Chylopericardium following thoracoscopic resection of a mediastinal cyst: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Thoracic duct cysts are very rare, and diagnosis is often difficult. We report a rare case of chylopericardium following thoracic duct cyst resection. There are no established guidelines on the management of such cases. We reviewed the literature on postoperative complications after thoracic duct cyst resection, and conducted the first thorough review of the etiology and management of chylopericardium in surgical cases. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 54-year-old male presented with cardiac tamponade due to chylopericardium. He had undergone resection of a thoracic duct cyst 2 years previously, which was complicated by postoperative chylothorax. Chyle accumulation resolved with conservative treatment. DISCUSSION: Chylothorax is a frequent complication following thoracic duct cyst resection, especially in cases where no intraoperative diagnosis is reached. Diagnosis may be difficult due to anomalous location of the cyst, as in our case. Chylopericardium is rarely reported, and may have occurred in our case because of prior pleurodesis. Chyle accumulation can reportedly be managed with diet restrictions in over half of reported cases, especially in cases of lung or mediastinal tumor resection. CONCLUSION: The most important points highlighted by this rare case of chylopericardium secondary to thoracic duct cyst resection are: 1) pedicles should be ligated in cyst resections, regardless of location; 2) careful assessment in the initial surgery may help identify the point of leakage; 3) low-fat diet is the first choice in the initial management of postoperative chylopericardium, but surgical repair may be considered in cases with no response after>2 weeks of conservative treatment.

Surgical Intervention for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Pleural Carcinomatosis: Results From the Japanese Lung Cancer Registry in 2004.

INTRODUCTION: A subset of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with malignant pleural effusion and/or malignant pleural nodules is now classified as stage IV and is generally considered a contraindication to surgery. However, several reports have demonstrated that the prognosis of patients with pleural carcinomatosis first detected at thoracotomy is relatively favorable. The aim of this study was to describe the results of surgical intervention in NSCLC patients with pleural carcinomatosis in Japan. METHODS: In 2010, the Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry conducted a nationwide registration of lung cancer patients who underwent surgery in 2004. Using this database, we performed a retrospective study focused on pleural carcinomatosis. We examined the clinicopathological features, the current status of therapy, and surgical outcomes in patients with pleural carcinomatosis. RESULTS: Among the 11,420 registered NSCLC patients, 329 (2.9%) patients had pleural carcinomatosis. The median survival time and 5-year survival rate of 313 patients without other metastatic disease were 34.0 months and 29.3%, respectively. Primary tumor resection was performed in 256 (81.8%) patients, and macroscopic complete resection was achieved in 152 (48.6%) patients, with 5-year survival rates of 33.1% and 37.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (p < 0.001), best stage nodal status (p = 0.002), and the presence or absence of gross residual tumor (p = 0.013) were independent predictors of survival. CONCLUSION: In our surgical registry for NSCLC, patients with pleural carcinomatosis accounted for 2.9%, and macroscopic complete resection for them was associated with better survival.

Prognostic factors after pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer and rationale for determining surgical indications: a retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify prognostic factors after pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer and propose the clinical application of them. Furthermore, we endeavored to provide a rationale for pulmonary metastasesectomy. BACKGROUND: Several prognostic factors have been proposed, but clinical application of them remains unclear. Moreover, there is no theoretical evidence that pulmonary metastasectomy is indicated for colorectal cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 1030 patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer from 1990 to 2008. Prognostic factors were identified and the relationship of recurrent sites after pulmonary resection to pulmonary tumor size was assessed. RESULTS: Overall 5-year survival was 53.5%. Median survival time was 69.5 months. Univariate analysis showed tumor number (P < 0.0001), tumor size (P < 0.0001), prethoracotomy serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level (P < 0.0001), lymph node involvement (P < 0.0001), and completeness of resection (P < 0.0001) to significantly influence survival. In multivariate analysis, all remained independent predictors of outcome. In patients whose recurrent sites extended downstream from the lung via hematogenous colorectal cancer spread, pulmonary tumor size was significantly larger than in those with recurrent sites confined to the lung and regions upstream from the lung. CONCLUSIONS: We should utilize these prognostic factors to detect patients who might benefit from surgery. Therefore, we should periodically follow up advanced colorectal cancer patients by chest computed tomography to detect small pulmonary metastases before serum CEA elevation. Metastases to the lung or organs upstream from the lung are regarded as semi-local for colorectal cancer. This concept provides a rationale for validating surgical indications for pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer.

Changes in diagnostic strategies for hilar-type Castleman's disease: report of two cases.

Castleman's disease (CD) is rare and difficult to diagnose preoperatively. We report two similar cases of hyaline vascular type CD diagnosed preoperatively using different modalities. In the first case, a biopsy specimen taken during diagnostic thoracoscopy revealed lymphatic structure suggestive of CD. In the second case, endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration enabled sampling of histological cores for histological diagnosis. In both cases, the final diagnosis was established by surgical resection.

Diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma: a multi-institutional clinicopathological study.

PURPOSE: The relative rarity of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in Japan makes it difficult to perform a large-scale clinicopathological study of this tumor at a single institute. Thus, we performed a multiinstitutional study to evaluate the current status of diagnosis and treatment in Japan. METHODS: We analyzed the records of 65 patients with MPM, obtained from the 13 institutions comprising the Japanese Chiba Multicenter Study Group. RESULTS: In 56 patients, the tumor was detected after a visit to a medical facility for subjective symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and cough. It took a median period of 2 months from the initial visit to establish the diagnosis. The overall survival rates of 33 patients with unresectable MPM 1, 2, and 3 years after the diagnosis were 40.5%, 10.8%, and 0%, respectively, whereas those of 32 patients who underwent surgery were 67.9%, 35.0% and 10.9%, respectively (P=0.0035). According to multivariate analysis, histological type, International Mesothelioma Interest Group clinical stage, sex, and the presenting symptom of shortness of breath were significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: The definitive diagnosis of early MPM is difficult, but establishing the best diagnostic modality would improve survival rates, since radical surgery is likely to be effective for resectable disease.

Clinicopathological analysis of pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma.

BACKGROUND: Sclerosing hemangiomas of the lung are uncommon tumors and are thought to be benign. However, the histogenesis and clinicopathological features of these tumors have not been elucidated. METHODS: We analyzed the clinicopathological features of 26 sclerosing hemangiomas. The immunoreactivity for Ki-67 and p53 of sclerosing hemangiomas was determined and compared with that of pathological stage 1 pulmonary papillary adenocarcinomas. RESULTS: The patients of sclerosing hemangioma were predominantly female. Eighteen patients were detected as a result of routine medical examinations and 15 were nonsmokers. Seven patients underwent tumor enucleation, 10 underwent a wedge resection, and 9 underwent a lobectomy. The mean tumor size was 2.2 cm (range 1 to 5 cm). Pathological findings demonstrated a papillary pattern in 23 cases, sclerotic pattern in 26 cases, hemorrhagic pattern in 22 cases and a solid pattern in 25 cases. Twenty-five cases had an excellent prognosis with no evidence of recurrence following surgery. However, 1 patient who had undergone a wedge resection developed a local recurrence and required an additional wedge resection. The Ki-67 labeling index of sclerosing hemangiomas was significantly lower than that of adenocarcinomas, whereas the Ki-67 labeling index of the recurrent case was 0.4%. No significant immunohistochemical staining for p53 was observed in sclerosing hemangioma cases. CONCLUSIONS: Sclerosing hemangioma exhibits various histologic findings. Although we experienced one case with a recurrent tumor, sclerosing hemangiomas did not exhibit malignant behavior.

Huge localized fibrous tumor of the pleura resembling a mediastinal tumor: report of a case.

A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of an abnormal chest echoic lesion detected incidentally by echocardiography. A chest roentgenogram showed the presence of a giant mass, and computed tomography of the chest confirmed the presence of a mass with a nonhomogeneous density in the left mediastinum, just adjacent to the left ventricle of the heart. Percutaneous aspiration cytology of the mass showed benign fibrous cells and a small amount of lymphocytes. The preoperative diagnosis of the tumor suggested a thymoma, and the patient underwent a thoracotomy. A pedunculated tumor arose from the visceral pleura of the left upper lobe of the lung, and it was capsulated within the pleura. The tumor measured 15 x 12 x 8 cm in size and it was successfully resected. The pathological diagnosis of the tumor was benign localized fibrous tumor of the pleura.

A new sterilization technique with balloon-tube thoracostomy for thoracic empyema.

OBJECTIVE: Failure or prolongation of treatment for refractory thoracic empyema by the current chest-tube drainage technique is often due to sterilization difficulties. Insufficient sterilization prolongs hospitalization, and is often associated with life-threatening complications and/or additional invasive surgical procedures. A new chest-tube sterilization technique aimed at making it less invasive and shortening the therapy is proposed. METHODS: Following pretreatment for complications including loculation, bronchopleural fistula, or corticated lung, a double-lumen trocar catheter was introduced at the bottom of the empyemic cavity through the lateral chest wall. Then, a Foley balloon urethra-catheter was inserted and attached just inside the anterior chest wall at the top of the cavity for the evacuation of intrathoracic air. After irrigation of the cavity with distilled water once or twice, the cavity was completely filled with a bactericidal solution which was left in place for 30-60 minutes, followed by an antibiotic solution for more than 20 hours. RESULTS: Among the five treated post-lobectomy or pneumonectomy cases, sterilization was obtained after only one treatment in four cases and after two courses in the other. Catheterization duration from the initial treatment was 2-13 days. Neither recurrence nor treatment-related major complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This balloon-tube thoracostomy technique is simple, minimally invasive and cost-effective, due to shortening of the treatment time with minimal manpower and equipment requirements. It is thus a promising therapeutic approach to thoracic empyema and has the potential for application to other intrathoracic disorders.

Evidence of neoangiogenesis and an increase in the number of proliferating cells within the bronchial epithelium of smokers.

BACKGROUND: Normal bronchial epithelium gradually acquires cellular and genetic changes that result in the formation of invasive tumors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the degree of proliferative change and the amount of neovascularization in both normal and preneoplastic lesions in smokers who were at high risk for developing lung carcinoma. METHODS: The authors studied bronchial biopsy specimens from 7 nonsmokers and 52 smokers. Immunohistochemical staining of the specimens with antibodies for the presence of p53 protein, Ki-67 and CD34 antigens, and vascular endothelial growth factor was performed. The proliferation index (PI) was assessed by immunohistochemical staining for Ki-67 antigen. RESULTS: Overexpression of p53 protein was observed frequently in regions of squamous dysplasia and in squamous cell carcinoma tissue. The PI of normal epithelium from smokers was increased compared with nonsmokers, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The microvessel count (MC) in normal mucosa obtained from smokers was higher compared with the MC in normal mucosa obtained from nonsmokers (P < 0.05). A significant difference in MC also was observed between regions of squamous metaplasia or dysplasia with projections of capillary loops into the bronchial mucosa and similar lesions without capillary loops (P < 0.005); however, there was no difference in either the PI or the incidence of p53 overexpression between these groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that smoking appears to induce both a proliferative response and neovascularization in bronchial mucosa. The projection of capillary loops into the bronchial mucosa also may be a result of neovascularization occurring within the lamina propria of the bronchial wall.