Mac-2-Binding Protein Glycosylation Isomer as a Novel Predictor of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Eradication.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can recur even after achievement of a sustained virologic response (SVR). Mac-2-binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) is a newly identified biomarker correlated with liver fibrosis. This study aimed to clarify outcomes for patients with an SVR and to assess the prognostic value of M2BPGi. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study analyzed patients who underwent surgical resection for primary HCV-related HCC between 2008 and 2018. The study enrolled 81 patients whose M2BPGi could be evaluated after an SVR. The relationship between liver fibrosis-related factors and scores (including M2BPGi) and HCC recurrence, was evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 81 patients, 57 (70.4%) with HCV-related HCC obtained an SVR, whereas 24 patients (29.6%) did not. The patients with an SVR had a significantly more favorable recurrence-free survival (RFS) than the patients with no SVR (P < 0.0001, log-rank). Among the SVR groups, M2BPGi predicted a shorter RFS after hepatic resection with a higher degree of accuracy than other markers and scores in the SVR group. The high-M2BPGi group had worse liver function, RFS, and overall survival (OS) (P = 0.0014 and 0.0006, log-rank, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, high M2BPGi was significantly associated with worse RFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: Even after achievement of an SVR, the risk of HCC recurrence cannot be eliminated. Measurement of M2BPGi after an SVR can be applied for risk stratification in the assessment of patients with HCV-related HCC.

A novel combined prognostic nutritional index and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index-based score can predict the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who undergo hepatic resection.

PURPOSE: Inflammation-, nutrition-, and liver fibrosis-related markers are recognized as prognostic for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. This study, therefore, assessed the preoperative prognostic utility of the combination of these markers in patients with HCC. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC between 2004 and 2017. A total of 454 patients were divided into training (n = 334) and validation (n = 120) cohorts by random sampling. The predictive impact on surgical outcomes was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of these prognostic values in the training cohort. RESULTS: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) were the strongest diagnostic values (areas under the ROC curves: 0.627 and 0.646, respectively). A scoring system (over 0-2 points) was developed using optimal cutoff values (for PNI < 46.5 scored as 1 point; for APRI > 0.98 scored as 1 point). An increased PNI-APRI score was an independent prognostic factor for both the overall and disease-free survival in HCC patients. Finally, the clinical feasibility of the PNI-APRI score was confirmed in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The PNI-APRI score is a useful marker for predicting surgical outcomes of HCC patients.

[Retrospective Examination of Usefulness and Adverse Effects of Tapentadol in Patients with Cancer Pain during Anticancer Treatment].

We retrospectively examined 106 cases of tapentadol use in Japan in August 2014 for cancer pain at our hospital.The advantage of the opioid medication tapentadol is that its introduction is suitable in patients undergoing anti-cancer treatment because of the low incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms, with glucuronidation involved in the metabolism, and lack of interactions with other drugs.However, depending on the dosage form and presence of swallowing disorders, the administration should be considered carefully.

[A New Twist on the Administration of Naldemedine for Opioid-Induced Constipation in an Outpatient].

Opioid-induced constipation(OIC)occurs with high frequency in patients with cancer undergoing pain treatment using opioids. Osmotic or irritant laxatives are usually used to prevent OIC. Recently, naldemedine has become operational for OIC. Although naldemedine achieved the desired effect, diarrhea is a little feared from the results of clinical phase III study(V9236 clinical trial). We herein report the use of naldemedine to alleviate diarrhea and expect the improvement of the quality of the bowel habits in outpatients with cancer undergoing pain treatment using opioids.

[Combinatorial Use of Rapid-Onset Opioid and Short-Acting Opioid Is Effective against Breakthrough Cancer Pain].

Breakthrough cancer pain is divided into "predictable breakthrough pain" and "unpredictable breakthrough pain". Uncontrolled breakthrough pain in cancer negatively affects the quality of life of the patients. The short-acting opioid(SAO) requires considerable time to produce analgesia, and is not adequate as a rescue drug. The rapid-onset opioid(ROO)immediately produces analgesia, but its appropriate usage is difficult. For instance, the frequency and interval of ROO usage is limited, making the optimization of dosage cumbersome. Therefore, ROO has not yet gained popularity. Here, we report that a combinatorial use of ROO and SAO is effective against breakthrough cancer pain, with SAO and ROO being suitable for "predictable breakthrough pain", and "unpredictable breakthrough pain", respectively. The effectiveness and safety of this combination were assessed for many patients with breakthrough cancer pain.

Mutations of the EGFR and K-ras genes in resected stage I lung adenocarcinoma and their clinical significance.

PURPOSE: This study retrospectively assessed the mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and K-ras genes and their clinical significance in patients with resected stage I adenocarcinomas. METHODS: A total of 354 patients with resected lung adenocarcinomas were included, and 256 patients with stage I disease were analyzed for the prognostic and predictive value of these mutations. RESULTS: Mutations of EGFR and K-ras genes were detected in 149 (41.1 %) and 23 (6.4 %) of all tumors, and in 122 (47.6 %) and 14 (5.5 %) of stage I tumors, respectively. There were no significant differences in the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between the EGFR-mutant and wild-type groups. However, the DFS and OS were significantly shorter in patients with K-ras mutations than in those without (5-year DFS: 50.8 vs. 76.9 %, 5-year OS: 70.0 vs. 86.6 %, p < 0.01). A multivariate analysis showed that K-ras mutations were an independent poor prognostic factor. Twenty-four of the 41 patients with recurrent disease after surgery were treated with an EGFR-TKI. Fifteen EGFR-mutant patients treated with an EGFR-TKI had a better prognosis than did the nine EGFR-wild-type patients. CONCLUSION: The presence of an EGFR gene mutation was a predictive factor for the response to EGFR-TKI treatment in patients with resected stage I adenocarcinoma, but was not a prognostic factor. The presence of a K-ras gene mutation was a poor prognostic factor.

A case of difficult-to-diagnose hepatic reactive lymphoid hyperplasia finally diagnosed by using PCR analysis of IgH-gene rearrangements: a case report.

Reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) of the liver is extremely rare. Despite advancements in diagnostic imaging technology, it is still difficult to distinguish from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we present a case of hepatic RLH mimicking HCC that was postoperatively diagnosed using several imaging modalities. A 78-year-old female was referred to our hospital with a positive hepatitis C virus antibody (HCV Ab) test. Ultrasonography revealed a 13 mm isoechoic lesion in segment 8 of the liver. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) demonstrated arterial hyperintensity and washout during the later phase. On ethoxybenzyl magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI), the lesion was hyperenhanced in the arterial phase and of low intensity in the hepatocyte phase. Although the tumor markers were all within normal limits, the pattern of contrast enhancement of the tumor on CT and MRI was consistent with that of HCC. We performed S8 segmentectomy of the liver. Histological examination of the resected specimen revealed dense lymphoid tissue of variable sizes and shapes with expanded germinal centers. Immunohistochemical examination was positive for CD3, CD10 (germinal center), and CD20, and negative for B-cell lymphoma 2 (bcl-2) (germinal center) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of IgH-gene rearrangements revealed polyclonality. Based on these findings, hepatic RLH was diagnosed. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on the 10th postoperative day. She had a good quality of life after surgery and no liver nodule recurrence was detected at the 4-month medical follow-up. Hepatic RLH is an extremely rare disease and preoperative diagnosis is difficult. This should be considered in the differential diagnosis of single small hepatic tumors. An echo-guided biopsy and careful observation of imaging may help diagnose hepatic RLH, and a PCR analysis of IgH-gene rearrangements would be necessary for the definitive diagnosis of hepatic RLH.

Skeletal Muscle Mass Index Reduction Rate as a Prognostic Indicator for Patients Undergoing Pancreatectomy for Pancreatic Cancer.

Background/Aim: There have been many studies on skeletal muscle depletion before surgery, and skeletal muscle depletion is a known risk factor for poor prognosis. However, reports on the association between changes in skeletal muscle mass and prognosis after surgery for pancreatic cancer are very few. Patients and Methods: The data of 137 patients who underwent pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer between 2005 and 2022 were reviewed. Muscle areas were measured at the third lumbar vertebral level, and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) reduction rates were calculated. Patients were divided into two groups using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis based on the SMI reduction rate with a cutoff of 14% reduction rate. The clinicopathological factors, overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared between the two groups. Survival rates were analyzed both univariately and multivariately to clarify the factors associated with poor prognosis after pancreatectomy. Results: A total of 102 patients met the inclusion criteria. SMI reduction rate ≥14% significantly correlated with advanced age and higher incidence of postoperative complications. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) <40 and SMI reduction rate ≥14% were significantly associated with poor OS. Tumor size ≥3.0 cm, preoperative neutrophile-lymphocyte ratio ≥3.0, and SMI reduction rate ≥14% were significantly associated with poor RFS. Conclusion: The rate of skeletal muscle mass reduction after pancreatic surgery is an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Prognostic Impact of Central Nervous System Recurrence After Surgery in Patients With Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation-positive Non-small-cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Adjuvant therapy using third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) demonstrated improved central nervous system (CNS) disease-free survival after surgery in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive lung cancer. However, the prognostic impact of CNS recurrence in surgical patients remains unknown. We evaluated the effect of CNS recurrence on post-recurrence survival (PRS) in patients with postoperatively recurrent NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed the prognostic impact of CNS recurrence using a cohort from a prospective observational study (Kyushu University Lung Surgery Group Study 2: KLSS-2). Based on data from 340 patients in whom EGFR mutations were assessed among 498 total patients in the KLSS-2 cohort, factors related to CNS recurrence and prognosis after postoperative recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: We noted no marked differences in the presence of EGFR mutations (p=0.14) between patients with CNS recurrence and those without CNS recurrence. Among the patients tested for EGFR mutations with stage IV recurrences (n=219), survival analysis of patients with EGFR mutations showed that the CNS group had a significantly poorer PRS than the no-CNS group (MST: 36.8 vs. 43.9 months, p=0.035). In multivariate survival analysis of stage IV EGFR mutation-positive cases, recurrence in multiple organs and recurrence of brain metastases were independent poor prognostic factors (hazard ratio=2.2, p=0.029; hazard ratio=3.2, p=0.0006, respectively). CONCLUSION: Postoperative CNS recurrence was associated with a poor prognosis among patients with EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer in the period when third-generation EGFR-TKIs were not available. In EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer, prevention of CNS recurrence after surgery may improve post-recurrence prognosis.

Unexpected Histopathological Diagnosis of Placental Transmogrification of the Lung after Bullectomy for Recurrent Spontaneous Pneumothorax: A Case Report and Literature Review.

We report a 33-year-old man who presented with recurrent right pneumothorax. Computed tomography (CT) showed the presence of a large bulla with a maximum diameter of 8 cm in the right middle lobe; he subsequently underwent bullectomy. Histopathology revealed that pulmonary parenchyma adjacent to the bulla represented nodular proliferation of clear cells characterized by a papillary structure resembling placental chorionic villi. Immunohistochemically, clear cells were positive for CD10, suggesting placental transmogrification of the lung (PTL). We reviewed 36 surgical cases of PTL, and only 2 cases (5.6%), including our case, were operated for spontaneous pneumothorax. Bullous lesions secondary to PTL tend to appear as unilateral large cystic masses in non-upper lobes, which is atypical for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). Although PTL is considered a very rare cause of secondary pneumothorax, we must carefully differentiate this condition.

A non-immunocompromised host with nontuberculous mycobacteria-associated tubulointerstitial nephritis.

A 50-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with the complaints of fever and general malaise. He had no history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or treatment with immunosuppressive agents. We performed renal biopsy to investigate possible acute kidney injury. Pathological findings showed inflammatory cell infiltration, including granulomatous lesions in the interstitium. We diagnosed the patient with acute granulomatous tubulointerstitial nephritis. We initiated prednisolone (PSL) 40 mg/day (0.6 mg/kg), in combination with isoniazid for a latent tuberculosis infection, because of positive results in interferon-γ release assays. The patient's fever and malaise promptly disappeared, and his renal function improved. After the patient had been discharged, Mycobacterium intracellulare grew in cultures of his renal tissue and urine. We gradually reduced the dose of PSL; we initiated combination therapy with ethambutol, clarithromycin, and rifampin. After 2 years of follow-up, the patient continued treatment for chronic kidney disease; it has since enabled him to avoid renal replacement therapy. This report describes a rare instance of nontuberculous mycobacteria-associated tubulointerstitial nephritis in a patient without a history of HIV infection or organ transplantation. In differential diagnosis of granulomatous tubulointerstitial nephritis, clinicians should consider drugs, sarcoidosis, tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome, vasculitis, and infections (e.g., involving mycobacteria). Prompt microbiological examinations, especially of urine or biopsy cultures, are vital for diagnosis.

Critical peritonitis secondary to gastrointestinal mucormycosis in a peritoneal dialysis patient: a case report.

Immunodeficient patients are susceptible to systemic fungal infections; however, these rarely cause secondary peritonitis. A 66-year-old man with multiple myeloma and diabetes mellitus on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) presented with cloudy ascitic fluid. He had been treated with corticosteroids for 1 month for Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. We diagnosed peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis caused by Enterococcus avium, removed the CAPD catheter, and initiated intravenous ampicillin. Computed tomography (CT) revealed an intramural gastric mass and a thinning ascending colon wall. Four days later, follow-up contrast-enhanced CT showed penetration of the ascending colon and rupture of the ileocolic artery. Emergency open surgery revealed hemorrhagic infarction with mucormycosis. We initiated intravenous liposomal amphotericin B 20 days after admission; however, he died 55 days later. Anatomical abnormalities, such as gastrointestinal perforation, should be considered for peritonitis in immunodeficient patients. Gastrointestinal mucormycosis is rare but fatal, resulting from a delay in diagnosis and consequent gastrointestinal perforation. For an early diagnosis and a favorable clinical outcome, it is important to consider the risk factors for mucormycosis, including corticosteroid use, diabetes, end-stage kidney diseases.

Prognostic Impact of Lymphocyte-C-Reactive Protein Ratio in Patients Who Underwent Surgical Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation-related factors, either independently or in combination, are recognized as prognostic factors for various cancers. The ratio of lymphocyte count to C-reactive protein concentration (lymphocyte-CRP ratio; LCR) is a recently identified prognostic marker for several cancers. Here, we examined the prognostic value of the LCR in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study of patients who underwent surgical resection for HCC between 2004 and 2017. Patients were divided into high- and low-LCR status groups, and the relationships between LCR status, prognosis, and other clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 454 patients with HCC were enrolled and assigned to the high- (n=245) or low- (n=209) LCR groups. Compared with the high-LCR group, patients in the low-LCR group had a significantly lower serum albumin level (median 4.1 vs. 3.9 g/dL, P <0.0001), lower platelet count (median 14.0 vs. 12.0 ×104/µL, P=0.0468), lower prothrombin time (median 93.2 vs. 89.6 %, P=0.0006), and larger tumor size (median 2.3 vs. 2.5 cm, P=0.0056). Patients with low-LCR status had significantly worse outcomes of overall survival and disease-free survival than patients with high-LCR status (P=0.0003 and P=0.0069, respectively). Low-LCR status was significantly associated with worse overall survival in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval 1.14-2.17, P=0.0058). CONCLUSIONS: Low-LCR status may predict worse outcomes in patients with HCC. Measurement of LCR is routine and can easily be applied for risk stratification in the assessment of patients with HCC.

LKB1 mutations frequently detected in mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: LKB1 mutations are common in patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, which is characterized by mucocutaneous pigmentation, intestinal polyps and a high incidence of cancers at variable sites. This study investigated the status of the LKB1 gene in mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma with or without Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. METHODS: Three mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma tumors from two Peutz-Jeghers syndrome patients and seven tumors from sporadic mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma patients were collected by surgery between 2002 and 2008, and high molecular weight genomic DNA was extracted from them. The nucleotide sequences in exons 1-9 of LKB1 were determined by genomic polymerase chain reaction-direct sequencing. The loss of heterozygosity was analyzed by high-resolution fluorescent microsatellite analysis using two microsatellite markers that encompass the LKB1 locus, D19S886 and D19S565. The mutations of KRAS, EGFR and p53 were also evaluated. RESULTS: The germline mutation of LKB1 in the Peutz-Jeghers syndrome patients was identified as G215D by analyzing genomic DNA from normal lung tissue specimens. Furthermore, two of the three mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinomas from these Peutz-Jeghers syndrome patients exhibited additional somatic mutations. On the other hand, four of seven sporadic 'non-Peutz-Jeghers syndrome' mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinomas had LKB1 mutations. Loss of heterozygosity analyses revealed allelic loss in two tumors with LKB1 mutations. As a result, 70% of the mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinomas exhibited LKB1 mutations. KRAS, EGFR and p53 mutations were mutually exclusive and observed in four, two and one tumors, respectively. Among them, five mutations occurred concomitantly with LKB1 mutations. CONCLUSIONS: The relatively high frequency of LKB1 mutations in mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma patients may therefore suggest its involvement in lung carcinogenesis, at least in mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy using cisplatin plus S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine, followed by surgery for selected patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer: a single-center feasibility study.

PURPOSE: This single-institutional study was designed to determine whether S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine, plus cisplatin with concurrent radiotherapy is feasible as an induction treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Eighteen patients were analyzed in this study from July 2005 to March 2008. The patients received 40 mg/m(2) S-1 orally twice per day on days 1 through 14 and 22 through 35, and cisplatin (60 mg/m(2)) was injected intravenously on days 8 and 29. The patients also underwent radiotherapy, and received a total dose of 40 Gy in 20 fractions beginning on day 1. Surgical resection was performed from 3 to 6 weeks after completing the induction treatment. RESULTS: Nine (50%) of the 18 patients who received the induction treatment achieved a partial response. One patient refused to undergo surgery. The remaining 17 patients underwent a complete surgical resection. There were no deaths nor any major morbidities during the perioperative period. The recurrence-free survival and overall survival rate at 2 years for the patients who underwent resection were 63.3% and 88.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Induction treatment using S-1 plus cisplatin and concurrent radiotherapy and surgical resection for selected patients with stage III NSCLC is a feasible and promising new treatment modality.

Prognosis and therapeutic response according to the World Health Organization histological classification in advanced thymoma.

PURPOSE: The clinical efficacy of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of thymoma has been reported to be a prognostic factor for patients with thymomas. This study focuses on the relationship between the therapeutic response and the WHO histological classification in patients with advanced thymoma. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on 22 patients with Masaoka stage III and IV thymoma treated from 1975 to 2007. There were 1, 1, 7, 3, and 10 patients with WHO histological subtypes A, AB, B1, B2, and B3, respectively. RESULTS: Surgery was performed on 10 patients. There were 2 complete resections, 2 incomplete resections, and 6 exploratory thoracotomies. Of 18 patients with unresectable tumors, 8, 5, and 5 were treated with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and chemoradiotherapy as the initial therapy, respectively. The response rate in 9 patients with type A-B2 was significantly better than that in 9 patients with type B3 regardless of treatment modality (100% vs 11.1%, P = 0.0001). Only the WHO classification was significantly associated with survival, with type B3 having a worse prognosis than A-B2 (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Type B3 thymoma showed a lower response rate to treatments and thus shorter survival. The WHO classification is a good predictive factor for therapeutic response in advanced thymoma.

VATS right apical segmentectomy for lung cancer in a patient with tracheal bronchus.

INTRODUCTION: A tracheal bronchus is rarely observed, occurring in only 1% of all patients who undergo thoracic surgeries. We rarely encounter lung cancer in a patient with a tracheal bronchus; however, it is essential to know the distinctive perioperative management strategy for patients with a tracheal bronchus. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 72-year-old man with lung cancer located in the right apical segment supplied by a tracheal bronchus. Annual chest computed tomography performed as follow-up after colon cancer resection showed an enlarging pulmonary nodule with pure ground-glass opacity, which was suspected to be lung adenocarcinoma. The nodule was located in the right apical segment. The apical segment was independently supplied by a single pulmonary artery superior trunk and a tracheal bronchus that branched directly from the trachea at 1.2 cm above the carina. The pulmonary vein branching pattern was uncommon in that the central vein that usually runs through B2 (posterior bronchus) and B3 (anterior bronchus) was missing. The patient underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic apical segmentectomy under one-lung ventilation using a left-sided double-lumen tube. DISCUSSION: Anomalous venous return accompanied with tracheal bronchus has been described in some reports. Since pulmonary vein is important during segmentectomy, the surgeon should pay particular attention to the venous return. CONCLUSION: Preoperative three-dimensional graphic imagery helped us accurately identify the anatomical anomaly to enable the successful segmentectomy in a patient with a tracheal bronchus. We review the relevant literature regarding the perioperative management of patients with a tracheal bronchus.

Spontaneous pneumothorax associated with cavitating pulmonary metastasis from breast cancer: a case report and literature review.

We report a 69-year-old woman with spontaneous pneumothorax associated with cavitating pulmonary metastasis from breast cancer. She was treated for right breast cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma, ypT4bN1M0, stage IIIB) 2 years earlier, and was admitted for right pneumothorax and chest computed tomography, which showed multiple small cavitating lesions in bilateral lungs. The pneumothorax was treated conservatively with chest drainage, but subsequently recurred ipsilaterally. During video-assisted thoracic surgery, we detected small white nodules with visceral pleural rupture; therefore, we performed partial lung resection. The pathological findings revealed metastatic breast cancer with pleural invasion. Forty days later, ipsilateral pneumothorax recurred, and chemical pleurodesis was performed, which resolved the pneumothorax and prevented subsequent recurrence. Early diagnosis and definitive treatment, including pleurodesis, should be considered to prevent recurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax and improve patients' quality of life, even in patients with advanced malignancy.

Assessment of Intraoperative Microbiological Culture in Patients with Empyema: Comparison with Preoperative Microbiological Culture.

PURPOSE: Assessing microbiological culture results is essential in the diagnosis of empyema and appropriate antibiotic selection; however, the guidelines for the management of empyema do not mention assessing microbiological culture intraoperatively. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that intraoperative microbiological culture may improve the management of empyema. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 47 patients who underwent surgery for stage II/III empyema from January 2011 to May 2019. We compared the positivity of microbiological culture assessed preoperatively at empyema diagnosis versus intraoperatively. We further investigated the clinical characteristics and postoperative outcomes of patients whose intraoperative microbiological culture results were positive. RESULTS: The positive rates of preoperative and intraoperative microbiological cultures were 27.7% (13/47) and 36.2% (17/47), respectively. Among 34 patients who were culture-negative preoperatively, eight patients (23.5%) were culture-positive intraoperatively. Intraoperative positive culture was significantly associated with a shorter duration of preoperative antibiotic treatment (p = 0.002). There was no significant difference between intraoperative culture-positive and -negative results regarding postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative microbiological culture may help detect bacteria in patients whose microbiological culture results were negative at empyema diagnosis. Assessing microbiological culture should be recommended intraoperatively as well as preoperatively, for the appropriate management of empyema.