What have we learned in interventional pulmonology in the past decade?

Background/aim: The increasing number of lung diseases and particularly pulmonary malignancies has intensified the need for diverse interventions in the field of interventional pulmonology. In recent years we have seen many new developments and expanding applications in the field of interventional pulmonology. This has resulted in an increased number and variety of performed procedures and differing approaches. The purpose of the present study is to provide information on patient characteristics, range of interventions, complication rates, and the evolving approach of an experienced center for interventional pulmonology. Materials and methods: We retrospectively examined the records of 1307 patients who underwent a total of 2029 interventional procedures in our interventional pulmonology department between January 2008 and December 2017. Results: About half of the interventional procedures (47.2%) were performed on patients with airway stenosis due to malignant disease. Among patients with benign airway stenosis, the most frequent reason for intervention was postintubation tracheal stenosis. The number of patients who developed complications was 81 (6.2%), and the most common complication was hemorrhage (n = 31, 2.99%); 94.9% (n = 1240) of interventional procedures were performed under general anesthesia, without complications or deaths associated with anesthesia. Only one death (0.076%) occurred in the perioperative period. A total of 18 patients (1.38%) died in the 30-day perioperative and postoperative period. None of the patients with benign airway stenosis died. Conclusion: Interventional bronchoscopy is an invasive but considerably safe and efficient procedure for selected cases and effective treatment modality for airway obstructions, massive hemoptysis, and foreign body aspiration. Interventional pulmonology is a field of pulmonary medicine that needs effort to progress and provide an opportunity to witness relevant developments, and increase the number of competent physicians and centers.

New trends in interventional pulmonology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: As the field of interventional pulmonology continues to expand and develop at a rapid pace, anesthesiologists are increasingly called upon to provide well tolerated anesthetic care during these procedures. These patients may not be candidates for surgical treatment and often have multiple comorbidities. It is important for anesthesiologists to familiarize themselves with these procedures and their associated risks and complications. RECENT FINDINGS: The scope of the interventional pulmonologist's practice is varied and includes both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Bronchial thermoplasty is now offered as endoscopic treatment of severe asthma. Endobronchial lung volume reduction procedures are currently undergoing clinical trials and may become more commonplace. Interventional pulmonologists are performing medical thoracoscopy for the treatment and diagnosis of pleural disorders. Interventional radiologists are performing complex pulmonary procedures, often requiring anesthesia. SUMMARY: The review summarizes the procedures now commonly performed by interventional pulmonologists and interventional radiologists. It discusses the anesthetic considerations for and common complications of these procedures to prepare anesthesiologists to safely care for these patients. Investigational techniques are also described.

Extravascular Lung Water and Tissue Perfusion Biomarkers After Lung Resection Surgery Under a Normovolemic Fluid Protocol.

OBJECTIVE: The optimal fluid management for lung resection surgery remains undefined. Concern related to postoperative pulmonary edema has led to the practice of fluid restriction. This practice risks hypovolemia and tissue hypoperfusion. The authors examined the extravascular lung water accumulation and tissue perfusion biomarkers under protective lung ventilation and normovolemia. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. SETTING: A single-center study. PARTICIPANTS: Forty patients aged 18 years or older undergoing lung resection surgery. INTERVENTION: Patients were maintained on protective lung ventilation and a normovolemic fluid protocol. Hemodynamic variables, including global end-diastolic volume index, cardiac index, and extravascular lung water index, together with tissue perfusion biomarkers, including serum creatinine, lactic acid, central venous oxygen saturation, and brain natriuretic peptide, were measured perioperatively. Parametric or nonparametric techniques were used to assess changes of these parameters over 72 hours postoperatively. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The global end-diastolic volume index was maintained; cardiac index was increased, without a significant change in extravascular lung water index. Acute kidney injury based on AKIN criteria occurred in 3 patients (7.5%), and in 1 patient (2.5 %) based on RIFLE criteria. Lactic acid and central venous oxygen saturation remained within normal limits, and brain natriuretic peptide showed an insignificant increase. CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing lesser lung resections, a fluid protocol targeting normovolemia together with protective lung ventilation did not increase extravascular lung water. These results suggest further study to identify the optimal fluid regimen to mitigate pulmonic and extrapulmonic complications after lung resection.

Randomized phase III trial of prophylactic cranial irradiation versus observation in patients with fully resected stage IIIA-N2 nonsmall-cell lung cancer and high risk of cerebral metastases after adjuvant chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: This study compared prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) with observation in patients with resected stage IIIA-N2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and high risk of cerebral metastases after adjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this open-label, randomized, phase III trial, patients with fully resected postoperative pathologically confirmed stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC and high cerebral metastases risk without recurrence after postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were randomly assigned to receive PCI (30 Gy in 10 fractions) or observation. The primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS). The secondary end points included the incidence of brain metastases, overall survival (OS), toxicity and quality of life. RESULTS: This trial was terminated early after the random assignment of 156 patients (81 to PCI group and 75 to control group). The PCI group had significantly lengthened DFS compared with the control group, with a median DFS of 28.5 months versus 21.2 months [hazard ratio (HR), 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46-0.98; P = 0.037]. PCI was associated with a decrease in risk of brain metastases (the actuarial 5-year brain metastases rate, 20.3% versus 49.9%; HR, 0.28; 95% CI 0.14-0.57; P < 0.001). The median OS was 31.2 months in the PCI group and 27.4 months in the control group (HR, 0.81; 95% CI 0.56-1.16; P = 0.310). While main toxicities were headache, nausea/vomiting and fatigue in the PCI group, they were generally mild. CONCLUSION: In patients with fully resected postoperative pathologically confirmed stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC and high risk of cerebral metastases after adjuvant chemotherapy, PCI prolongs DFS and decreases the incidence of brain metastases.

Recent evidence, advances, and current practices in surgical treatment of lung cancer.

In the last 10-15 years, strategies and modalities of lung cancer treatment have changed dramatically. Meanwhile, the treatment objectives, the lung cancers themselves, have also changed, probably owing to early detection by computed tomography and aging of the population. In particular, the proportions of smaller lung cancers, lung adenocarcinomas with ground-glass opacity, and lung cancers in older patients are increasing. Along with these changes, surgeons have innovated and evaluated novel procedures for pulmonary resection. These include the application of minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and robotic surgery, and sub-lobar resection, such as wedge resection and segmentectomy, for small peripheral lung cancers. Currently, VATS has gained wide acceptance and several institutions in Japan have started using robotic surgery for lung cancers. Two important clinical trials of sub-lobar resection for small peripheral lung cancers are now underway in Japan. In addition, surgery itself is of growing importance in lung cancer treatment. In particular, recent evidence supports the use of surgery in strictly selected patients with locally advanced disease, lung cancers with N2 lymph node metastases, small cell lung cancers, recurrent oligo-metastasis after pulmonary resection, or relapsed tumors after drug treatment. Surgical treatment also provides abundant tumor samples for molecular analysis, which can be used for drug selection in the adjuvant setting or after disease relapse. In the era of personalized treatment, surgery is still one of the most important treatment modalities to combat lung cancer.

Surgery for aspergilloma: time trend towards improved results?

Surgery of aspergilloma has been renowned to be technically challenging and has a high complication rate. We have already demonstrated an improved outcome as a result of a reduction in complex cases related to history of tuberculosis. In this paper we will evaluate whether this time trend has continued during recent years. Initial presentation and postoperative outcome of 33 patients who underwent surgical treatment between 1998 and 2009 were reviewed and compared with two previous reports (group 1: 55 patients from 1974 to 1991; group 2: 12 patients from 1992 to 1997). Underlying disease was tuberculosis in 15% of patients (57% in group 1, 17% in group 2), and 12% of patients had complex aspergillomas (80% in group 1, 41% in group 2). Postoperatively, there was no mortality (5% in group 1, 0% in group 2). Morbidity decreased progressively in terms of bleeding (44% in group 1, 9% in group 2, and 6% in recently, accrued patients), of pleural space problems (47%, 18% and 12%, respectively), and of prolonged hospital stay (32%, 8% and 6%, respectively). With a decreased postoperative complications rate after resection, contemporary surgery of aspergilloma is safe and offers satisfactory early and long-term results.

Lung cancer: new surgical approaches.

Over the past two decades, many surgical specialties have seen a dramatic shift from large, open operations with wide incisions towards more-minimal incisions and less-invasive procedures. Surgical techniques for lung cancer are no exception, and today, video-assisted thoracic surgical lobectomies are being performed with increasing frequency in large-volume thoracic practices. Despite these new surgical techniques, however, the most substantial innovations that have changed surgical outcomes occurred away from the operative theatre. In lung cancer, in particular, the last 20 years have witnessed the clinical debut of more sophisticated, more elegant and more accurate imaging modalities for improved screening, diagnostic and staging, such as the spiral CT scan, PET scan, PET/CT and the endobronchial ultrasound machine. This technology has been complimented by more targeted chemotherapeutic regimens, novel methods of administering more accurate and more concentrated doses of radiation therapy, and innovative local excisional methods, such as the Cyberknife and radiofrequency ablation. The result has been that surgical excision, although remaining the most effective local therapeutic modality in early-stage lung cancer, is no longer the 'lone ranger' treatment, but rather is part of a complex mosaic of multimodality therapy. As scientific advances continue to be translated into the clinic, this trend will inexorably continue with the advent of a molecular staging system using molecular markers and tumour profiling, which ultimately could enhance our ability to predict tumour chemosensitivity. In this brave new world, however, complete surgical resection of the lung cancer will continue to be critical.

Trends in lung surgery: United States 1988 to 2002.

BACKGROUND: Reports on the temporal evolution in lung resection are limited. To elucidate temporal changes in the demographics of lung resections, we analyzed nationally representative data that were collected for the National Hospital Discharge Survey from 1988 to 2002. METHODS: Data collected between 1988 and 2002 were analyzed. Patients with International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, clinical modification, procedure codes for lung resection were included in the sample. Three 5-year time periods were created (1988 to 1992, 1993 to 1997, and 1998 to 2002) to simplify the temporal analysis. Changes in the prevalence of procedures, age, gender, race, length of care, mortality, disposition status, and distribution by hospital size were evaluated. Trends in procedure-related complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Between 1988 and 2002, a total of 512,758 lung resections were performed. Comparing the earliest to the most recent time period, we found increases in the average age (61.1 years [range, 1 to 89 years] vs 63.2 years [range, 1 to 91 years], respectively), in the proportion of patients who were female (40.1% vs 49.6%, respectively), and in the proportion of Medicare/Medicaid patients (43.8% vs 49%/4.7% vs 6.7%, respectively). Decreases in the average length of stay (12.9 days [range, 1 to 358 days] vs 9.1 days [range, 1 to 175 days], respectively) and in the proportion of patients discharged to their primary residence (86% vs 79.5%, respectively) were seen. The proportion of patients who had undergone lobectomies compared to other types of lung resection increased. Mortality rates were 5% vs 5.4%, respectively, while the frequency of complications decreased. CONCLUSION: We identified temporal changes in lung resection surgery that may help in the construction of health-care policies to address the changing needs of and financial burdens on the health-care system.

Surgery for colorectal and sarcomatous pulmonary metastases: history, current management, and future directions.

This article provides a historical review of metastasectomy, reviews current surgical management approaches, and proposes what direction future research must take to determine whether there is a survival advantage associated with pulmonary metastasectomy and how best to integrate metastasectomy with medical therapies, primarily induction, and adjuvant chemotherapy.

History of the surgical management of pulmonary metastases and development of the International Registry.

Pulmonary metastasectomy has been gradually recognized as a potentially curative treatment in properly selected cases, and a greater number of patients are now being offered salvage surgery. The results of the International Registry of Lung Metastases (IRLM) have defined the long-term survival after metastasectomy and provided a new classification system combining anatomical and biological features to assess prognosis in the various primary tumors.

Role of thoracic surgery in pulmonary tuberculosis.

Surgery in pulmonary tuberculosis in one form or other gives good results. Indications for surgery include drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis, massive recurrent haemoptysis, post-tuberculosis bronchiectasis or destroyed lung, empyema with or without bronchopleural fistula and for diagnostic purposes. In all cases a clear indication for surgery is mandatory. Processes of surgery include lung resection, thoracoplasty, decortication, thoracotomy and biopsy, thoracoscopy and ib resection for pleurocutaneous flap procedures. Adequate postoperative management is very important. Complications like atelectasis and pneumonia, empyema, bronchopleural fistula, wound infection, cachexia, etc, add morbidity and prolonged hospital stay.