Minimally Invasive Repair of Adult Slipped Rib Syndrome Without Costal Cartilage Excision.

BACKGROUND: Slipped rib syndrome (SRS) is a painful disorder caused when 1 or more of the 8th-10th false ribs become abnormally mobile. Established treatment modalities include analgesia, intercostal nerve injection, and costal cartilage excision. No definitive surgical correction of SRS without cartilage excision has been previously described. We aimed to determine whether a nonexcisional repair technique in affected adults could demonstrate significant relief from SRS using standardized outcome measures. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of cases of SRS treated at our institution in 2019. We obtained data by survey before and after sutured 10th rib fixation, using a self-reported rating scale from 0-10 at defined intervals. Surveyed outcome measures were compared pre- and postoperatively using the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test. The use of neural modulating, narcotic, and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug medications was also compared pre- and postoperatively using McNemar's test where applicable. RESULTS: SRS was diagnosed using clinical examination alone in 42 adults and repaired in 29 patients. Median postoperative improvement in pain at 1 and 6 months was 75% (P < .001) and 80% (P < .001), respectively. Improvements in other outcome measures were similar. In patients who took pain medications preoperatively, narcotics were discontinued at 1 month by 100%, neural modulators by 86%, and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs by 92% (all P values < .001). Pain medication use remained minimal at 6 months in 23 (79%) of patients completing follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive slipped rib repair in adults provides significant relief of SRS, offering a useful alternative to costal cartilage excision. It is well tolerated and effective.

Initial experience with minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported our experience with minimally invasive esophagectomy. Our standard approach involves laparoscopic and thoracoscopic mobilization of the esophagus with a cervical esophagogastric anastomosis. In the present study we report our early experience with a modification of this technique, in which a high intrathoracic anastomosis is performed. METHODS: From 2002 to 2005, a minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy was performed in 50 patients. The planned approach included a totally laparoscopic abdominal procedure and either a minithoracotomy or thoracoscopy. Indications for esophagectomy included short segment Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia or resectable adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) with minimal proximal esophageal extension. . RESULTS: The median age was 62.3 years (range, 38 to 79). Twenty-five patients (50%) received either preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiation. There was one nonemergent conversion to an open procedure during laparoscopy. Planned minithoracotomy was successful in 35 patients; an additional 15 patients had the entire thoracic component performed thoracoscopically. A circular stapled anastomosis was performed in all patients. The operative mortality was 6%. Three patients (6%) developed an anastomotic leak; all were successfully managed nonoperatively. Four patients (8%) developed postoperative pneumonia. There were no recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy was technically feasible and resulted in good initial results in our center, which is experienced in minimally invasive and open esophagectomy. This approach minimizes the degree of gastric mobilization, almost eliminates recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and pharyngeal dysfunction, and allows additional gastric resection margin in the case of cardia extension of GEJ tumors.

Efficacy of laparoscopic fundoplication in controlling pulmonary symptoms associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-induced pulmonary symptoms (PS) can be difficult to control. The effectiveness of laparoscopic fundoplication (LF) in controlling PS among patients with medically recalcitrant GERD is poorly documented. We evaluated our results in controlling important PS in patients with GERD undergoing LF. METHODS: Seventy-four patients (28 men, 46 women) were identified with clinically important PS from a prospective cohort of 155 patients undergoing elective LF for recalcitrant GERD. Median age was 52.5 years (range, 29-84 years). Sixty-seven (91%) patients were taking proton pump inhibitors at the time of operation. Quality of life by using the SF36 physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary scores (normal, 50) and heartburn severity by using the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) (best score, 0; worst score, 45) were measured. RESULTS: All 74 patients with PS survived operation, and minor morbidity occurred in 5 (7%) patients. Median hospital stay was 2 days (range, 1-6 days), and return to normal activity was seen at 2.2 weeks (range, 1-8 weeks). Median follow-up was 12 months. PS were improved significantly (P < .01) for hoarseness (62% to 17.6%), bronchospasm (60% to 9.5%), and aspiration (22% to 1.4%). Before LF, 11 (14.9%) patients required bronchodilators or oral steroids. Postoperatively such therapy was required in only 3 (4.2%) patients (P = .019), with no patient requiring oral steroids. Patients with poorer control of their GERD on the basis of high HRQOL scores had significantly more PS after operation. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of patients with medically recalcitrant GERD (46% from our prospective database) have important PS. LF can improve PS, decrease requirement for pulmonary medications, as well as improve typical reflux symptoms and quality of life.

Minimally invasive operation for esophageal diverticula.

BACKGROUND: Mid and lower esophageal diverticula are rare entities usually managed by open operation. Morbidity can be significant with these complex procedures. This study evaluates our results of minimally invasive surgery for esophageal diverticula. METHODS: Over a 5-year period, 20 patients underwent operation for esophageal diverticula. Median age was 70.5 years. There were 16 epiphrenic and 4 midesophageal diverticula with a median size of 7.5 cm (range, 2-11 cm). Symptoms included dysphagia (14), regurgitation (12), weight loss (8), heartburn (4), aspiration pneumonia (3), chest pain (2), and vomiting (2). Dysphagia scores (1 = none, 5 = severe) were recorded before and after operation. RESULTS: Surgical approaches were laparoscopy (10), video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) (7), laparoscopic/VATS (2), and laparoscopic/thoracotomy (1). The most common operation performed was a diverticulectomy, myotomy, and partial fundoplication (12). Complications occurred in 9 (45%) patients and included 4 (20%) esophageal leaks. Three leak patients had successful outcomes; the fourth patient died 61 days after operation. Median hospital stay was 5.0 (1-61) days. Detailed follow-up was available in 18 patients at a median of 15 (1-70) months. Dysphagia scores improved significantly (p < 0.001) from 2.3 to 1.3 postoperatively. Symptomatic improvement was excellent in 13 (72%), good in 2 (11%), fair in 1 (6%), and poor in 2 (11%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive operations for esophageal diverticula are feasible but also challenging. The potential for morbidity is significant. Patients should be selected and evaluated carefully before undertaking repair. Open surgery should remain the standard except in centers experienced with minimally invasive esophageal surgery.

Current staging of esophageal carcinoma.

The rational treatment of esophageal cancer requires the complete evaluation and preoperative staging of this disease. As the incidence of esophageal cancer increases, more clinicians will face the difficult task of allocating the appropriate treatment course for these patients. Accurate esophageal cancer staging is critical if stage-dependent algorithms are used to direct appropriate therapies. Although all of the staging techniques discussed may potentially provide useful information, it is not possible to use all techniques in all patients, especially given the limited availability of resources. The optimal staging strategy has not yet been determined; the authors provide the general algorithm used in our institution. Ultimately,minimally invasive surgical approaches will allow surgeons to evaluate locoregional disease with little or no procedure-associated morbidity, much as mediastinoscopy is used in lung cancer staging. Although currently the use of molecular biologic techniques may only be investigational, it holds great promise in the future.

Thoracic epidural versus intercostal nerve catheter plus patient-controlled analgesia: a randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Pain control is an important issue after thoracotomy. Ideal methods should have a high success rate, with easy implementation and minimal complications. Debate exists over the optimal pain control method. This randomized trial was designed to compare epidural (EPI) and intercostal nerve catheter with patient-controlled analgesia (ICN-PCA) for pain control after thoracotomy. METHODS: The study included 124 randomized patients; 91 had sufficient data for analysis (44 EPI, 47 ICN-PCA). The primary endpoint was pain measurement using a composite of a visual analogue scale, numerical rating, and categorical rating. A second endpoint was the success rate of each method. Pulmonary function tests, antibiotics, intensive care unit (ICU), and hospital days, and use of nonprotocol pain medications were also compared. RESULTS: There were 12 pain observations per patient (90% completed on days 1 to 5). The pain composite revealed an average postoperative pain score of 2.4 on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain). There was no difference between the groups. Failures of the planned method of analgesia included 9 in the EPI group and 4 in the ICN group (p = 0.23). Another 20 patients were excluded (no difference between groups) due to unsuspected mediastinal metastases precluding thoracotomy (n = 13), and other miscellaneous factors precluding follow-up (n = 7). The EPI group had an increased number of urinary catheter days (2.5 days vs 1.7, p = 0.002) and increased narcotic supplements (p = 0.03) compared with ICN. Mean ICU days (0.9) and hospital days (6.2) were similar for both groups, and there were no differences in arrhythmias, pneumonias, transfusions, and antibiotic use. Significant differences were seen (p = 0.001) between preoperative and postoperative pulmonary function tests in both groups. However, there were no differences in pulmonary function when the groups were compared with each other. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfactory pain control was achieved after thoracotomy using either EPI or ICN-PCA. The ICN-PCA achieved equivalent pain control compared with EPI, and was placed by the surgeon with no delays in surgery, and demonstrated a decreased requirement for Foley catheter duration.

Radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in marginal surgical candidates.

OBJECTIVE: Treatment options for patients with non-small cell lung cancer who are not surgical candidates or who refuse operation are limited. Radiofrequency ablation represents a potential less invasive option for these patients. Our initial experience with radiofrequency ablation for peripheral, primary non-small cell lung cancer is reported. METHODS: We treated 21 tumors in 18 patients. Median age was 75 (range 58-86) years. Cancer stages were I (n = 9), II (n = 2), III (n = 3), and IV (n = 4). Patients with stage IV disease included 3 with recurrence after previous lobectomies and 1 with a synchronous liver metastasis also treated with radiofrequency ablation. Median tumor diameter was 2.8 cm (range 1.2-4.5 cm). Radiofrequency ablation was delivered by minithoracotomy in 2 cases and by a computed tomography-guided percutaneous approach in 16 patients. Computed tomographic and positron emission tomographic scans were used to evaluate recurrence and radiographic response in ablated nodules. RESULTS: One postoperative death occurred from pneumonia after open radiofrequency ablation. Median hospital stay was 2.5 days. A chest tube or pigtail catheter was required in 7 patients (38.9%) for procedure-related pneumothoraces. At a median follow-up of 14 months, 15 patients (83.3%) were alive. Local progression occurred in 8 nodules (38.1%). Mean and median progression-free intervals were 16.8 and 18 months, respectively. For stage I cancers, mean progression-free interval was 17.6 months. Median progression-free interval was not reached. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the feasibility of radiofrequency ablation for small, peripheral non-small cell lung cancer tumors. Local control is comparable to, if not better than, that provided by radiotherapy. Radiofrequency ablation should continue to be evaluated by thoracic surgeons as a noninvasive therapy for the high-risk patient with non-small cell lung cancer.

Barrett's esophagus: diagnostic approaches and surveillance.

In an effort to identify those patients at risk for developing esophageal adenocarcinoma, the American College of Gastroenterology recommends screening endoscopy in patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease. Surveillance endoscopy is recommended every 3 years in those patients without dysplasia. For those patients with verified low-grade dysplasia, yearly surveillance endoscopy is recommended. In the case of high-grade dysplasia (HGD), either intensive endoscopic surveillance (focal HGD) or ablation/resection can be performed (multifocal HGD). Both observational and cost-effectiveness analyses suggest a potential benefit of endoscopic screening and surveillance, though these findings remain to be validated in controlled clinical trials. The development of new endoscopic imaging modalities may enhance the yield of biopsies obtained during screening and surveillance regimens.

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for recalcitrant gastroesophageal reflux disease in morbidly obese patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is commonly associated with morbid obesity (MO). Antireflux surgery has a higher failure rate in MO and addresses only one of the comorbidities present. This paper reviews the results of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGBP) performed for recalcitrant GERD in MO. METHODS: Patients with recalcitrant GERD and a body mass index (BMI)>35 undergoing LRYGBP were included. LRYGB included crural repair, creation of a small gastric pouch (30 mL), and intestinal bypass (150 to 180 cm). All patients were followed in clinic and by telephone. RESULTS: From February 1999 to April 2001, 57 patients (51 F, 6 M) with a mean age of 43 (range, 22 to 67) and a median BMI of 43 underwent LRYGBP. Hiatal hernia or esophagitis, or both, were present in 48, Barrett's in 2. LRYGBP was possible in 52 patients; 5 required open conversion. The median hospital stay was 3 days. Complications included 1 leak, 1 pulmonary emboli, 2 reoperations for internal roux limb hernia, and 7 gastrojejunal strictures. At a mean follow-up of 18 months (range, 3 to 30), all patients report improvement or no symptoms of GERD and a mean weight loss of 40 kg (range, 16 to 70). Quality of life scores (SF-36) were above national norms for physical and mental components (median 55, norms=50). GERD-health related quality of life median score was <1 (scale, 0 to 45, 0=asymptomatic, 45=worse). CONCLUSION: LRYGBP was effective for recalcitrant GERD in MO. LRYGBP also led to weight loss and improvement in other comorbidites. Surgeons with minimally invasive expertise should consider LRYGBP for treatment of GERD in the morbidly obese.

Comparison of mutational changes in involved N1 lymph nodes with those in primary tumors in stage II non-small cell lung cancer: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Surgical resection is the standard treatment for stage II non-small cell lung cancer, but recurrence rates approach 60%. This study compared mutational changes in involved lymph nodes and primary tumors from patients with stage II non-small cell lung cancer to determine whether risk factors for recurrence could be identified. METHODS: Forty patients with resected stage II non-small cell lung cancer (excluding T3 N0 disease) were studied. Microdissection was performed on primary tumors and lymph nodes. Analysis was performed across 9 genomic loci by using polymerase chain reaction amplification. The ratio of fractional allelic loss between involved lymph nodes and primary tumors was used to stratify patients into high-risk (fractional allelic loss ratio of >or=1) and low-risk (fractional allelic loss ratio of <1) groups. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 68 years (range, 42-85 years). Median follow-up was 30 months. Fractional allelic loss was greater in patients with squamous carcinomas compared with that in adenocarcinomas, but survival was similar (35 vs 39 months). The median survival was 35 months in high-risk patients and was not reached in low-risk patients (P =.3). Disease-free survival was 24 months in high-risk patients and was not reached in low-risk patients (P =.35). In the subset with adenocarcinoma (n = 18), median survival was 24 months in the high-risk group; no deaths occurred in low-risk patients (P =.01). Also, disease-free survival was 14 months in high-risk patients and was not reached in the low-risk patients (P =.05). CONCLUSIONS: Squamous cancers demonstrate greater mutational changes than adenocarcinomas; this does not affect outcome. The patients with low-risk adenocarcinomas demonstrated superior outcomes compared with those of other patients. These results should be confirmed in larger studies.

Outcomes of minimally invasive antireflux operations in the elderly: a comparative review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of age following laparoscopic fundoplication (LF). METHODS: From March 1993 to November 1998, 193 patients underwent LF. Patients comprised 150 young individuals (age<60; median 41) and 43 older individuals (age>60; median 68). Follow-up included heartburn scores, dysphagia scores, and quality of life determined by the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF36). RESULTS: Older patients had more cardiac disease, psychiatric disorders, prior cancers, and upper abdominal operations (P<0.05). DeMeester scores were similar (young 70/older 69). Complications occurred in 13 (8.7%) of the young and 5 (11.6%) of the older patients (P=0.142). No perioperative deaths occurred. Length of stay was longer (P<0.000) in older patients (2.9 versus 1.6 days); resumption of oral intake (young-1.2; older-1.3 days) and return to normal activity (young-3.6; older-4.4 weeks) were similar. Follow-up was available in 102 young (median 17 months) and 35 older (median 18 months) patients. Heartburn and dysphagia scores were excellent in both groups. SF36 scores were similar in both groups. Only 6 (5.9%) of the young group and 1 (2.9%) of the older group were dissatisfied (P=0.652). CONCLUSIONS: Despite differences in comorbid disease, outcomes were similar in both groups. LF should be considered a therapeutic option in the older patient with reflux.

Photodynamic therapy as palliation for esophageal cancer: experience in 215 patients.

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) utilizes a photosensitizing agent, light, and oxygen to endoscopically ablate cancer cells. This review summarizes our experience with PDT for the palliation of bleeding or obstructing esophageal cancer (EC). METHODS: All patients with bleeding or obstructing EC treated with PDT from November 1996 through June 2002, were reviewed. After Photofrin II injection, nonthermal light treatment was delivered endoscopically. Dysphagia scores, duration of palliation, reinterventions, complications, and survival after treatment were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 215 patients underwent 318 courses of PDT for bleeding (n = 15), obstruction (n = 277), bleeding and obstruction (n = 18), or other indications (n = 8). Tumor histology included 179 adenocarcinomas, 33 squamous cell carcinomas, and 3 undifferentiated. Seventy-five percent of EC were in the distal esophagus. In 85% of courses for obstruction, mean dysphagia scores improved pre- and post-PDT. The mean dysphagia-free interval was 66 days. Supplemental nutrition was discontinued after PDT in 8 of 27 patients (30%). Thirty-five patients required stent placement after PDT with a mean interval to reintervention of 58.5 days. PDT complications included perforation (2% of treatment courses), stricture (2%), Candida esophagitis (2%), pleural effusions (4%), and sunburn (6%). The procedure-related mortality rate was 1.8%, and median survival was 4.8 months. CONCLUSIONS: PDT offers effective palliation for patients with obstructing EC in 85% of treatment courses. The ideal EC patient for PDT palliation has an obstructing endoluminal cancer. Patients living more than 2 months may require reintervention to maintain palliation of malignant dysphagia, and a multimodality treatment approach is common.

Minimally invasive esophagectomy: outcomes in 222 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess our outcomes after minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Esophagectomy has traditionally been performed by open methods. Results from most series include mortality rates in excess of 5% and hospital stays frequently greater than 10 days. MIE has the potential to improve these results, but only a few small series have been reported. This report summarizes our experience of 222 cases. METHODS: From 1996 to 2002, MIE was performed in 222 patients. Indications for operation included high-grade dysplasia (n = 47) and cancer (n = 175). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was used in 78 (35.1%) and radiation in 36 (16.2%). Initially, a laparoscopic transhiatal approach was used (n = 8), but subsequently our approach evolved to include thoracoscopic mobilization (n = 214). RESULTS: There were 186 men and 36 women. Median age was 66.5 years (range, 39-89). Nonemergent conversion to open procedure was required in 16 patients (7.2%). MIE was successfully completed in 206 (92.8%) patients. The median intensive care unit stay was 1 day (range, 1-30); hospital stay was 7 days (range, 3-75). Operative mortality was 1.4% (n = 3). Anastomotic leak rate was 11.7% (n = 26). At a mean follow-up of 19 months (range, 1-68), quality of life scores were similar to preoperative values and population norms. Stage specific survival was similar to open series. CONCLUSIONS: MIE offers results as good as or better than open operation in our center with extensive minimally invasive and open experience. In this single institution experience, we observed a lower mortality rate (1.4%) and shorter hospital stay (7 days) than most open series. Given these results, we are now developing an intergroup trial (ECOG 2202) to assess MIE in a multicenter setting.

Photodynamic therapy for endobronchial metastases from nonbronchogenic primaries.

BACKGROUND: Endobronchial metastases (EBM) occur in 2% of nonbronchogenic malignancies and frequently present with hemoptysis or dyspnea. This report summarizes our recent experience with photodynamic therapy (PDT) for EBM. METHODS: All patients who have undergone PDT for the treatment of symptomatic EBM from nonbronchogenic primaries were identified in the Division of Thoracic Surgery database to determine number of treatments, frequency of symptom relief, and patient survival. RESULTS: Endobronchial PDT was administered to 27 patients from April 1997 through December 2000. The predominant primary tumor was renal cell (44%). Endobronchial metastases presented metachronously in 74% of patients. Patients underwent a median of two PDT treatments. Local anesthesia with sedation was used in 76% of treatments. Four patients (15%) developed immediate postoperative respiratory distress. Follow-up bronchoscopy 24 to 48 hours after initial treatment demonstrated tumor necrosis in all cases. Acute relief of hemoptysis and dyspnea was achieved in 85% of patients. Seven patients died within 6 weeks of treatment. Median survival time after PDT was 4 months (range 0.2 to 30 months). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with EBM treated with PDT had a median survival of 4 months and patients with limited metastatic disease survived up to 30 months. Photodynamic therapy was effective in palliating hemoptysis or dyspnea from EBM with an acceptable morbidity, although the 30-day mortality was 22%.

Comparing the outcomes after laparoscopic versus open gastric bypass: a matched paired analysis.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGBP) is being performed widely as a treatment of choice for morbid obesity. Advantages over open gastric bypass (OGBP) have not been well documented in controlled studies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the early postoperative outcomes after LGBP and OGBP using a matched paired analysis. METHODS: 80 consecutive LGBP patients were matched by age, gender, preoperative BMI, and number of co-morbid medical conditions to 80 OGBP patients. Outcomes included length of stay (LOS), complications, percent excess weight lost (%EWL) and change in BMI over 1 year, time to return to normal activities, and quality of life (QOL). Continuous variables were analyzed using Wilcoxon Signed Ranks and discrete data were analyzed with McNemar tests. RESULTS: Baseline variables were matched (LGBP/OGBP); age 43/42, mean preoperative BMI 44/46, co-morbid conditions 2.5/2.8. LOS was significantly shorter in the LGBP vs. OGBP group (3.6 vs. 4.3 days). There was a trend to more major complications (internal hernias requiring reoperation) in the LGBP group that did not reach significance. Minor complications were comparable. %EWL was significantly better in the LGBP group at 3, 6, and 9 months, but was comparable to the OGBP group at 1 year (LGBP/OGBP, 69%/65%). BMI at 1 year was also similar (29 vs. 31). LGBP patients returned to normal activities sooner and had equivalent QOL outcomes. CONCLUSION: LGBP provides certain advantages over OGBB. LOS and time to return to normal activities are shorter and early weight loss results may be superior.

Radiofrequency ablation of pulmonary malignant tumors in nonsurgical candidates.

OBJECTIVE: Radiofrequency ablation applies thermal energy with a catheter delivery system, resulting in coagulation necrosis. Radiofrequency ablation is frequently used for hepatic malignant tumors, but few reports exist regarding its use for lung tumors. We report our experience with radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of pulmonary malignant tumors. METHODS: We evaluated the results of lung radiofrequency ablation for patients not considered surgical candidates. Indications for radiofrequency ablation were pulmonary malignant tumors in patients with medical comorbidities, pulmonary compromise, or refusal of surgery. RESULTS: Thirty-three lung tumors in 18 patients (12 male, 6 female) were treated with radiofrequency ablation. Tumors included metastatic carcinoma (n = 8), sarcoma (n = 5), and lung cancer (n = 5). Mean age was 60 years (range 27-95 years). Thoracic surgeons performed radiofrequency ablation by minithoracotomy (n = 5) or computed tomography-guided percutaneous methods (n = 13) with patients under general anesthesia in the operating room. Mean length of stay was 3 days (range 1-7 days). Complications included procedure-related pneumothorax in 7 of 13 percutaneous procedures (53.8%), delayed pneumothorax (1/18), pneumonitis/pneumonia (4/18), small pleural effusion (9/18) and transient renal failure (1/18). One death occurred as a result of hemoptysis 19 days after radiofrequency ablation of a central nodule. This patient had also received recent brachytherapy. After a mean follow-up of 6 months (range 1-14 months), radiofrequency ablation had achieved a radiographically determined response in 8 of 12 patients with treated tumors smaller than 5 cm (66.6%). Death with progressive metastatic disease occurred in 7 of 18 patients (38%) during follow-up. CONCLUSION: This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of radiofrequency ablation for small peripheral lung tumors. Larger tumors responded poorly. Additional trials are needed to determine safety and efficacy.

Minimally invasive esophagectomy in the elderly.

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, older patients are being referred for esophagectomy, and the associated morbidity and mortality is not well defined. Advances in minimally invasive techniques now allow minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) to be performed that may minimize the morbidity of this procedure. The objective of this report was to summarize our experience with MIE in the elderly. METHODS: From February 1997 through February 2001, 41 patients (14 women, 27 men) 75 years of age or older (mean age 78, range 75 to 89) underwent esophagectomy (28 for adenocarcinoma, 7 squamous, 6 Barrett's with high-grade dysplasia). RESULTS: Esophagectomy was performed in a minimally invasive fashion in 41 patients. No open conversions were necessary. The median ICU stay was 1 day (range 1 to 34). The median hospital stay was 7 days (range 5 to 50). Major morbidity occurred in 19% of the cases and included 1 persistent air leak, 1 case of pneumonia with acute respiratory failure, 1 tracheal tear, 1 chylothorax, and 1 myocardial infarction. Three anastomotic leaks and 1 small bowel perforation occurred. All were recognized early and treated surgically. No perioperative mortalities took place. CONCLUSION: In our center, MIE was performed in elderly patients with an acceptable morbidity, low mortality, and reduced length of hospital stay compared with that in previous reports.

Minimally invasive resection for esophageal cancer.

MIE is technically demanding with a steep learning curve. Operative times decrease from 7 to 8 hours to 4.5 to 5 hours after the surgeons and assistants in the authors' center had performed 20 operations. In the authors' experience the operation was performed safely in the context of the authors' extensive experience with open esophageal surgery and advanced minimally invasive procedures. In the authors' first 77 cases, the 30-day operative mortality was zero, with a median hospital stay of 7 days, which compares favorably to many open series. Prospective studies will be required to determine whether postoperative pain, recovery time, and cost are improved. The optimal surgical approach for each patient should be decided based on surgical experience, tumor characteristics, and patient preference. A multi-institutional prospective trial is planned to evaluate the clinical and oncologic results of MIE for cancer compared with traditional open surgery.

Outcomes after minimally invasive reoperation for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: Reoperative antireflux surgery is complex and traditionally performed by open methods. Increasingly, surgeons are performing minimally invasive reoperations. This report summarizes our experience with laparoscopic reoperative antireflux surgery (LRAS). METHODS: A retrospective review (1996 to 2001) identified 80 LRAS cases. Median age was 49 (22 to 80) years with 52 females and 28 males. Primary symptoms included heartburn (53%), regurgitation (22%), and dysphagia (25%). Detailed outcomes recorded at follow-up included heartburn severity using the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Health Related Quality of Life scale (HRQOL) and SF36 physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary scores. RESULTS: LRAS was completed in 97.5% of cases (two conversions). The most common problems identified were mediastinal migration of the wrap in 48 (60%) and misplaced wrap in 11 (13.8%). LRAS operations included Collis-Nissen (42), Nissen (26), Toupet (six), and six others. Pyloroplasty was required in nine (11%). Complications occurred in 16 patients. These included nine minor gastric perforations (all repaired intraoperatively) and two reoperations for complications (1 patient with a bile leak and the second with a pyloroplasty site leak). Median length of stay was 2.5 days. Median follow-up was 18 (1 to 52) months; 18 (23%) required proton-pump inhibitors. Detailed outcomes were available in 50 patients. Mean PCS and MCS scores were 42 and 47, respectively (normals = 50). HRQOL scores were excellent in 35 (65%), satisfactory in 9 (17%), and poor in 10 (18%). Ten patients (18%) reported that they were dissatisfied. CONCLUSIONS: LRAS can be performed safely with complication and success rates similar to open operations in a center with extensive laparoscopic experience.