Ultralow-Dose Dynamic Expiratory CT and Repeated Imaging Enhance Evaluation for Tracheomalacia.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine if a novel imaging protocol (ultralow-dose dynamic expiratory computed tomography [CT] with repeated imaging) identifies tracheomalacia (TM) more reliably than traditional dynamic tracheal CT. METHODS: We performed a retrospective evaluation of 184 consecutive ultralow-dose dynamic CTs for TM during 2017. The protocol obtains images during 1 inspiration and 2 forced expirations. Tracheal narrowing during both expirations (airway narrowing [percentage] during first dynamic expiration CT [DE1], airway narrowing [percentage] during second dynamic expiration CT [DE2]) was reported as a percentage of inspiratory area. We identified maximum narrowing of each patient's sequence (maximum narrowing [percentage] on either dynamic expiration CT [DEmax] = greatest narrowing of DE1 or DE2) and compared DE1, DE2, and DEmax in individual studies and between patients. Outcomes included frequency of TM, tracheal narrowing, and severity. Reliability was assessed by comparing tracheal area narrowing and TM grade. RESULTS: There was significantly more airway narrowing using 2 expiratory image acquisitions. Average DEmax tracheal area was 12% narrower than DE1 alone and 21% worse than DE2 alone (both P < 0.001). Using DEmax, TM was diagnosed 35% more often than DE1 alone and 31% more often than DE2 alone ( P < 0.001). DEmax identified more severe distribution of TM compared with DE1 or DE2 alone ( P < 0.001). Reliability between DE1 and DE2 was good for tracheal narrowing and moderate for TM grade. The mean effective radiation dose was 2.41 millisievert (mSv) for routine inspiration CT and 0.07 mSv for each dynamic expiration CT (total effective radiation, 2.55 mSv). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic expiration CT with 2 expiratory image acquisitions enhanced evaluation of TM, minimally increased radiation dose, and should be considered as a noninvasive screening option.

Pulmonary Open, Robotic, and Thoracoscopic Lobectomy (PORTaL) Study: Survival Analysis of 6646 Cases.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze overall survival (OS) of robotic-assisted lobectomy (RL), video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (VATS), and open lobectomy (OL) performed by experienced thoracic surgeons across multiple institutions. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Surgeons have increasingly adopted RL for resection of early-stage lung cancer. Comparative survival data following these approaches is largely from single-institution case series or administrative data sets. METHODS: Retrospective data was collected from 21 institutions from 2013 to 2019. Consecutive cases performed for clinical stage IA-IIIA lung cancer were included. Induction therapy patients were excluded. The propensity-score method of inverse-probability of treatment weighting was used to balance baseline characteristics. OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate association among OS and relevant risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 2789 RL, 2661 VATS, and 1196 OL cases were included. The unadjusted 5-year OS rate was highest for OL (84%) followed by RL (81%) and VATS (74%); P =0.008. Similar trends were also observed after inverse-probability of treatment weighting adjustment (RL 81%; VATS 73%, OL 85%, P =0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that OL and RL were associated with significantly higher OS compared with VATS (OL vs. VATS: hazard ratio=0.64, P <0.001 and RL vs. VATS: hazard ratio=0.79; P =0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Our finding from this large multicenter study suggests that patients undergoing RL and OL have statistically similar OS, while the VATS group was associated with shorter OS. Further studies with longer follow-up are necessary to help evaluate these observations.

Pulmonary Open, Robotic, and Thoracoscopic Lobectomy (PORTaL) Study: An Analysis of 5721 Cases.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze outcomes of open lobectomy (OL), VATS, and robotic-assisted lobectomy (RL). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Robotic-assisted lobectomy has seen increasing adoption for treatment of early-stage lung cancer. Comparative data regarding these approaches is largely from single-institution case series or administrative datasets. METHODS: Retrospective data was collected from 21 institutions from 2013 to 2019. All consecutive cases performed for clinical stage IA-IIIA lung cancer were included. Neoadjuvant cases were excluded. Propensity-score matching (1:1) was based on age, sex, race, smoking-status, FEV1%, Zubrod score, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, tumor size, and clinical T and N stage. RESULTS: A total of 2391 RL, 2174 VATS, and 1156 OL cases were included. After propensity-score matching there were 885 pairs of RL vs OL, 1,711 pairs of RL vs VATS, and 952 pairs of VATS vs OL. Operative time for RL was shorter than VATS ( P < 0.0001) and OL ( P = 0.0004). Compared to OL, RL and VATS had less overall postoperative complications, shorter hospital stay (LOS), and lower transfusion rates (all P <0.02). Compared to VATS, RL had lower conversion rate ( P <0.0001), shorter hospital stay ( P <0.0001) and a lower postoperative transfusion rate ( P =0.01). RL and VATS cohorts had comparable postoperative complication rates. In-hospital mortality was comparable between all groups. CONCLUSIONS: RL and VATS approaches were associated with favorable perioperative outcomes compared to OL. Robotic-assisted lobectomy was also associated with a reduced length of stay and decreased conversion rate when compared to VATS.

Ultralow Dose Dynamic Expiratory Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Tracheomalacia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the average effective radiation dose and feasibility of ultralow dose dynamic expiratory computed tomography (CT) for evaluation of tracheomalacia (ULD) and to evaluate factors that impact image quality. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 64 consecutive patients from September to October 2016 for the evaluation of tracheomalacia. All studies were performed with routine inspiration chest CT followed by ULD z(kilovoltage peak (kVp) 80, 100, or 120 and fixed milliamperage 10) or typical dose CT (TD) (kVp 100 or 120 with automated milliamperage) dynamic expiration CT. Image quality was considered diagnostic if the trachea area could be accurately measured for tracheomalacia assessment, and diagnostic studies were graded fair, good, or excellent. Scan length, image quality, and effective radiation dose were compared for ULD versus TD and ULD at 100 kVp versus ULD at 80 kVp. For ULD studies, patient factors were compared across image quality. RESULTS: The ULD had a mean effective radiation dose of 0.08 mSv, with all studies of diagnostic image quality. The ULD showed 95% reduction in effective radiation dose (P < 0.001), 14% significant reduction in scan length (P = 0.029), and qualitatively decreased image quality compared w2 ith TD (P < 0.001). The ULD at 100 kVp had significantly better image quality compared with ULD at 80 kVp (P = 0.041) with higher effective radiation dose (0.09 vs 0.05 mSv) (P < 0.001). Body mass index significantly impacted image quality for all ULD studies but not for ULD at 80 or 100 kVp. CONCLUSION: For evaluation of tracheomalacia, ULD showed low effective radiation dose less than 0.1 mSv and maintained diagnostic image quality.

Tracheobronchoplasty: Indications and Best Approaches.

Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) is an increasingly recognized abnormality of the central airways in patients with respiratory symptoms. Severe TBM in symptomatic patients warrants screening dynamic CT of the chest and/or awake dynamic bronchoscopy. The goal of surgical repair is to restore the C-shaped configuration of the airway lumen and splint or secure the lax posterior membrane to the mesh to ameliorate symptoms. Robotic tracheobronchoplasty is safe and associated with improvements in pulmonary function and subjective improvement in quality of life.

Improvement in postoperative lung function in patients with moderate to severe airway obstruction after robotic-assisted thoracoscopic tracheobronchoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to examine pulmonary function and quality of life improvement after robotic-assisted thoracoscopic tracheobronchoplasty for patients with different degrees of obstructive airway disease. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of a prospective database of patients who underwent robotic-assisted thoracoscopic tracheobronchoplasty between 2013 and 2020. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients underwent robotic-assisted thoracoscopic tracheobronchoplasty. Preoperative and postoperative pulmonary function tests were available for 108 patients. Postoperative pulmonary function tests at a median of 16 months demonstrated a significant increase in percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (preoperative median: 76.76% predicted, postoperative: 83% predicted, P = .002). Preoperative and postoperative St George Respiratory Questionnaires were available for 64 patients with a significant decrease in postoperative score at a median of 7 months (preoperative median: 61, postoperative: 41.60, P < .001). When stratified by preoperative degree of obstruction, robotic-assisted thoracoscopic tracheobronchoplasty improved forced expiratory volume in 1 second in moderate to very severe obstruction with a statistically significant improvement in moderate (preoperative median: 63.91% predicted, postoperative median: 73% predicted, P = .001) and severe (preoperative median: 44% predicted, postoperative median: 57% predicted, P = .007) obstruction. St George Respiratory Questionnaire scores improved for all patients. Improvement for mild (preoperative median: 61.27, postoperative median: 36.71, P < .001) and moderate (preoperative median: 57.15, postoperative median: 47.52, P = .03) obstruction was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic tracheobronchoplasty improves obstruction and symptoms. With limited follow-up, subgroup analysis showed forced expiratory volume in 1 second improved in severe preoperative obstruction and quality of life improved in moderate obstruction. Future follow-up is required to determine robotic-assisted thoracoscopic tracheobronchoplasty effects on the most severe group, but we cannot conclude that increased degree of preoperative obstruction precludes surgery.

Cough and Progressive Pleuritic Chest Pain With an Enlarging Cavity on Imaging.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 49-year-old woman sought treatment at the hospital for evaluation of an enlarging cavitary mass of the right lung associated with worsening ipsilateral pleuritic chest pain and cough. She had recent hospitalizations for complications relating to recurrent lung abscesses, including one in which she underwent wedge resection of the right lung. She had been treated with several courses of antibiotics, which only temporarily relieved her symptoms. She did not report any fevers, chills, skin changes, diarrhea, or changes to her bowel habits. Her long-term medications included albuterol, dapsone, and prednisone 15 mg or 20 mg doses alternating daily. Her only past medical history was asthma and primary cutaneous pyoderma gangrenosum. The patient never smoked and did not report any recent sick contacts.

Robotic-assisted tracheobronchoplasty: Quality of life and pulmonary function assessment on intermediate follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: The initial description of robotic tracheobronchoplasty for the treatment of tracheobronchomalacia demonstrated feasibility, safety, and short-term symptomatic and functional improvement. The purpose of the current study was to demonstrate intermediate outcomes in postoperative pulmonary function and quality of life after robotic tracheobronchoplasty. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected clinical data from 42 patients who underwent robotic tracheobronchoplasty from May 2016 to December 2017. The Institutional Review Board or equivalent ethics committee of the Northwell Health approved the study protocol and publication of data. Patient written consent for the publication of the study data was waived by the Institutional Review Board. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients underwent robotic tracheobronchoplasty during the study period. Median total follow-up is 40 months. There was 1 death since surgery from an unrelated disease. Significant decreases in St George's Respiratory Questionnaire total score (preoperative mean: 64.01, postoperative mean: 38.91, P = .002), St George's Respiratory Questionnaire symptom score (preoperative median: 82.6, postoperative median: 43.99, P < .001), and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire impact score (preoperative median: 55.78, postoperative median: 25.95, P < .001) were apparent at a median follow-up of 13 months. Comparison of preoperative and postoperative pulmonary function tests revealed a significant increase in percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (preoperative median: 74% vs postoperative median: 82%, P = .001), forced vital capacity (preoperative median: 68.5% vs postoperative median: 80.63%, P < .001), and peak expiratory flow (preoperative median: 61.5% vs postoperative median: 75%, P = .02) measured at a median follow-up of 29 months. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic tracheobronchoplasty is associated with low intermediate-term mortality. Robotic tracheobronchoplasty results in significant improvement in quality of life and postoperative pulmonary function. Longer-term follow-up is necessary to continue to elucidate the effect of robotic tracheobronchoplasty on halting pathologic progression of tracheobronchomalacia and to determine the long-term impact of tracheobronchoplasty on symptomatic and functional improvement.

Robotic-assisted closed-chest management of a fungal-infected prosthetic aortic graft: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Fungal prosthetic graft infections are associated with high mortality, typically requiring aggressive surgical debridement. We present an alternative, minimally invasive approach to address these challenging clinical cases. CASE PRESENTATION: A 76-year-old Caucasian male with prior aortic root and arch replacement presented with localized chest wall tenderness after being hit by a car door. Computed tomography angiogram incidentally identified fluid in the anterior mediastinum, surrounding his ascending aortic graft. Rather than undertaking a high-risk reoperative sternotomy and redo complex aortic reconstruction, we elected to proceed with a robotic-assisted, minimally invasive debridement of the aortic graft, coupled with an omental wrap, entirely within the closed chest. Microbiology was positive for Aspergillus species. The patient made an uncomplicated recovery and was discharged home on antifungal therapy, likely to continue indefinitely. CONCLUSIONS: Infected prosthetic aortic grafts can be successfully managed with debridement and pedicled omental flap coverage via a minimally invasive approach within the closed chest, obviating the morbidity of a complex reoperative open procedure.

A Delphi Consensus report from the "Prolonged Air Leak: A Survey" study group on prevention and management of postoperative air leaks after minimally invasive anatomical resections.

OBJECTIVES: This study reports the results of an international expert consensus process evaluating the assessment of intraoperative air leaks (IAL) and treatment of postoperative prolonged air leaks (PAL) utilizing a Delphi process, with the aim of helping standardization and improving practice. METHODS: A panel of 45 questions was developed and submitted to an international working group of experts in minimally invasive lung cancer surgery. Modified Delphi methodology was used to review responses, including 3 rounds of voting. The consensus was defined a priori as >50% agreement among the experts. Clinical practice standards were graded as recommended or highly recommended if 50-74% or >75% of the experts reached an agreement, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 32 experts from 18 countries completed the questionnaires in all 3 rounds. Respondents agreed that PAL are defined as >5 days and that current risk models are rarely used. The consensus was reached in 33/45 issues (73.3%). IAL were classified as mild (<100 ml/min; 81%), moderate (100-400 ml/min; 71%) and severe (>400 ml/min; 74%). If mild IAL are detected, 68% do not treat; if moderate, consensus was not; if severe, 90% favoured treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This expert consensus working group reached an agreement on the majority of issues regarding the detection and management of IAL and PAL. In the absence of prospective, randomized evidence supporting most of these clinical decisions, this document may serve as a guideline to reduce practice variation.

A 54-Year-Old Man With Chronic Cough and Recurrent Upper Respiratory Infection.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 54-year-old man sought treatment at the ED for a productive cough with green phlegm of approximately 6 months' duration that was accompanied by a 10-pound weight loss, night sweats, and occasional subjective fevers. He had made several prior visits to the ED for the cough and was hospitalized 4 months earlier for similar symptoms, at which time he underwent a bronchoscopy with BAL and was discharged with antibiotics for presumed pneumonia. He did not report any itching, rashes, sinus infections, joint swelling, joint pain, or GI symptoms. His long-term medications included omeprazole and amlodipine. The patient had a past medical history of grade III follicular lymphoma for which he completed six cycles of bendamustine 4 years before presentation and had been in remission since. He was a never smoker, had a recent travel history to the Dominican Republic 8 months before admission, and had no recent sick contacts.

Robotic Pneumonectomy for Lung Cancer: Perioperative Outcomes and Factors Leading to Conversion to Thoracotomy.

OBJECTIVE: In the tide of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, few cases of robot-assisted pneumonectomy exist in the literature. This study evaluates the perioperative outcomes and risk factors for conversion to thoracotomy with an initial robotic approach to pneumonectomy for lung cancer. METHODS: This study is a single-center retrospective review of all pneumonectomies for lung cancer with an initial robotic approach between 2015 and 2019. Patients were divided into 2 groups: surgeries completed robotically and surgeries converted to thoracotomy. Patient demographics, preoperative clinical data, surgical pathology, and perioperative outcomes were compared for meaningful differences between the groups. RESULTS: Thirteen total patients underwent robotic pneumonectomy with 8 of them completed robotically and 5 converted to thoracotomy. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics between the groups. The Robotic group had a shorter operative time (P < 0.01) and less estimated blood loss (P = 0.02). There were more lymph nodes harvested in the Robotic group (P = 0.08) but without statistical significance. There were 2 major complications in the Robotic group and none in the Conversion group. Neither tumor size nor stage were predictive of conversion to thoracotomy. Conversions decreased over time with a majority occurring in the first 2 years. There were no conversions for bleeding and no mortalities. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic pneumonectomy for lung cancer is a safe procedure and a reasonable alternative to thoracotomy. With meticulous technique, major bleeding can be avoided and most procedures can be completed robotically. Larger studies are needed to elucidate any advantages of a robotic versus open approach.

Quality of life outcomes in tracheobronchomalacia surgery.

Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) is an obstructive airway disease characterized by laxity and redundancy of the posterior membrane of the main airways leading to dynamic airway collapse during exhalation. The gold standard for diagnosis is dynamic computed tomography (DCT) scan and dynamic flexible bronchoscopy (DFB). Patients with complete or near-complete collapse (>90% reduction in cross-sectional area) of the airway are possible candidates for surgical management. Central airway stabilization by tracheobronchoplasty (TBP) effectively corrects malacic airways and has demonstrated significant improvement in objective functional measures, which is often but not uniformly accompanied by equal improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) metrics. This article reviews HRQOL instruments used to report outcomes after TBM surgery.

Switching from Thoracoscopic to Robotic Platform for Lobectomy: Report of Learning Curve and Outcome.

OBJECTIVE: The optimal minimally invasive surgical management for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. For experienced video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) surgeons, the increased costs and learning curve are strong barriers for adoption of robotics. We examined the learning curve and outcome of an experienced VATS lobectomy surgeon switching to a robotic platform. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review to identify patients who underwent a robotic or VATS lobectomy for NSCLC from 2016 to 2018. Analysis of patient demographics, perioperative data, pathological upstaging rates, and robotic approach (RA) learning curve was performed. RESULTS: This study evaluated 167 lobectomies in total, 118 by RA and 49 by VATS. Patient and tumor characteristics were similar. RA had significantly more lymph node harvested (14 versus 10; P = 0.004), more nodal stations sampled (5 versus 4; P < 0.001), and more N1 nodes (8 versus 6; P = 0.010) and N2 nodes (6 versus 4; P = 0.017) resected. With RA, 22 patients were upstaged (18.6%) compared to 5 patients (10.2%) with VATS (P = 0.26). No differences were found in perioperative outcome. Operative time decreased significantly with a learning curve of 20 cases, along with a steady increase in lymph node yield. CONCLUSIONS: RA can be adopted safely by experienced VATS surgeons. Learning curve is 20 cases, with RA resulting in superior lymph node clearance compared to VATS. The potential improvement in upstaging and oncologic resection for NSCLC may justify the associated investments of robotics even for experienced VATS surgeons.

Association Between Inhaled Corticosteroids and Tracheobronchomalacia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess any association between use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and tracheobronchomalacia (TBM). METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of patients with asthma and COPD, with and without TBM. Patients were diagnosed with TBM on the basis of CT imaging, flexible bronchoscopy, or both. Patients were deemed to be on ICS if they had been receiving treatment for at least 3 months. Simple logistic regression models were used to assess the association between TBM status and each proposed factor. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess the association between TBM and steroid dose. RESULTS: A total of 463 patients with COPD (n = 153) and asthma (n = 310) were studied. In multivariate analysis, the odds of TBM were 3.5 times higher in patients on high-dose steroids compared with patients not on steroids (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.4-8.5; P = .007). Age (P < .0001), presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (P < .0001), use of long-acting muscarinic antagonists (P < .0001), and type of pulmonary disease (P = .002) were also associated with TBM. In patients using ICS, the odds of having TBM were 2.9 times greater in patients on high-dose inhaled steroids compared with those on low-dose inhaled steroids (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2-7.1; P = .02). Age (P = .003), presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (P = .002), use of long-acting muscarinic antagonists (P = .004), type of ICS (P = .04), and number of months on ICS (P < .0001) were all associated with TBM. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant association between ICS use in higher doses for a longer duration of time with TBM. Prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to show causality of this observed association.

Minimally invasive robotic-assisted excision of an aortopulmonary mediastinal paraganglioma.

Aortopulmonary paragangliomas are rare, neural crest-derived tumours that arise in the aortopulmonary window and present a significant surgical challenge due to their proximity to major vessels. In the relatively few cases reported in the study, thoracotomy and video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS) approaches have been utilized for the treatment of such masses. In this report, we describe the application of a totally endoscopic robotic-assisted VATS approach for the excision of an aortopulmonary paraganglioma.

First series of minimally invasive, robot-assisted tracheobronchoplasty with mesh for severe tracheobronchomalacia.

OBJECTIVE: Tracheobronchomalacia is a progressive, debilitating disease with limited treatment options. Open tracheobronchoplasty (TBP) is an accepted surgical option for management of severe tracheobronchomalacia. This study examined the outcomes of the first reported series of robot-assisted TBP (R-TBP). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with clinical suspicion for tracheobronchomalacia who had dynamic computed tomography scan and subsequent R-TBP from May 2016 to December 2017. RESULTS: Four hundred thirty-five patients underwent dynamic computed tomography scan for suspicion of tracheobronchomalacia. Of this group, 42 patients underwent R-TBP. In the surgery group, the median age was 66 years (interquartile range, 39-72 years) and there were 30 women (71%). Respiratory comorbidities included asthma (88%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (52%). The median operative time was 249 minutes (interquartile range, 266-277 minutes). Median hospital length of stay was 3 days (interquartile range, 2-4.75 days), and there were 19 postoperative complications (11 minor and 8 major). There were no mortalities at 90 days. Comparison of preoperative and postoperative pulmonary function testing demonstrated improvement in forced expiratory volume at 1 second by 13.5% (P = .01), forced vital capacity by 14.5% (P < .0001), and peak expiratory flow rate by 21.0% (P < .0001). Quality of life questionnaires also showed improvement with 82% reporting overall satisfaction with the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: R-TBP can be performed with low morbidity and mortality. Early follow-up reveals significant improvement in pulmonary function testing and high patient satisfaction when compared with preoperative baseline. Long-term follow-up is needed to demonstrate the durability of R-TBP and substantiate its role in the management of patients with symptomatic, severe tracheobronchomalacia.