Predictors of behaviour in solitary fibrous tumours of the pleura surgically resected: Analysis of 107 patients.

OBJECTIVES: Gold standard therapy for solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura is complete surgical resection. Aims of this retrospective study are to evaluate oncological and surgical outcomes and to verify the clinical reliability of prognostic scores presented in literature. METHODS: Study population: 107 patients surgically treated between 1972 and 2018. Male/female ratio: 1/2.45; median age at surgery: 60 years (range, 19-80); peduncle lesions 69.8%; visceral pleura origin 72.9%; benign histology 73.8%; median diameter 8 cm (range 1 to 35, 27 cases giant [≥15 cm]). RESULTS: After a median follow up of 7 years, 12 patients had recurrence. By multivariate analysis, malignant histology (P = .03; HR, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.15-15.06), origin from parietal pleura (P = .03; HR, 3.90; 95% CI, 1.08-14.09), England (P = .002; HR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.28-3.07), Diebold (P = .008; HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.20-3.22) and Tapias (P = .003; HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.20-2.53) scores were found independent significant predictors of relapse. Giant tumours were associated with open surgery (P = .003), origin from parietal pleura (P = .011) and intraoperative bleeding (P > .001). Overall 10-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 81%. Predictors of worst DFS were parietal pleura origin (P = .002), malignant histology (P = .006) and all the prognostic scores. CONCLUSIONS: Malignant histology and origin from parietal pleura were significant predictors of tumour recurrence and worst DFS. The use of current scoring systems can help to predict clinical behaviour. Patients with higher risk of relapse can benefit from closer follow up, prolonged over 10 years.

Prostate Adenocarcinoma Within a Thymoma: A Rare Case of Tumor-to-Tumor Metastasis.

Tumor-to-tumor metastasis is defined as when metastasis from a primary tumor (donor) grows in a different primary neoplasm (recipient). Due to the structure of the thymus and the low incidence rate, thymic epithelial neoplasm has been rarely described in the literature as a recipient for metastases.In this report,a patient with advanced prostatic cancer and under control after chemo/hormone therapy was directed to our thoracic surgery unit for an anterior mediastinal mass detected during the staging workup for prostate disease. A limited uptake at fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in the mediastinal lesion, while the surrounding tissue showed diffusely negative hypermetabolism, suggested a second primary thymic epithelial tumor with a possible carcinomatous differentiation. A thymectomy through a median sternotomy was carried out. Histopathological analysis after thymectomy revealed a type A thymoma with multiple elements of prostate adenocarcinoma within it. The foci of prostate adenocarcinoma were co-located in the context of the thymoma, revealing what is defined as a tumor-to-tumor metastasis.To our knowledge, this is the first report describing a thymoma as the recipient of metastases coming from a primary extrathoracic tumor without the involvement of other thoracic organs.

The Overweight Paradox: Impact of Body Mass Index on Patients Undergoing VATS Lobectomy or Segmentectomy.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of BMI on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing VATS lobectomy or segmentectomy. Data from 5088 patients undergoing VATS lobectomy or segmentectomy, included in the VATS Group Italian Registry, were collected. BMI (kg/m2) was categorized according to the WHO classes: underweight, normal, overweight, obese. The effects of BMI on outcomes (complications, 30-days mortality, DFS and OS) were evaluated with a linear regression model, and with a logistic regression model for binary endpoints. In overweight and obese patients, operative time increased with BMI value. Operating room time increased by 5.54 minutes (S.E. = 1.57) in overweight patients, and 33.12 minutes (S.E. = 10.26) in obese patients (P < 0.001). Compared to the other BMI classes, overweight patients were at the lowest risk of pulmonary, acute cardiac, surgical, major, and overall postoperative complications. In the overweight range, a BMI increase from 25 to 29.9 did not significantly affect the length of stay, nor the risk of any complications, except for renal complications (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.07-2.24; P = 0.03), and it reduced the risk of prolonged air leak (OR: 0.8; 95% CI: 0.71-0.90; P < 0.001). 30-days mortality is higher in the underweight group compared to the others. We did not find any significant difference in DFS and OS. According to our results, obesity increases operating room time for VATS major lung resection. Overweight patients are at the lowest risk of pulmonary, acute cardiac, surgical, major, and overall postoperative complications following VATS resections. The risk of most postoperative complications progressively increases as the BMI deviates from the point at the lowest risk, towards both extremes of BMI values. Thirty days mortality is higher in the underweight group, with no differences in DFS and OS.

Long-term outcomes after lung-sparing surgery for epithelial mesothelioma.

BACKGROUND: This observational study evaluates retrospectively the long-term outcomes after pleurectomy/decortication for pleural mesothelioma, with and without the resection/reconstruction of diaphragm and pericardium. METHODS: Data from 155 consecutive patients undergoing lung-sparing surgery for epithelial pleural mesothelioma were reviewed. Selection criteria for surgery were cT1-3, cN0-1, good performance status, age <80 years. Perioperative Pemetrexed-Platinum regimen was administered as induction in 101 cases (65.2%) and as adjuvant treatment in 54 cases (34.8%). Extended pleurectomy/decortication was performed in 87 cases (56.12%). In 68 patients (43.87%) standard pleurectomy/decortication was performed without resection/reconstruction of diaphragm and pericardium, when tumour infiltration was deemed absent after intraoperative frozen section. The log-rank test and Cox regression model were used to assess the factors affecting overall survival and recurrence free survival. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 20 months. The 2- and 5-year survival rate was 60.9% and 29.2% with a median survival of 34 months. An improved survival was observed when standard pleurectomy/decortication was carried out (P=0.007). A significant impact on survival was found comparing the TNM-stages (P=0.001), pT (P=0.002) and pN variables (P=0.001). Multivariate analysis identified the pN-status (P=0.003) and standard pleurectomy/decortication (P=0.017) as predictive for longer survival. The recurrence-free survival >12 months was strongly related to the overall survival (P<0.001). The macroscopic complete resection (P=0.001), TNM-stage (P=0.003) and pT-status (P=0.001) are related to relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Within multimodal management of pleural mesothelioma, lung-sparing surgery is a valid option even with more conservative technique. A benefit for a longer survival was observed in the early stage of disease, with pN0 and when pleurectomy/decortication is carried out, preserving diaphragm and pericardium. Recurrence is not affected by the type of surgery, and a recurrence-free interval >12 months is predictive of an increased survival when the macroscopic complete resection is achieved.

Deep neck abscess due to Acinetobacter baumannii infection.

Acinetobacter baumannii strains are isolated in up to 1% of nosocomial infections mostly from intensive care units immunocompromised patients and are associated with high mortality rates. A baumannii infections include pneumonia, urinary tract infection, endocarditis, skin and soft-tissue infections, surgical-site infection, meningitis, osteomyelitis, and septicemia. We report an extremely rare case of deep neck abscess due to multidrug-resistant A baumannii infection. The isolate strain was analyzed by a repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction typing method: the isolate profile was compared with other strains obtained from isolates recovered in the hospital in that period. Our patient underwent 2 neck explorations and antibiotic treatment (tigecycline 50 mg, twice per day). Five weeks after admission, the patient was discharged in good general conditions. Considering the other obtained strains, 4 different profiles were identified, one as prominent (profile A, 18 isolates), the index case (B), and 2 others (C, D) as divergent.

Mediastinal Rosai-Dorfman Disease With Widespread Lesions: When Surgical Biopsy Is Needed.

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare benign disorder of the histiocytes, affecting lymph nodes in its classic form. Extranodal RDD is considered the uncommon subtype and potentially impairs all tissues and intrathoracic organs. In our report, a 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan of a mediastinal mass infiltrating the lungs and of widespread lesions suggested the presence of a metastatic disease. Open thoracic biopsy was required for immunochemistry and histopathology. Mediastinal mass with lesions disseminated throughout the body is an unusual presentation of extranodal RDD that calls for a challenging differential diagnosis to rule out the suspicion of metastatic malignancy.

Emergency sleeve gastrectomy as rescue treatment for acute gastric necrosis due to type II paraesophageal hernia in an obese woman with gastric banding.

A morbidly obese 42-year-old woman presented with a 1-week history of left chest pain. She had undergone laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding 16 months earlier with a body mass index (BMI) of 49.2 kg/m2. Diagnostic workup revealed a large left pleural empyema and ruled out band slippage. At left thoracotomy, a misdiagnosed type II paraesophageal strangulated hernia with gastric necrosis and large perforation of the fundus was evident. At laparotomy, the band was removed, the stomach was reduced into the abdomen, and a sleeve gastrectomy was performed. Her postoperative course was uneventful, and 6 months after surgery, her BMI is 31 kg/m2. Emergency sleeve gastrectomy could represent a good option to treat, at the same time and in a safe way, both gastric necrosis and paraesophageal hernia, improving the good results in terms of weight loss after gastric restriction from gastric banding.

Induction chemotherapy, extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) and adjuvant hemi-thoracic radiation in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM): Feasibility and results.

BACKGROUND: Trimodality therapy seems to be the best treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). A large experience served to evaluate the efficacy of surgery followed by adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy. Trimodality therapy results have led us to test induction chemotherapy followed by EPP and adjuvant radiotherapy in stages I-III of MPM. The aim of our study was to evaluate the feasibility of this protocol and to estimate survival. METHODS: From 2000 to 2003, 21 patients with MPM (14 males and 7 females, median age 59 years) were enrolled in the prospective study. Induction chemotherapy consisted of Carboplatin (AUC 5mg/mL/min on Day 1) and Gemcitabine (1000mg/m(2) on Days 1, 8, 15) for three to four cycles. EPP was performed 3-5 weeks after induction therapy, while post-operative RT was given 4-6 weeks after operation. RESULTS: Ten patients received three cycles of chemotherapy, 10 patients received four cycles and 1 patient had two cycles. Grades 3-4 haematological toxicity occurred in eight (38.1%) patients. Chemotherapy response rate was: complete 0%, partial 33.3% and stable disease 66.7%. Seventeen (80.9%) out of 21 patients underwent EPP with no intra or post-operative mortality with an overall major and minor morbidity rate at 52.4%. Median survival was 25.5 months, with an overall 1, 3 and 5-year survival rate of 71, 33 and 19%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In MPM, the combined modality approach using the Carboplatin/Gemcitabine combination as induction chemotherapy is feasible, with good results in terms of survival and morbidity. Our results are similar to those of other studies using a heavier modality treatment.

[Management of spontaneous pneumothorax: nationwide fact-finding survey among Italian thoracic surgery units]. / Trattamento dello pneumotorace spontaneo. Indagine conoscitiva nazionale nelle strutture di Chirurgia Toracica.

Spontaneous pneumothorax, in both the primary and secondary variants, is a relatively frequent disease, occurring at all ages. Management of spontaneous pneumothorax is not standardised. Furthermore, few attempts have been made in the literature to codify the diagnostic workup and treatment. The aim of the present study is to report the results of a nationwide fact-finding survey, focused on current practice in the management of spontaneous pneumothorax by thoracic surgeons. A questionnaire, consisting of items in 6 major areas, was prepared and e-mailed to 49 thoracic surgery units in Italy. Thirty-five centres responded. The results (collected in a database presented at the XXX Congress of the Italian Society of Thoracic Surgeons in October 2006) show agreement on some questions (surgical indications, thoracoscopy as the first-choice surgical technique, use of mechanical staplers...) and a great variability of ideas and attitudes on others (CT scanning in primary spontaneous pneumothorax, definition of persistent air-leak, clamping of the chest tube before removal, pleurodesis techniques, postoperative chest X-ray schedule...). It is the authors' opinion that further work is needed in order to achieve a greater measure of agreement in the management of primary and secondary pneumothorax.

Pleurectomy-decortication in malignant pleural mesothelioma: are different surgical techniques associated with different outcomes? Results from a multicentre study.

OBJECTIVES: The potential benefit of surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), especially concerning pleurectomy/decortication (P/D), is unclear from the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome after multimodality treatment of MPM involving different types of P/D and to analyse the prognostic factors. METHODS: We reviewed 314 patients affected by MPM who were operated on in 11 Italian centres from 1 January 2007 to 11 October 2014. RESULTS: The characteristics of the population were male/female ratio: 3.7/1, and median age at operation was 67.8 years. The epithelioid histotype was observed in 79.9% of patients; neoadjuvant chemotherapy was given to 57% of patients and Stage III disease was found following a pathological analysis in 62.3% of cases. A total of 162 (51.6%) patients underwent extended P/D (EP/D); 115 (36.6%) patients had P/D and 37 (11.8%) received only a partial pleurectomy. Adjuvant radiotherapy was delivered in 39.2% of patients. Median overall survival time after surgery was 23.0 [95% confidence interval (CI): 19.6-29.1] months. On multivariable (Cox) analysis, pathological Stage III-IV [ P = 0.004, hazard ratio (HR):1.34; 95% CI: 1.09-1.64], EP/D and P/D ( P = 0.006, HR for EP/D: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.29-0.74; HR for P/D: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.31-0.87), left-sided disease ( P = 0.01, HR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.09-2.12) and pathological status T4 ( P = 0.0003, HR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.14-1.66) were found to be independent significant predictors of overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Whether the P/D is extended or not, it shows similarly good outcomes in terms of early results and survival rate. In contrast, a partial pleurectomy, which leaves gross tumour behind, has no impact on survival.

Giant localized fibrous tumours of the pleura: report of three subsequent cases.

Localized fibrous tumours of the pleura (LFTP) represent clinical entities rarely encountered, especially in giant forms. We report of three cases of giant localized fibrous tumours of the pleura found last year in a short time. The patients underwent surgery by thoracotomy. All tumours arose from visceral pleura and were radically excised by a wedge resection of the lung. The patients discharged from the hospital after a short postoperative period without complications. Two of three giant localized fibrous tumours were classified as benign forms; in one case a malignant characteristic was found.

Results of surgical resection after induction chemoradiation for Pancoast tumours †.

OBJECTIVES: Pancoast tumour is a rare neoplasia in which the optimal therapeutic management is still controversial. The traditional treatment of Pancoast tumour (surgery, radiotherapy or a combination of both) have led to an unsatisfactory outcome due to the high rate of incomplete resection and the lack of local and systemic control. The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of the trimodality approach. METHODS: Fifty-six patients (male/female ratio: 47/9, median age: 64 years) in stage IIB to IIIB were treated during a period between 1994 and 2013. Induction therapy consisted of 2-3 cycles of a platinum-based chemotherapy associated with radiotherapy (30-44 Gy). After restaging, eligible patients underwent surgery 2 to 4-week post-radiation. RESULTS: Thirty-two (57.1%) patients were cT3 and 24 (42.9%) cT4, 47 (83.9%) were N0 and 9 (16.1%) N+. Forty-eight (85.7%) patients underwent R0 resection and 10 (17.9%) had a complete pathological response (CPR). Thirty-day mortality rate was 5.4%, major surgical complications occurred in 6 (10.7%) patients. At the end of the follow-up, 17 (30.4%) patients were alive and 39 (69.6%) died (29 for cancer-related causes), with an overall 5-year survival of 38%. At statistical analysis, stage IIB (P = 0.003), R0 resection (P = 0.03), T3 tumour (P = 0.002) and CPR (P = 0.01) were significant independent predictors of better prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: This combined approach is feasible, and allows for a good rate of complete resection. Long-term survival rates are acceptable, especially for early stage tumours radically resected. Systemic control of disease still remains poor, with distant recurrence being the most common cause of death.

Changes in pulmonary function tests predict radiological response to chemotherapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma.

OBJECTIVES: Response to chemotherapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is usually evaluated by radiological criteria, but no common agreement exists on their validity, yet. The cytoreductive effect of chemotherapy on pleural thickening may make the lung more expansible, reducing the restrictive ventilatory impairment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in pulmonary function following chemotherapy in patients with MPM and to correlate these findings with radiological changes. METHODS: Between 2004 and 2011, 62 consecutive patients (74% males, median age 63 years) were prospectively investigated. Modified RECIST criteria were used for radiological evaluation of response to chemotherapy. All patients underwent pulmonary function tests before and after three cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy. Changes between baseline and post-chemotherapy pulmonary function values (Δ) and their differences were assessed by means of Student's paired and unpaired t-test, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed on spirometric parameters significantly associated with response. RESULTS: Thirty (48.4%) patients had a radiological stable disease (S), 23 (37.1%) a partial response (R) and 9 (14.5%) a progressive disease (P). ΔFEV1%pred (R: 18.1 ± 18.5%; S: 0.5 ± 9.3%; P: -11 ± 13.5%; P < 0.0001), ΔFVC%pred (R: 16.1 ± 11.8%; S: 0.4 ± 11.2%; P: -9.2 ± 14.6%; P < 0.0001) and ΔVC%pred (R: 12.9 ± 15.7%; S: 1.5 ± 12.1%; P: -6.1 ± 13.2%; P = 0.001) were significantly associated with radiological response. A significant correlation was observed between ΔFEV1%pred (r = 0.46, P = 0.01), ΔFVC%pred (r = 0.43, P = 0.02) and % change in linear tumour measurement. ROC curve analysis using dichotomized radiological response (P/S vs R) as classification variables showed AUC = 0.88 (95%CI: 0.77-0.95) for ΔFEV1%pred (optimal cut-off value: +7%, sensitivity: 83%, specificity: 82%, PPV: 73%, NPV: 89%) and AUC = 0.86 (95%CI: 0.75-0.94) for ΔFVC%pred (optimal cut-off value: +6%, sensitivity: 82%, specificity: 74%, PPV: 64%, NPV: 88%). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic lung volumes and radiological changes after chemotherapy seem directly related. Lung function changes could be an additional tool to better evaluate the response to chemotherapy in MPM.

Techniques of right extended pneumonectomy.

Tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy is considered the operation of choice for tumors involving the right tracheobronchial angle, even though the procedure is burdened by a high rate of perioperative morbidity and mortality. In this report, we present our experience with two different techniques to avoid sleeve pneumonectomy: the tangential tracheal suture and the tracheoplasty.

Pemetrexed plus carboplatin or cisplatin as neoadjuvant treatment of operable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

AIM: The objective of this study was the retrospective evaluation of tolerability and activity of pemetrexed with carboplatin (AC) or cisplatin (AP) as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in a consecutive series of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with operable MPM received three cycles of AC or AP followed by surgery and radiotherapy. RESULTS: Since 2005, 51 patients have been treated with AC (27) and AP (24). We observed higher incidence of grade 3 anaemia, cumulative grade 2-3 asthenia and worsening of performance status in the AP group. Response to AC and AP were; complete: 4% vs. 0%, partial: 18% vs. 17%, stable disease: 74% vs. 79%, progressive disease: 4%; the resection rate was 81% vs. 79%. CONCLUSION: AC and AP are active and feasible neoadjuvant regimens. Progression-free survival, response, disease control and resection rate were similar in the two treatment groups. The lower tolerability to AP treatment could impair the clinical condition of patients undergoing surgery.

Multidisciplinary approach for advanced stage thymic tumors: long-term outcome.

BACKGROUND: In advanced stage thymic tumors complete surgical resection is not always achievable. Although surgery remains the cornerstone of therapy, there is growing evidence that multimodality treatment increases resectability and reduces the incidence of local and systemic relapses. METHODS: Between 1980 and 2008, 75 patients with stages III (n = 51), IVA (n = 18) and IVB (n = 6) thymic tumors were treated. Twenty-six patients had A-AB-B1 and 49 B2-B3-C histotype. Thirty-eight (50.6%) patients considered not radically resectable at preoperative workup, received induction chemotherapy; postoperatively 37 (49.3%) had radiotherapy, 25 (33.3%) chemoradiotherapy and 4 (5.3%) chemotherapy. RESULTS: No perioperative mortality was recorded. Sixty-one (81.3%) had complete resection (CR) and 14 (18.7%) incomplete resection (IR). CR was lower in patients who received induction chemotherapy (73.7% vs 89.2%, p = 0.02). In 11 (14.7%) cases a vascular procedure was carried out. Overall 5- and 10-year survivals were 70% and 57%, respectively. Five and 10-year tumor-related survival was 78% and 70%. Ten-year survival was better for CR vs IR resection (62% vs 28%; p = 0.003) and for type A-AB-B1 vs B2-B3-C (60% vs 53%; p = 0.03). No statistical difference was found between stage III and IV (10-year survival: 63% and 43%; p = 0.42) and induction vs no induction chemotherapy (10-year survival: 52% vs 56%; p = 0.54). At multivariate analysis CR (p = 0.001) and type A-AB-B1 (p = 0.04) were independent predictors of better survival. During follow-up, 34.4% of CR developed tumor recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Multimodality treatment of stages III and IV thymic tumors guarantees good disease control and provides high survival and acceptable recurrence rates.

Preoperative concomitant chemo-radiotherapy in superior sulcus tumour: A mono-institutional experience.

UNLABELLED: Superior sulcus tumour (SST) is an uncommon neoplasia whose optimal treatment remains controversial. Usually resected after induction RT or treated with definitive chemo-radiotherapy, it has recently aroused more interest because of preoperative chemo-radiotherapy. Treatment consisted of a platinum-based chemotherapy: carboplatin AUC 5 on days 1 and 22, combined with mitomycin-C 8 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 22, and vinblastine 4 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, 22 and 29 (MVC) from 1994 to 1999, or combined with navelbine 25mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, 22 and 29 (NC), from 2000 to 2007. Radiotherapy was administered 5 days/week, 30 Gy in 10 fractions on days 22-35 (from 1994 to 1996), or 44 Gy in 22 fractions on days 22-52 (from 1997 to 2007). SURGERY was planned after 2-3 weeks since the completion of radiotherapy. Since 1994, 37 pts were treated with induction chemo-radiotherapy, 1 with induction radiotherapy only. Induction chemotherapy: 16 pts had MVC (43%) and 21 NC (57%); induction radiotherapy: 7 patients treated with MVC had 30 Gy/10F, 9 had 44 Gy/22F; all the patients treated with NC had 44 Gy/22F, but 2 of them did not complete radiotherapy because of early death (after 16 Gy/8F) and toxicity (after 38 Gy/19F). Grade 3-4 haematological toxicity of induction chemo-radiotherapy was found in 13 patients (35%); the most frequent non-haematological toxicities were constipation and oesophagitis. One complete, 18 partial and 8 minimal responses/stable disease were observed. Moreover, 1 progression disease and 1 early death occurred. SURGERY: 30 upper lobectomies (17 right, 13 left) and 4 segmentectomies, with chest wall resections, were performed (89% resection rate); 4 pts were not operated. Radical resections were achieved in 74% of the patients, with 5 pathologic complete remissions at resection. Twenty-seven patients (71%) had improvement of shoulder/arm pain. Median progression-free survival was 64 weeks and median survival was 148 weeks. The 5-year overall and progression-free survivals were 40% and 29%, respectively. In the multimodality treatment of SST, concurrent carboplatin-based chemotherapy plus radiotherapy were active and feasible without major toxicities. This resulted in high resectability rate and favourable progression-free and overall survival rates.

Pneumonectomy for lung cancer over the age of 75 years: is it worthwhile?

The objective of the study was to evaluate the outcome in elderly patients (>75 years) submitted to pneumonectomy for lung cancer. Records of 40 elderly patients, who underwent pneumonectomy at our Institution from 1990 to 2008, were retrospectively reviewed. This group was compared with 289 younger patients submitted to pneumonectomy in the same period. In the older group median age was 77 years (range 75-84 years), 16 were right-side procedures. In the younger group median age was 62 years (range 24-74 years), 114 were right-sided procedures. The overall mortality rate was 7.5% and 6.2% in the older and younger groups, respectively (P=0.75); morbidity rate was 35.1% and 17.7% (P=0.01) and five-year survival rate was 32% and 30%, respectively (P=0.85). Right-sided procedures (P=0.0006) were associated with higher risk of mortality and age over 75 years (P=0.01) with increased risk of morbidity; pathological stage was the only predictor of five-year survival. Pneumonectomy appears to be justified even in patients older than 75 years, because short- and long-term outcomes can be acceptable and comparable with those of younger patients. Advanced age alone does not justify denying curative resection of lung cancer, but right-sided procedures require a careful pre- and postoperative approach.

Multiple-running suture technique for bronchial anastomosis in difficult sleeve resection.

We present a simplified technique for bronchial anastomosis in difficult sleeve resection using multiple running sutures. During the last 5 years we used this technique in 11 patients. We recorded no anastomotic-related complications in all of them. We found this technique easier, faster, and effective; we consider it a potential routine bronchial anastomotic technique.

Single-staged laryngotracheal resection and reconstruction for benign strictures in adults.

Laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) is a challenging problem, and its management is complex. This study evaluated both short- and long-term outcomes following laryngotracheal resection and anastomosis. Between 1994 and 2006, 37 patients underwent surgery for LTS. The cause of stenosis was post-intubation or post-tracheostomy injury in 28 cases and idiopathic in nine. Pearson's technique was used for anterolateral cricotracheal resection (n=23), and Grillo's technique of providing a posterior membranous tracheal flap was used in cases of circumferential stenosis (n=14). Since 1998, we have modified the techniques in 21 cases, using a continuous 4/0 polydioxanone suture for the posterior part of the anastomosis. No peri-operative mortality was recorded. Three (8.1%) patients developed major complications (two fistulae and one early stenosis) that required a second surgical look. We had 16 minor complications in 14 (37.8%) patients. The long-term results were excellent to satisfactory in 36 patients (97.3%) and unsatisfactory in one (2.7%). Single-staged laryngotracheal resection is a demanding operation, but can be performed successfully with acceptable morbidity in specialized centers. The continuous suture in the posterior part of the anastomosis simplifies the procedure without causing technique-related complications. In our experience, this procedure guaranteed excellent to satisfactory results in more than 90% of patients.