Postoperative complications, pain and quality of life after thoracoscopic or thoracotomic lobectomy for lung cancer.

AIM: Thoracoscopic lobectomy is superior to thoracotomy, but the evidence for this assumption is low. We present a comparison between thoracotomy and thoracoscopy in term of postoperative complications, mortality, postoperative pain, hospital stay and quality of life. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of 224 lobectomies in 24-months. 128 patients (57.1%) were operated by thoracotomy; 96 patients (42.9%) by videothoracoscopy. RESULTS: Major complications were observed in 4/128 (3.1%) in thoracotomy group and in 1/96 (1%) in thoracoscopy. Minor complications were observed in 38/128 patients (29.7%) in the thoracotomy, and in 16/96 (16.7%) thoracoscopy. Thoracoscopy patients had a shorter hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Our study shows an advantage of thoracoscopy over thoracotomy but further studies are needed.

Surgical treatment of stage I lung cancer. Results and prognostic factors.

BACKGROUND: The aims of the present study were: 1) to study the type and extent of resection in patients with pathological stage I lung cancer; 2) to evaluate the results of surgical treatment; 3) to assess prognostic factors. SETTING: a tertiary referral general hospital. METHODS: Retrospective review of clinical records of 296 patients operated on for pathologic stage I lung cancer between 1989 and 1998. Mean follow-up period was 33.1+/-28.1 months. Survivals were calculated by the actuarial method and compared by the long-rank test. Age, sex, tumor size, type and extent of resection and histologic type were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analisis. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-five lobectomies, 39 pneumonectomies, 5 segmental resections and 7 wedge resections were performed. Overall actuarial 5- and 10-year survivals were 62 and 49%, respectively. Stage Ia patients showed significantly better 5- and 10-year survivals (76 and 54%, respectively) as compared to Stage Ib patients (57 and 46%, p=0.007). Univariate analysis showed no significant difference in survival according to the age, the sex or the extent of resection. The histological type influenced the outcome (p=0.05): 5-year survival rate were 57, 67, 75% in squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and bronchoalveolar carcinoma, respectively. At multivariate analysis stage and histology were identified as independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfactory results in terms of suvival can be achieved following surgery for stage I lung cancer. The T status and the histologic type significantly influence survival.

Invasive inflammatory pseudo-tumor involving the lung and the mediastinum.

Inflammatory pseudotumor is a rare clinical entity. We report here the case of a 14-year-old boy who underwent lung resection en bloc with the lower esophagus, the mediastinal pleura and the diaphragm for an inflammatory pseudotumor of the left lower lobe. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered. The patient is well at 9-year follow-up. Inflammatory pseudotumor may present a particularly aggressive behavior. Multimodality approach, including extensive surgical resection, may be necessary in dealing with this disease.

Core needle biopsy is effective in the initial diagnosis of mediastinal lymphoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: With the development and refinement of guidance modalities for percutaneous biopsies, many investigators have reported studies supporting the role of guided core needle biopsy in the diagnosis of mediastinal lymphoma. The aims of this report are to evaluate the efficacy of findings at core needle biopsy of mediastinal masses on patient care and define the key determinants of clinical success. DESIGN AND METHODS: Fluoroscopy-guided (in 75 patients) and computed tomography-guided (in 8 patients) core needle biopsies were performed in 83 patients with mediastinal lymphoma: all but one of the patients were at first diagnosis. All the biopsies were performed using a Menghini needle (from 1.2 mm to 1.8 mm). In the vast majority of cases the 1.8 mm gauge was employed. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity for the diagnosis of lymphoma was 81% (67/83 cases). In the remaining 16 patients the lymphoma diagnosis was reached either by mediastinoscopy (11 cases) or anterior mediastinotomy (3 cases) or core needle biopsy of the lung (1 case); one patient was treated directly after the needle biopsy had been unsuccessful because he needed rapid therapy. In 77/82 (93%) patients it was possible to assess the specific histotype. There was no operative mortality; all the biopsies were performed on an outpatient basis. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that core needle biopsy should be considered as an effective and safe procedure in the diagnosis of patients with mediastinal lymphoma with the possibility of determining the tumor subtype and subsequent specific treatment.

[Malignant pheochromocytoma of the adrenal gland. Diagnosis 14 years after an incidental discovery of a contralateral pheochromocytoma]. / Phéochromocytome malin de la surrénale. Découverte occasionnelle 14 ans après un incidentalome. Phéochromocytome controlatéral.

The authors present a case of malignant adrenal phaeochromocytoma incidentally discovered 14 years after a similar finding in the controlateral adrenal gland. The rarity of incidentally discovered malignant adrenal phaeochromocytoma (second report in the literature) and the importance of isotope scan with MIGB for the investigation of asymptomatic and nonfunctioning phaeochromocytomas are outlined.

[Leiomyosarcoma of the rectum]. / Il leiomiosarcoma del retto.

Two cases of leiomyosarcoma of the rectum observed between 1980 and 1990 are reported. Both patients underwent abdominoperineal resection: one is still alive at three years from surgery, whereas the other died for neoplastic diffusion after three years. Epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic features of this rare tumor are discussed.

[Primary intrahepatic lithiasis]. / La lithiase intra-hépatique primitive.

Isolated intrahepatic lithiasis is a very rare condition in western countries; the reported case has to be added to the 29 cases described to date in the literature. The pathogenesis of this disease is unknown; physical and chemical bile alterations favouring lithogenesis is the most reliable hypothesis. In this case the Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy with cutaneous stoma allowed us to perform periodic cleaning of intrahepatic bile ducts until complete elimination of all stones.

[Primary intrahepatic lithiasis]. / La lithiase intra-hépatique primitive.

Isolated intrahepatic lithiasis is a very rare condition in western countries; the reported case has to be added to the 29 cases described to date in the literature. The pathogenesis of this disease is unknown; physical and chemical bile alterations favouring lithogenesis is the most reliable hypothesis. In this case the Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy with cutaneous stoma allowed us to perform periodic cleaning of intrahepatic bile ducts until complete elimination of all stones.

[Cloacogenic carcinoma]. / II carcinoma cloacogenico.

Four cases of cloacogenic carcinoma (CC) observed between 1982 and 1987 out of 175 operations performed in the same period for anorectal tumors are reported. All the patients underwent abdominoperineal resection; 3 of them are still alive at 16.30 and 42 months from surgery respectively. The fourth died for neoplastic diffusion after 12 months. Epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic features of this rare tumor are discussed.