention-to-treat propensity score analysis to evaluate the impact of video-assisted thoracic surgery on 90-day mortality after anatomical resection for lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to know the treatment effect of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) on 90-day mortality after anatomical lung resection based on a nationwide cohort. METHODS: This is a multicentre prospective cohort of 2721 anatomical resections for lung cancer from December 2016 to March 2018. Treatment and intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses were performed after inverse probability score weighting and different propensity score matching algorithms. Covariate balance was assessed by standardized mean differences. The estimators reported were the average treatment effect, the average treatment effect on the treated and odds ratios after conditional logistic models with 95% confidence intervals. The unconfoundedness assumption was evaluated by sensitivity analysis for average treatment effect (c-dependence) and average treatment effect on the treated (Γ). RESULTS: VATS was the initial approach in 1911 patients (70.2%), though 273 cases (14.3%) had to be converted to thoracotomy. Ninety-day mortality rates were: treatment analysis (VATS 1.16% vs open 3.9%, P < 0.001), ITT analysis (VATS 1.78% vs open 3.36%, P = 0.012). After inverse probability score weighting and propensity score matching, in the treatment analysis, VATS meant absolute risk reductions between 2.25% and 2.96% and relative risk reductions between 65% and 70% [OR = 0.34 (95% confidence interval 0.15-0.79), all P-values <0.004). However, all the estimators turned out to be non-significant in the ITT analyses. A high sensitivity to unobservable confounders was proved (c-dependence 0.135, Γ = 1.5). CONCLUSIONS: VATS can reduce the risk of 90-day mortality after anatomical lung resection. However, the implications of conversion to thoracotomy, comparing ITT versus treatment analysis, and the potential impact of hidden bias should deserve further attention in the future.

Surgical Risk Following Anatomic Lung Resection in Thoracic Surgery: A Prediction Model Derived from a Spanish Multicenter Database. / Riesgo quirúrgico tras resección pulmonar anatómica en cirugía torácica. Modelo predictivo a partir de una base de datos nacional multicéntrica.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to develop a surgical risk prediction model in patients undergoing anatomic lung resections from the registry of the Spanish Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Group (GEVATS). METHODS: Data were collected from 3,533 patients undergoing anatomic lung resection for any diagnosis between December 20, 2016 and March 20, 2018. We defined a combined outcome variable: death or Clavien Dindo grade IV complication at 90 days after surgery. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed by logistic regression. Internal validation of the model was performed using resampling techniques. RESULTS: The incidence of the outcome variable was 4.29% (95% CI 3.6-4.9). The variables remaining in the final logistic model were: age, sex, previous lung cancer resection, dyspnea (mMRC), right pneumonectomy, and ppo DLCO. The performance parameters of the model adjusted by resampling were: C-statistic 0.712 (95% CI 0.648-0.750), Brier score 0.042 and bootstrap shrinkage 0.854. CONCLUSIONS: The risk prediction model obtained from the GEVATS database is a simple, valid, and reliable model that is a useful tool for establishing the risk of a patient undergoing anatomic lung resection.

[Review and update of the prognostic factors in lung metastasis surgery]. / Revisión y actualización de los factores pronósticos en la cirugía de las metástasis pulmonares.

INTRODUCTION: Since the International Registry of Lung Metastases established the factors that determine survival after performing lung metastasectomy in 1997, numerous studies have attempted to determine these prognostic factors of survival. Our objective has been to analyse the mortality, survival and disease-free survival lung metastasis surgery by studying the different variables that determine them. PATIENTS AND METHOD: All patients subjected to surgery for lung metastasectomy between 1998 and 2008 were included in this study. The Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were performed, as well as a Cox regression using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 178 lung metastases were removed in 146 patients during this period. The mean age was 62.22 years (median 63 years) and 64.6% were males. There were 2 cases (1.1%) of mortality and the incidence of complications was 5.02% (9 cases). The overall survival was 67.75 months with a 3 and 5 year survival of 67.4% and 52.4%, respectively. The variables that showed statistical significance in the multivariate analysis were: age disease free interval, number of nodules and size of nodules. The "state of the margins" variable was almost significant (P=.054). DISCUSSION: To have only one metastasis and it is less than 1cm, a long disease free interval, and a resection with free margins, are the most favourable prognostic factors after resection of lung metastasis.

VATS lobectomy morbidity and mortality is lower in patients with the same ppoDLCO: Analysis of the database of the Spanish Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Group.

INTRODUCTION: Measuring predicted post-operative diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (ppoDLCO) is essential to determine patient operability and to stratify the risk of patients who are candidates for major lung cancer surgery. Studies that established surgical risk variables were based on open surgery series. The aim of our study was to analyze morbidity and mortality as a function of ppoDLCO and to compare its behavior in open and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). METHODS: We compared 90-day mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing open surgery versus VATS as a function of decline in ppoDLCO. Propensity score matching (using age, ASA, arterial vascular disease, BMI, gender, stage, ppoDLCO, and ppoFEV1) was applied to create comparable open surgery and VATS groups. RESULTS: Of 2,530 patients with lung cancer and ppoDLCO values, a sample of 1,624 (812 per group) was obtained after score matching. The relative risk of mortality associated with thoracotomy in patients with ppoDLCO < 60 is 2.66 (p < 0.02) compared to VATS. The risk of thoracotomy in terms of overall and cardiac and respiratory morbidity is higher than that of VATS for almost all ppoDLCO values. CONCLUSIONS: Major resection by VATS shows lower morbidity and mortality in patients with the same ppoDLCO. A steady rise in the risk of mortality begins to occur at higher ppoDLCO values in thoracotomy (∼60) than in VATS (∼45).

VATS Lobectomy Morbidity and Mortality is Lower in Patients with the Same ppoDLCO: Analysis of the Database of the Spanish Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Group. / La lobectomía VATS tiene una menor morbimortalidad para una misma ppoDLCO: análisis de base de datos del Grupo Español de Cirugía Torácica Video-asistida.

INTRODUCTION: Measuring predicted post-operative diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (ppoDLCO) is essential to determine patient operability and to stratify the risk of patients who are candidates for major lung cancer surgery. Studies that established surgical risk variables were based on open surgery series. The aim of our study was to analyze morbidity and mortality as a function of ppoDLCO and to compare its behavior in open and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). METHODS: We compared 90-day mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing open surgery versus VATS as a function of decline in ppoDLCO. Propensity score matching (using age, ASA, arterial vascular disease, BMI, sexo, stage, ppoDLCO, and ppoFEV1) was applied to create comparable open surgery and VATS groups. RESULTS: Of 2,530 patients with lung cancer and ppoDLCO values, a sample of 1,624 (812 per group) was obtained after score matching. The relative risk of mortality associated with thoracotomy in patients with ppoDLCO<60 is 2.66 (P<.02) compared to VATS. The risk of thoracotomy in terms of overall and cardiac and respiratory morbidity is higher than that of VATS for almost all ppoDLCO values. CONCLUSIONS: Major resection by VATS shows lower morbidity and mortality in patients with the same ppoDLCO. A steady rise in the risk of mortality begins to occur at higher ppoDLCO values in thoracotomy (∼60) than in VATS (∼45).

Diagnostic accuracy of adenosine deaminase for pleural tuberculosis in a low prevalence setting: A machine learning approach within a 7-year prospective multi-center study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the performance of adenosine deaminase in pleural fluid combined with other parameters routinely measured in clinical practice and assisted by machine learning algorithms for the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis in a low prevalence setting, and secondly, to identify effusions that are non-tuberculous and most likely malignant. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively analyzed 230 consecutive patients diagnosed with lymphocytic exudative pleural effusion from March 2013 to June 2020. Diagnosis according to the composite reference standard was achieved in all cases. Pre-test probability of pleural tuberculosis was 3.8% throughout the study period. Parameters included were: levels of adenosine deaminase, pH, glucose, proteins, and lactate dehydrogenase, red and white cell counts and lymphocyte percentage in pleural fluid, as well as age. We tested six different machine learning-based classifiers to categorize the patients. Two different classifications were performed: a) tuberculous/non-tuberculous and b) tuberculous/malignant/other. RESULTS: Out of a total of 230 patients with pleural effusion included in the study, 124 were diagnosed with malignant effusion and 44 with pleural tuberculosis, while 62 were given other diagnoses. In the tuberculous/non-tuberculous classification, and taking into account the validation predictions, the support vector machine yielded the best result: an AUC of 0.98, accuracy of 97%, sensitivity of 91%, and specificity of 98%, whilst in the tuberculous/malignant/other classification, this type of classifier yielded an overall accuracy of 80%. With this three-class classifier, the same sensitivity and specificity was achieved in the tuberculous/other classification, but it also allowed the correct classification of 90% of malignant cases. CONCLUSION: The level of adenosine deaminase in pleural fluid together with cell count, other routine biochemical parameters and age, combined with a machine-learning approach, is suitable for the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis in a low prevalence scenario. Secondly, non-tuberculous effusions that are suspected to be malignant may also be identified with adequate accuracy.

Manual Versus Digital Aspiration for First-Line Treatment of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax. The AMVADI Study: A Randomized Clinical Trial. / Aspiración manual versus aspiración digital en el tratamiento inicial del neumotórax espontáneo primario: estudio AMVADI. Ensayo clínico aleatorizado.

INTRODUCTION: The effectiveness of needle aspiration in the initial treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax has been widely studied. The objective of this research was to compare digital with manual aspiration in a randomized clinical trial. METHODS: We designed a blinded parallel-group randomized clinical trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio. The clinical trial is reported in line with the guidelines of the CONSORT group. The primary outcome variables were immediate success and hospital admission, while the secondary outcome measures were relapse, re-admission and need for surgery, and length of hospital stay. A satisfaction survey was also carried out among clinicians who perform these 2 types of aspiration. RESULTS: A total of 67 patients were included in the study (n=36, control group; n=31, experimental group) with no losses to follow-up. In both groups, 58% of procedures were immediately successful, avoiding hospital admission. No differences were found in rates of relapse, re-admission, need for surgery, or length of hospital stay. Overall, 80% of clinicians who performed aspiration preferred the digital system, and this preference rose to 100% among clinicians who performed more than 5procedures a year. CONCLUSIONS: Both manual and digital aspiration provide good immediate results avoiding hospital admission, while digital drainage is preferred by clinicians responsible for first-line treatment of pneumothorax.

Spanish Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Group: Method, Auditing, and Initial Results From a National Prospective Cohort of Patients Receiving Anatomical Lung Resections.

INTRODUCTION: Our study sought to know the current implementation of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for anatomical lung resections in Spain. We present our initial results and describe the auditing systems developed by the Spanish VATS Group (GEVATS). METHODS: We conducted a prospective multicentre cohort study that included patients receiving anatomical lung resections between 12/20/2016 and 03/20/2018. The main quality controls consisted of determining the recruitment rate of each centre and the accuracy of the perioperative data collected based on six key variables. The implications of a low recruitment rate were analysed for "90-day mortality" and "Grade IIIb-V complications". RESULTS: The series was composed of 3533 cases (1917 VATS; 54.3%) across 33 departments. The centres' median recruitment rate was 99% (25-75th:76-100%), with an overall recruitment rate of 83% and a data accuracy of 98%. We were unable to demonstrate a significant association between the recruitment rate and the risk of morbidity/mortality, but a trend was found in the unadjusted analysis for those centres with recruitment rates lower than 80% (centres with 95-100% rates as reference): grade IIIb-V OR=0.61 (p=0.081), 90-day mortality OR=0.46 (p=0.051). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the anatomical lung resections in Spain are performed via VATS. According to our results, the centre's recruitment rate and its potential implications due to selection bias, should deserve further attention by the main voluntary multicentre studies of our speciality. The high representativeness as well as the reliability of the GEVATS data constitute a fundamental point of departure for this nationwide cohort.

Creation of a multidisciplinary and multicenter study group for the use of 3D printing in general thoracic surgery: lessons learned in our first year experience.

Introduction: In recent years, the use of 3D printing in medicine has grown exponentially, but the use of 3D technology has not been equally adopted by the different medical specialties. Published 3D printing activity in general thoracic surgery is scarce and has been mostly limited to case reports. The aim of this report was to reflect on the results and lessons learned from a newly created multidisciplinary and multicenter 3D unit of the Spanish Society of Thoracic Surgery (SECT). Methods: This is a pilot study to determine the feasibility and usefulness of printing 3D models for patients with thoracic malignancy or airway complications, based on real data. We designed a point-of-care 3D printing workflow involving thoracic surgeons, radiologists with experience in intrathoracic pathology, and engineers with experience in additive manufacturing. Results: In the first year of operation we generated 26 three-dimensional models out of 27 cases received (96.3%). In 9 cases a virtual model was sufficient for optimal patient handling, while in 17 cases a 3D model was printed. Per pathology, cases were classified as airway stenosis after lung transplantation (7 cases, 25.9%), tracheal pathology (7 cases, 25.9%), chest tumors (6 cases, 22.2%) carcinoid tumors (4 cases, 14.8%), mediastinal tumors (2 cases, 7.4%) and Pancoast tumors (one case, 3.7%). Conclusion: A multidisciplinary 3D laboratory is feasible in a hospital setting, and working as a multicenter group increases the number of cases and diversity of pathologies thus providing further opportunity to study the benefits of the 3D printing technology in general thoracic surgery.

SECT Clinical practice guideline on the management of patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. / Guía de práctica clínica de la SECT sobre el manejo de pacientes con neumotórax espontáneo.

This clinical practice guideline (CPG) emerges as an initiative of the scientific committee of the Spanish Society of Thoracic Surgery. We formulated PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome) questions on various aspects of spontaneous pneumothorax. For the evaluation of the quality of evidence and preparation of recommendations we followed the guidelines of the Grading of recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) working group.

Survival after pulmonary metastasectomy in colorectal cancer patients: does a history of resected liver metastases worsen the prognosis? A literature review.

OBJECTIVE: : To assess the impact of past liver metastases on the survival duration of patients who are undergoing surgery for lung metastases. METHODS: : We conducted a review of literature published from 2007 to 2014. The studies were identified by searching PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase and were supplemented by a manual search of the references listed by the retrieved studies. The following search terms were used: lung metastasectomy, pulmonary metastasectomy, lung metastases, and lung metastasis. We selected retrospective and prospective studies published from 2007 to 2014 on patients with lung metastases from colorectal cancer and were undergoing surgery with curative intent. We excluded reviews, studies that focused on surgical techniques, patients who were treated non-surgically, analyses of specific subgroups of patients, and those that did not report follow-up of the patients undergoing surgery. RESULTS: : We identified 28 papers that assessed survival after lung metastases, 21 of which were mostly retrospective studies that identified previous liver metastases to explore their impact on patient survival. In more than half of the papers analyzed (63.2%), patients with a history of resected liver metastases had a lower survival rate than those who did not have such a history, and the difference was statistically significant in eight of these studies. However, data were presented differently, and authors reported mean survival time, survival rates, or hazard ratios. CONCLUSIONS: : A history of liver metastases seems to be a negative prognostic factor, but the individual data need to undergo a meta-analysis.