Safety and feasibility of thoracic surgery for high-altitude patients in the high-altitude medical center / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To investigate the safety of thoracic surgery for high-altitude patients in local medical center. Methods    We retrospectively collected 258 high-altitude patients who received thoracic surgery in West China Hospital, Sichuan University (plain medical center, 54 patients) and People's Hospital of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (high-altitude medical center, 204 patients) from January 2013 to July 2019. There were 175 males and 83 females with an average age of 43.0±16.8 years. Perioperative indicators, postoperative complications and related risk factors of patients were analyzed. Results    The rate of minimally invasive surgery in the high-altitude medical center was statistically lower than that in the plain medical center (11.8% vs. 55.6%, P<0.001). The surgical proportions of tuberculous empyema (41.2% vs. 1.9%, P<0.001) and pulmonary hydatid (15.2% vs. 0.0%, P=0.002) in the high-altitude medical center were statistically higher than those in the plain medical center. There was no statistical difference in perioperative mortality (0.5% vs. 1.9%, P=0.379) or complication rate within 30 days after operation (7.4% vs. 11.1%, P=0.402) between the high-altitude center and the plain medical center. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that body mass index≥ 25 kg/m2 (OR=8.647, P<0.001) and esophageal rupture/perforation were independent risk factors for the occurrence of postoperative complications (OR=15.720, P<0.001). Conclusion    Thoracic surgery in the high-altitude medical center is safe and feasible.

Research progress on vesicles from Chinese medicinal herbs / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Vesicles derived from Chinese medicinal herbs (VCMH) are nano-vesicular entities released by the cells of Chinese medicinal herbs. VCMHs have various biological effects and targeting characteristics, and their component chemicals and functional activities are closely related to the parent plant. VCMH differs from animal-derived vesicles in three ways: stability, specificity, and safety. There are a number of extraction and isolation techniques for VCMH, each with their own benefits and drawbacks, and there is no unified standard. When two or more approaches are used, high quantities of intact vesicles can be obtained more quickly and efficiently. The obtained VCMHs were systematically examined and evaluated. Firstly, they are generally saucer-shaped, cup-shaped or sphere, with particle size of 10-300 nm. Secondly, they contain lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and other active substances, and these components are an important part for intercellular information transfer. Finally, they mostly have good biocompatibility and low toxicity, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor and anti-fibrotic effects. As a new drug carrier, VCMHs have outstanding active targeting capabilities, and the capsule form can effectively preserve the drugs, considerably enhancing drug delivery efficiency and stability in vitro and in vivo. The modification of its vesicular structure by suitable physical or chemical means can further create more stable and precise drug carriers. This article reviews the extraction and purification techniques, activity evaluation and application of VCMH to provide information for further research and application of new active substances and targeted drug carriers.

Treatment of Lung Cancer Based on Theory of "Generation of Five Elements" of Lung， Spleen， and Kidney / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Primary lung cancer， as one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies and the top leading cause of cancer death worldwide， has seriously endangered human life. In China， due to regional differences， although the impact of lung cancer on different regions is different， it still has the highest mortality among malignant tumors. Western medicine often has certain limitations in the treatment of lung cancer. At present， the combination of western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） or the direct application of TCM has become an inevitable trend in the treatment of lung cancer. TCM treatment is guided by the holistic view， which includes the view of integration of the five internal organs and the integration of the body and spirit. Therefore， the treatment of lung cancer in TCM emphasizes that although the disease is located in one organ， the whole body should be treated， which corresponds to the theory of the view of integration of the five internal organs. In addition to the lung in the treatment of lung cancer， the spleen and kidney should also be treated. The lung， spleen， and kidney correspond to metal， earth， and water， respectively on the five elements. According to the generation relationship of the five elements， since earth generates metal and metal generates water， earth is the mother of metal and water is the child of metal. Therefore， benefiting fire （kidney） can replenish earth. Tonifying the mother and son of the lung can treat lung diseases， reflecting mutual generation and transformation and ceaseless generation and transformation. Long-term consumption of Qi by lung cancer can affect mother-organ. In the context of disorder of child-organ affecting mother-organ， mother-organ should be tonified in the face of deficiency. The treatment principle of banking up earth to generate metal should be followed to reinforce healthy Qi and treat the root. Effulgent earth can promote the generation of metal and the syndrome of lung deficiency can be resolve. The lung and kidney deficiency is an important factor in the incidence of lung cancer. Yin deficiency for a long time can hinder the generation of water by metal， resulting in failure of water in moistening metal， so both mother organ and child organ should be tonified. The treatment principle of mutual generation between metal and water should be employed to moisten the kidney and lung， thereby facilitating the vigorous ventilation and descending of the lung. The spleen is the mother organ of the lung， and the kidney is the child organ of the lung. Long-term lung cancer causes the deficiency of the mother and child organs， so the treatment principle of replenishing fire to nourish earth should be adopted to benefit the kidney and tonify the spleen. Therefore， innate basis and acquired foundation are both filled， and the lung can be regulated properly. When the lung， spleen， and kidney are harmonized， the generation and transformation of Qi and blood are active， and the Yin and Yang of Qi and blood are balanced， so the self-rehabilitation ability of the body is ensured， and the treatment of lung cancer will achieve a good curative effect. According to the holistic view of TCM， the whole body should be regulated to treat lung cancer. The lung， spleen， and kidney are all treated in the treatment of lung cancer. With the lung， spleen， and kidney as the central axis， the treatment principles of banking up earth to generate metal， replenishing fire to nourish earth， and mutual generation between metal and water should be followed in the treatment of lung cancer， and a good therapeutic effect can be achieved.

Application of ultrasound shear wave elastography in the prediction of clinically relevant post-operative pancreatic fistula after pancreatectomy: a prospective study / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To quantitatively evaluate the stiffness of pancreatic parenchyma and lesions by virtual touch tissue imaging and quantification (VTIQ) technique, and to investigate the potential usefulness of ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) in the prediction of clinically relevant post-operative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) after pancreatectomy.Methods:Patients who scheduled to receive pancreatectomy were prospectively enrolled in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from March 2021 to December 2021. VTIQ assessment was applied to patients within one week before the scheduled surgery to make quantitative SWE evaluation of target tissue. The SWV values of body part pancreatic parenchyma and lesions were measured and recorded. The palpation stiffness of pancreas was qualitatively evaluated during the operation by the surgeon.CR-POPF was diagnosed according to 2016 International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula (ISGPF) standard.Grade B/C pancreatic fistula was defined as CR-POPF positive. Recognized peri-operative risk factors of CR-POPF were analyzed. ROC curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of SWV value in predicting CR-POPF.Results:A total of 72 patients were finally enrolled in this study, including 47 (65.3%, 47/72) patients who received pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and 25 (34.7%, 25/72) patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy. CR-POPF occurred in 22 (30.6%, 22/72) patients after pancreatectomy. The SWV value of body part pancreatic parenchyma was significant lower in CR-POPF positive group than in CR-POPF negative group ( P<0.001). There was no significant difference in lesion SWV value between CR-POPF positive and negative groups ( P=0.664). Besides, the palpation stiffness was no difference between the two groups ( P=0.689). Taking SWV value of pancreatic parenchyma >1.16 m/s as a cut-off value for predicting CR-POPF, the area under the ROC curve (AUROC) was 0.816 with 0.760 of sensitivity, 0.634 of specificity, 67.5% of positive predictive value and 72.5% of negative predictive value, respectively. Conclusions:The VTIQ method may improve the objectivity and accuracy of CR-POPF prediction via pre-operative, non-invasive and quantitative evaluation of pancreatic stiffness, which has potential value in clinical applications.

Preoperative prediction of Ki-67 level in hepatocellular carcinoma based on radiomics signatures during Kupffer phase of Sonazoid contrast enhanced ultrasound / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the value of Sonazoid contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in preoperative prediction of proliferating cell nuclear antigen 67 (Ki-67) level of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by establishing predictive model based on radiomics features of Kupffer phase.Methods:From October 2020 to August 2021, patients with histologically confirmed HCC lesion and who underwent Sonazoid CEUS examination 1 week before surgery were prospectively enrolled. The radiomics signatures were extracted from the whole tumor region on gray scale images and Kupffer phase images. Two predictive radiomics models were constructed using radiomic method. The predictive performance of 2 models was compared.Results:A total of 50 patients with histologically confirmed single HCC lesions were prospectively enrolled in this study. Among them, histological results revealed 24 HCC lesions with high level representation of Ki-67 (>20%) and 26 HCC lesions with low level representation of Ki-67 (≤20%). Two radiomics predictive models were established based on gray scale images and Kupffer phase images respectively. While compared with model based on B-mode ultrasound images, model based on Kupffer phase images showed significantly higher area under receiver operating characteristic curve (0.753 vs 0.535, P=0.017), accuracy (0.720 vs 0.580, P=0.023) and sensitivity (0.458 vs 0.250, P=0.043). Calibration plot indicated that Kupffer phase model showed better consistency with the actual Ki-67 level than gray scale model. Conclusions:The radiomics model based on Kupffer phase features of Sonazoid CEUS is a preoperative and noninvasive prediction the presentation level of Ki-67 in HCC lesions.

Primary clinical application of shear wave dispersion in differentiating benign and malignant liver tumors / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To analyze the viscosity characteristics of liver tumors and investigate the clinical value of shear wave dispersion (SWD) in the differentiation of benign and malignant liver tumors.Methods:A total of 103 patients with focal liver lesions were prospectively collected in Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from October 2020 to July 2021, including 80 cases with single lesion and 23 cases with multiple lesions, and only the largest lesion was observed in patients with multiple lesions. SWD values were measured within the tumor and in the liver parenchyma 2 cm away from the tumor, and were compared between benign tumor group and maligant tumor group. The ROC curves of SWD value, SWD ratio and their combination in differentiating benign and malignant liver tumors were plotted respectively, and the optimal diagnostic threshold, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of different diagnostic methods were analyzed.Results:Among the 103 patients, 35 were benign and 68 were malignant. The SWD value of liver benign tumor group was lower than that of liver malignant tumor group [(16.38±3.58)m·s -1·kHz -1 vs (18.59±3.12)m·s -1·kHz -1], the SWD value of liver parenchyma background in liver benign tumor group was lower than that in liver malignant tumor group [(10.88±3.37)m·s -1·kHz -1 vs (14.31±3.34)m·s -1·kHz -1], and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The SWD ratio of benign tumor to surrounding liver parenchyma was higher than that of malignant tumor group [1.57(1.25, 2.00) vs 1.27(1.06, 1.57)], and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). When the SWD value >15.60 m·s -1·kHz -1 was used as the cut-off value, the area under ROC curve (AUC) was 0.72, the sensitivity was 88.2%, the specificity was 51.4%, and the accuracy was 75.7%. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and AUC were 58.8%, 74.2%, 63.1%, and 0.68, respectively, when the ratio of SWD value<1.32 was used as the cut-off value. SWD value combined with SWD ratio for the diagnosis of liver malignant tumor, the AUC was 0.88, the sensitivity was 82.3%, the specificity was 83.0%, and accuracy was 81.6%. The diagnostic efficacy of the two in combination for liver malignant tumor was superior to SWD value ( Z=2.678, P=0.007 4) and SWD value ratio ( Z=3.822, P=0.000 1). Conclusions:SWD imaging can reflect the viscosity information of liver tumors and surrounding liver parenchyma, and has potential clinical application value in the differentiation of benign and malignant tumors.

Experimental study of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and integrin α vβ 3 dual-targeted microbubble to assess tumor angiogenesis of renal cell carcinoma in vivo / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the ability of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR2)/integrin α vβ 3 dual-targeted microubble (MBD) to target angiogenesis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in vivo. Methods:Non-targeted microbubble (MBN) USphere LA was employed as a template to prepare single- and dual-targeted microbubbles which could bind VEGFR2 and/or integrin α vβ 3 (MBV and MBI) by the biotin-avidin bridging method. A total of 40 RCC nude mice models were established by subcutaneously injecting 786-O cells.Twenty of the models were all injected with MBN, MBV, MBI and MBD in a random order, and the other 20 models were registered for antibody blocking assays. The results of ultrasound images were used for quantitative analyses, and the following quantitative parameters were obtained: intensity increment (a 1), peak halving speed (a 2), curve rising slope (a 3), perfusion time (t 0), time to peak (TTP), peak intensity (PI), mean transit time (MTT) and area under the curve (AUC) for the first three minutes, peak intensity at 10 s before (P 1) and after (P 2) ultrasound destruction, and the differences of tissue enhancement (dTE) between P 1 and P 2 (dTE=P 1-P 2). All the quantitative parameters of four contrast agents and the antibody blocking assays were compared.Besides, the immunohistochemical assays were performed to evaluate the expression of CD31, VEGFR2 and integrin α vβ 3 in tumor tissues. Results:The differences of parameters of a 1, a 3, t 0, TTP, PI and P 2 among four different microbubbles had no statistical significances (all P>0.05), and all parameters between the two single-targeted contrast agents were not statistically different (all P>0.05). The parameters of AUC, MTT, P 1 and dTE all showed a trend that dual-targeted bubbles > single-targeted bubbles > non-targeted bubbles (all P<0.05). On the contrary, the trend of dual-targeted bubbles < single-targeted bubbles < non-targeted bubbles (all P<0.05) was observed for a 2. In the antibody blocking experiment, a 2 was faster after the antibody injection ( P<0.001), while AUC, MTT, P 1 and dTE were all lower than those before the antibody injection ( P<0.001), and the other parameters were not statistically different before and after the antibody injection (all P>0.05). Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed the high expression of CD31, VEGFR2 and integrin β 3 in tumor tissues. Conclusions:The VEGFR2 and integrin α vβ 3 dual-targeted microbubble has a good potential to target the angiogenesis of human RCC in vivo.

Experimental study of dual-targeted microbubbles in assessing the expression levels of pro-angiogenic markers during the growth of renal carcinoma / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To explore the capability of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2)/integrinα vβ 3 dual-targeted microbubbles in assessing the expression level of pro-angiogenic factors during renal cell carcinoma (RCC) growth. Methods:VEGFR2/integrinα vβ 3 dual-targeted microbubbles were prepared by using biotin-avidin linkage method. Twenty subcutaneous RCC xenografts in nude mice were established by subcutaneously injecting 786-O cells and then divided into 2 groups randomly. The targeted contrast-enhanced ultrasound (t-CEUS) examination was performed for all 10 mice in the first group when xenograft tumors were metered from 5 to 10 mm and >10 to 20 mm respectively. And the quantitative parameters of RCC on t-CEUS were longitudinally evaluated during tumor growth. The second group were divided into two subgroups according to xenograft tumors′ diameter, which was 5 to 10 mm and >10 to 20 mm respectively, and underwent t-CEUS examination. Quantitative analysis was performed for all t-CEUS images to obtain the targeted quantitative parameters, which including peak intensity (PI), area under the time-intensity curve (AUC), the differential tissue enhancement (dTE, presenting the difference in PI before (P 1) and after (P 2) the process of Flash). All xenograft tumors in the second group were harvested for immunohistochemical staining to observe the expression of VEGFR2, integrinα vβ 3 and CD31, and their differences in RCC with different tumor sizes. And the correlations between quantitative parameters and VEGFR2, integrinα vβ 3 and CD31 were analyzed. Results:The longitudinal comparison showed that there were statistically significant differences between AUC and dTE of RCC with different tumor sizes (all P<0.001). The larger the tumor size, the smaller the parameters were. According to the horizontal comparison, the expression levels of VEGFR2 and integrinα vβ 3 in larger RCCs were higher than those of RCCs with smaller size (both P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in CD31 expression between the two subgroups ( P=0.754). Both the targeted quantitative parameters (AUC anddTE ) and pro-angiogenic factors (VEGFR2 and integrinα vβ 3) were negatively correlated with tumor size ( rs=-0.83, -0.81, -0.70, -0.88; all P<0.05). Further more, there were good positive correlations between AUC and VEGFR2, integrinαvβ ( rs=0.76, 0.72; all P<0.05). There were good positive correlations between dTE and VEGFR2, integrinα vβ 3 ( rs=0.81, 0.70; all P<0.05). Additionally, the parameter PI was positively correlated with the expression of CD31 ( rs=0.70, P=0.025). Conclusions:The t-CEUS, mediated by VEGFR/integrinα vβ 3 dual-targeted microbubbles, allows noninvasive assessment of the expression levels of VEGFR2 and integrinα vβ 3 in RCCs, which decrease gradually with the increase of tumor size.

Feasibility of the quantitative assessment of blood perfusion in hepatocellular carcinoma by using three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical feasibility of three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (3D-CEUS) in the quantitative assessment of blood perfusion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:Between January 2020 and August 2021, 36 HCC patients (39 lesions in total) confirmed by pathology and clinical diagnosis without any treatment from Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were enrolled and underwent both 2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS examinations. Each examination last for 150 s and all images were recorded, and then the data were analyzed. A region of interest was manually drawn along the margin of the whole tumor and then the time-intensity curve (TIC) generated. The following perfusion parameters were extracted: peak intensity (PI), peak time (TTP), ascending slope (AS), mean transit time (MTT) and area under the curve (AUC). After calculating the quality of fit (QOF) of the curve, the intraobserver agreement of the 3D-CEUS quantitative parameters obtained by the same doctor between two times were assessed, and the consistency of the 3D-CEUS and 2D-CEUS quantitative parameters was evaluated when QOF>75%. The differences of the quantitative parameters between different groups (divided by depth of 8 cm and necrosis rate of 50%, respectively) in 3D-CEUS were compared.Results:There were 38 lesions (97.4%, 38/39) with QOF>75% in 3D-CEUS. The intraobserver agreement was excellent, the intraclass correlation efficient(ICC) values was 0.85-0.99. The consistency of the time quantitative parameters (TTP and MTT) were high (the ICC values of 0.87 and 0.91), and the correlation of intensity quantitative parameters were substantial, the rs values were 0.71, 0.72 and 0.71. The differences in 3D-CEUS quantitative parameters of the two groups of lesions with different depths were statistically significant (all P<0.05); but there were no significant differences in quantitative parameters between the two groups with different necrosis rate (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Quantitative 3D-CEUS is an useful and creditable tool in evaluating the blood perfusion of HCC, especially when the depth of lesion was less than 8 cm.

Clinical performance of ultrasound attenuation imaging in assessing the degree of hepatic steatosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To explore the diagnostic performance of ultrasound attenuation imaging (ATI) in grading the degree of hepatic steatosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).Methods:The liver gray-scale ultrasound and ATI examinations were performed on 212 subjects who were treated in Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from August 2020 to March 2021. The attenuation coefficient(AC) values among different degrees of hepatic steatosis were analyzed and the diagnostic performance of ATI was evaluated. Relationships between AC values and clinical characteristics were assessed by Pearson′s correlation analysis.Results:The AC values for normal liver, mild, moderate and severe fatty liver were (0.56±0.05)dB·cm -1·MHz -1, (0.68±0.09)dB·cm -1·MHz -1, (0.82±0.09)dB·cm -1·MHz -1, (0.94±0.09)dB·cm -1·MHz -1, respectively. There were significant differences in AC values among different hepatic steatosis divisions( P<0.008). There was highly significant correlation between AC values and the degree of hepatic steatosis( r=0.860, P<0.01), moderate correlation between AC values and BMI( r=0.425, P<0.01), weak correlation between AC values and HDL-C( r=-0.237, P=0.029), no correlations between AC values and age, TC, TG, LDL-C ( r=0.083, 0.055, 0.133, -0.039, all P>0.05) .The areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve of ATI for mild fatty liver and above, moderate fatty liver and above, severe fatty liver and above were 0.958, 0.962, 0.918; the sensitivity were 90.1%, 95.8%, 94.9%, the specificity were 96.1%, 87.1%, 73.9%, and the cut-off values were 0.666 dB·cm -1·MHz -1, 0.719 dB·cm -1·MHz -1, 0.803 dB·cm -1·MHz -1, respectively. Conclusions:ATI is a reliable and convenient method for evaluating the degree of hepatic steatosis in MAFLD.

Diagnostic value and influencing factors of chylous test of pleural effusion after thoracic surgery / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To analyze the results and diagnostic value of postoperative chylous test of pleural effusion and to verify the clinicopathological factors affecting the results of chylous test. Methods    The clinical data of 265 consecutive patients undergoing selective surgery at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shangjin Nanfu Hospital between May and August 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, including 106 males and 159 females with an average age of 53.0±12.2 years. According to the results of the chylous test on the operation day and postoperative first and second days, the patients were divided into two subgroups, including a positive group and a negative group, and the clinical data of the two groups were compared. Sensitivity and specificity of the chylous test were calculated. The influencing factors for chylous test were analyzed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results    The positive rate of chylous test was 91.7%, 95.8% and 87.9% on the operation day and postoperative first and second days, respectively. There was no statistical difference in age, sex, surgical type, surgical approach, surgical site, surgical time, degree of lymph node dissection, treatment of thoracic duct, 24 hours pleural fluid drainage or 24 hours protein and fat food intake between the positive group and the negative group (P>0.05). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the chylous experiment were 100.0%and 4.0%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the surgical site (left/right chest) might be an influencing factor for the results of the chylous test (P=0.043, OR=0.458, 95%CI 0.216-0.974). Conclusion    The positive rate of chylous test of pleural effusion after thoracic surgery is very high. The chylous test produces a high misdiagnosis rate of chylothorax. The surgical site (left/right chest) may be an influencing factor for chylous test. The positive result of chylous test is not recommended as the direct diagnostic basis for postoperative chylothorax and guidance of the subsequent treatment.

The modified minimally invasive esophagectomy using the concept of "single-direction" thoracoscopic technique / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To explore the safety and feasibility of the modified and improved thoracoscopic surgery for esophageal cancer using the concept of "single-direction" thoracoscopic technique. Methods    The clinical data of 65 patients undergoing this modified minimally invasive esophagectomy based on "single-direction" thoracoscopic system between June 2018 and April 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 54 males and 11 females aged 62.5±7.8 years. Results    The thoracoscopic operation time was 133.4±28.6 min, and intraoperative blood loss was 61.9±29.2 mL. No intraoperative blood transfusion was needed. One patient was transferred to open thoracotomy (due to severe pleural adhesion atresia). Major complications included anastomotic leak, pneumonia, chylothorax, incisional infection, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and gastric emptying disorders, which were recovered by conservative treatment. No postoperative death occurred. The median number of lymph nodes and lymph node station harvested was 19 and 10, respectively. The median postoperative hospital stay was 10 days. The volume of chest drainage was 1 117.3±543.4 mL. Conclusion    The minimally invasive operation mode of esophageal cancer based on "single-direction" thoracoscopic system is safe and feasible, and has good field vision and smooth and simplified procedure.

Clinical application and learning curve of uniportal thoracoscopy / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To analyze the operation outcomes and learning curve of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods    All consecutive patients who underwent uniportal VATS between November 2018 and December 2020 in Shangjin Branch of West China Hospital of Sichuan University were retrospectively enrolled, including 62 males and 86 females with a mean age of 50.1±13.4 years. Operations included lobectomy, segmentectomy, wedge resection, mediastinal mass resection and hemopneumothorax. Accordingly, patients' clinical features in different phases were collected and compared to determine the outcome difference and learning curve for uniportal VATS. Results    Median postoperative hospital stay was 5 days, and the overall complication rate was 8.1% (12/148). There was no 30-day death after surgery or readmissions. Median postoperative pain score was 3. Over time, the operation time, incision length and blood loss were optimized in the uniportal VATS lobectomy, the incision length and blood loss increased in the uniportal VATS segmentectomy, and the postoperative hospital stay decreased in the uniportal VATS wedge resection. Conclusion    Uniportal VATS is safe and feasible for both standard and complex pulmonary resections. While, no remarkable learning curve for uniportal VATS lobectomy is observed for experienced surgeon.

Experimental study of shear wave dispersion imaging in evaluating inflammatory reaction zone after ablation in normal rabbit liver / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the value of shear wave dispersion imaging in identifying inflammatory reaction zone after liver ablation in rabbits.Methods:The animal model was made by laser ablation of rabbit liver, and then shear wave dispersion imaging and strain elastography imaging were performed on the ablation area at 3 d, 7 d, and 14 d after ablation. The shear wave dispersion values, elastic value and strain ratio measured by shear wave elastography, shear wave dispersion and strain elastography in different regions such as central necrotic tissue, surrounding inflammatory reaction zone and normal liver tissue after ablation were analyzed.Results:The shear wave dispersion values of inflammatory reaction zone around ablation site, necrotic tissue in the center of ablation site and normal liver tissue in rabbits were (26.07±4.55)m·s -1·kHz -1, (21.97±10.53)m·s -1·kHz -1and (15.45±3.94)m·s -1·kHz -1, respectively, the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Compared with the three time points of 3 d, 7 d and 14 d after ablation, the shear wave dispersion value of the inflammatory zone was the highest on the 7th day after ablation ( P<0.05), while the elastic value and strain ratio in this region did not change significantly among these three time points ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Shear wave dispersion imaging can simultaneously measure tissue elasticity and viscosity, which has certain application value in identifying the inflammatory reaction zone around the ablation site in rabbit liver.

Clinical application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To investigate the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features of inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma (I-HCA).Methods:The contrast-enhanced ultrasound features I-HCA of 28 cases from April 2009 to November 2019 in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were retrospectively analyzed, including arterial phase enhancement pattern, the homogeneity of enhancement, subcapsular enhancement, and the internal perfusion defect. All I-HCA lesions were divided into >5 cm group( n=9) and ≤5 cm group( n=19), the CEUS features between the two groups were compared. Results:All I-HCA lesions were hyper-enhanced in the arterial phase, among which 39.3% (11/28) showed diffuse filling, 39.3%(11/28) showed centripetal filling, and 21.4%(6/28) showed centrifugal filling pattern. Twenty-five percent (7/28) of I-HCAs showed heterogeneous enhancement, 10.7% (3/28) revealed unenhanced areas within the lesions. Subcapsular vessels were observed in 67.7 (21/31) of I-HCA lesions. Heterogeneous enhancement and unenhanced areas were more frequently detected in lesions >5 cm ( P=0.020, 0.026, respectively), while there was no difference in the enhancement pattern and subcapsular vessels between the two groups ( P>0.05). Inportal venous phase, 42.9%(12/28) of I-HCAs showed hypo-enhancement, and 57.1%(16/28) of lesions showed washout in late phase. According to "hyper-enhancement in arterial phase, sustained hyper- or iso-enhancement in portal venous and late phase" by CEUS, the diagnostic accuracy of benign lesion was 42.9%(12/28). According to any of hyper-enhancement pattern in arterial phase, subcapsular vascular enhancement, and sustained hyper- or iso-enhancement in portal venous and late phase, the diagnostic accuracy of I-HCA was 71.4% (20/28). Conclusions:CEUS is valuable in the diagnosis of inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma.

Clinical application of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery anatomic basal segmentectomy / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To investigate the efficacy of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomic basal segmentectomy. Methods    The clinical data of 15 patients who underwent uniportal VATS anatomic basal segmentectomy between June 2020 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 4 males and 11 females with a median age of 53 (32-70) years. The incisions were placed in the fifth intercostal space across the mid-axillary line. All basal segmentectomies were performed through the interlobar fissure or inferior pulmonary ligament approach following the strategies of single-direction and stem-branch. Results    All patients underwent basal segmentectomy successfully with no conversion to multi-portal procedure or thoracotomy. The median operation time was 120 (90-160) min, median intraoperative blood loss was 20 (10-50) mL, median drainage time was 3 (2-5) d, and median postoperative hospital stay was 4 (4-10) d. The maximum diameter of the lesion in the resected basal segment was 1.2 (0.7-1.9) cm. The median resected lymph nodes were 7 (5-12). There was no evidence of nodal metastases. One patient suffered postoperative atelectasis and subsequent pneumonia. No perioperative death occurred. Conclusion    Uniportal VATS anatomic basal segmentectomy is feasible and safe. It can be performed in a simple manner following the strategy of single-direction.

The value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the differentiation of renal oncocytoma and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To explore the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) in distinguishing of renal oncocytoma(RO) and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma(chRCC).Methods:The ultrasonic image features of 49 ROs and 72 chRCCs between October 2007 and January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, all lesions underwent ultrasonic examination (including 19 ROs and 70 chRCCs with CEUS imaging) and were pathologically approved in our institution. The statistically significant parameters from univariate analyses were then entered for further multivariable Logistic regression. The value of each ultrasonic imaging feature in differentiating RO and chRCC was evaluated.Results:According to the univariate analyses, all imaging features on conventional ultrasound were not statistically different between RO and chRCC (all P>0.05), while the characteristics of tumor wash-in/out pattern, enhancement degree and homogeneity at peak time and pseudocapsule around tumor were significantly different (all P<0.05). After multivariable analyses, tumor wash-in and wash-out pattern were excluded for tumor differentiation ( P>0.05), and the parameters of enhancement degree or homogeneity at peak time and pseudocapsule around tumor were still significantly different between tumor types (all P<0.05, odd ratio was 8.683, 6.667 and 18.774 respectively). The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of these three parameters in diagnosing RO was 68.4%, 91.4% and 86.5%, respectively. Conclusions:CEUS can provide some useful information for the differentiation of RO and chRCC.

The strategy for improving the detection of minute renal cell carcinoma with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in detecting minute renal cell carcinoma (MRCC) smaller than 15 mm (by ultrasonic measurement) and the strategy to improve its detection rate.Methods:Fifty-three pathologically confirmed MRCCs by surgery from November 2007 to October 2019 at Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University were enrolled in this retrospectively study. All of them underwent both conventional ultrasound and CEUS examinations. The clinical and imaging data were collected and analyzed. Common features, such as tumor size, location, echogenicity, morphology, border, and blood flow signals were observed on conventional ultrasound. On CEUS, the presence of enhancement, wash in and wash out pattern, perfusion uniformity within the lesions were observed.Results:Post-operative pathology confirmed 48 clear cell carcinomas, 4 papillary carcinomas, and 1 chromophobe cell carcinoma. On conventional ultrasound, 12/53 lesions showed no protrusion out of the kidney, and 41/53 cases slightly protruded out of the kidney. There was considerable difficulty in the detection of ten lesions, which was achieved with the guidance of CT/MRI, due to their dorsal location of the kidney. On conventional ultrasound, solid, hyper-echoic, color flow signal with varying degrees were the main features of MRCC.The boundary could be well- or ill-defined, and cystic changes existed in part of cases. On CEUS, most MRCCs showed simultaneous enhancement in cortical phase, iso- to hyper-enhancement at peak, and rapid washout in parenchymal phase. The comparisons of imaging features demonstrated that the characteristics were significantly different between conventional ultrasound and CEUS with regard to boundaries, blood supply, and perfusion uniformity (χ 2=12.425, 20.247, 7.185; all P<0.01). Conclusions:CEUS can significantly improve the detection rate of MRCC, which is superior to conventional ultrasound.

Baseline survey and discussion for the ultrasound machines of ultrasound departments in Shanghai medical institutions / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To investigate the current basic situation of ultrasound machines of ultrasound departments in Shanghai medical institutions, and to provide the basis for making management policy in order to promote medical quality.Methods:Questionnaire surveys about ultrasound machines and service ability including producing countries of ultrasound machines, the number of ultrasound machines, using years of ultrasound machines, yearly workload and the yearly number of patients that each ultrasound machine accepted were made in 2013 and 2018, respectively. Statistical results were compared between the two surveys.Results:Compared with 2013, the share of imported ultrasound machines declined in 2018 (82% vs 91%). Compared with 2013, the number of ultrasound machines in Shanghai medical institutions had increased by 31% in 2018 (2 123 vs 1 617). The occupancy rate of ultrasound machines in tertiary hospitals was the highest (tertiary hospitals 40%, secondary hospitals 25%, primary grade hospitals 20%, and private hospitals 15%). Compared with 2013, the proportion of ultrasound machines that have been used for more than 10 years increased (9% vs 4%), the yearly workload of ultrasound examination had increased by 46% (19.82 million person-time vs 13.59 million person-time). Tertiary hospitals bored the highest proportion of the workload (tertiary hospitals 51%, secondary hospitals 35%, primary grade hospitals 4%, and private hospitals 10%). Currently, the number of ultrasound machines per 10, 000 people in Shanghai was 1.14. The yearly number of patients that each ultrasound machine accepted had increased by 11% (9300 person-time vs 8400 person-time in 2018).Conclusions:The scale of ultrasound departments in Shanghai medical institutions has been developing. Brand localization of ultrasound machines is improving. However, the renewal ability of ultrasound machines still needs to be improved. The workload of ultrasound department is getting heavier. Hierarchical diagnosis and treatment is unbalanced.

Study on the relationship between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and estimation of glomerular filtration rate in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods The clinical data of 117 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus from January 2016 to June 2017 in Anhui No.2 Provincial People's Hospital were analyzed retrospectively.According to the eGFR level,the patients were divided into 3 groups:eGFR ≥ 90 ml/(min· 1.73 m2) in 68 cases (DM0 group),eGFR 60 to 89 ml/(min· 1.73 m2) in 33 cases (DM1 group),and eGFR ＜ 60 ml/(min· 1.73 m2) in 16 cases (DM2 group).In addition,30 healthy people in the same period were selected as control group (NC group),eGFR ≥ 90 ml/(min · 1.73 m2).The systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,blood routine,glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c),total cholesterol （TC),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),urea nitrogen,creatinine and uric acid were recorded;and the NLR was calculated.The influencing factors of eGFR in patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus were analyzed,and the relationship between NLR and eGFR was evaluated.Results Compared with that in NC group and DM0 group,the eGFR in DM1 group and DM2 group was significantly lower:(75.12 ± 8.14) and (46.31 ± 13.25) ml/(min· 1.73 m2) vs.(114.17 ± 12.21) and (113.21 ± 12.04) ml/(min· 1.73 m2),the NLR was significantly higher:2.50 ± 1.16 and 2.75 ± 1.39 vs.1.53 ± 0.22 and 1.83 ± 0.65,and there were statistical differences (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with that in DM1 group,the eGFR in DM2 group was significantly lower,the NLR was significantly higher,and there were statistical differences (P ＜ 0.05).There were no statistical differences in NLR and eGFR between DM0 group and NC group (P ＞ 0.05).Correlation analysis result showed that NLR,age,course of disease,systolic blood pressure,TC,HDL-C,urea nitrogen,creatinine and uric acid were negatively correlated with eGFR (r =-0.415,-0.555,-0.491,-0.432,-0.259,-0.237,-0.584,-0.840 and-0.261;P ＜ 0.05);gender,diastolic pressure,HbA1c,TG and LDL-C were not correlated with eGFR (P ＞ 0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis result showed that NLR,age,TC,creatinine and systolic blood pressure were independent risk factors of eGFR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (P ＜ 0.01 or ＜0.05).Conclusions There is a close relationship between the increase of NLR and the decrease of eGFR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Monitoring NLR is helpful to understand the changes of eGFR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.