Outpatient management of malignant pleural effusion by a chronic indwelling pleural catheter.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that a chronic indwelling pleural catheter (PC) safely and effectively relieved dyspnea, maintained quality of life, and reduced hospitalization in patients with malignant pleural effusions. Outpatient management of malignant pleural effusion with a PC may reduce length of stay and early (7-day) charges compared with inpatient management with chest tube and sclerosis. METHODS: A retrospective review of consecutive PC patients (n = 100; 60 outpatient, 40 inpatient) were treated from July 1, 1994 to September 2, 1998 and compared with 68 consecutive inpatients treated with chest tube and sclerosis between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 1997. Hospital charges were obtained from date of insertion (day 0) through day 7. RESULTS: Demographics were similar in both groups. Pretreatment cytology was positive in 126 of 168 patients (75%), negative in 21 (12.5%), and unknown in 21 (12.5%). Primary histology included lung (n = 61, 36%), breast (n = 39, 23%), lymphoma (n = 12, 7%), or other (n = 56, 34%). Median survival was 3.4 months and did not differ significantly between treatment groups. Overall median length of stay was 7.0 days for inpatient chest tube and inpatient PC versus 0.0 days for outpatient Pleurx. No mortality occurred related to the PC. Eighty-one percent (81/100) of PC patients had no complications. One or more complications occurred in 19 patients (19%). Patients treated with outpatient PC (n = 60) had early (7-day) mean charges of $3,391 +/- $1,753 compared with inpatient PC (n = 40, $11,188 +/- $7,964) or inpatient chest tube (n = 68, $7,830 +/- $4,497, SD) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Outpatient PC may be used effectively and safely to treat malignant pleural effusions. Hospitalization is not required in selected patients. Early (7-day) charges for malignant pleural effusion are reduced in outpatient PC patients compared with inpatient PC patients or chest tube plus sclerosis patients.

Comparison of three techniques of esophagectomy within a residency training program.

Residency training programs commonly emphasize a single technique of esophagectomy, as the safety and the efficacy of teaching or performing more than one type of esophagectomy are unclear. Between 1986 and 1992, 248 patients were explored for possible esophageal resection. Thoracic surgical residents or fellows performed major components of all resections. Two hundred twenty-one patients (adenocarcinoma, 146; squamous cell carcinoma, 72; and other, 3) underwent transthoracic esophagectomy (n = 134), transhiatal esophagectomy (n = 42), or total thoracic esophagectomy (n = 45), a resectability rate of 89.1% (221/248). Complications occurred in 75% of patients with transthoracic esophagectomy, in 69% with transhiatal esophagectomy, and in 80% with total thoracic esophagectomy. The overall operative mortality rate was 6.8% (15/221). Patients with a cervical anastomosis had a higher leak rate (13%) than those with an intrathoracic anastomosis (6%). Median survival was 22 months (19% 5-year survival) and did not differ by operation type or stage. No patient with unresectable disease (n = 27) survived longer than 10 months. Survival for patients with adenocarcinoma stages 3 and 2a suggested a trend toward improved survival after transthoracic esophagectomy despite similar rates of local and distant recurrence. Transthoracic esophagectomy, transhiatal esophagectomy, and total thoracic esophagectomy performed within a residency training program have similar morbidity, mortality, and recurrence rates as those in other modern series. A specific technique of esophagectomy can be selected for individual patients. Survival and sites of recurrence primarily reflect disease stage, not the technique of esophagectomy used.

Extended resection of pulmonary metastases: is the risk justified?

Extended resection of pulmonary metastases by pneumonectomy or by pulmonary resection en bloc with chest wall or other thoracic structures (diaphragm, pericardium, superior vena cava) is infrequently performed as survival benefit is presumed low. Between 1981 and 1992, 38 patients underwent extended resection for pulmonary metastases (24 men, 14 women; average age, 48 years) from various primary neoplasms. Thirty-three patients (33/38, 87%) had complete resection. Five-year actuarial survival was 25.4%. Mortality was 5.3% (2/38) and occurred in patients undergoing pneumonectomy (2/19, 10.5%). Nineteen patients underwent pneumonectomy, and 19 patients had other assorted resections: pulmonary resection en bloc with chest wall in 11 and pulmonary resection en bloc with other thoracic structures in 8. Actuarial median survival (median, 27 months) did not differ between patients having pneumonectomy and those having pulmonary resection en bloc with chest wall or other thoracic structures. Initial disease-free interval (median) was no different between those patients undergoing pneumonectomy (32 months) or other type resection (35 months; p = 0.16). Median survival for extended resection as the initial operation for pulmonary metastases was 28 months compared with 14 months for all others (p = 0.095). Pneumonectomy for pulmonary metastases may be performed with operative risk equivalent to pneumonectomy for primary bronchogenic carcinoma. Patients may safely undergo extended resection of pulmonary metastases by pneumonectomy or in continuity with chest wall or other thoracic structures. Despite advanced localized metastatic disease, some patients achieve long-term survival after pneumonectomy and extended resection for pulmonary metastases.