Bronchoplastic and angioplastic operation in bronchial carcinoma: long-term results of a retrospective analysis from 1973 to 1983.

From 1973 to 1983, 248 bronchoplastic and angioplastic operations were carried out in patients with bronchial cancer. The five-year survival rate of all radically operated patients (stages I and II, n = 108) was 35%. The three-year survival rate in bronchial sleeve resection in stages I and II (n = 46) was 46%. The thirty-day lethality in stages I and II was 9% in bronchial sleeve resection and 5% in combined bronchial and vascular sleeve resections. Indications, surgical technique and complications are discussed.

[Bronchoplastic and angioplastic operations in bronchial carcinoma]. / Bronchoplastische und angioplastische Operationen beim Bronchialcarcinom.

The various forms of bronchoplastic and angioplastic procedures are the best means of avoiding pneumonectomy. Essential indications are limited respiratory reserve and central site of a malignancy. In a retrospective study 248 broncho- and angioplastic operations carried out in the years 1973 to 1983 were analyzed. Reference date for the analysis of survival was January 1986. In consequence the minimum period of follow-up was two years. For all patients (n = 248) the 5-year-survival was 22% with a 30-day-lethality of 13%. The 5-year-survival of all bronchial sleeve resections operated radically (stage I and II of the TNM-classification) (n = 44) was 42% with a 30-day-lethality of 7%. The 5-year-survival of all bronchoplastic operations of stage I and II (n = 88) was 38% with a 30-day-lethality of 14%. Improved suture material and surgical techniques caused a reduction of operative lethality from 23% to 8% during the described period. In the first thirty postoperative days the following complications caused death: Hemoptysis (n = 5), insufficiency of the anastomosis (n = 3), right heart failure (n = 5), pulmonary embolism (n = 4) and sepsis (n = 1).

The effect of lung volume on transdiaphragmatic pressure.

Diaphragm strength can be assessed by measurement of transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) in response to stimulation of the phrenic nerves. The length-tension relationship of the diaphragm can be studied by measuring twitch Pdi over the range of lung volume. Previous studies of the relationship between lung volume and diaphragm strength have used the technique of electrical stimulation of the phrenic nerves. In these studies, the phenomenon of twitch potentiation has not been taken into account. It has previously been shown that prior contraction of the diaphragm can greatly enhance the twitch response, thus affecting the measurements. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between unpotentiated twitch Pdi and lung volume for volumes ranging from residual volume (RV) to total lung capacity (TLC) in normal subjects. Great care was taken to avoid muscle potentiation. For this purpose, we stimulated the phrenic nerves with a magnetic stimulator. In addition, we used positive pressure to inflate the lungs to high lung volumes. The impact of twitch potentiation on the length-tension relationship was investigated by subjects making maximum inspiratory efforts prior to phrenic nerve stimulation. The unpotentiated twitch Pdi decreased in a linear fashion with increasing lung volume over the full range of vital capacity by 0.54 kPa.L-1. Potentiation increased twitch Pdi by 40% at FRC and the effect was similar, in absolute terms, at all lung volumes. In relative terms, the effect of potentiation became greater as lung volume increased, and more than doubled twitch Pdi at TLC. With increasing lung volume, there is a linear fall in unpotentiated twitch Pdi with a slope that is less steep, over the same range of absolute lung volume, than previously reported. When assessing diaphragm strength by the twitch technique, it is essential to control for lung volume and equally important to control for twitch potentiation.