Comparison of robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy versus minimally invasive esophagectomy: A propensity-matched study from a single high-volume institution.

OBJECTIVE: Robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy accounts for a growing proportion of esophagectomies, potentially due to improved technical capabilities simplifying the challenging aspects of standard minimally invasive esophagectomy. However, there is limited evidence directly comparing both operations. The objective is to evaluate the short-term and long-term outcomes of robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy in comparison with the minimally invasive esophagectomy approach for patients with esophageal cancer over a 7-year period at a high-volume center. The primary end points of this study were overall survival and disease-free survival. Secondary end points included operation-specific morbidity, lymph node yield, readmission status, and in-hospital, 30-day, and 90-day mortality. METHODS: Patients who underwent robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy or standard minimally invasive esophagectomy over a 7-year period were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Inclusion criteria were patients with stage I to III disease, operations performed past the learning curve, and no evidence of scleroderma or cirrhosis. A 1:3 propensity match (robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy:minimally invasive esophagectomy) for multiple clinical covariates was performed to identify the final study cohort. Perioperative outcomes were compared between the 2 operations. RESULTS: A total of 734 patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy (n = 630) or robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (n = 104) for esophageal cancer were identified. After exclusions and matching, a total cohort of 246 patients undergoing robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (n = 65) or minimally invasive esophagectomy (n = 181) were identified. There was no difference in overall survival (P = .69) or disease-free survival (P = .70). There were no significant differences in rates of major morbidity: pneumonia (17% vs 17%, P = .34), chylothorax (8% vs 9%, P = .95), recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (0% vs 1.5%, P = 1), anastomotic leak (5% vs 4%, P = .49), intraoperative complications (9% vs 8%, P = .73), or complete resection rates (99% vs 96%, P = .68). There was no difference in in-hospital (P = .89), 30-day (P = .66) or 90-day mortality (P = .73) between both cohorts. The robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy cohort yielded a higher median lymph node harvest in comparison with the minimally invasive esophagectomy cohort (32 vs 29, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy may improve lymphadenectomy in patients undergoing esophagectomy for cancer. Minimally invasive esophagectomy and robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy are otherwise associated with similar mortality, morbidity, and perioperative outcomes. Further prospective study is required to investigate whether improved lymph node resection may translate to improved oncologic outcomes.

State of the Art in Lung Nodule Localization.

Lung nodule and ground-glass opacity localization for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes is often a challenge for thoracic surgeons. While there are several adjuncts and techniques in the surgeon's armamentarium that can be helpful, accurate localization persists as a problem without a perfect solution. The last several decades have seen tremendous improvement in our ability to perform major operations with minimally invasive procedures and resulting lower morbidity. However, technological advances have not been as widely realized for lung nodule localization to complement minimally invasive surgery. This review describes the latest advances in lung nodule localization technology while also demonstrating that more efforts in this area are needed.

Adjuvant chemotherapy for pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma: A retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database.

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rarely occurring variant of non-small cell lung cancer with sarcoma-like features. Compared with traditional non-small cell lung cancer, PSC patients typically present later and have poorer prognoses, irrespective of stage. The standard of care is resection, but guidelines for the use of adjuvant chemotherapy have not been established. To advance the development of evidence-based management algorithms for PSC after resection, a statistical analysis on a nationwide representative sample of patients was performed. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed by querying the National Cancer Database for patients with a diagnosis of PSC between 2004 and 2015. Patients who received complete anatomical resection with or without adjuvant chemotherapy were included. Multivariable regression was used to detect factors associated with the receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy. Multivariable Cox regression of overall survival and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis on propensity-matched groups was conducted to study the association between adjuvant chemotherapy and prognosis. RESULTS: We included 1497 patients with PSC in the final analysis. Factors associated with receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were age, histology, and receipt of adjuvant radiation. The results of multivariable Cox analysis and Kaplan-Meier analysis on propensity matched groups yielded similar trends: adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved 5-year overall survival for stage II and III disease, but not for stage I disease. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple factors are associated with receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy for PSC, and this treatment appears to be associated with improved survival in stage II and stage III, but not stage I patients.

Racial disparities in local therapy for early stage non-small-cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated disparities in the delivery of definitive therapy for early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (ESNSCLC) between Caucasian (CS) and African American (AA) populations. METHODS: The National Cancer Data Base was queried for AA and CS patients, diagnosed with c stage I Non small cell lung cancer between 2004 and 2015. Trends in surgery, stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), or external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) were compared. Kaplan-Meier and Cox hazards models were used to compare 5-year overall survival (5YOS). RESULTS: A total of 174,338 (90.6%) patients were CS and 18,077 (9.4%) patients were AA. AA patients were less likely to receive surgery (60.3% vs. 66.9%; p < .001) and more likely to receive EBRT (12.4% vs. 10.6%; p < .001); however, there was no significant difference in rates of SABR (8.8% vs. 9.2%; p = .066). From 2004 to 2015, the surgery rates increased for AA patients from 44.4% to 61.8% and for CS patients from 57.6% to 65.6%. AA patients had worse 5YOS on an unadjusted analysis (46.7% vs. 47.9%; p = .009). When adjusted for definitive treatment, AA patients had improved survival (hazard ratio = 0.97, 95% confidence interval = 0.94-0.99). CONCLUSION: Improvements in the delivery of surgery and equal utilization of definitive radiation therapy are at least partially responsible for closing the survival gap between AA and CS patients with ESNSCLC.

Robotic assisted minimally invasive thymectomy with simultaneous bilateral thoracoscopy and contralateral phrenic nerve visualization.

BACKGROUND: Thoracoscopic approaches to thymectomy and anterior mediastinal mass resection has become increasingly common due to the potential for decreased blood loss and hospital length of stay. However, contralateral mediastinal and phrenic nerve visualization if often difficult from these unilateral approaches, which may affect the ability to achieve a full phrenic to phrenic dissection Herein, we present our early experience of robotic assisted minimally invasive thymectomy (RAMIT) with simultaneous bilateral thoracoscopy and contralateral phrenic nerve visualization. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of all sequential patients undergoing RAMIT with simultaneous bilateral thoracoscopy from January 2015 to May 2016. This study was approved by our Institutional Review Board (PRO15080367). Individual patient consent was waived. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients [median age 58 (range, 29-76) years] were included in this study. Sixteen operations were performed for anterior mediastinal mass, 7 for non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis, and 3 for concurrent myasthenia gravis and thymoma. Median blood loss and hospital stay were 25 mL (range, 3-150 mL) and 3 days (range, 2-8 days), respectively. Twenty-one (80.8%) patients experienced an uncomplicated hospital course. The highest graded complication by Clavien Dindo Classification was a grade III due to pleural effusion requiring drainage via pleural catheter. One patient experienced asymptomatic hemidiaphram palsy postoperatively. There were no 90-day postoperative deaths. CONCLUSIONS: RAMIT with simultaneous bilateral thoracoscopy is a feasible approach that may allow for enhanced visualization and more complete thymic resection compared to existing unilateral minimally invasive operations. Comparative studies and long-term follow up are needed to adequately assess the potential benefits of RAMIT.

The association of robotic lobectomy volume and nodal upstaging in non-small cell lung cancer.

Robotic lung resection for lung cancer has gained popularity over the last 10 years. As with many surgical techniques, there are improvements in outcomes associated with increased operative volume. We sought to investigate lymph-node harvest and upstaging rates for robotic lobectomies performed at hospitals with varying robotic experience. The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer who received lobectomy between 2010 and 2015. Hospitals were stratified into volume categories based on the number of robotic resections performed, as a proxy for robotic experience: low at ≤ 12, low-middle 13-26, middle-high 27-52, and high volume at greater than or equal to 53. Lymph-node counts and nodal upstaging were compared among these volume categories. 8360 robotic lobectomies were performed. Mean lymph-node counts were for low, low-middle, middle-high, and high-volume robotic lobectomies were 9.8, 11.4, 12.9, and 12.6, respectively (P < 0.001), while nodal-upstaging rates were 10.3%, 10.2%, 12.8%, and 13.4%, respectively (P < 0.001). Compared to low-volume hospitals, on multivariable analysis, high-volume robotic centers had increased nodal harvest (P < 0.001) and nodal-upstaging rates (P < 0.001). Robotic lobectomies performed at high-volume hospitals have greater lymph-node harvest and upstaging than low-volume hospitals.

Association of Preoperative Patient Frailty and Operative Stress With Postoperative Mortality.

Importance: Patients with frailty have higher risk for postoperative mortality and complications; however, most research has focused on small groups of high-risk procedures. The associations among frailty, operative stress, and mortality are poorly understood. Objective: To assess the association between frailty and mortality at varying levels of operative stress as measured by the Operative Stress Score, a novel measure created for this study. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included veterans in the Veterans Administration Surgical Quality Improvement Program from April 1, 2010, through March 31, 2014, who underwent a noncardiac surgical procedure at Veterans Health Administration Hospitals and had information available on vital status (whether the patient was alive or deceased) at 1 year postoperatively. A Delphi consensus method was used to stratify surgical procedures into 5 categories of physiologic stress. Exposures: Frailty as measured by the Risk Analysis Index and operative stress as measured by the Operative Stress Score. Main Outcomes and Measures: Postoperative mortality at 30, 90, and 180 days. Results: Of 432 828 unique patients (401 453 males [92.8%]; mean (SD) age, 61.0 [12.9] years), 36 579 (8.5%) were frail and 9113 (2.1%) were very frail. The 30-day mortality rate among patients who were frail and underwent the lowest-stress surgical procedures (eg, cystoscopy) was 1.55% (95% CI, 1.20%-1.97%) and among patients with frailty who underwent the moderate-stress surgical procedures (eg, laparoscopic cholecystectomy) was 5.13% (95% CI, 4.79%-5.48%); these rates exceeded the 1% mortality rate often used to define high-risk surgery. Among patients who were very frail, 30-day mortality rates were higher after the lowest-stress surgical procedures (10.34%; 95% CI, 7.73%-13.48%) and after the moderate-stress surgical procedures (18.74%; 95% CI, 17.72%-19.80%). For patients who were frail and very frail, mortality continued to increase at 90 and 180 days, reaching 43.00% (95% CI, 41.69%-44.32%) for very frail patients at 180 days after moderate-stress surgical procedures. Conclusions and Relevance: We developed a novel operative stress score to quantify physiologic stress for surgical procedures. Patients who were frail and very frail had high rates of postoperative mortality across all levels of the Operative Stress Score. These findings suggest that frailty screening should be applied universally because low- and moderate-stress procedures may be high risk among patients who are frail.

Sublobar resection is associated with decreased survival for patients with early stage large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung.

OBJECTIVES: Sublobar resection (SLR) for early non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) has been shown to have a survival rate similar to that of lobectomy. Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the lung, although treated like an NSCLC, has a poor prognosis compared to NSCLC. We sought to determine if outcomes are poor in patients with early stage LCNEC treated with SLR versus lobectomy. METHODS: We searched for patients with pathological stage I LCNEC ≤3 cm within the National Cancer Database between 2004 and 2014. Propensity score matching was used to compare the 5-year overall survival rate of patients having SLR (wedge or segmentectomy) to that of patients having a lobectomy. Patients were matched for age, node sampling, comorbidity score, tumour size, insurance status and other factors. Patients who received neoadjuvant therapy were excluded. Kaplan-Meier methods were used for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1011 patients met the inclusion criteria: 263 were treated with SLR (223 wedges and 40 segmentectomies) and 748 patients, with lobectomy. Patients who received SLR were older, had more comorbidities and smaller tumours. On unadjusted Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients who had SLR had decreased 5-year overall survival compared to those who had a lobectomy (37.9% vs 56.6%, P < 0.001). Propensity score matching (1:1) across 12 demographic and tumour variables yielded 185 patients per group with 34 segmentectomies and 151 wedge resections in the SLR cohort. On Kaplan-Meier analysis of the matched cohort, patients who had SLR had a worse 5-year overall survival rate compared to those who had a lobectomy (41.5% vs 60.3%; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: SLR for early stage LCNEC is associated with a lower 5-year overall survival rate compared to lobectomy on unadjusted and propensity matched analyses.

Node-Positive Segmentectomy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Risk Factors and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Segmentectomy for well-selected early stage non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) has been shown to have similar oncologic outcomes and survival to lobectomy. However, these data are based on the presumption that the disease is node negative. Few data exist regarding the risk factors for and the outcomes of patients with disease treated with segmentectomy that is found to be node positive. We sought to determine the risk factors for and outcomes of clinical stage I NSCLC patients who are treated with segmentectomy but are determined to be node positive. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We queried patients with clinical stage I NSCLC ≤ 3 cm within the National Cancer Data Base between 2004 and 2014 who were treated with segmentectomy or lobectomy and found to have positive nodes. Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank tests were used to compare overall survival (OS) between segmentectomy and lobectomy. For comparison only, segmentectomy patients with pathologically node-negative disease were identified to determine predictors of node positivity after segmentectomy via multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 4556 patients with node-positive disease were identified, comprising 115 segmentectomy patients and 4441 lobectomy patients. Multivariable analysis identified increasing tumor size, squamous-cell histology, and increasing number lymph nodes sampled as significant predictors of node positivity after segmentectomy. There was no difference in OS between segmentectomy and lobectomy, with 3-year OS rates of 66.3% and 68.1%, respectively (P = .723). CONCLUSION: There are discrete risk factors for discovering positive nodes after segmentectomy. Segmentectomy is associated with similar OS compared to lobectomy for clinical stage I NSCLC found to be node positive.

Aggressive invasive recurrence of a right atrial myxofibrosarcoma.

A 58-year-old man presented with left-sided chest discomfort 9 years ago. At that time a 12-centimeter extrapleural mass was resected via left thoracotomy. Surgical pathology revealed a low-grade myxofibrosarcoma. Since that time, he had undergone three separate resections of recurrent left extrapleural masses with sternotomy and thoracotomy. He proceeded to have a five-year disease-free interval after which a pericardial mass invading into the right atrial free wall, the atrioventricular groove, and the right coronary artery was identified. Surgical resection was performed with negative margins and the right atrium and atrioventricular groove were reconstructed without any residual tricuspid regurgitation.

Percutaneous computed tomography-guided biopsy performed by thoracic surgeons in 955 patients: A paradigm shift in image-guided thoracic procedures.

OBJECTIVES: Computed tomography-guided fine needle aspiration (CT-FNA) biopsy is a well-established diagnostic technique in the evaluation of lung nodules that is performed by radiologists in most centers. In this series, we analyzed the diagnostic and perioperative outcomes following CT-FNA performed by a dedicated group of thoracic surgeons. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 955 patients undergoing CT-FNA by the thoracic surgery service. Primary outcome variables included diagnostic yield and accuracy, number of needle passes, complication rates, and adequacy of specimen for molecular testing. RESULTS: A satisfactory diagnostic specimen was obtained in 94.1% of cases. The average number of needle passes was 3.2 ± 1.5 (range, 1-10 passes). Diagnostic yield was significantly improved by increasing the number of passes from 1 to 2 to 3 passes (P = .0003). CT-FNA diagnostic accuracy was 88.8%. Diagnostic accuracy did not significantly improve with ≥4 passes (P = .20). Molecular testing was successful in 43.1%, and did not improve with ≥4 passes (P = .5). Molecular testing success did improve with the addition of core needle biopsy (P = .005). The pneumothorax rate for CT-FNA alone was 26.4%, and increased with ≥4 passes (P = .009). The median length of stay for CT-FNA alone was 0 days (range, 0-74 days), with same-day discharge in 67.5% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic surgeons can perform CT-FNA with excellent diagnostic yield and accuracy. Diagnostic yield, accuracy, and success in molecular testing do not improve with ≥4 CT-FNA passes. Pneumothorax rates do increase with ≥4 passes. The addition of core needle biopsy enhances success with molecular testing.

Mesh cruroplasty in laparoscopic repair of paraesophageal hernias is not associated with better long-term outcomes compared to primary repair.

BACKGROUND: Equipoise still exists regarding routine mesh cruroplasty during laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia (PEH). We aimed to determine whether selective mesh cruroplasty is associated with differences in recurrence and patient-reported outcomes. METHODS: We compared symptom outcomes (n = 688) and radiographic recurrences (n = 101; at least 10% [or 2 cm] of stomach above hiatus) for 795 non-emergent PEH repair with fundoplication (n = 106 with mesh). RESULTS: Heartburn, regurgitation, epigastric pain, and anti-reflux medication use decreased significantly in both groups while postoperative dysphagia (mesh; p = 0.14), and bloating (non-mesh; p = 0.32), were unchanged. Radiographic recurrence rates were similar (15 mesh [22%] versus 86 non-mesh [17%]; p = 0.32; median 27 [IQR 14, 53] months), but was associated with surgical dissatisfaction (13% vs 4%; p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Selective mesh cruroplasty was not associated with differences in symptom outcomes or radiographic recurrence rates during laparoscopic PEH repair. Radiographic recurrence was associated with dissatisfaction, emphasizing the need for continued focus on reducing recurrences.

Prospective study of quality of life after lung cancer resection.

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection with curative-intent remains the gold standard for clinically operable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This goal can be accomplished using a minimally invasive option, e.g., video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or standard thoracotomy. Surgical techniques continue to evolve and few studies have compared the QOL of patients managed with these procedures using current approaches. The primary goal of this study was to investigate differences between patients managed surgically via VATS compared to thoracotomy with respect to ratings of chronic pain, anxiety/depression and quality of life (QOL). The secondary goal was to investigate differences between patients converted from VATS to thoracotomy versus those managed with the originally with thoracotomy. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cross sectional design study comparing the QOL after surgical resection of NSCLC. Data were obtained between 3-12 months postoperatively, from patients with potentially resectable stage I-IIIa NSCLC, who underwent a thoracotomy or VATS resection. All patients were consented. Pain was evaluated with a 0 to 10 numeric pain assessment scale (NAS), mood with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (mood disorders) and QOL with FACT-L (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung). RESULTS: A total of 97 patients with stage I-IIIa lung cancer were enrolled; of these 66 (68%) underwent a standard thoracotomy and 31 (32%) underwent VATS resection. The preferred surgical approach was a thoracotomy for patients with stage IIIa lung cancer, or patients requiring a pneumonectomy or a bi-lobectomy. There were no significant differences between VATS and thoracotomy patients in ratings of chronic pain, mood disorders, or QOL. Conversion from VATS to thoracotomy occurred in 22 (23%) of patients. There were no significant differences between VATS conversion to thoracotomy and those with initial thoracotomy procedures in ratings of chronic pain, mood disorders, or QOL. Conversion from VATS to standard thoracotomy occurred more commonly early in the series. CONCLUSIONS: While previous studies have shown that VATS offers an early advantage with regards to perioperative outcomes, our study demonstrated that VATS and thoracotomy patients had similar late QOL outcomes.

A clinical prediction model for prolonged air leak after pulmonary resection.

OBJECTIVE: Prolonged air leak increases costs and worsens outcomes after pulmonary resection. We aimed to develop a clinical prediction tool for prolonged air leak using pretreatment and intraoperative variables. METHODS: Patients who underwent pulmonary resection for lung cancer/nodules (from January 2009 to June 2014) were stratified by prolonged parenchymal air leak (>5 days). Using backward stepwise logistic regression with bootstrap resampling for internal validation, candidate variables were identified and a nomogram risk calculator was developed. RESULTS: A total of 2317 patients underwent pulmonary resection for lung cancer/nodules. Prolonged air leak (8.6%, n = 200) was associated with significantly longer hospital stay (median 10 vs 4 days; P < .001). Final model variables associated with increased risk included low percent forced expiratory volume in 1 second, smoking history, bilobectomy, higher annual surgeon caseload, previous chest surgery, Zubrod score >2, and interaction terms for right-sided thoracotomy and wedge resection by thoracotomy. Wedge resection, higher body mass index, and unmeasured percent forced expiratory volume in 1 second were protective. Derived nomogram discriminatory accuracy was 76% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-0.79) and facilitated patient stratification into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups with monotonic increase in observed prolonged air leaks (2.0%, 8.9%, and 19.2%, respectively; P < .001). Patients at intermediate and high risk were 4.80 times (95% CI, 2.86-8.07) and 11.86 times (95% CI, 7.21-19.52) more likely to have prolonged air leak compared with patients at low risk. CONCLUSIONS: Using readily available candidate variables, our nomogram predicts increasing risk of prolonged air leak with good discriminatory ability. Risk stratification can support surgical decision making, and help initiate proactive, patient-specific surgical management.

Non-Elective Paraesophageal Hernia Repair Portends Worse Outcomes in Comparable Patients: a Propensity-Adjusted Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Patients undergoing non-elective paraesophageal hernia repair (PEHR) have worse perioperative outcomes. Because they are usually older and sicker, however, these patients may be more prone to adverse events, independent of surgical urgency. Our study aimed to determine whether non-elective PEHR is associated with differential postoperative outcome compared to elective repair, using propensity-score weighting. METHODS: We abstracted data for patients undergoing PEHR (n = 924; non-elective n = 171 (19 %); 1997-2010). Using boosted regression, we generated a propensity-weighted dataset. Odds of 30-day/in-hospital mortality and major complications after non-elective surgery were determined. RESULTS: Patients undergoing non-elective repair were significantly older, had more adverse prognostic factors, and significantly more major complications (38 versus 18 %; p < 0.001) and death (8 versus 1 %; p < 0.001). After propensity weighting, median absolute percentage bias across 28 propensity-score variables improved from 19 % (significant imbalance) to 5.6 % (well-balanced). After adjusting propensity-weighted data for age and comorbidity score, odds of major complications were still nearly two times greater (OR 1.67, CI 1.07-2.61) and mortality nearly three times greater (OR 2.74, CI 0.93-8.1) than for elective repair. CONCLUSIONS: Even after balancing significant differences in baseline characteristics, non-elective PEHR was associated with worse outcomes than elective repair. Symptomatic patients should be referred for elective repair by experienced surgeons.

Cancer Recurrence After Esophagectomy: Impact of Postoperative Infection in Propensity-Matched Cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative infection increases cancer recurrence and worsens survival in colorectal cancer, but the relationship for esophagogastric adenocarcinoma after esophagectomy is not well defined. We aimed to determine whether recurrence and survival after minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophagogastric adenocarcinoma were influenced by postoperative infection using propensity-matched analysis. METHODS: We abstracted data for 810 patients (1997-2010) and defined exposure as at least 1 in-hospital or 30-day infectious complication (n = 206 [25%]). Using 29 pretreatment/intraoperative variables, patients were propensity-score matched (caliper = 0.05). Time to cancer recurrence and survival (Kaplan-Meier curves and the Breslow test), and associated factors (Cox regression with shared frailty) were assessed. RESULTS: After propensity matching (n = 167 pairs), median bias across propensity-score variables was reduced from 12.9% (p < 0.001) to 4.4% (p = 1.000). Postoperative infection was not associated with rate (n = 60 versus 63; McNemar p = 0.736) or time to recurrence in those in whom disease recurred (median, 10.7 versus 11.1 months; Wilcoxon signed-rank p = 0.455) but was associated with shorter overall survival (n = 124 versus 102 deaths; median, 26 versus 41 months; Breslow p = 0.002). After adjusting for age, body mass index, neoadjuvant therapy, sex, comorbidity score, positive resection margins, pathologic stage, R0 resection, and recurrence, postoperative infection was associated with a 44% greater hazard for death (hazard ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.89). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with esophagogastric adenocarcinoma, infections after esophagectomy were not associated with an increased rate or earlier time to recurrence when baseline characteristics associated with infection risk were balanced using propensity-score matching. Despite this, overall survival was shorter in patients with infectious complications. After adjusting for other important survival predictors, infections after esophagectomy continued to be independently associated with worse survival.

Endobronchial Ultrasound-Transbronchial Needle Aspiration for Lymphoma in Patients With Low Suspicion for Lung Cancer and Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy.

BACKGROUND: Although the role for endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for metastatic lung cancer is well described, the usefulness of EBUS-TBNA for diagnosing lymphoma is less well defined. We aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy for lymphoma of EBUS-TBNA with rapid, on-site evaluation in the evaluation of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in patients with a low-suspicion for lung cancer. METHODS: Medical records for all EBUS-TBNA (381 total procedures) from 2007 to 2013 were reviewed, and procedure indication, prior workup, cytologic diagnosis, histologic follow-up, and available ancillary studies were abstracted. Intraoperative rapid on-site evaluation was performed for 170 of 173 patients (98%), and evaluations for 133 (78%) were adequate for diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 381 patients, 173 (45.4%) underwent mediastinal tissue sampling to evaluate indeterminate mediastinal lymphadenopathy; 208 patients with known or suspected lung cancer were excluded. EBUS-TBNA provided a definitive diagnosis (predominantly carcinoma and granulomatous inflammation) in 71%. EBUS-TBNA was diagnostic in 8 of 16 patients (50%) where the final diagnosis of lymphoma in 16 was confirmed (9 non-Hodgkin, 6 Hodgkin, and 1 posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder). EBUS-TBNA was indeterminate in 3 (19%), inadequate in 4 (25%), and falsely negative in 1 (6%). Histologic follow-up was available in 10 patients (63%). When the specimen was adequate for diagnosis, sensitivity for lymphoma was 89%. CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA has high sensitivity and a low false-negative rate for lymphoproliferative disorders when specimens are adequate for analysis and provides alternative diagnoses in most cases, thus reducing the need for mediastinoscopy. Rapid, on-site evaluation was nondiagnostic in approximately 25% of patients; performing EBUS-TBNA in the operating room facilitated conversion to mediastinoscopy and definitive diagnosis in this setting.

Minimally invasive versus open thymectomy: a systematic review of surgical techniques, patient demographics, and perioperative outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Thymectomy is the mainstay of treatment for thymoma and other anterior mediastinal tumors, and is often utilized in the management of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). While traditionally approached through a median sternotomy, minimally invasive approaches to thymectomy have increasingly emerged. The present systematic review was conducted to compare perioperative and clinical outcomes following minimally invasive thymectomy (MIT) and open thymectomy (OT). METHODS: Articles were obtained through a PubMed literature search. Comparative studies reporting clinical outcomes following MIT and OT were eligible for inclusion. We selected studies with full text availability, written in the English language, published after 2005 and with at least 15 patients in each arm. A descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: Twenty studies were included, involving a total of 2,068 patients undergoing either MIT (n=838) or OT (n=1,230). Within individual studies, MIT and OT cohorts were well matched with regards to patient age and gender, but there was considerable variation across studies. Resected thymomas were consistently larger in OT groups, with mean diameter significantly larger in five studies (MIT, 29-52 mm; OT, 31-77 mm). MIT was consistently associated with a lower estimated blood loss (MIT, 20-200 mL; OT, 86-466 mL), chest tube duration (MIT, 1.3-4.1 days; OT, 2.4-5.3 days), and hospital length of stay (MIT, 1-10.6 days; OT, 4-14.6 days). There were no consistent differences in rates of perioperative complications, thymoma recurrence, MG complete stable remission, or 5-year survival. CONCLUSIONS: In appropriately selected patients, MIT may reduce blood loss, chest tube duration, and hospital length of stay, with comparable clinical outcomes compared to OT via median sternotomy.

Thoracic Esophageal Diverticula: A 15-Year Experience of Minimally Invasive Surgical Management.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic esophageal diverticula are uncommon, and controversies exist regarding their management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of a relatively large cohort of patients with thoracic esophageal diverticula treated with minimally invasive surgical techniques. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent minimally invasive surgical treatment for symptomatic esophageal diverticula during a 15-year period. The primary end point was 30-day mortality. In addition, we evaluated the morbidity, improvement in dysphagia (score: 1, best to 5, worst), and quality of life (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Health-Related Quality of Life score: 0, best to 50, most symptoms). RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients underwent minimally invasive surgical treatment of symptomatic thoracic esophageal diverticula. The most common symptom was dysphagia (45 of 57; 79%). A motility disorder or distal mechanical obstruction was identified in 49 patients (86%). Approaches used included video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (n = 33), laparoscopy (n = 18), and combined video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and laparoscopy (n = 6). The most common procedure performed was diverticulectomy and myotomy (47 of 57 patients; 82.5%). The 30-day mortality was 0%. There were 4 patients (7%) with postoperative leaks requiring reoperation. During follow-up, the median dysphagia score improved from 3 to 1 (p < 0.001). The median Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Health-Related Quality of Life score after surgery was 5 (excellent). CONCLUSIONS: A minimally invasive surgical approach for the management of thoracic esophageal diverticula is safe and effective during intermediate-term follow-up when performed by surgeons experienced in esophageal surgery and minimally invasive techniques. Further follow-up is required to assess the durability of these results. The optimal approach and procedures performed should be determined on an individualized basis after a thorough investigation.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Recurrent Lung Neoplasm: An Analysis of Outcomes in 100 Patients.

BACKGROUND: A significant number of patients have recurrent or persistent lung cancer despite complete resection or treatment with definitive chemoradiation. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)/stereotactic body radiation therapy is emerging as an important modality for the treatment of early-stage lung neoplasm; SRS may also offer an alternative treatment option for patients with recurrent lung disease. We evaluated outcomes after treatment with SRS for recurrent lung neoplasm in a large series of patients. METHODS: Selected patients with limited recurrent, persistent, or progressive disease after one or more prior treatments for lung cancer were offered SRS. Thoracic surgeons evaluated all patients, placed fiducials when needed, and planned treatment in close collaboration with radiation oncologists and medical physicists. In our early experience, a single fraction of 20 Gy radiation was prescribed and was subsequently increased to 45 to 60 Gy in three to five fractions. The primary endpoint evaluated was overall survival. RESULTS: We treated 100 patients with recurrent lung cancer (median age 72 years) with SRS. The postprocedure 30-day mortality rate was 0%; median follow-up was 51 months (range, 5 to 123). The median overall survival for the entire group was 23 months (95% confidence interval: 19 to 41). The probability of 2-year and 5-year overall survival was 49% (95% confidence interval: 40% to 60%) and 31% (95% confidence interval: 23% to 43%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience indicates that SRS is safe, and offers an alternative modality for selected patients with recurrent oligometastatic or persistent lung cancer. Thoracic surgeons should actively participate in SRS and continue to evaluate the efficacy of this treatment strategy.