Postoperative superior anastomotic leakage classification and treatment strategy for postoperative esophagogastric junction cancer.

Background: At present, anastomotic fistula cannot be avoided after adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG). Once the anastomotic leakage occurs, the posterior mediastinum and the left thoracic cavity are often seriously infected, which further impairs respiratory and circulatory function, heightening the danger of the disease course. The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of superior anastomotic leakage after surgery for AEG and recommend corresponding treatment strategies to improve the diagnosis and treatment of superior anastomotic leakage after surgery for AEG. Methods: The clinical data of 57 patients with superior anastomotic leakage after surgery for AEG in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2017 to March 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 27 cases referred from external hospitals and 30 cases at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University. According to the diameter and risk level of anastomotic leakage, the high anastomotic leakage is divided into types I, II, III, and IV. Results: Patients with preoperative comorbidities or those treated with the transabdominal approach or laparoscopic surgery often had type I and type II anastomotic leakage; meanwhile, patients with preoperative comorbidities and sacral perforation or those treated with a thoracic and abdominal approach or open surgery often had type III and IV fistula. The difference between types I-II and types III-IV was statistically significant (P<0.05). The mortality rate of patients with type III and type IV leakage was 14.8% within 90 days after operation, while no deaths occurred among patients with type I and type II leakage, and the difference in mortality between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: After surgery for AEG, suitable treatment measures should be adopted according to the type of superior anastomotic leakage that occurs. Types III and IV superior anastomotic leakages are associated with higher mortality and require greater attention from surgeons.

Treatment of Esophago-Airway Fistula after Esophageal Resection.

(1) Background: Esophago-airway fistula after esophageal resection is a rare, life-threatening complication associated with a high postoperative mortality rate. Managing this condition is challenging, and the prognosis for patients is uncertain. The results and our own approach to treatment are presented. (2) Material and Methods: We present a retrospective analysis of a group of 22 patients treated for an esophago-airway fistula between 2012 and 2022, with 21 cases after esophageal resection and one during the course of Hodgkin's disease. (3) Results: Twenty-two patients were treated for an esophago-airway fistula. Among them, a tracheobronchial fistula occurred in 21 (95.4%) patients during the postoperative period, while 1 (4.5%) was treated for Hodgkin's disease. Of these cases, 17 (70.7%) patients underwent esophageal diversion with various treatments, including intercostal flap in most cases, greater omentum in one (4.5%), latissimus dorsi muscle in two (9%), and greater pectoral muscle in one (4.5%). Esophageal stenting was performed in two patients (9.0%), and one (4.5%) was treated conservatively. Unfortunately, one patient (4.5%) died after being treated with bronchial stenting, and two (9.5%) experienced a recurrence of the fistula. (4) Conclusions: The occurrence of an esophago-airway fistula after esophagectomy is a rare but life-threatening complication with an uncertain prognosis that results in several serious perioperative sequelae.

Alleviation of malignant dysphagia in inoperable lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Due to the close anatomical relationship between the esophagus and the bronchial tree, lung cancer can cause malignant dysphagia. Patients with this complication may require palliation through esophageal and/or bronchial tree restoration. METHODS: Between the years 2008 and 2018, malignant dysphagia was diagnosed in 84 lung cancer patients. Their response to esophageal and/or bronchial tree stenting was studied retrospectively. Patients were stratified into three groups: esophageal compression without obstruction of the bronchi (Group I, n=64), esophageal compression and bronchial obstruction without fistulas (Group II, n=12), and dysphagia and esophagotracheal fistula (Group III, n=8). Group I had one stent implanted, whilst in Groups II and III, two stents were introduced. Both self-expanding stents and silicone Y stents were utilized. Prior to intervention and during the follow-up period, patients were assessed for degree of dysphagia and dyspnea, quality of life, and survival. RESULTS: Following endoprosthetic restoration, dysphagia score improved in all patient groups with reductions in Group I (2.68 vs. 1.2, P=0.0001), in Group II (2.76 vs. 1.3, P=0.0001), and in Group III (2.74 vs. 1.3, P=0.0001). There was no dyspnea recorded in Group I before an intervention, however it was present and reduced in Group II (2.86 vs. 0.4, P=0.001) and Group III (2.89 vs. 0.5, P=0.0001) following intervention. Quality of life was improved for all patient groups, with an increase in Karnofsky performance scale in Group I (56 vs. 72, P=0.0001), Group II (56 vs. 70, P=0.0001) and Group III (53 vs. 67, P=0.0001). Three patients (3.6%) developed respiratory failure and 1 patient (0.8%) died. Two patients (2.4%), following esophageal stenting, required bronchial tree stenting. Dysphagia occurred in 5 patients (6.0%) due to granuloma formation. In these cases, the stents were removed and re-stenting was carried out. In 3 of the patients (3.6%) the stents were removed due to migration and re-stenting was performed. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with malignant dysphagia due to lung cancer may require esophageal stenting as well as bronchial tree stenting. This treatment offers improvements in dysphagia and dyspnea scores, as well as in quality of life, and allows for the implementation of oncological treatments.

Prognostic impact of micrometastasis in patients with esophageal cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus and adenocarcinoma of the esophago-gastric junction (AEG) are diseases with poor prognosis. Despite radical surgery having been carried out, many patients are at risk of cancer recurrence, especially with the presence of metastases in the lymph nodes. The study involved 60 patients suffering from SCC and AEG who had lymph nodes surgically removed between 2012 and 2018. Only lymph nodes with N0 status were subjected to immunohistochemistry examination. Histopathological criteria were used for the diagnosis of micrometastases (MM), defined as tumor cells or cell clusters of 0.2-2 mm diameter in the lymph node and tumor cell microinvolvement defined as free-floating neoplastic cells or cell clusters within the sub-capsular sinus or intramedullary sinuses of the lymph node. A total of 1130 lymph nodes were removed during surgery, with an average of 22 lymph nodes per patient (range 8-58). Micrometastases were found in 7 (11.66%) patients: 6 (10.0%) with AEG and 1 (1.66%) with SCC, representing a statistically significant difference p = 0.017. Multivariate analysis of the study group did not confirm the dependence of the MM on the T features ( p = 0.7) or G ( p = 0.5). In a Cox regression analysis, MM were not a risk factor for death, HR: 2.57 (0.95; 7.00), p = 0.064. There was no difference in overall survival for patients with MM (N (+)) and those without (N0), p = 0.055, but there was a statistically significant difference in time of relapse between patients with and without MM ( p = 0.049). Patients with the N (+) status are at high risk of cancer recurrence, and therefore we believe that complementary treatment should be considered in this group.

Surgical treatment of thoracic esophageal diverticula.

Introduction: Thoracic esophageal diverticulum (TED) is a rare benign disease associated with motility disorders of the esophagus. Surgical management is usually the definitive treatment, with traditional excision of the diverticulum via thoracotomy and minimally invasive techniques being comparable and associated with a mortality rate of between 0 and 10%. Aim: To present the results of surgical treatment of patients with thoracic diverticula of the esophagus in a 20-year period. Material and methods: The study presents a retrospective analysis of the results of surgical management of patients with the thoracic esophageal diverticulum. All patients underwent open transthoracic diverticulum resection with myotomy. Patients were evaluated for the degree of dysphagia before and after surgery, associated complications and overall comfort after surgical treatment. Results: Twenty-six patients due to diverticula of the thoracic part of the esophagus underwent surgical treatment. Resection of the diverticulum with esophagomyotomy was performed in 23 (88.5%) patients, anti-reflux surgery was performed in 7 (26.9%) and in 3 (11.5%) patients with achalasia, the diverticulum was left unresected. Among the patients operated on, 2 (7.7%) patients developed a fistula, and both required mechanical ventilation. In 1 patient the fistula closed spontaneously, and the other patient required esophageal resection and colon reconstruction. Two patients required emergency treatment due to mediastinitis. There was no mortality in the perioperative period of hospital stay. Conclusions: Treatment of thoracic diverticula is a difficult clinical problem. Postoperative complications pose a direct threat to the patient's life. Esophageal diverticula is characterized by good long-term functional results.

Various clinical scenarios of primary melanoma of the esophagus: A retrospective 20-year analysis from two university thoracic surgery centers.

BACKGROUND: Primary melanoma of the esophagus (PME) represents a rare type of gastrointestinal malignancy with an exceptionally poor diagnosis. So far, only few descriptions of PME which satisfactorily summarize their clinical characteristics and prognosis have been published. OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to summarize our experience with PME patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a group of 1387 patients who underwent esophagectomy due to neoplastic process in the years 2000-2020 in 2 high-volume university thoracic surgery centers, we identified those with confirmed PME diagnosis. Subsequently, their clinical characteristics, imaging and histopathological results were compared. The data regarding the long-term survival were obtained from the Polish National Death Registry. RESULTS: The PME was identified in 4 (0.29%) patients. Three of them (75%) were males. The mean age on admission was 64.3 ±17.5 years. The main symptom in all patients was dysphagia. In 1 patient with the most advanced PME, the clinically relevant weight loss was noted. In 3 patients, Ivor Lewis esophagectomy was performed, and 1 patient underwent McKeown resection. Histopathologic examination revealed a metastasis of lymph nodes only in 1 patient. The average maximum size of tumor was 6.9 ±4.7 cm and all tumors were located in distal part of the esophagus. Two out of those 4 patients are still alive and the longest survival time is 17 years. One patient died due to postoperative massive gastrointestinal bleeding complicated with cardiac arrest and the other one due to progression of PME systemic dissemination 6 months after surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: The PME is an extremely rare diagnosis. A long-term survival can be achieved with the complete resection. Clinical scenarios of surgically treated PME patients may significantly differ.

Less invasive transoral resection of esophageal fibrovascular polyps: case reports.

We report five patients treated for esophageal fibrovascular polyps using a minimally invasive technique. Esophageal fibrovascular polyps are benign pedunculated submucosal tumors of considerable size. The treated polyps size ranged from 1.5 to 13 cm. The polyps were removed by relocation to the oral cavity under endoscopic control. No perioperative complications occurred after the treatment. The follow-up of patients after surgery was 9-89 months, with no evidence of polyp recurrence. Thus, the described treatment is safe but requires experience with endoscopy as well as esophageal surgery.

Characterization of Partially Covered Self-Expandable Metallic Stents for Esophageal Cancer Treatment: In Vivo Degradation.

Partially covered self-expandable metallic esophageal stent (SEMS) placement is the most frequently applied palliative treatment in esophageal cancer. Structural characterization of explanted 16 nitinol-polyurethane SEMS (the group of 6 females, 10 males, age 40-80) was performed after their removal due to dysfunction. The adverse bulk changes in the polymer structure were identified using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), differential mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), and attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) and discussed in terms of melting point shift (9 °C), glass-transition shift (4 °C), differences in viscoelastic behavior, and systematic decrease of peaks intensities corresponding to C-H, C═O, and C-N polyurethane structural bonds. The scanning electron and confocal microscopic observations revealed all major types of surface degradation, i.e., surface cracks, peeling off of the polymer material, and surface etching. The changes in the hydrophobic polyurethane surfaces were also revealed by a significant decrease in wettability (74°) and the corresponding increase of the surface free energy (31 mJ/m2). To understand the in vivo degradation, the in vitro tests in simulated salivary and gastric fluids were performed, which mimic the environments of proximal and distal ends, respectively. It was concluded that the differences in the degradation of the proximal and distal ends of prostheses strongly depend on the physiological environment, in particular stomach content. Finally, the necessity of the in vivo tests for SEMS degradation is pointed out.

Diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal chemical burns and post-burn oesophageal stenosis.

Post-burn oesophageal stenosis occurs as a result of accidental or intentional ingestion of a corrosive substance. Global estimates indicate tens of thousands of acid or lye ingestion cases per year. In some cases patients in the early post-burn phase require urgent surgical intervention. Endoscopy, along with chest and abdominal computed tomography, form the basis of diagnosis. The need for emergency oesophageal or gastric resection is associated with a high mortality rate of up to 60%. Post-burn oesophageal stenosis is a challenging clinical problem that requires coordinated multispecialty treatment. The treatment of post-burn stenosis may be with endoscopic techniques or reconstructive surgery. Surgical reconstruction is performed once the scar has definitively formed. The extent of the injury, anatomical conditions, previous surgery and the team's expertise determine the optimum reconstructive method. In this article, we present the current knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of oesophageal burns.

Surgical treatment of cervical oesophageal diverticula.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of our study is to present the results of surgical treatment of patients with cervical diverticula of the oesophagus in a period of 20 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 65 patients treated between 2000 and 2020. Patients with symptoms such as dysphagia, vomiting, chocking, recurrent respiratory tract inflammation, as well as patients with diverticular recurrence or poor outcome of primary surgery, were qualified for surgical resection of the oesophageal diverticulum with myotomy using an open technique. Patients were evaluated for the degree of dysphagia before and after surgery, associated perioperative complications, and overall comfort after surgical treatment. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients underwent surgical treatment, 7(10.7%) of whom were treated for diverticular recurrence or poor outcome of primary treatment. The predominant symptom was dysphagia, which was found in 55(84.6%) patients, increasing over 6 to 48 months with a mean of 17.6 months. The size of the diverticulum ranged from 2 to 6 cm with a mean of 4.8 cm. One patient (1.5%) who experienced the suture line leak was treated conservatively and the fistula healed. Another patient had permanent vocal cord damage, and 1(1.5%) patient had transient damage. The surgical outcome was very good in 48 patients, good in 15 patients, and poor in 2 patients. No postoperative death occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The technique of open resection with myotomy continues to be an effective method of treating cervical diverticula. It has a zero-mortality rate, low perioperative complication rate, good functional outcome, and low recurrence rate.

Safety and efficacy of airway stenting in patients with malignant oesophago-airway fistula.

BACKGROUND: Close anatomical relationships between the oesophagus and the bronchial tree can lead to the formation of oesophageal fistula particularly in patients with advanced lung or oesophageal carcinoma. Stenting is a most often used treatment in such patients, but data regarding the relative value of unilateral (US) vs. double stenting (DS) are scarce. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of hospital records of patients with oesophageal fistula who underwent stenting between 2008 and 2016. In those in whom airway stenosis was >30%, double stenting (oesophagus and bronchial tree) was performed, whereas in those with lesser airway stenosis unilateral stenting (i.e., oesophagus only) was performed. In all patients, the degree of dysphagia, the degree of dyspnoea and the quality of life were assessed before and after the stenting. RESULTS: There were 46 patients, analysed, including 26 who underwent DS and 20 patients who underwent US. Both, DS and US resulted in significant improvement of dysphagia (2.72 vs. 1.2, P=0.0001 and 2.65 vs. 1.0, P=0.0001), dyspnoea (2.89 vs. 0.34, P=0.0001 and 1.71 vs. 0.09, P=0.0001) and performance score (53.2 vs. 66.3, P=0.0001 and 54.3 vs. 62.38, P=0.0001). Neither fistula type, nor stenting method, weight loss and gain, and BMI, had an effect on survival (P=0.34). Disease progression and recurrence of fistula requiring re-intervention occurred in 9 patients (19.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Double and unilateral stenting is an effective measure to alleviate dysphagia and dyspnoea in patients treated with malignant oesophageal fistula. In those with airway stenosis of ≤30%, stenting of the oesophagus only, instead of DS, is a safe method of treatment.

Safety and efficacy of oesophageal stenting with simultaneous percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy as a supplementary feeding route in unresectable proximal oesophageal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Proximally located oesophageal cancer poses an especially difficult problem in terms of restoration of patency and the stenting procedure. Supplementary percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) may be useful in these patients. AIM: To assess the safety of the stenting procedure in the proximal oesophagus in patients with unresectable upper oesophageal cancer, performed simultaneously with PEG insertion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with obstructing upper oesophageal tumours were scheduled for an oesophageal stenting procedure and simultaneous PEG insertion. Degree of dysphagia, body weight loss, daily energy requirement, body mass index and performance status before and after the stenting procedure as well as complications were assessed. RESULTS: Forty-five patients aged 19-88 years were included in the study. Six of them had a fistula to the trachea and underwent stenting of the oesophagus or both the oesophagus and the airway. The technical success rate was 100%. Following the procedure all patients were able to swallow fluids and semi-liquids, and PEG was used as the primary feeding route. Body mass index increased from 20.4 to 21.1 (p = 0.0001), body weight gain improved from -10.1 to +2.0 kg and metabolic requirements improved (p = 0.0001). Also, the Karnofsky score improved significantly (56.7 vs. 65.1, p = 0.0001). Mean survival time was 133 days (range: 36-378). CONCLUSIONS: Stenting of the proximal oesophagus with simultaneous PEG is a safe procedure, allowing the patients to resume oral intake of liquids whilst improving nutritional status and general performance, with an acceptable rate of complications.

Stenting in Palliation of Unresectable Esophageal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the safety and effectiveness of stenting using partially covered self-expandable stents in palliation of dysphagia in patients with unresectable esophageal cancer. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of hospital records of all patients who underwent esophageal stenting in the period 2008-2015 was performed. The study included patients with unresectable esophageal and esophagogastric cancer. RESULTS: There were 442 patients included. Mean age was 56 years (range 28-89), and 379 were males. In 40 (9.0%) patients, stenting was performed in the cervical, in 150 (39.3%)-in the middle thoracic, in 141 (31.9%)-in lower thoracic esophagus and in 111 (25.1%)-in the esophagogastric junction. Stenting resulted in significant alleviation of dysphagia grade (3.0 vs. 1.0, p = 0.00001). During the follow-up, 55 (12.4%) patients experienced recurrent dysphagia due to tumor or granulation tissue overgrowth, and in 18 (4.1%) patients, migration of the stent occurred, for which an independent risk factor was adjuvant chemo- and/or radiation therapy (p = 0.001). Minor complications included chest pain (54.5%), delayed complete stent expansion (12.0%), feeling of a foreign body (25.3%), hiccup (1.6%), gastroesophageal reflux (45.6%) and post-discharge pneumonia (2.5%). A feeling of a foreign body in the esophagus was significantly more common after stenting of the cervical esophagus (p = 0.0001), and hiccup was more common after stenting of the esophagogastric junction (p = 0.02). Major complications included bleeding (1.3%), respiratory insufficiency (0.7%), esophageal perforation (0.9%) and irregular heartburn (2.3%). Overall procedure-related mortality was 0.4%. The median survival time was 117.8 days (range 2-732). CONCLUSIONS: Stenting is an effective procedure in relieving dysphagia in patients with unresectable malignant esophageal stenosis and is associated with low rate of postoperative and long-term complications.

Endosonography­guided fine­needle aspiration in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis: a randomized study.

INTRODUCTION    There are no widely accepted standards for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. OBJECTIVES    The aim of this study was to assess the relative diagnostic yield of endobronchial ultrasound fine-needle aspiration (EBUS -FNA) and endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EUS -FNA), and to compare them with standard diagnostic techniques such as endobronchial biopsy (EBB), transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB), transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA), and mediastinoscopy. PATIENTS AND METHODS    This was a prospective randomized study including consecutive patients with clinical diagnosis of stage I or II sarcoidosis. EBB, TBLB, and TBNA were performed at baseline in all patients. Subsequently, patients were randomized to group A (EBUS -FNA) or group B (EUS -FNA). Next, a crossover control test was performed: all patients with negative results in group A underwent EUS -FNA and all patients with negative results in group B underwent EBUS -FNA. If sarcoidosis was not confirmed, mediastinoscopy was performed. RESULTS    We enrolled 106 patients, of whom 100 were available for the final analysis. The overall sensitivity and accuracy of standard endoscopic methods were 64% each. When analyzing each of the standard endoscopic methods separately, the diagnosis was confirmed with EBB in 12 patients (12%), with TBLB in 42 patients (42%), and with TBNA in 44 patients (44%). The sensitivity and accuracy of each endosonographic technique were significantly higher than those of EBB+TBLB+TBNA (P = 0.0112 vs P = 0.0134). CONCLUSIONS    The sensitivity and accuracy of EBUS -FNA and EUS -FNA are significantly higher than those of standard endoscopic methods. Moreover, the sensitivity and accuracy of EUS -FNA tend to be higher than those of EBUS -FNA.

Surgical Treatment Results of Burn-Related Oesophageal Strictures.

BACKGROUND: Post-burn oesophageal stricture is a late complication, which may require surgical intervention. The aim of the study was to compare gastric and colonic conduits and to evaluate the safety, efficacy and complications of these techniques. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all patients treated for burn-related oesophageal strictures between 1989 and 2013. Oesophagectomy was performed via laparotomy and right thoracotomy, and/or cervical incision. RESULTS: Forty-six patients, including 29 men, aged 17-67 years (mean: 41 years), had burn-related oesophageal strictures. The post-operative follow-up period ranged between 3 months and 30 years. Colonic transposition was used in 23 patients. In 21 patients, the oesophageal substitute was introduced through the posterior mediastinum, and in two patients the retrosternal route was used. Gastric conduit in was used in 21 patients and jejunal interposition in one patient. One patient underwent segmental oesophageal resection with end-to-end anastomosis. One patient had necrosis of the colonic conduit with anastomotic leakage, two patients had oesophago-colonic anastomosis leakage, five developed anastomotic stenosis, and two had respiratory insufficiency. Among patients with a gastric conduit, anastomotic leakage occurred in four, cervical anastomotic stenosis occurred in two, and respiratory insufficiency occurred in three, and one patient had impaired gastric emptying that required surgical re-intervention. Operative mortality was three patients (6.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The use of colonic and gastric conduit is an effective and safe method for restoring the continuity of the gastrointestinal tract, with an acceptable rate of post-operative complications. Patients who undergo oesophageal resection for post-burn stricture require post-operative systematic endoscopic control.

Double stenting for malignant oesophago-respiratory fistula.

INTRODUCTION: The close anatomical relationship between the oesophagus and bronchial tree results in formation of an oesophago-respiratory fistula in a subset of patients with advanced oesophageal or lung cancer. In those patients stenting of both the oesophagus and tracheobronchial tree is a valid option of palliative treatment. AIM: To determine the effectiveness, tolerance, quality of life, safety and survival after double stenting procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database was performed, concerning consecutive patients with oesophago-respiratory fistulas treated with double stenting. In all patients the degree of dysphagia, respiratory function before and after the procedure, and quality of life were evaluated. Partially covered oesophageal self-expanding metallic stents (PCESEMS) were used for oesophageal stenting, and silicone Y-type or partially covered self-expanding bronchial and tracheal stents (PCASEMS) were used to restore airway patency. RESULTS: Between 2003 and 2015, 31 patients underwent double stenting due to oesophago-respiratory fistulas. Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma and 2 with bronchial carcinoma. In all patients, improvement in the general condition and quality of life was observed after airway patency restoration. Two patients required mechanical ventilation due to respiratory failure immediately after the procedure. Seven patients with oesophageal fistulas died because of bleeding in the long-term follow-up. Four patients required endoscopic re-intervention. Mean survival time was 67.1 days. CONCLUSIONS: Double stenting is an effective procedure improving patients' quality of life. However, life-threatening complications can occur.

Comparison of Suction Versus Nonsuction Drainage After Lung Resections: A Prospective Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Sufficiently large, prospective randomized trials comparing suction drainage and nonsuction drainage are lacking. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of suction drainage and nonsuction drainage on the postoperative course in patients who have undergone lung resection. METHODS: This prospective, randomized trial included patients undergoing different types of lung resections. On the day of surgery, suction drainage at -20 cm H2O was used. On the morning of the first postoperative day, patients, in whom the pulmonary parenchyma was fully reexpanded, were randomized in the ratio of 1:1. Patients assigned to group A continued with suction drainage, while those assigned to group B underwent nonsuction drainage. RESULTS: The study included 254 patients, with 127 patients in each group. The drainage volumes were 1098.8 mL and 814.4 mL in groups A and B, respectively (p = 0.0014). The times to chest tube removal were 5.61 days and 4.49 days in groups A and B, respectively (p = 0.0014). Prolonged air leakage occurred in 5.55% of patients in group A and in 0.7% of patients in group B (p = 0.032), and asymptomatic residual air spaces were noted in 0.8% of patients in group A and 9.4% of patients in group B (p = 0.0018). CONCLUSIONS: Nonsuction drainage is more effective than suction drainage with regard to drainage volume, drainage duration, and incidence of persistent air leakage. However, it is associated with a higher incidence of asymptomatic residual air spaces.

Iatrogenic injuries to the trachea and main bronchi.

INTRODUCTION: Iatrogenic tracheobronchial injuries are rare. AIM: To analyse the mechanism of injury, symptoms and treatment of these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of hospital records of all patients treated for main airway injuries between 1990 and 2012 was performed. RESULTS: There were 24 patients, including 21 women and 3 men. Mean time between injury and initiation of treatment was 12 hours (range: 2-48). In 16 patients the injury occurred during tracheal intubation, in 1 during rigid bronchoscopy, in 1 during rigid oesophagoscopy, in 1 during mediastinoscopy and in 5 during open surgery. Mean length of airway tear was 3.8 cm (range: 1.5-8). In 1 patient there was an injury to the cervical trachea and in the remaining 23 in the thoracic part of the airway. The treatment included repair of the membranous part of the trachea performed via right thoracotomy in 10 patients (in 1 patient additionally coverage with a pedicled intercostal muscle flap was used), a self-expanding metallic stent in 1 patient, suture of the right main bronchus and the oesophagus in 1, left upper sleeve lobectomy in 1, right upper lobectomy in 1, implantation of a silicone Y stent in 3, mini-tracheostomy in 1, and conservative treatment in 5 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Intubation is the most frequent cause of iatrogenic main airway injuries. Patients with these life-threatening complications require an individualised approach and treatment in a reference centre.