Is age a predisposing factor of postoperative complications after lung resection for primary pulmonary neoplasms? / ¿Es la edad un factor predisponente de complicaciones postoperatorias en las resecciones pulmonares por neoplasias pulmonares primarias?

INTRODUCTION: Age has been classically considered as a determining factor for the development of postoperative complications related to lung resection for bronchogenic carcinoma. The Postoperative Complications Study Group of the Spanish Society of Thoracic Surgery has promoted a registry to analyze this factor. METHODS: A total of 3,307 patients who underwent any type of surgical resection for bronchogenic carcinoma have been systematically and prospectively recorded in any of the 24 units that are part of the group. Several variables related to comorbidity and age, as well as postoperative complications, were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 65,44. Men were significantly more common than female. The most frequent complication was prolonged air leak, which was observed in more than one third of patients. In a univariant analysis, air leak presence and postsurgical atelectasis showed statistical association with patient age, when stratified in age groups. In a multivariate analysis, age was recognized as an independent prognostic factor in relation to air leak onset. However, this could not be confirmed for postoperative atelectasis. CONCLUSION: Age is a predisposing factor for the development of postoperative complications after lung resection. Other associated factors also influence the occurrence of these complications.

Advances in Immunotherapy for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: From Emerging Strategies to Translational Insights.

MPM stands as a rare malignancy necessitating improved therapeutic strategies due to its limited treatment choices and unfavorable prognosis. The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has heralded a paradigm shift in the therapeutic landscape of MPM, offering promising avenues across diverse clinical scenarios. In the context of advanced stages of the disease, Immune check-point inhibitors targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-as-sociated protein 4 (CTLA-4), have exhibited encouraging potential in clinical trials, particularly manifesting efficacy among patients exhibiting disease progression following chemotherapy regimens. Innovative combination regimens, exemplified by the concurrent administration of nivolumab and ipilimumab, have demonstrated marked improvement in survival and patient's benefits. A deeper comprehension of the intricate genetic underpinnings of MPM, encompassing key mutations such as cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), neurofibromin 2 (NF2), and BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) mutations, has elucidated novel avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions. This review accentuates the transformative capacity of immunotherapy in revolutionizing the therapeutic outlook for MPM, thereby potentially translating into augmented survival rates and offering glimpses of new approaches on the horizon. Despite the persisting challenges, the synergistic crossroads of interdisciplinary research and collaborative clinical endeavors portend a hopeful landscape for MPM treatment.

El mesotelioma pleural maligno (MPM) es una neoplasia poco frecuente que requiere una mejora de las estrategias terapéuticas debido a sus limitadas opciones de tratamiento y a su pronóstico desfavorable. La llegada de los inhibidores de los puntos de control inmunitario ha supuesto un cambio de paradigma en el panorama terapéutico del MPM, ofreciendo vías prometedoras en diversos escenarios clínicos. En el contexto de los estadios avanzados de la enfermedad, los inhibidores de puntos de control inmunitario dirigidos contra la proteína de muerte celular programada 1 (PD-1) y la proteína 4 asociada a los linfocitos T citotóxicos (CTLA-4) han mostrado un potencial alentador en los ensayos clínicos, sobre todo por su eficacia en los pacientes con progresión de la enfermedad tras los regímenes de quimioterapia. Los regímenes combinados innovadores, ejemplificados por la administración concurrente de nivolumab e ipilimumab, han demostrado una mejora significativa de la supervivencia y de los beneficios para los pacientes. Una comprensión más profunda de los complejos fundamentos genéticos del MPM, que abarca mutaciones clave como el inhibidor de la cinasa dependiente de ciclina 2A (CDKN2A), la neurofibromina 2 (NF2) y las mutaciones de la proteína 1 asociada a BRCA1 (BAP1), ha dilucidado nuevas vías para el desarrollo de intervenciones terapéuticas dirigidas. Esta revisión acentúa la capacidad transformadora de la inmunoterapia para revolucionar las perspectivas terapéuticas en el MPM, lo que podría traducirse en un aumento de las tasas de supervivencia y ofrecer nuevos enfoques terapéuticos en el horizonte próximo. A pesar de los retos persistentes, el cruce sinérgico de la investigación interdisciplinar y los esfuerzos clínicos de colaboración auguran un panorama esperanzador en el tratamiento de los MPM.

Decision-making concordance in thoracic drain management: is necessary previous experience?

INTRODUCTION: Proper management of thoracic drainages is essential in the recovery of patients after lung resection. This study evaluates the concordance in decision-making for drain removal depending on the type of drainage system used and the previous experience of the personnel. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective, comparative, and stratified randomization study on interobserver variability between senior specialist doctors and inexperienced healthcare personnel in the removal of thoracic drains in patients undergoing lung resection connected to conventional systems (CS) or digital systems (DS) with continuous recording. The withdrawal criteria were established before the study, and decisions were recorded during three postoperative days. RESULTS: 75 patients were included, 38 CS and 37 DS, with no statistically significant differences in sex distribution, age, intervention performed, presence of pleuropulmonary adhesions, drain time, or post-extraction complications between the groups. The overall concordance in drain removal decisions was moderate (kappa = 0.452), with notable variations in concordance depending on the drainage system used: CS (kappa = 0.188) with an overall agreement rate of 61.7% compared to DS (kappa = 0.716) with an overall agreement rate of 86.4%. Digital systems showed substantial concordance regardless of the operator's experience, with kappa values indicating high concordance on all postoperative days. CONCLUSIONS: The use of digital systems for managing thoracic drains significantly improves concordance in clinical decision-making regardless of the experience level. These findings suggest that adopting digital systems not only optimizes patient safety but also reduces the dependence on highly specialized healthcare professionals.

Outcomes of Surgery for Metachronous Second Primary Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The optimal surgical approach for second primary metachronous lung cancer (MPLC) remains unclear. Our aim is to evaluate the morbidity and prognostic value based on the extent of surgical resection in MPLC. METHODS: Retrospective study of 84 patients with a history of anatomical resection for lung cancer and MPLC surgically treated between January 2010 and December 2020. RESULTS: The interval between the initial primary tumor and the second was 50.38±32.89 months. The second resection was contralateral in 43 patients (51.2%) and ipsilateral in 41 (48.8%). Thirty-six patients (42.9%) underwent a second anatomical resection, and in 48 patients (57.1%), it was non-anatomical. Postoperative complications were observed in 29 patients (34.5%) after the second lung resection. According to the Clavien-Dindo classification, 95.2% were mild (Clavien-Dindo I-II), and a single patient died (1.2%) in the postoperative period (Grade V). Prolonged air leak (p=0.037), postoperative arrhythmias (p=0.019) and hospital stay showed significant differences depending on the extent of surgery in ipsilateral resections. The main histological type was adenocarcinoma (47.6%) and the median tumor size was 17.74±11.74mm. The overall survival was 58.07 months (95% CI 49.29-66.85) for patients undergoing anatomical resection and 50.97 months (95% CI 43.31-58.63) for non-anatomical without significant differences (p=0.144). The disease-free survival after the second surgery was 53.75 months (95% CI 45.28-62.23) for anatomical resection and 41.34 months (95% CI 33.04-49.65) for non-anatomical group. CONCLUSION: Second anatomical resections provide good long-term outcomes and have been shown to provide better disease-free survival compared to non-anatomical resections in properly selected patients.

[Surgical management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. A national survey of the Emerging Thoracic Surgery Group of the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR)]. / Manejo quirúrgico del neumotórax espontáneo primario. Encuesta nacional del Grupo Emergente de Cirugía Torácica de la Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica (SEPAR).

Introduction: In February 2022, the Emerging Thoracic Surgery Group of the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery initiated a multicenter study on the surgical management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). As a preliminary step, this survey was developed with the aim of finding out the current situation in our country to specify and direct this project. Method: A descriptive study was carried out based on the results of this survey launched through the Google Docs® platform. The survey was sent to all active national thoracic surgeons, a total of 319. It consisted of 20 questions including demographic, surgical and follow-up data. Results: We obtained 124 responses (39% of all specialists and doctors in training in the national territory). The most consistent indications were: homolateral recurrence for 124 (100%), lack of resolution of the episode for 120 (96.7%), risk professions for 104 (84%) and bilateral pneumothorax for 93 (75%). The approach of choice for 100% of respondents was videothoracoscopy. Of these, 96 contemplated pulmonary resection of obvious lesions (77%). Regarding the pleurodesis technique, pleural abrasion was the technique most used by 70 respondents (56.7%) while 49 (40%) performed chemical pleurodesis with talc either alone or in combination with mechanical pleurodesis. Conclusions: While there is some consistency in some aspects of surgical management of PSP, this survey makes evident the variability in pleurodesis techniques applied among surgeons in our country.

Outcomes of Surgery for Metachronous Second Primary Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective: The optimal surgical approach for second primary metachronous lung cancer (MPLC) remains unclear. Our aim is to evaluate the morbidity and prognostic value based on the extent of surgical resection in MPLC. Methods: Retrospective study of 84 patients with a history of anatomical resection for lung cancer and MPLC surgically treated between January 2010 and December 2020. Results: The interval between the initial primary tumor and the second was 50.38±32.89 months. The second resection was contralateral in 43 patients (51.2%) and ipsilateral in 41 (48.8%). Thirty-six patients (42.9%) underwent a second anatomical resection, and in 48 patients (57.1%), it was non-anatomical. Postoperative complications were observed in 29 patients (34.5%) after the second lung resection. According to the Clavien-Dindo classification, 95.2% were mild (Clavien-Dindo I–II), and a single patient died (1.2%) in the postoperative period (Grade V). Prolonged air leak (p=0.037), postoperative arrhythmias (p=0.019) and hospital stay showed significant differences depending on the extent of surgery in ipsilateral resections. The main histological type was adenocarcinoma (47.6%) and the median tumor size was 17.74±11.74mm. The overall survival was 58.07 months (95% CI 49.29–66.85) for patients undergoing anatomical resection and 50.97 months (95% CI 43.31–58.63) for non-anatomical without significant differences (p=0.144). The disease-free survival after the second surgery was 53.75 months (95% CI 45.28–62.23) for anatomical resection and 41.34 months (95% CI 33.04–49.65) for non-anatomical group. Conclusion: Second anatomical resections provide good long-term outcomes and have been shown to provide better disease-free survival compared to non-anatomical resections in properly selected patients. (AU)

Perforación iatrogénica de la arteria pulmonar por drenaje torácico en un paciente con Covid-19 / Iatrogenic Perforation of the Pulmonary Artery by Chest Drain in a Covid-19 Patient

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Nonintubated bilateral single port thoracoscopic sympathectomy in the context of an outpatient program, the least invasive management for hyperhidrosis surgery.

Primary hyperhidrosis is a frequent dysfunctional disorder characterized by excessive sweating in amounts greater than required for physiological needs. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment when there is no response to medical therapies. Traditionally, thoracoscopic sympathectomy is performed routinely by means of general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Here we report the least invasive management for hyperhidrosis surgery, a nonintubated bilateral single port thoracoscopic sympathectomy in the context of an outpatient program.

Es la edad un factor predisponente de complicaciones postoperatorias en las resecciones pulmonares por neoplasias pulmonares primarias / Is age a predisposing factor of postoperative complications after lung resection for primary pulmonary neoplasms?

INTRODUCCIÓN: La edad del paciente ha sido clásicamente interpretada como un factor condicionante de la aparición de complicaciones postoperatorias en cirugía de resección pulmonar por carcinoma broncogénico. El Grupo de Estudio de Complicaciones Postoperatorias de la Sociedad Española de Cirugía Torácica promovió un registro que permitiera analizar este hecho. MÉTODOS: Se recogieron de forma consecutiva, sistemática y prospectiva los datos de un total de 3.307 pacientes tratados con algún tipo de resección quirúrgica por carcinoma broncogénico en las 24 unidades que forman parte del grupo. Fueron analizadas variables relativas a la comorbilidad y la edad del paciente, así como a las complicaciones postoperatorias acaecidas. RESULTADOS: La edad media de los pacientes intervenidos fue de 65,44 años. La población masculina en la serie era significativamente mayor que la femenina. La complicación más frecuente fue la fuga aérea prolongada, que ocurrió en más de un tercio de los pacientes. En el estudio univariante, la aparición de fugas aéreas y de atelectasias posquirúrgicas mostraron asociación estadística con la edad de los enfermos, analizada por grupos etarios. En el análisis multivariante, la edad se presentó como un factor pronóstico independiente en relación con la aparición de fugas aéreas posquirúrgicas, no así en cuanto a las atelectasias posresección. CONCLUSIÓN: La edad es un factor predisponente para el desarrollo de complicaciones postoperatorias tras resección pulmonar en nuestro medio, si bien otros factores asociados condicionan también la aparición de estas complicaciones

INTRODUCTION: Age has been classically considered as a determining factor for the development of postoperative complications related to lung resection for bronchogenic carcinoma. The Postoperative Complications Study Group of the Spanish Society of Thoracic Surgery has promoted a registry to analyze this factor. METHODS: A total of 3,307 patients who underwent any type of surgical resection for bronchogenic carcinoma have been systematically and prospectively recorded in any of the 24 units that are part of the group. Several variables related to comorbidity and age, as well as postoperative complications, were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 65,44. Men were significantly more common than female. The most frequent complication was prolonged air leak, which was observed in more than one third of patients. In a univariant analysis, air leak presence and postsurgical atelectasis showed statistical association with patient age, when stratified in age groups. In a multivariate analysis, age was recognized as an independent prognostic factor in relation to air leak onset. However, this could not be confirmed for postoperative atelectasis. CONCLUSION: Age is a predisposing factor for the development of postoperative complications after lung resection. Other associated factors also influence the occurrence of these complications

Diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia: Report of two cases / Hiperplasia neuroendocrina difusa pulmonar idiopática: estudio de dos casos

Introduction: Diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH) is a rare disorder characterized by a proliferation of neuroendocrine cells within the lung. It is classically described as a disease with persistent cough, dyspnea and wheezing in non-smoker middle aged females. CT of the chest reveals diffuse air trapping with mosaic pattern. Patients and methods: We present two cases of DIPNECH that were sent to our department to perform a lung biopsy with the diagnostic suspicion of diffuse interstitial disease. Both cases were women with a history of chronic cough and moderate effort dyspnea. Results and discussion: The aim of this paper is that physicians take into account this diagnostic entity before treating as an asthmatic a patient with these characteristics, not forgetting that they are prenoplastic lesions

Introducción: La hiperplasia neuroendocrina difusa pulmonar idiopática (HNDPI) es una patología poco frecuente que se caracteriza por la proliferación de células neuroendocrinas en el parénquima pulmonar. Se describe clásicamente como una enfermedad que afecta a mujeres de mediana edad no fumadoras y que presentan tos persistente, disnea y sibilancias. La TC muestra una imagen de patrón en mosaico como resultado del atrapamiento aéreo. Pacientes y métodos: Presentamos dos casos de HNDPI que fueron enviados a nuestro servicio para realizar una biopsia pulmonar con la sospecha diagnóstica de enfermedad intersticial difusa. Ambos casos fueron mujeres con antecedentes de tos crónica y disnea de esfuerzo moderado. Resultados y discusión: El objetivo de este documento es que los facultativos tengan en cuenta este diagnóstico antes de tratar como asmática a una paciente con estas características, no olvidando además que son lesiones preneoplásicas