Comparative Study of Survival following Videothoracoscopic Lobectomy Procedures for Lung Cancer: Single- versus Multiple-port Approaches. / Estudio comparativo de la supervivencia tras procedimientos videotoracoscópicos para la lobectomía del cáncer de pulmón: abordaje por puerto único frente a múltiple.

INTRODUCTION: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has become the technique of choice in the early stages of lung cancer in many centers although there is no evidence that all of the surgical approaches achieve the same long-term survival. METHOD: We carried out a retrospective review of 276 VATS lobectomies performed in our department, analyzing age, sex, comorbidities, current smoker, FEV1 and FCV, surgical approach, TNM and pathological stage, histologic type, neoadjuvant or coadjuvant chemotherapy, relapse and metastasis time, with the main aim of evaluating the survival rate and disease-free time, especially with regard to the two/three versus single port approach. RESULT: The one/four year global survival rate was 88.1 and 67.6% respectively. Bivariate analysis found that the variables associated with survival are comorbidity, histological type, stage, surgical approach and need for chemotherapy. When we independently analyzed the surgical approach, we found a lower survival rate in the single-port group vs. the two/three-port group (VATS). Stratifying by tumoral stage (stage I) and by tumor size (T2) survival was significantly lower for patients with single-port group in comparison to VATS approach. In the multivariate analysis, single-port group is associated with a higher risk of death (HR=1.78). In analyzing disease-free survival, differences were found in both cases in favor of two/three port VATS: p=.093 for local relapses and p=.091 for the development of metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: These results challenge the use of the single port technique in malignant lung pathologies, suggesting the need for clinical trials in order to identify the role this technique may have in lung cancer surgery.

Single-lung transplantation in emphysema: Retrospective study analyzing survival and waiting list mortality.

AIM: To performed remains a subject of debate and is the principal aim of the study. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 73 patients with emphysema (2000-2012). The outcomes of patients undergoing single-lung transplantation (SL) (n = 40) or double-lung transplant (DL) (n = 33) were compared in a Cox multivariate analysis to study the impact of the technique, postoperative complications and acute and chronic rejection on survival rates. Patients were selected for inclusion in the waiting list according to the International Society of Heart Lung Transplantation criteria. Pre and postoperative rehabilitation and prophylaxis, surgical technique and immunosuppressive treatment were similar in every patients. Lung transplantation waiting list information on a national level and retrospective data on emphysema patient survival transplanted in Spain during the study period, was obtained from the lung transplantation registry managed by the National Transplant Organization (ONT). RESULTS: Both groups were comparable in terms of gender and clinical characteristics. We found significant differences in the mean age between the groups, the DL patients being younger as expected from the inclusion criteria. Perioperative complications occurred in 27.6% SL vs 54% DL (P = 0.032). Excluding perioperative mortality, median survival was 65.3 mo for SL and 59.4 mo for DL (P = 0.96). Bronchiolitis obliterans and overall 5-year survival were similar in both groups. Bacterial respiratory infection, cytomegalovirus and fungal infection rates were higher but not significant in SL. No differences were found between type of transplant and survival (P = 0.48). To support our results, national data on all patients with emphysema in waiting list were obtained (n = 1001). Mortality on the waiting list was 2.4% for SL vs 6.2% for DL. There was no difference in 5 year survival between 235 SL and 430 DL patients transplanted (P = 0.875). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that SL transplantation in emphysema produce similar survival than DL with less postoperative complication and significant lower mortality in waiting list.

Long-term success of combined kidney-lung transplantation in a patient with cystic fibrosis.

Advanced kidney disease is usually considered an absolute contraindication for lung transplantation due to the difficult management of these patients in the post-operative period. Combined lung-kidney transplantation, however, could offer an opportunity for selected patients with renal and pulmonary dysfunction. This study summarizes the long-term success of a double transplantation in a 38-year-old male patient with cystic fibrosis who presented respiratory and kidney failure. After a complicated post-operative period, the patient currently lives completely independently 46 months after the operation and he enjoys excellent pulmonary and renal function.

Satisfaction and adherence with immunosuppressant treatment in renal transplant patients living with a working graft.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze patient satisfaction and adherence in a sample of renal transplant patients living with a working allograft. METHODS: An epidemiological cross-sectional multicenter study was carried out with renal recipients who had received a transplant 6-24 months before and were undergoing immunosuppressant therapy (IT). Sociodemographic and clinical variables registered were dosage, allograft functioning, number of medications, health-related quality of life (HRQoL by SF-6D), patients' satisfaction (SAT-Q) and adherence to medication (abnormal levels of immunosuppressant in blood tests [ALIBT] and clinical impression). Relationships between those parameters were contrasted (chi-square test, Spearman correlation coefficient and Mann-Whitney U-test). Multivariate regression models (linear and logistic) were computed to analyze the factors related to patients' satisfaction and adherence to medication, respectively. RESULTS: Data from 206 patients were collected (61.2% males with a mean age of 53.35 years). Nonadherence rates (29.1% and 31.1%) were found according to clinical impression and ALIBT, respectively (chi-square = 31.810, p<0.001). Overall, global patients' satisfaction (74.000 ± 1.251) and HRQoL (0.765 ± 0.011) levels were high. Low-moderate significant associations between satisfaction and adherence to IT and HRQoL were found (p<0.01). Finally, age, vitality, allograft functioning and dosage were correlated with patient satisfaction (R2=0.174; F(1,185)=4.134; p<0.043). Number of medications (odds ratio [OR] = 0.890; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.812-0.975; p=0.012), convenience domain (OR=1.037; 95% CI, 1.005-1.070; p=0.021) and clinical criteria (OR=6.135; 95% CI, 2.945-12.782; p<0.001) were associated with adherence. CONCLUSIONS: In renal transplant patients, satisfaction with IT is related to the levels of HRQoL and compliance.

Guidelines for the selection of lung transplantation candidates.

The present guidelines have been prepared with the consensus of at least one representative of each of the hospitals with lung transplantation programs in Spain. In addition, prior to their publication, these guidelines have been reviewed by a group of prominent reviewers who are recognized for their professional experience in the field of lung transplantation. Within the following pages, the reader will find the selection criteria for lung transplantation candidates, when and how to remit a patient to a transplantation center and, lastly, when to add the patient to the waiting list. A level of evidence has been identified for the most relevant questions. Our intention is for this document to be a practical guide for pulmonologists who do not directly participate in lung transplantations but who should consider this treatment for their patients. Finally, these guidelines also propose an information form in order to compile in an organized manner the patient data of the potential candidate for lung transplantation, which are relevant in order to be able to make the best decisions possible.

[Video-assisted thoracic surgery, lung transplantation and mediastinitis: major issues in thoracic surgery in 2010]. / Cirugía torácica videoasistida, trasplante pulmonar y mediastinitis, temas destacados de cirugía torácica en 2010.

We reviewed the major issues in thoracic surgery relating to the advances made in our specialty in 2010. To do this, the 43(rd) Congress of the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery held in La Coruña and the articles published in the Society's journal, Archivos de Bronconeumología, were reviewed. The main areas of interest were related to the development of video-assisted thoracic surgery, lung transplantation and descending mediastinitis. The new tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) classification (7(th) edition), presented last year, was still a topical issue this year. The First Forum of Thoracic Surgeons and the Update in Thoracic Surgery together with the Nurses' Area have constituted an excellent teaching program.

[Thoracic surgery 2009]. / Cirugía torácica 2009.

Started with tuberculosis and developed in parallel with smoking and cancer and under the protection of anaesthesia, thoracic surgery appeared in the 1980's as a specialty with a difficult long-term survival. However, with the development of lung transplant, tracheal surgery, the appearance of video-assisted thoracic surgery, along with the confirmation that despite the excellent progress of chemoradiotherapy, surgery continues to be the best option for curing lung cancer, means that it is currently a specialty of great growth and a wider scope in the future.