Endobronchial hamartoma in a young COVID-19 symptomatic woman. Radical endoscopic treatment with a disposable bronchoscope. Case Report.

Pulmonary hamartomas represent the most frequent family of benign lung tumors that typically involve the lung parenchyma and only rarely grow as endobronchial tumors. The elective treatment of endobronchial hamartoma is the bronchoscopic resection, and in those cases in which tumor extension and localization makes it not possible, surgical treatment must be evaluated. Patients with symptomatic COVID-19, hospitalized, frequently undergo a chest CT scan and in some cases, occasional findings may emerge, requiring diagnostic investigations such as bronchoscopy and interventional pulmonology procedures. Therefore, in such a delicate pathological condition, such as COVID-19, the need to perform bronchoscopy and interventional pulmonology procedures, minimizing the risk of viral transmission and ensuring necessary assistance, represents a great challenge for pulmonologists. In this article authors describe, for the first time in literature, a rare case of endobronchial hamartoma, radically resected using a single use bronchoscope, in a young female patient hospitalized for symptomatic COVID-19.

Bronchoscopy in COVID-19 patients: When, how and why. Experience in clinical practice.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome due to Coronavirus-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is caused by combined alveolar-capillary lung damage, with bilateral pneumonia and thrombosis, which often causes respiratory failure. Proper COVID-19 management requires high skills in airway control and the need to perform aerosol-generating procedures such as bronchoscopy, which can increase the possibility of virus spreading among healthcare professionals. In an epidemiologically delicate moment, the multidisciplinary decision on "WHEN, HOW and WHY" to perform bronchoscopies minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission, represented a great challenge for all specialists engaged in bronchoscopic procedures. In this work authors want to share all technical aspects of 87 videobronchoscopies performed in confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, from 3rd to 6th January 2020, describing the reason, the organizational and operational model and patients characteristics. Was also evaluated the impact of high-risk procedures such as bronchoscopy on the personnel involved. The disclosure of all technical details, represents, in the opinion of the authors, an important contribution, capable of providing support to all physicians engaged in bronchoscopy procedures in confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients.

Diagnostic yield of rapid on-site evaluation transbronchial needle aspiration versus conventional transbronchial needle aspiration: a single center experience.

Trans-bronchial needle aspiration allows lymph node sampling in several thoracic conditions; the ability of Rapid On-Site Evaluation (ROSE) to predict the final diagnosis in this setting has not been well characterized. We performed a retrospective study to establish the utility of ROSE in the diagnosis of thoracic diseases with mediastinal lymph node involvement. We retrospectively reviewed 297 patients with hilar-mediastinal lymph node enlargement detected at CT scan from January 2013 to April 2016. 201 patients underwent conventional TBNA; in 96 patients, TBNA procedure was performed by on-site presence of a team of pathologists and research morphologists. Lung neoplasms, sarcoidosis, infections and lymphoma were the most common diseases diagnosed with TBNA samples. TBNA simultaneously performed in combination with ROSE produced an increase in percentage of appropriate samples compared to single cTBNA (adequate samples cTBNA vs ROSE-TBNA: 73% vs 81%; p<0.05). Our observations indicate an increase in adequacy of fine needle aspirations and increased diagnostic yield in the ROSE group. In conclusions, ROSE may serve to reduce procedure time and enhance sample triaging therefore limiting the need for further invasive diagnostic testing.

Emergency rigid bronchoscopy and immunotherapy: successful combination in dramatic respiratory debut of pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Malignant central airway obstruction is a life-threatening condition that often causes respiratory failure. In many cases, treatment of tumor in rigid bronchoscopy must be performed urgently, soothing respiratory symptoms and improving patient quality of life, in many cases reducing time to and allowing application of oncologic therapies. Immuno-oncologic therapies target the immune system selectively and are therefore much less toxic than standard chemotherapies, sometimes leading to outstanding results in advanced cancers for which there were no effective treatments until a few years ago. This report shows the effect of the joint application of rigid bronchoscopy and targeted immunotherapy in an emergency scenario, resulting in an unexpected extraordinary therapeutic success.

LMA® Protector™ versus traditional LMA to perform endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of laryngeal mask airway (LMA)® Protector™ by comparison with traditional LMA for performing endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). METHODS: This was a retrospective observational single-center study including 143 patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal staging of lung cancer. Patients were retrospectively divided into two groups based on whether a traditional LMA (traditional LMA group) or LMA Protector was used. Anesthesiologist outcomes, diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA, and complications related to the procedure were computed for each group and statistically compared. RESULTS: LMA traditional group and LMA Protector group counted 70 and 73 patients, respectively. LMA traditional group versus LMA Protector group showed no significant difference on time of LMA insertion (120±25 vs. 118±39 s; P=0.49), reposition rates (18% vs. 16%; P=0.78); systolic pressure (140±55 vs. 118±37 mmHg; P=0.59); diastolic pressure (82±15 vs. 90±26 mmHg; P=0.39); heart rate (82±9.9 vs. 83±20 bpm; P=0.49); SpO2 values (93±21% vs. 92±14%; P=0.63); diagnostic accuracy (91.3% vs. 92%; P=0.95), and patients' complications as nausea (4% vs. 3%; P=0.61); vomiting (3% vs. 1%, P=0.96); gastric aspiration (7% vs. 1%; P=0.08); and sore throat (7% vs. 3%; P=0.22). Conversely, LMA traditional group versus LMA Protector group presented a longer procedural time (47±23 vs. 38±17 s; P=0.02), higher number of passage to biopsy target lesion (4±0.5 vs. 3.1±0.6; P=0.01); higher rate of balloon ultrasound rupture (11% vs. 1%; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA conducted with LMA Protector is a useful strategy that reduced the procedural time and in theory ensured the comfort of patients. Our results should be confirmed by larger, prospective, randomized studies.

Intratracheal Thyroid: A Different Approach.

During embryonic development, the abnormal migration of thyroid tissue may cause ectopic localization of the gland in the intralaryngotracheal space. This case report describes the management of a young patient with a recent diagnosis of asthma. During bronchoscopy, a large mass occupying the tracheal lumen was discovered. After tracheotomy to protect the airway, an incisional biopsy was performed and revealed an intratracheal ectopic thyroid. The deep incisions through the tracheotomy to the base of the lesion allowed colloidal content to leak out of the mass until complete resolution of airway obstruction. Fifteen days later the patient was released totally rehabilitated.

Pre-surgical bronchoscopic treatment for typical endobronchial carcinoids.

Carcinoids are tumors that originate from diffuse neuroendocrine system cells (APUD cells) and represent 1-2% of all pulmonary tumors. Although surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment, bronchoscopic radical resection of typical carcinoids in selected cases exhibiting endoluminal growth and small implant base has also been explored. Bronchoscopic removal of endobronchial lesions may also reduce the risk of post-obstructive infections and improve pulmonary function, allowing the patient to undergo surgery in better clinical and respiratory state. In this paper we have evaluated the impact on surgical planning and outcome of preoperative bronchoscopic resection in treatment of endobronchial typical carcinoids. Our observations further support the role of bronchoscopic treatment before surgery in endobronchial typical carcinoids.

Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection and associated risk factors among 1557 nursing students in a context of low endemicity.

INTRODUCTION: The risk of tuberculosis (TBC) in nurses is related to its incidence in the general population. Nursing students involved in clinical training could be exposed to occupational risks similar to those of healthcare workers (HCWs). To better understand the epidemiology of nosocomial TBC among nurses in a context of low endemicity, we recruited a cohort of young nursing trainees at the Second University of Naples. METHODS: A screening programme for LTBI in nursing students was conducted between January 2012 and December 2013, at the Second University of Naples, with clinical evaluations, tuberculin skin test (TST) and, in positive TST student, the interferon-g release assays (IGRA). Putative risk factors for LTBI were assessed by a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: 1577 nursing students attending the Second University of Naples have been submitted to screening programme for TBC. 1575 have performed TST as first level test and 2 Quantiferon test (QFT). 19 students were TST positive and continued the diagnostic workup practicing QFT, that was positive in 1 student. Of the 2 subjects that have practiced QFT as first level test only 1 was positive. In 2 students positive to QFT test we formulated the diagnosis of LTBI by clinical and radiographic results. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of LTBI among nursing students in our study resulted very low. In countries with a low incidence of TBC, the screening programs of healthcare students can be useful for the early identification and treatment of the sporadic cases of LTBI.

Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection and associated risk factors among 3,374 healthcare students in Italy.

INTRODUCTION: The risk of tuberculosis (TB) in healthcare personnel (HCP) is related to its incidence in the general population. Healthcare students involved in clinical training could be exposed to occupational risks similar to those that HCP face. The prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among undergraduate healthcare students with different working seniority in Italy was analysed. METHODS: A cross-sectional study under a screening programme for LTBI among undergraduate and postgraduate students attending Medical School at the Second University of Naples was conducted between January 2012 and December 2013 with clinical evaluations, tuberculin skin testing (TST) and, in positive TST students, Interferon-γ release assays (IGRA). Putative risk factors for LTBI were assessed by means of a standardised questionnaire. RESULTS: 3,374 students attending the Medical School of the Second University of Naples were submitted to a screening programme for TBC. 3,331 performed TST as a first-level test and 43 performed a Quantiferon test (QFT). 128 students were TST-positive and continued the diagnostic work with QFT, which was positive in 34 students. Of the 43 subjects who took the QFT as a first-level test only 1 was positive. In 35 students positive to the QFT test we formulated the diagnosis of LTBI by clinical and radiographic results. A correlation was found between age, non-Italian born persons, studying age, post-medical school status and LTBI. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of LTBI among healthcare students in our study was very low. In countries with a low incidence of TB, the screening programmes of healthcare students can be useful for early identification and treatment of sporadic cases of LTBI.