[Effective Treatment of Secondary Spontaneous Pneumothorax due to Pulmonary Mycobacterium Avium Complex by Thoracoscopic Intra-fistula Filling with Suture Closure].

Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax associated with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection is often difficult to treat. Pneumothorax associated with pulmonary MAC is characterized by a large fistula with a cavity or bronchodilation, and pleural thickening due to pleurisy. Herein, we report two cases of pneumothorax with pulmonary MAC successfully treated by minimally invasive thoracoscopic intra-fistula filling with a suture closure method. At operation, after fully filling the fistula with a polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheet and fibrin glue, the fistula was sutured with covering the PGA sheet and fibrin glue. Postoperative course was uneventful and both patient could discharged from the hospital.

Heerfordt's Syndrome Associated with a High Fever and Elevation of TNF-α.

Heerfordt's syndrome is a rare manifestation of sarcoidosis and is defined as a combination of facial palsy, parotid swelling, and uveitis, associated with a low-grade fever. We report a case of Heerfordt's syndrome presenting with a high fever and increased serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels. The patient had facial palsy, parotid swelling, uveitis, and swelling of the right supraclavicular and hilar lymph nodes. Corticosteroid therapy was initiated, and her symptoms soon resolved completely, in tandem with a decrease in TNF-α serum levels.

Impact of central nervous system metastasis after complete resection of lung adenocarcinomas harboring common EGFR mutation - A real-world database study in Japan: The CReGYT-01 EGFR study.

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the impact of central nervous system (CNS) metastasis on performance status (PS) at relapse, on subsequent treatment(s), and on survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma harboring common epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. METHODS: We conducted the multicenter real-world database study for patients with radical resections for lung adenocarcinomas between 2015 and 2018 at 21 centers in Japan. EGFR mutational status was examined at each center. RESULTS: Of 4181 patients enrolled, 1431 underwent complete anatomical resection for lung adenocarcinoma harboring common EGFR mutations. Three-hundred-and-twenty patients experienced disease relapse, and 78 (24%) had CNS metastasis. CNS metastasis was significantly more frequent in patients with conventional adjuvant chemotherapy than those without (30% vs. 20%, P = 0.036). Adjuvant chemotherapy did not significantly improve relapse-free survival at any pathological stage (adjusted hazard ratio for stage IA2-3, IB, and II-III was 1.363, 1.287, and 1.004, respectively). CNS metastasis did not affect PS at relapse. Subsequent treatment, mainly consisting of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), could be equally given in patients with or without CNS metastasis (96% vs. 94%). Overall survival after relapse was equivalent between patients with and without CNS metastasis. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of conventional adjuvant chemotherapy may be limited in patients with lung adenocarcinoma harboring EGFR mutations. CNS metastasis is likely to be found in practice before deterioration in PS, and may have little negative impact on compliance with subsequent EGFR-TKIs and survival after relapse. In this era of adjuvant TKI therapy, further prospective observational studies are desirable to elucidate the optimal management of CNS metastasis.

Surgery for Right Upper Lobe Lung Cancer in a Patient With Bridging Bronchus.

A 70-year-old man with back pain presented with a tumor invading the chest wall of his right upper lobe. Three-dimensional computed tomography revealed an aberrant right lower bronchus originating from the left main bronchus. Open thoracotomy right upper lobectomy with combined resection of the chest wall was performed under ventilation for the left and right lower lobes. The aberrant bronchus was defined as a bridging bronchus, a rare congenital anomaly. For such cases, careful planning is necessary to manage ventilation during operation. The area and extent of lymph node dissection are debatable.