Extracorporeal life support as a bridge to pulmonary retransplantation: prognostic factors for survival in a multicentre cohort analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary retransplant (ReTx) is considered a controversial procedure. Despite literature reporting outcomes following ReTx, limited data exist in recipients bridged to their ReTx on extracorporeal life support (ECLS). The goal of this study was to investigate the outcomes of recipients bridged to a first-time ReTx by ECLS. METHODS: We performed a retrospective multicentre cohort analysis from 10 centres in Europe, Asia and North America. The primary outcome was overall survival. Risk factors were analysed using Cox regression models. RESULTS: ECLS as a bridge to a first-time ReTx was performed in 50 recipients (ECLS-ReTx). During the study period, 210 recipients underwent a first-time ReTx without bridging on ECLS (regular-ReTx) and 4959 recipients had a primary pulmonary transplant (index-Tx). The overall 1-year (55%) and 5-year (29%) survival was significantly worse for the ECLS-ReTx group.Compared to the index-Tx group, the mortality risk was significantly higher after ECLS-ReTx [hazard ratio 2.76 (95% confidence interval 1.94-3.91); P < 0.001] and regular-ReTx [hazard ratio 1.65 (95% confidence interval 1.36-2); P < 0.001].In multivariable analysis, recipient age ≥35 years, time interval <1 year from index-Tx, primary graft dysfunction as transplant indication, venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and Zurich donor score ≥4 points were significant risk factors for mortality in ECLS-ReTx recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Recipients for ECLS-ReTx should be carefully selected. Risk factors, such as recipient age, intertransplant interval, primary graft dysfunction as transplant indication and type of ECLS should be kept in mind before bridging these patients on ECLS to ReTx.

A Right Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Enucleation of a Calcified Esophageal Leiomyoma: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Benign esophageal tumors are considered rare, and most commonly are leiomyomas with the incidence of 0.005%. They arise intramurally in the distal two-thirds of the esophagus and are multiple in about 5% of patients. Leiomyoma lesions can mimic esophageal cancer making the diagnosis more challenging. Many cases are asymptomatic, up to 15%-50%, and most cases are discovered incidentally during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and other procedures. The treatment of choice for symptomatic leiomyomas to relieve the compression is surgical enucleation with either an open thoracotomy, submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection, a video-assisted thoracoscopic approach (VATS), or with robotic techniques. CASE REPORT Here we report a case of a 53-year-old Saudi female patient who presented with dysphagia which had been ongoing for a long time. There were no other associated symptoms such as dyspepsia, nausea, or vomiting. She was diagnosed with a calcified leiomyoma of the esophagus based on a computed tomography (CT) scan and an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) finding. After thorough investigations and workups, the management plan was taken at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre by preforming a right video-assisted thoracoscopic enucleation. CONCLUSIONS The aim of this case report was to add to the literature by reporting the satisfactory outcomes of right video-assisted enucleation contrary to other surgical approaches that have been discussed in the literature.