Vacuum-assisted Evacuation (VAEv) of Symptomatic and/or Voluminous Breast Haematomas Following Surgeries and Percutaneous Procedures.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Among postoperative complications in breast surgery, postoperative hematoma is the most common occurrence. While mostly self-limited, in some cases surgical revision is mandatory. Among percutaneous procedures, preliminary studies demonstrated the efficacy of vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VAB) in evacuating postprocedural breast hematomas. However, no data are available regarding VAB evacuating postoperative breast hematomas. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the VAB system in evacuating postoperative and postprocedural hematoma, symptom resolution, and avoidance of surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2016 to January 2020, patients with ≥25 mm symptomatic breast hematomas developed after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and percutaneous procedures were retrospectively enrolled from a perspective-maintained database. Hematoma maximum diameter, estimated hematoma volume, total procedure time, and visual analog scale (VAS) score before ultrasound (US) vacuum-assisted evacuation (VAEv) were recorded. At one-week VAS score, residual hematoma volume, and complications were recorded. RESULTS: Among 932 BCSs and 618 VAB procedures, a total of 15 late postoperative hematomas were recorded (9 after BCS and 6 after VAB). Preoperative median diameter was 43.00 (35.50-52.50) mm and median volume 12.60 (7.35-18.30) mm3 Regarding VAEv, median time recorded was 25.92 (21.89-36.81) min. At one week, the median hematoma reduction was 83.00% (78.00%-87.5%) with a statistically significant VAS reduction (5.00 vs. 2.00; p>0.001). No surgical treatment was needed and only one case of seroma occurred. CONCLUSION: VAEv represents a promising safe, time and resource-sparing treatment modality for the evacuation of breast hematomas, potentially decreasing the rate of reoperation after surgery.

Radiographic Progression and Survival of the Different HRCT Patterns of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Introduction: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic disease with a peculiar (typical) HRCT pattern, but biopsy can demonstrate usual interstitial pneumonia in patients with atypical patterns. It is unknown how progression pattern varies among different radiographic presentations of IPF. We sought to investigate the longitudinal radiographic evolution and survival of typical and non-typical patterns. Materials and Methods: One-hundred-twenty-three patients diagnosed with IPF in 2 tertiary referral hospitals were included in the study. Longitudinal evolution of non-typical patterns was considered. The HRCT visual fibrosis score was used as a reliable evaluation tool of disease progression. HRCTs were scored by 2 senior chest radiologists with ILD expertise. The primary endpoint was the evolution of the presentation pattern to probable or typical. The secondary endpoint was lung transplant (LTx)-free survival from the time of diagnosis. Results: Average interval between HRCTs was 16±5 months; average follow-up after the 2nd HRCT was 17±11 months. Four out of 45 (8.9%) patients with probable pattern "evolved" to a typical pattern of IPF, while 5 out of 31 (16.1%) with indeterminate/alternative pattern "evolved" to probable pattern. An average HRCT fibrosis score increase of 9±11% was observed with typical (n=49), 6±5% with probable (n=43) and 7±8% (n=31) with indeterminate/alternative presentation pattern. LTx-free survival and lung function declines did not show any difference related to presentation HRCT patterns. Conclusions: The evolution of a non-typical UIP pattern to a typical one is infrequent. All presentation HRCT patterns of IPF evolve in similar way and are associated with comparable survival time.[/sc].