Surgical Treatment of an Innominate Artery Aneurysm Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Cerebral Monitoring: A Case Report.

Innominate artery aneurysms are challenging for surgeons to treat because of the requirement for brain protection during surgery. In innominate artery aneurysms, the endovascular approach does not require cardiopulmonary bypass, but patients who can be treated using this approach are limited in number, and the long-term results of endovascular treatment are unclear. Here, we report our experience of successfully treating a patient with an innominate artery aneurysm using near-infrared spectroscopy without cardiopulmonary bypass support or hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Pediatric follicular bronchiolitis with severe atelectasis: a case report.

Follicular bronchiolitis is a rare pulmonary disorder characterized by the presence of multiple hyperplastic lymphoid follicles with a peribronchiolar distribution. An 11-year-old girl with total atelectasis of the right middle lobe (RML) and diffuse multiple small nodules at both lung bases presented to our hospital with frequent upper respiratory infections and pneumonia. The disease progressed during a 3-month period of macrolide therapy, and thoracoscopic biopsy with lobectomy of the atelectatic RML was performed. The histopathologic diagnosis was follicular bronchiolitis. The patient's pulmonary function improved dramatically after oral steroid treatment. It can be difficult to diagnose follicular bronchiolitis based solely on clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings; the disorder must be confirmed histopathologically. A patient with longstanding irreversible atelectasis and resulting recurrent respiratory infection may require lobectomy for the diagnosis and treatment of follicular bronchiolitis.

Preoperative Risk Factors for Pathologic N2 Metastasis in Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography-Diagnosed N0-1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Accurate mediastinal lymph node staging is vital for the optimal therapy and prognostication of patients with lung cancer. This study aimed to determine the preoperative risk factors for pN2 disease, as well as its incidence and long-term outcomes, in patients with clinical N0-1 non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients who were treated surgically for primary non-small cell lung cancer from November 2005 to December 2014. Patients staged as clinical N0-1 via chest computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET)-CT were divided into two groups (pN0-1 and pN2) and compared. RESULTS: In a univariate analysis, the significant preoperative risk factors for pN2 included a large tumor size (p=0.083), high maximum standard uptake value on PET (p<0.001), and central location of the tumor (p<0.001). In a multivariate analysis, central location of the tumor (p<0.001) remained a significant preoperative risk factor for pN2 status. The 5-year overall survival rates were 75% and 22.9% in the pN0-1 and pN2 groups, respectively, and 50% and 78.2% in the patients with centrally located and peripherally located tumors, respectively. In a Cox proportional hazard model, central location of the tumor increased the risk of death by 3.4-fold (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: More invasive procedures should be considered when pre-operative risk factors are identified in order to improve the efficacy of diagnostic and therapeutic plans and, consequently, the patient's prognosis.

Erratum: Staged Surgical Treatment of Primary Aortoesophageal Fistula.

[This corrects the article on p. 182 in vol. 52, PMID: 31236381.].

Staged Surgical Treatment of Primary Aortoesophageal Fistula.

Aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) is a rare and potentially fatal disease that causes massive gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent mortality. Controlling the massive bleeding is the most important aspect of treating AEF. The traditional surgical treatment was emergent thoracotomy, but intraoperative or perioperative mortality was high. We report a case of a patient presenting with hematemesis who was successfully treated by a staged treatment, in which bridging thoracic endovascular aortic repair was followed by delayed surgical repair of the esophagus and aorta.

Heterotopic Ossification of the Xiphoid Process after Abdominal Surgery for Traumatic Hemoperitoneum.

Heterotopic ossification of the xiphoid process is extremely rare, with only three cases previously reported. However, the surgical pathology for postoperative elongation of the xiphoid process after abdominal surgery has not yet been reported. We report a case of the postoperative elongation of the xiphoid process, 8 years after abdominal surgery for traumatic hemoperitoneum in a 53-year-old man. The patient underwent surgical excision of the elongated mass of the xiphoid process. Histopathology revealed multiple exostoses. Heterotopic ossification can occur after surgical trauma to soft or bone tissue. Surgical excision with primary closure is the treatment of choice for symptomatic heterotopic ossification.

The Risk Factors and Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury after Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the incidence, predictive factors, and impact of acute kidney injury (AKI) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). METHODS: A total of 53 patients who underwent 57 TEVAR operations between 2008 and 2015 were reviewed for the incidence of AKI as defined by the RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage kidney disease risk) consensus criteria. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was determined in the perioperative period. Comorbidities and postoperative outcomes were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Underlying aortic pathologies included 21 degenerative aortic aneurysms, 20 blunt traumatic aortic injuries, six type B aortic dissections, five type B intramural hematomas, three endoleaks and two miscellaneous diseases. The mean age of the patients was 61.2±17.5 years (range, 15 to 85 years). AKI was identified in 13 (22.8%) of 57 patients. There was an association of preoperative stroke and postoperative paraparesis and paraplegia with AKI. The average intensive care unit (ICU) stay in patients with AKI was significantly longer than in patients without AKI (5.3 vs. 12.7 days, p=0.017). The 30-day mortality rate in patients with AKI was significantly higher than patients without AKI (23.1% vs. 4.5%, p=0.038); however, AKI did not impact long-term survival. CONCLUSION: Preoperative stroke and postoperative paraparesis and paraplegia were identified as predictors for AKI. Patients with AKI experienced longer average ICU stays and greater 30-day mortality than those without AKI. Perioperative identification of high-risk patients, as well as nephroprotective strategies to reduce the incidence of AKI, should be considered as important aspects of a successful TEVAR procedure.

Selective Carotid Shunting Based on Intraoperative Transcranial Doppler Imaging during Carotid Endarterectomy: A Retrospective Single-Center Review.

BACKGROUND: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with selective shunting is the surgical method currently used to treat patients with carotid artery disease. We evaluated the incidence of major postoperative complications in patients who underwent CEA with selective shunting under transcranial Doppler (TCD) at our institution. METHODS: The records of 45 patients who underwent CEA with TCD-based selective shunting under general anesthesia from November 2009 to June 2015 were reviewed. The risk factors for postoperative complications were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Preoperative atrial fibrillation was observed in three patients. Plaque ulceration was detected in 10 patients (22.2%) by preoperative computed tomography imaging. High-level stenosis was observed in 16 patients (35.5%), and 18 patients had contralateral stenosis. Twenty patients (44.4%) required shunt placement due to reduced TCD flow or a poor temporal window. The 30-day mortality rate was 2.2%. No cases of major stroke were observed in the 30 days after surgery, but four cases of minor stroke were noted. Univariate analysis showed that preoperative atrial fibrillation (odds ratio [OR], 40; p=0.018) and ex-smoker status (OR, 17.5; p=0.021) were statistically significant risk factors for a minor stroke in the 30-day postoperative period. Analogously, multivariate analysis also found that atrial fibrillation (p<0.001) and ex-smoker status (p=0.002) were significant risk factors for a minor stroke in the 30-day postoperative period. No variables were identified as risk factors for 30-day major stroke or death. No wound complications were found, although one (2.2%) of the patients suffered from a hypoglossal nerve injury. CONCLUSION: TCD-based CEA is a safe and reliable method to treat patients with carotid artery disease. Preoperative atrial fibrillation and ex-smoker status were found to increase the postoperative risk of a small embolism leading to a minor neurologic deficit.

Cystic Mass on Right Atrium of Unusual Form of Chiari's Network: A Case Report.

Chiari's networks are present in 1.5% to 4% of the population. They are a congenital disease characterized by a remnant of the right valve of sinus venosus and rarely have clinical significance. Chiari's network, as the name implies, has network-like shape, but there are other forms of appearance. We have experienced a case of a 60-year-old woman who had a cystic mass on the right atrium. Surgical treatment was performed forthe mass removal and differential diagnosis of the mass. There was no evidence of other tumor, but Chiari's network. As cystic form of Chiari's network have not been reported before, it is the first report of cystic form of Chiari's network.

Thoracic Duct Cyst in Mediastinum - A case report -.

The thoracic duct cyst is an extremely rare cystic lesion in the mediastinum. Surgical treatment of the cyst is necessary to confirm histologic diagnosis and prevent potential complications such as spontaneous or traumatic rupture of the cyst and chylothorax.

Bilateral Mediastinal Lymphangiohemangiomas Containing Anomalous Venous Components - A case report -.

Lymphangiohemangiomas of the mediastinum are exceedingly rare and few cases have been published in the English literature. This report may be the only reported case in which lymphangiohemangiomas were found bilaterally. We report a case of a 7-year-old boy with an incidental finding of an abnormal mediastinal shadow on a chest X-ray. The chest CT showed a large mass in the left superior mediastinum and another in the right posterior mediastinum. The left mass had anomalous venous channels connected to the left innominate vein, and the right mass to the left atrium. We performed an excision of the mass in the left side first and then the right side one month later. Anomalous venous channels were dissected carefully and ligated. There were no complications and no signs of recurrence 30 months after the operation.

Comparison of operative mortality and complications between bronchoplastic lobectomy and pneumonectomy in lung cancer patients.

Bronchoplastic lobectomy is a lung-saving procedure indicated for central tumors, for which the alternative is pneumonectomy. We compared operative mortality and complications between bronchoplastic lobectomy and pneumonectomy in lung cancer patients. From March 1993 through December 2005, 1,461 patients were surgically resected for non-small cell lung cancer, including 73 who underwent bronchoplastic lobectomy and 258 who underwent pneumonectomy. Bronchoplastic lobectomy was performed on any lesion that could be completely resected by this technique, whereas pneumonectomy was only performed on lesions that could not be removed by bronchoplastic lobectomy. Operative deaths occurred in 1 of 73 (1.4%) bronchoplastic lobectomy and 26 of 258 (10.1%) pneumonectomy patients (p=0.014). Major complications occurred in 16 of 73 (21.9%) bronchoplastic lobectomy and 58 of 258 (22.5%) pneumonectomy patients (p=1.0). Bronchoplastic lobectomy has a lower risk of operative mortality than pneumonectomy. Although the complication rates were similar, bronchoplastic lobectomy was associated with improved postoperative cardiopulmonary status and a low prevalence of fatal complications after bronchial anastomosis. These findings indicate that bronchoplastic lobectomy is a valuable alternative to pneumonectomy for anatomically appropriate patients, regardless of underlying cardiopulmonary function.