Lung Entrapment Secondary to Loculated Rheumatoid Effusions Treated With Alteplase and Dornase.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a multisystemic inflammatory disease that can involve the respiratory system, including the pleural space. Most rheumatoid pleural effusions (PE) are incidentally found and do not require any treatment. Very rarely, however, they can become symptomatic and loculated, leading to lung entrapment or trapped lung. Surgical decortication remains the mainstay of management in such circumstances, although recent studies showed comparable efficacy of intrapleural fibrinolytics (alteplase and dornase alfa) in non-rheumatoid complicated effusions. We present a case of rheumatoid PE leading to lung entrapment successfully treated with intrapleural fibrinolytics without complications and good clinical status at six-month follow-up.

Late-Onset Chylothorax After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Chylothorax, the presence of lymph in the pleural cavity, is a significant post-cardiac surgery complication. Historically linked to left internal mammary artery (LIMA) harvesting, its occurrence in cases without LIMA usage is uncommon. This paper details a case of chylothorax in an 84-year-old female patient who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) without LIMA harvesting. Three months post-surgery, she manifested symptoms of exertional shortness of breath and diminished breath sounds on the left side. Diagnostic measures, including echocardiography and chest X-rays, revealed a pronounced left-sided pleural effusion. Diagnostic thoracocentesis yielded a milky fluid, and laboratory analysis confirmed its chylous nature. Therapeutic interventions comprised chest tube insertion, drainage of the milky fluid, dietary modifications, and the performance of talc pleurodesis after a fatty food-provocation test resulted in increased fluid collection. The patient's journey highlights the challenges of diagnosing and managing post-cardiosurgical chylothorax. The paper emphasizes the importance of early detection and appropriate interventions to prevent complications associated with a heightened mortality risk.

Intrapleural Fibrinolytic Therapy With Alteplase for the Management of Multiloculated Malignant Pleural Effusion: A Case Series.

Malignant pleural effusion refers to the presence of fluid in the pleural space due to an underlying malignancy. Malignant pleural effusion is sometimes accompanied by the formation of fibrous adhesions resulting in a multiloculated effusion. This diminishes the efficacy of drainage and makes successful pleurodesis impossible, leaving the patients with severe shortness of breath. In the process of freeing the pleural space from fluid-filled loculations, intrapleural application of fibrinolytic is being investigated as a possible therapeutic approach. Here, we report four cases of adult patients hospitalized for malignant pleural effusions who were treated with intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy at the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Intralobar Bullae After Endobronchial Valve Treatment for Emphysema.

Endoscopic lung volume reduction using unidirectional endobronchial valves is a new technique in the treatment of patients with severe emphysema. However, the movements of the thoracic structures after endobronchial valves insertion are still unpredictable We report the unusual outcome of six patients after valves insertion in the left upper lobe. They all developed a complete atelectasis of the target lobe, a pneumothorax and sequential genuine bullae in the treated left lung of unknown etiology. The chest CT scan prior to the valves insertion was unremarkable. Three patients developed an air-liquid level in the bullae the day before a bacterial infection of their left lower lobe. The three other patients had an uneventful spontaneous resolution of their bullae at long-term follow-up. Therefore, a conservative attitude should be followed in this particular setting.

Comparison of perioperative outcomes with or without routine chest tube drainage after video-assisted thoracoscopic pulmonary resection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: In recent years, an increasing number of thoracic surgeons have attempted to apply no routine chest tube drainage (NT) strategy after thoracoscopic lung resection. However, the safety and feasibility of not routinely placing a chest tube after lung resection remain controversial. This study aimed to investigate the effect of NT strategy after thoracoscopic pulmonary resection on perioperative outcomes. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases until 3 January 2022 was performed to identify the studies that implemented NT strategy after thoracoscopic pulmonary resection. Perioperative outcomes were extracted by 2 reviewers independently and then synthesized using a random-effects model. Risk ratio (RR) and standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) served as the summary statistics for meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were subsequently performed. Results: A total of 12 studies with 1,381 patients were included. The meta-analysis indicated that patients in the NT group had a significantly reduced postoperative length of stay (LOS) (SMD = -0.91; 95% CI: -1.20 to -0.61; P < 0.001) and pain score on postoperative day (POD) 1 (SMD = -0.95; 95% CI: -1.54 to -0.36; P = 0.002), POD 2 (SMD = -0.37; 95% CI: -0.63 to -0.11; P = 0.005), and POD 3 (SMD = -0.39; 95% CI: -0.71 to -0.06; P = 0.02). Further subgroup analysis showed that the difference of postoperative LOS became statistically insignificant in the lobectomy or segmentectomy subgroup (SMD = -0.30; 95% CI: -0.91 to 0.32; P = 0.34). Although the risk of pneumothorax was significantly higher in the NT group (RR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.14-2.68; P = 0.01), the reintervention rates were comparable between groups (RR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.48-2.25; P = 0.92). No significant difference was found in pleural effusion, subcutaneous emphysema, operation time, pain score on POD 7, and wound healing satisfactory (all P > 0.05). The sensitivity analysis suggested that the results of the meta-analysis were stabilized. Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggested that NT strategy is safe and feasible for selected patients scheduled for video-assisted thoracoscopic pulmonary resection. Systematic Review Registration: https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2022-4-0026, identifier INPLASY202240026.

Immediate Higher-Dose Prothrombin Complex Concentrate Without Fresh Frozen Plasma or Fibrinogen Concentrate for Significant Coagulopathic Cardiac Surgical Field Bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of significant coagulopathic cardiac surgical field bleeding with immediate higher-dose prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) without fresh frozen plasma (FFP) or fibrinogen concentrate is unexplored. AIMS: To study characteristics, chest drainage, and clinical outcomes of patients with significant coagulopathic surgical field bleeding treated with immediate higher-dose (defined at >15 IU/kg based on factor IX) PCC without FFP or fibrinogen concentrate. METHODS: We screened sequential cardiac surgery patients. We reviewed electronic blood bank data, Australian Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery database information and anaesthetic, intensive care unit (ICU), ward and radiological charts and electronic data. We identified patients deemed by the operating surgeon to require treatment for significant coagulopathic surgical field bleeding who underwent immediate higher-dose PCC without FFP or fibrinogen concentrate. RESULTS: Among 168 patients, we identified 30 who underwent immediate higher-dose PCC without FFP or fibrinogen concentrate. Median age was 68 years, 23 were male, 17 underwent coronary artery bypass surgery and three underwent complex surgery (David procedure, redo mitral valve surgery, and redo thoraco-abdominal aneurysm repair). Median dose of PCC was 2,500 IU. In addition, 27% underwent platelets and one underwent cryoprecipitate. Chest drainage at 24 hours was 505 ml. Survival to hospital discharge was 100%. There were no cases of pulmonary embolism, stroke, or other thrombotic events. Stage 1 AKI occurred in one patient. CONCLUSION: In a pilot cohort of patients with significant coagulopathic surgical field bleeding, immediate higher-dose PCC without FFP or fibrinogen concentrate was feasible and had an acceptable efficacy and safety profile, which justifies future controlled studies.

Analysis of inflammatory cytokines in the chest tube drainage of post-operative superior cavopulmonary connection patients.

INTRODUCTION: Prolonged pleural effusions are common post Fontan operation and are associated with morbidity. Fontan pleural effusions have elevated proinflammatory cytokines. Little is known about the chest tube drainage after a superior cavopulmonary connection. We examined the chest tube drainage and the inflammatory profiles in post-operative superior cavopulmonary connection patients. METHODS: This prospective cohort study enrolled 25 patients undergoing superior cavopulmonary connection and 10 age-similar controls. Data are also compared to 25 previously published Fontan patients and their 15 age-similar controls. Chest tube samples were analysed with a 17-cytokine BioPlex Assay. Descriptive statistics and univariate comparisons were made between groups. RESULTS: Duration of chest tube drainage was significantly shorter in superior cavopulmonary connection patients (median 4 days, [interquartile range 3-5 days]) versus Fontan patients (10 days, [7-11 days], p < 0.0001). Cytokine concentrations were higher on post-operative day 1 in superior cavopulmonary connection patients versus Fontan patients (all p ≤ 0.01), however levels were comparable to age-similar controls. While proinflammatory IL 8, MIP-1ß, and TNF-α concentrations increased in chest tube drainage of Fontan patients from post-operative day 1 to last chest tube day (all p < 0.0001), there was no change in these biomarkers in superior cavopulmonary connection patients, their controls, or Fontan controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that after superior cavopulmonary connection, proinflammatory cytokines in the chest tube drainage remain similar to biventricular controls of both age groups, unlike the significant rise over time observed in Fontan patients. Inflammation within the chest tube drainage is likely not innate to single ventricle patients.

A Rare Complication during Vaginal Delivery, Hamman's Syndrome: A Case Report and Systematic Review of Case Reports.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) during pregnancy or labor is a rare event. We presented a case report and a systematic review of the literature to provide comprehensive symptoms, treatments, and complications analysis in the pregnant population affected by SPM. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search of four databases for published papers in all languages from the beginning to 1 September 2021; Results: We included 76 papers with a total of 80 patients. A total of 76% patients were young primiparous, with a median age of 24 ± 5.4 years. The median gestational age was 40 ± 2.4 weeks, with a median duration of labor of 7.4 ± 4.2 h. In 86%, the ethnic origin was not specified. SPM develops in 55% of cases during the second stage of labor. Subcutaneous swelling and subcutaneous emphysema were present in 91.4%. Chest pain and dyspnea were present in 51.4% and 50% of the patients, respectively. We found that 32.9% patients had crepitus, and less common symptoms were dysphonia and tachycardia (14.3% and 14.3%, respectively). Oxygen and bronchodilators were used in 37.7% of the cases. Analgesics or sedatives were administered in 27.1%. Conservative management or the observation was performed in 21.4% and 28.6%, respectively. Antibiotics treatment was offered in 14.3%, whereas invasive procedures such as chest-tube drainage were used in just 5.7% of patients. There were no complications documented in most SPM (70.0%). We found that 16.7% of the SPM developed a pneumothorax and 5% developed a pneumopericardium.; Conclusions: In pregnancy, SPM occurs as subcutaneous swelling or emphysema during the second stage of labor. The treatment is usually conservative, with oxygen and bronchodilators and a low sequela rate. A universal consensus on therapy of spontaneous pneumomediastinum in pregnancy is necessary to reduce the risk of complications.

Promising Effects of Digital Chest Tube Drainage System for Pulmonary Resection: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The chest tube drainage system (CTDS) of choice for the pleural cavity after pulmonary resection remains controversial. This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to assess the length of hospital stay, chest tube placement duration, and prolonged air leak among different types of CTDS. METHODS: This systemic review and NMA included 21 randomized controlled trials (3399 patients) in PubMed and Embase until 1 June 2021. We performed a frequentist random effect in our NMA, and a P-score was adopted to determine the best treatment. We assessed the clinical efficacy of different CTDSs (digital/suction/non-suction) using the length of hospital stay, chest tube placement duration, and presence of prolonged air leak. RESULTS: Based on the NMA, digital CTDS was the most beneficial intervention for the length of hospital stay, being 1.4 days less than that of suction CTDS (mean difference (MD): -1.40; 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.20 to -0.60). Digital CTDS also had significantly reduced chest tube placement duration, being 0.68 days less than that of suction CTDSs (MD: -0.68; 95% CI: -1.32 to -0.04). Neither digital nor non-suction CTDS significantly reduced the risk of prolonged air leak. CONCLUSIONS: Digital CTDS is associated with better outcomes than suction and non-suction CTDS for patients undergoing pulmonary resections, specifically 0.68 days shorter chest tube duration and 1.4 days shorter hospital stay than suction CTDS.

Penetrating chest trauma in Sauer's danger zone without serious heart or lung damage: An unusual case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Sauer's danger zone is an area on the anterior chest where trauma is considered to cause heart and macrovascular injury. Herein, we report the case of an injured patient showing evidently fatal findings on chest radiography and computed tomography (CT) presenting almost no actual fatal injuries on surgical examination. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was an 86-year-old man who was found by a family member with a 30-cm knife blade stuck in his left front chest (Sauer's danger zone). On chest CT findings, the knife was observed to be inserted through the 4th intercostal space, penetrating the lungs. The tip of the knife appeared to be anchored to the dorsal side of the 9th intercostal space. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: We found no damage to the heart, only a 2-cm-long and 1-cm-deep cut in the lingular segment area. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that the amount of bleeding in the inserted drain was an indicator of non-macrovascular injury. In cases of chest trauma, chest tube drainage and hemodynamics should always be observed, and the potential need for emergency surgery should be considered.

Chest tube drainage placement may not be a necessity in paediatric thoracoscopic surgery: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Chest tube drainage placement, a standard procedure in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, was reported to cause perioperative complications like pain and increased risk of infection. The present study was designed to evaluate the necessity of chest tube drainage inpaediatric thoracoscopic surgery. METHODS: Thirty children admitted to our hospital from April 2018 to April 2020 were included in the current study and were grouped as the tube group (children receiving video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with chest tube drainage) and the non-tube group (children receiving video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery without chest tube drainage). Laboratory hemogram index, length of hospitalisation, post-operative performance of involved children, and psychological acceptance of indicated therapy by guardians of the involved children were investigated. RESULTS: Laboratory examination revealed that the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration in the non-tube group was significantly higher than that in the tube group on post-operative day 1 (p < 0.05). Children in the non-tube group had a shorter length of hospitalisation (7-9 days) than that of patients from the tube group. Additionally, the frequency of crying of children was decreased and psychological acceptance by patients' guardians was improved in the non-tube group when compared with the tube group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that chest tube drainage placement may not be necessary in several cases of paediatric video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Rapid recovery with decreased perioperative complications in children operated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery without tube placement could also reduce the burden of the family and society both economically and psychologically.

Surgical site infection at chest tube drainage site following pulmonary resection for malignant lesions.

BACKGROUND: We sometimes experience postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) at the chest tube drainage site (CDS) after thoracotomy. The incidence of and risk factors for SSI at the CDS have remained unclear. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study to determine the incidence and risk factors for SSI at the CDS. We analyzed 99 patients who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy for pulmonary malignant lesions. RESULTS: There were 56 males and 43 females with an average age of 71 years. The postoperative drainage period was 2-15 days. Bacterial species were detected in secretions in 18 of 99 cases (18.2%). Older age was a risk factor for the detection of bacteria at the timing of chest tube removal. Eighteen cases (18.2%) were diagnosed with presence of SSI at the CDS at the timing of staple or suture removal. A pathological diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma was regarded as a candidate risk factor for SSI. Eleven of 18 SSI patients showed delayed wound healing. A higher level of HbA1c was found in patients with delayed wound healing. Enterococcus faecalis infection may influence the development of complex SSI. CONCLUSIONS: We identified the bacterial profiles, incidence of and risk factors for SSI at the CDS. More intense preoperative glycemic control and an understanding of the bacterial profile and may be useful for reducing the incidence of SSI chest tube drainage sites (CDS).

Direct oral anticoagulants and cardiac surgery: A descriptive study of preoperative management and postoperative outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Recommendations for perioperative management of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) treatment in cardiac surgery are lacking. To establish a standardized approach for these patients, we compared hemorrhagic complications and clinical outcomes in patients on DOAC medication, patients on vitamin K antagonists (VKA), and patients without preoperative anticoagulation. METHODS: All 3 groups underwent major cardiac surgery and were retrospectively analyzed: patients on DOAC were advised to take their last DOAC dose 4 days before hospital admission, and DOAC plasma levels were measured the day before surgery. In patients with plasma levels of >30 ng/mL, surgery was postponed until plasma level was below this threshold level. Postoperative chest tube drainage, bleeding complications, use of blood products, and thromboembolic events were collected for all groups. RESULTS: A total of 5439 patients no anticoagulation, 239 patients on VKA, and 487 patients on DOAC medication were included between April 2014 and July 2017. Adjusted postoperative chest tube drainage did not differ between the DOAC and VKA groups for the strategy applied in this study (380 mL/12 hours vs 360 mL/12 hours). Moreover, secondary endpoint measures, such as rethoracotomy (30 [6.16%] vs 15 [6.28%]), 30-day-mortality 12 [2.46%] vs 7 [2.93%]), blood-product use, and stroke, were not significantly different through implementation of our standardized study management (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Our standardized management for perioperative discontinuation of DOAC therapy may provide a safe approach to minimize hemorrhagic complications in cardiac surgery in patients on DOACs.

Is chest tube drainage necessary after subxiphoid thoracoscopic thymectomy?

BACKGROUND: Subxiphoid thoracoscopic thymectomy has been increasingly performed in recent years. This study aimed to assess the differences in outcomes between subxiphoid thoracoscopic thymectomy with and without chest tube drainage. METHODS: Overall, 205 subxiphoid thoracoscopic thymectomy operations were performed for myasthenia gravis, including 90 cases without and 115 cases with chest tube drainage. The clinical characteristics and perioperative outcomes of the patients were compared. RESULTS: The patients included 112 women and 93 men, with a mean age of 41 years. Two patients in the group without and 5 patient in the group with chest tube drainage developed dyspnea. In the group without chest tube, 6 patients had residual pneumothorax or pleural effusion and had a thoracentesis after surgery (6/90). In the group with chest tube, 7 patients developed delayed pleural effusion and had a thoracentesis after chest tube removal (7/115). The patients in the group without chest tube drainage group yielded lower pain scores. CONCLUSIONS: The omission of chest tube drainage may be a feasible and safe choice for patients with myasthenia gravis undergoing subxiphoid thoracoscopic thymectomy, but further prospective studies are required.

Needle aspiration for treating iatrogenic pneumothorax after cardiac electronic device implantation: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: Pneumothorax (PTX) following cardiac implantable electronic device procedures is traditionally treated with chest tube drainage (CTD). We hypothesized that, in a subset of patients, the less invasive needle aspiration (NA) may also be effective. We compared the strategy of primary NA with that of primary CTD in a single-center observational study. METHODS: Of the 970 procedures with subclavian venous access between January 2016 and June 2018, 23 patients had PTX requiring intervention. Beginning with March 2017, the traditional primary CTD (9 cases) has been replaced by the "NA first" strategy (14 patients). Outcome measures were procedural success rate and duration of hospitalization evaluated both as time to event (log-rank test) and as a discrete variable (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test). RESULTS: Needle aspiration was successful in 8/14 (57.1%) of the cases (95% CI 28.9-82.3%), whereas PTX resolved in all patients after CTD was 9/9 (100%, 95% CI 66.4-100.0%, p = 0.0481). Regarding length of hospital stay, intention to treat time to event analysis showed no difference between the two approaches (p = 0.73). Also, the median difference was not statistically significant (- 2.0 days, p = 0.17). In contrast, per protocol evaluation revealed reduced risk of prolonged hospitalization for NA patients (p = 0.0025) with a median difference of - 4.0 days (p = 0.0012). Failure of NA did not result in a meaningful delay in discharge timing as median difference was 1.5 days (p = 0.28). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that in a number of patients iatrogenic PTX may be successfully treated with NA resulting in shorter hospitalization without the risk of meaningful discharge delay in unsuccessful cases.

Chest tube drainage versus video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for a first episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax affects up to 28 patients per 100 000 population yearly and is commonly resolved by chest tube drainage. However, drainage is also known to be associated with ipsilateral recurrence rates ranging from 25% to 43%. Preventive video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) may be an effective alternative to diminish these recurrence rates and its associated morbidity. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of chest tube drainage and VATS as first line treatments of an initial episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and Clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched through 16 September 2018. Data regarding the ipsilateral recurrence rate and the length of hospitalization were extracted and submitted to meta-analysis using the random-effects model and the I2 test for heterogeneity. Two randomized controlled trials and 2 observational studies were included, enrolling a total of 479 patients. Pairwise analysis demonstrated significantly reduced ipsilateral recurrence rates [odds ratio 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07-0.33; P < 0.00001] and length of hospitalization (standardized mean difference -2.19, 95% CI -4.34 to -0.04; P = 0.046) in favour of VATS. However, a significant level of heterogeneity was detected for the length of hospitalization (I2 = 97%; P < 0.00001). Subgroup analysis that stratified study design found no statistical differences regarding recurrence rate. In conclusion, VATS can be an effective and attractive alternative to standard chest tube drainage, with reduced ipsilateral recurrence rates and length of hospitalization. However, given the low quality of the majority of included studies, more well-designed randomized controlled trials are necessary to strengthen the current evidence.

Efficiency and safety of TachoSil® in the treatment of postoperative air leakage following pulmonary surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: There has been still no consensus whether to apply TachoSil® to reduce the incidence of air leakage after pulmonary surgery. We conducted this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to identify the efficiency and safety of TachoSil® applied in the prevention of postoperative air leakage following pulmonary surgery. METHODS: We performed a systematic electronic search through EMABSE, PubMed and Web of Science up to March 2018. Summary risk ratio (RR) and weight mean difference (WMD) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to analyze the outcomes. Fixed effect or random effect model was used to pool the estimates. Two independent reviewers assessed the quality of included studies using Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for RCTs. RESULTS: We included six RCTs with a total of 921 patients. Compared with standard treatment (suturing, stapling techniques or electrocautery), TachoSil® was associated with the decreased air leak duration (WMD: -3.32 days; 95% CI: -5.34--1.31; P = 0.001), chest tube duration (WMD: -1.99 days; 95% CI: -3.14--0.84; P = 0.0007), hospital stay (WMD: -1.89 days; 95% CI: -2.42--1.35; P < 0.0001), and incidence of prolonged air leak (RR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.35-0.92; P = 0.02). No significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the incidence of postoperative complications (RR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.69-1.06; P = 0.16). CONCLUSIONS: TachoSil® was safe, cost-effective and superior over standard treatment for patients who underwent pulmonary surgery in decreasing incidence of postoperative air leak, air leak duration, chest tube duration and the length of hospital stay.

Effect of Needle-Tract Bleeding on Pneumothorax and Chest Tube Placement Following CT Guided Core Needle Lung Biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding in the biopsy tract has been studied for its ability to decrease the risk of pneumothorax with indefinite results in the previous studies. PURPOSE: To investigate the risk factors for needle-tract bleeding (NTB) and the possible effect of NTB on the pneumothorax and resultant chest tube placement after CT-guided cutting needle biopsy (CT-CNB) of pulmonary lesions. METHODS: Predictive variables for NTB and the effect of NTB on the development of pneumothorax and consequent chest tube placement were retrospectively determined in 416 patients who had undergone an 18-gauge non-coaxial CT-CNB (338 men and 78 women; average age, 59.3 years). Patient-related parameters were age, gender, patient position, and severity of pulmonary emphysema. Lesion-related variables were size, localization, and contour characteristics of the lesion. Procedure-related variables were the presence of atelectasis, pleural tag, and fissure in the needle-tract, length of the aerated lung parenchyma crossed by needle, needle entry angle, number of pleural punctures, the experience of the operator, and procedure duration. All variables were analyzed by x2 test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: NTB was demonstrated in 142 of 421 (33.7%) procedures. The predictive variables of NTB were smaller lesion size (p = 0.011) and greater lesion depth (p = 0.002). In patients without emphysema around the lesion, the pneumothorax developed in 44/190 cases (23.1%) without NTB and in 12/95 procedures (12.6%) with NTB (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: NTB may have a preventive effect on pneumothorax development, particularly in the absence of emphysema around the lesion.

Manual aspiration versus chest tube drainage in primary spontaneous pneumothorax without underlying lung diseases: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVES: Although primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is an extremely frequent pathology, there is still no clear consensus on the treatment for these patients. We performed a strict meta-analysis on the effectiveness of manual aspiration (MA) compared to chest tube drainage (CTD) for the treatment of PSP. METHODS: A literature search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library to identify randomized controlled trials comparing MA with CTD for the treatment of PSP. Independent reviewers evaluated the methodological quality of the included randomized controlled trials. Statistical heterogeneity among studies was quantitatively evaluated using the I-squared index. RESULTS: Five randomized controlled trials were included, and a total of 358 subjects were reported on. We found that MA was related to significantly shorter hospital stays [in days; mean difference -1.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) -2.36 to -1.04; P < 0.00001, fixed effect model] compared with CTD. However, no significant differences were found between the 2 treatments for immediate success rate (risk ratio 1.15, 95% CI 0.73-1.81; P = 0.54), 1-year recurrence rate, 1-week success rate, time of recurrence, chest surgery rate or complication rate. Subgroup analysis showed that MA can provide a significantly lower hospitalization rate than CTD with a tube size of >12 Fr or a water seal drainage system. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the currently available literature, MA is advantageous in the treatment of PSP because of shorter hospital stays. The subgroup analysis also indicates that MA can provide a lower hospitalization rate than CTD with a tube size of >12 Fr or a water seal drainage system. However, there are no significant differences between the 2 interventions with respect to immediate success rate, 1-year recurrence rate, 1-week success rate, time of recurrence, chest surgery rate or complication rate.

Measurement of intrapleural pressure in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The initial management of pneumothorax remains controversial, and we speculated that this might be because there is no method available for evaluation of air leak during initial management. We have developed a system for measurement of intrapleural pressure in pneumothorax to address air leak without the need for chest drainage. The aim of this clinical study was to confirm the ability of this measurement system and to determine the clinical impact of management of air leak. METHODS: Patients in whom need aspiration was indicated for spontaneous pneumothorax were enrolled in the study. The intrapleural pressure was measured during stable breathing and data recorded when patients were coughing were excluded. RESULTS: Eleven patients were enrolled in the study between December 2016 to July 2017. The patterns in change of intrapleural pressure varied widely depending on the state of the pneumothorax. The mean intrapleural pressure values on end-inspiration and end-expiration in patients with persistent air leak was significantly lower than those in patients without persistent air leak (p = 0.020). The number of negative mean pressure recordings in end-inspiration and end-expiration was significantly lower in patients with persistent air leak than in those without persistent air leak (p = 0.0060). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrated that intrapleural pressure could be successfully measured and visualized in patients with pneumothorax. Whether or not the pressure value is a predictor of persistent air leak needs to be confirmed in the future.