Zero-leak prediction during major lung resection aiming for minimal chest drainage duration: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Early chest tube removal should be considered to enhance recovery after surgery. The current study aimed to provide a predictive algorithm for air leak episodes (ALE) and to create a knowledge base for early chest tube removal. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent thoracoscopic anatomical pulmonary resections in our unit. We defined ALE as any airflow ≥ 10 mL/min recorded in the follow-up charts based on the digital thoracic drainage device. Multivariate regression analysis was used to control for preoperative and intraoperative confounding factors. The ALE prediction algorithm was constructed by combining an additive ALE risk-scoring system using the coefficients of the significant predictive factors with the intraoperative water-sealing test. RESULTS: In 485 consecutive thoracoscopic major pulmonary resections, ALE developed in 209 (43%) patients. Statistically significant ALE-associated preoperative factors included male sex, lower body mass index, radiologically evident emphysema, lobectomy, and upper lobe surgery. Significant ALE-associated intraoperative factors were incomplete fissure and pleural adhesion. The ALE risk scoring demonstrated an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.72 in the fivefold cross-validation test. The ALE prediction algorithm correctly predicted ALE-absent patients at a negative predictive value of 80%. CONCLUSIONS: The algorithm may promote the optimization of the chest tube-dwelling duration by identifying potential ALE-absent patients for accelerated tube removal.

A case of a thoracic mass negative on thoracentesis diagnosed by cryobiopsy from the visceral pleura.

Thoracoscopy under local anaesthesia is recommended for malignant tumours with negative pleural effusion cytology. Cryobiopsy from the visceral pleura by thoracoscopy under local anaesthesia can provide more diagnostic options for patients with thoracentesis-negative malignant effusions. Here we present the first case in which this technique was used. The patient had a pleural metastasis that could not be diagnosed even with rapid cytology of the parietal pleura biopsy. Indications, technical pitfalls, and safety tips are discussed.

Reconstruction of the Bifurcation of Right Upper Bronchus Using Miyamoto's Technique for Typical Carcinoid.

A 41-year-old woman presented with productive cough and exertional dyspnea. Bronchoscopy revealed an endobronchial tumor arising from the membrane proximal to the bifurcation of right upper bronchus, and the tumor was a typical carcinoid. The right main bronchus, right upper lobe bronchus, and intermediate bronchus were resected along with the tumor. Intraoperative pathological diagnosis of the bronchial stumps was negative, and bronchial reconstruction was subsequently performed. Two-thirds of the circumference of the right main bronchus and the right intermediate bronchus were anastomosed. The right upper lobe bronchus was anastomosed in an end-to-side fashion. The anastomotic site was covered by the intercostal muscles.

Fish Bone Descending in the Mediastinum.

Ingested sharp foreign bodies rarely migrate extraluminally into adjacent organs such as the pharynx, lungs, and liver. Herein, we report a case of fish bone ingestion where the foreign body followed a unique migration trajectory. Computed tomography revealed a fish bone extraluminally located in the aortopulmonary space in the left mediastinum and peri-esophageal pneumomediastinum. Endoscopic examination indicated no injury to the esophageal mucosa but showed mucosal lacerations in the left hypopharynx. Accordingly, we reasoned that the fish bone penetrated the laryngopharynx and then descended in the mediastinum.

Single-Direction Approach for Thoracoscopic Segmentectomy of the Left Upper Lobe Anterior Segment With Mediastinal Lingular Artery.

Thoracoscopic resection of the anterior segment of the left upper lobe (S3) is technically challenging because of the intricate hilar structure and multiple intersegmental planes to be dissected. A single-direction approach for S3 segmentectomy is a technique in which surgeons dissect the hilum structures exclusively from the ventral side without dividing the interlobar fissure. Our consecutive case series and a representative surgical video demonstrated the feasibility of this approach in cases where the lingular artery arises from the first branch of the left pulmonary artery (mediastinal lingular artery).

Multicentre, prospective, observational study investigating the most appropriate surgical option that can prevent the recurrence of primary spontaneous pneumothorax after surgery: the PATCH study, protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Thoracoscopic surgery is performed for refractory or recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). To reduce postoperative recurrence, additional treatment is occasionally adopted during surgery after bulla resection. However, the most effective method has not been fully elucidated. Furthermore, the preference for additional treatment varies among countries, and its efficacy in preventing recurrence must be evaluated based on settings tailored for the conditions of a specific country. The number of registries collecting detailed data about PSP surgery is limited. Therefore, to address this issue, a prospective multicentre observational study was performed. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This multicentre, prospective, observational study will enrol 450 participants aged between 16 and 40 years who initially underwent PSP surgery. Data about demographic characteristics, disease and family history, surgical details, and CT scan findings will be collected. Follow-up must be conducted until 3 years after surgery or in the event of recurrence, whichever came first. Patients without recurrence will undergo annual follow-up until 3 years after surgery. The primary outcome is the rate of recurrence within 2 years after surgery. A multivariate analysis will be performed to compare the efficacy of different surgical options. Then, adverse outcomes correlated with various treatments and the feasibility of treatment methods will be compared. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the local ethics committee of all participating centres. The findings will be available in 2025, and they can be used as a basis for clinical decision-making regarding appropriate options for the initial PSP surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04758143.

Multi-tumor analysis of cancer-stroma interactomes of patient-derived xenografts unveils the unique homeostatic process in renal cell carcinomas.

The patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model is a versatile tool used to study the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, limited studies have described multi-tumor PDX screening strategies to detect hub regulators during cancer-stroma interaction. Transcriptomes of cancer (human) and stroma (mouse) components of 70 PDX samples comprising 9 distinctive tumor types were analyzed in this study. PDX models recapitulated the original tumors' features, including tumor composition and putative signaling. Particularly, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) stood out, with altered hypoxia-related pathways and a high proportion of endothelial cells in the TME. Furthermore, an integrated analysis conducted to predict paracrine effectors in the KIRC cancer-to-stroma communication detected well-established soluble factors responsible for the hypoxia-related reaction and the so-far unestablished soluble factor, apelin (APLN). Subsequent experiments also supported the potential role of APLN in KIRC tumor progression. Therefore, this paper hereby provides an analytical workflow to find hub regulators in cancer-stroma interactions.

Intrathoracic omental herniation mimics posterior mediastinal lipomatous tumor.

Intrathoracic omental herniation is an esophageal hiatal hernia that does not involve the stomach and has been previously misdiagnosed as a lipomatous tumor. We report the case of a 72-year-old man who was referred to our hospital for investigation of a chest abnormal shadow. The large mediastinal mass with fat density was not recognized 5 years ago. Although it mimicked a mediastinal lipomatous tumor, we could preoperatively diagnose it as intrathoracic omental herniation. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography was effective in making an accurate diagnosis, showing the mass and vessels passing through the esophageal hiatus from the abdominal cavity. Laparoscopic surgery was performed, and the hiatus was repaired. To diagnose the mediastinal lipidic mass as intrathoracic omental herniation preoperatively can provide less invasive procedure.

[Long-Term Survival of a Patient with Advanced Recurrent Rectal Cancer Treated with a Multidisciplinary Therapy including Five Operations-A Case Report].

A 68-year-old female with rectal cancer underwent low anterior resection with regional lymph node dissection. The final pathological diagnosis was Stage Ⅲa, and an adjuvant therapy(S-1)was provided for 6 months. One year after the surgery, an anastomotic recurrence was detected. Therefore, pelvic chemoradiotherapy with folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil(FL)was provided, and resection was performed with the Hartmann procedure. Following the second surgery, chemotherapy with bevacizumab(BV)and capecitabine plus oxaliplatin(CapeOX)was provided, and the patient showed no signs of recurrence for several years. However, lung metastasis appeared, which was resected. A year later, the patient underwent hepatectomy and radiofrequency ablation for liver metastasis. Another year later, she underwent lung resection again because of new lung metastasis. During the periods between the surgeries, various chemotherapy regimens were followed continuously, however, the patient died of progressive recurrence 8 years and 4 months after the initial surgery. Recurrences and distant metastases are poor prognostic factors for rectal cancers. However, combined effective chemotherapy and radiotherapy with surgery may improve the patient's chances of survival.

[A Case Report of Gastric Cancer Excised after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Long-Term Survival Achieved after NivolumabAdministration for Peritoneal Dissemination].

The patient was a 64-year-old man with Type 3 advanced cancer in the upper body of the stomach. The preoperative tumor marker value of CA19-9 was abnormally high, but there was no proof of distant metastasis or peritoneal dissemination. The first operation was an exploratory laparotomy due to direct tumor invasion to the pancreas. Systemic chemotherapy was performed for tumor reduction. First, S-1 plus cisplatin therapy was administered for 4 courses but discontinued because of renal dysfunction and thrombocytopenia. In the second-line therapy, ramucirumabplus paclitaxel therapy was administered for 7 courses. Since the tumor invasion to the pancreas turned to be clear based on a CT scan, total gastrectomy with regional lymphadenectomy was performed. However, 5 months after surgery, a single nodule appeared in the upper abdomen that was suspected to be peritoneal dissemination. Nivolumab therapy was administered for 16 months without tumor enlargement or any adverse effect. Recently, there has been a marked development in chemotherapy for gastric cancer. Unresectable cases became operable after the administration of appropriate chemotherapy. In our case, nivolumab therapy had no adverse effect. However, serious adverse effects have been reported by several authors which suggests that regular examinations for interstitial pneumonia, hypothyroidism, and other adverse effects are important.