A case of pulmonary visceral subpleural hematoma treated by hematoma evacuation during care of post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of pulmonary visceral subpleural hematoma during care of post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation including chest compressions and anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies is extremely rare. Also, there are few reports of treatment of visceral subpleural hematoma, most of which are treated by lung resection. Here we describe a rare case that pulmonary visceral subpleural hematoma arose during post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation care and was treated by hematoma evacuation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old male with no smoking history and, past medical histories of rheumatoid arthritis, chronic atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia developed ventricular fibrillation due to myocardial infarction and fainted. He received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation by the ambulance crew and had return of spontaneous circulation. After transfer to our hospital, the patient underwent percutaneous catheter intervention and stenting with a diagnosis of myocardial infarction, followed by anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies. On the 8th hospital day, chest radiography suggested right lower lobe pneumonia, and subsequent chest computed tomography revealed pulmonary hematoma in the visceral subpleural area from S6 to S10. Since no improvement was observed in hypoxemia, treatment was considered necessary. First, an attempt at computed tomography-guided drainage of hematoma was made, but insertion of the Pig-tail catheter was difficult due to hardness of the hematoma. Next, evacuation of hematoma was performed on the 13th hospital day. The hematoma was located in the visceral subpleural area and was removed by incising the pleura. TachoSil Tissue Sealing sheet and Polyglycoal acid sheet were applied to the sites of air leakage and oozing after hematoma evacuation. No re-bleeding or air leakage was observed after the treatment, and the patient was discharged on the 26th hospital day after an uneventful course. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary visceral subpleural hematoma may occur during post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation care, including chest compressions and anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies. In our case, CT-guided puncture and drainage was difficult and surgical treatment by incision of the visceral pleura and hematoma evacuation alone was done successfully.

Uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery basal segmentectomy: a single-center retrospective cohort study.

Background: Uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) basal segmentectomy is technically challenging and requires a deep understanding of the segmental anatomy of the lung. This report describes the uniportal VATS segmentectomy of basal segments using a single-direction approach. Methods: A total of 49 patients who underwent uniportal VATS basal segmentectomy between April 2019 and April 2021 were included in this retrospective study. All the surgeries were conducted using a single-direction approach. The resections of segments 7-8 were mainly performed using the interlobar fissure approach, while the resections of segments 9-10 were performed using the inferior pulmonary ligament approach. Results: A total of 33 patients underwent a single basal segmentectomy and 16 patients underwent combined basal segmentectomy/sub-segmentectomy. The median operative time was 120 min (range, 60-180 min), and the median blood loss was 20 mL (range, 10-100 mL). The median chest tube duration was 2 days (range, 1-5 days), and the median hospital stay after surgery was 4 days (range, 2-15 days). The morbidity rate after surgery was 6.1% (3/49). There were no perioperative deaths. The pathological examinations revealed 3 cases of adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), 33 cases of minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, and 13 cases of lepidic-predominant invasive adenocarcinoma. No recrudescence or mortality was reported during the median follow-up time of 7 months (range, 2-25 months). Conclusions: Uniportal VATS basal segmentectomy is a feasible and reliable technique based on our experience. This single-direction method allows the uniportal VATS basal segmentectomy to be performed in an easy manner with the targeted segmental bronchi and vessels exposed from superficial to deep in order of their appearance while avoiding the repeated turnover of the lung.

How to optimize the treatment strategy for patients of pulmonary sequestration with an elevated risk of fatal hemorrhage during operation: case discussion.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy, especially uniportal VATS, is increasingly used for pulmonary sequestration (PS). However, there are few descriptions of safe handling of the aberrant artery with atherosclerosis, especially the diameter of arteries exceeds than 2.0 cm, under uniportal VATS approach. Here we report a 56-year-old man who was diagnosed with pulmonary sequestration following trauma. The patient had a long history of cough with purulent sputum. One month before the trauma, he had copious expectoration with foul smell again. A contrast CT scan revealed a 7.5 cm mass in his right lower lobe. The mass was supplied by a thick aberrant atherosclerotic artery (over than 2 cm in diameter), which stemmed from the thoracic aorta with multiple calcifications on both. After adequate preoperative evaluation, we performed a right lower lobectomy under uniportal VATS approach. No surgical-associated complications occurred, and the patient was discharged on the 5th days after the operation. We organized an iMDT (international multidisciplinary team) to discuss the reasonability and optimal treatment pattern for this patient. We found that fully assess the quality of the aberrant arteries of PS following blocking and cutting off in an appropriate way are crucial to avoid the happening of fatal bleeding during the operation.

[Perspective of Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery for Early Lung Cancer in Japan].

Uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (U-VATS) has become prevalent among thoracic surgeon in a part of countries including Japan. U-VATS and robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery( RATS) are 2 types of minimally invasive surgical techniques. Uniportal procedures are feasible although they can be technically challenging. RATS is superior to U-VATS in terms of the ability to perform procedures that require fine motor skills and to maintain wide visual fields during the procedure;however, it is not as feasible and more costly compared with U-VATS. U-VATS is also considered safer as it is easier than RATS to be converted to thoracotomy when needed. Thus, suitable procedures should be selected to meet the needs of specific cases. In the present study, we review the treatment outcomes of U-VATS for anatomical lung resection that were performed at our institution for patients with early-stage lung cancer.

Partial lung resection by uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: technique and pitfalls.

The use of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has increased worldwide. The number of facilities introducing this simple and cost-effective surgical procedure in Japan has also increased. Partial lung resection is performed to diagnose or treat various cases and surgeons are required to flexibly deal with it. This report describes the technique and pitfalls of partial lung resection by uniportal VATS.

Uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery reduced the occurrence of post-thoracotomy pain syndrome after lobectomy for lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS) is difficult for thoracic surgeons to manage. PTPS should never arise after minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (U-VATS), a form of MIS for thoracic disease, has become more common around the world and might reduce the risk of PTPS after thoracic surgery. We compared the frequencies of PTPS after U-VATS-based and multi-port VATS (M-VATS)-based lobectomy for lung cancer. METHODS: We compared the data for 142 and 70 cases in which U-VATS- and M-VATS-based lobectomies were performed, respectively. General surgical outcomes, the numeric rating scale (NRS) score, analgesic usage, and neuropathic pain according to the pain DETECT questionnaire (PDQ) were assessed. The presence of >1 of the following items at two postoperative months (POM) was used to diagnose PTPS: (I) an NRS score of >3, (II) analgesic use, and (III) exhibiting >1 of a list of 7 symptoms according to the PDQ. RESULTS: There were no significant intergroup differences in the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, the number of dissected lymph nodes, or the duration of the drainage period or hospital stay. In the U-VATS and M-VATS groups, the mean NRS score during two postoperative months was 0.5±0.1 and 1.5±0.3, respectively (P<0.01), and analgesics were used for a mean of 7.3±1.5 and 13.3±1.8 days, respectively, during the postoperative 2 months (P<0.01). As for the frequency of PTPS-related symptoms on postoperative month (POM) 2, allodynia (U-VATS: 2.1% vs. M-VATS: 10%, P=0.028), hypoesthesia (2.1% vs. 10%, P=0.028), and numbness (1.4% vs. 8.6%, P=0.029) often arose in both groups. PTPS occurred in 2.8% and 11.4% of the patients in the U-VATS and M-VATS groups, respectively (P=0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with M-VATS, U-VATS exhibited a significantly lower incidence of PTPS.

For which thoracic operation is U-VATS superior?

In this special issue, I review the types of thoracic surgery that uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (U-VATS) is most suited to.

Single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery for early lung cancer: initial experience in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (SPVATS) emerged several years ago as a new, minimally invasive surgery for diseases in the field of respiratory surgery, and is increasingly becoming a subject of interest for some thoracic surgeons in Europe and Asia. However, the adoption rate of this procedure in the United States and Japan remains low. We herein reviewed our experience of SPVATS for early lung cancer in our center, and evaluated the safety and minimal invasiveness of this technique. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients who had undergone SPVATS for pathological stage I lung cancer in Nippon Medical School Chiba Hokusoh Hospital between September 2012 and October 2015. In SPVATS, an approximately 4-cm incision was made at the 4(th) or 5(th) intercostal space between the anterior and posterior axillary lines. A rib spreader was not used at the incision site, and surgical manipulation was performed very carefully in order to avoid contact between surgical instruments and the intercostal nerves. The same surgeon performed surgery on all patients, and analyzed laboratory data before and after surgery. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients underwent anatomical lung resection for postoperative pathological stage I lung cancer. The mean wound length was 4.2 cm. Eighty-four patients underwent lobectomy and segmentectomy, respectively. The mean preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%) was 1.85%±0.36%. Our patients consisted of 49 men (58.3%) and 35 women (41.7%), with 64, 18, 1, and 1 having adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and small-cell lung cancer, respectively. The mean operative time was 175±21 min, operative blood loss 92±18 mL, and duration of drain placement 1.9±0.6 days. The duration of the postoperative hospital stay was 7.1±1.7 days, numeric rating scale (NRS) 1 week after surgery 2.8±0.6, and occurrence rate of allodynia 1 month after surgery 10.7%. No patient developed serious complications, and no deaths occurred within 30 days of surgery. Two patients (2.4%) were converted to open thoracotomy. CONCLUSIONS: SPVATS is a safe and feasible technique, and is promising for next-generation thoracoscopic surgery. It may also reduce postoperative wound pain and contribute to improvements in the activities of daily living of patients.

Single-incision thoracoscopic surgery and conventional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a retrospective comparative study of perioperative clinical outcomes†.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility, safety and postoperative wound pain of single-incision thoracoscopic surgery (SITS) for Stage I lung cancer in patients who had previously undergone surgery compared with conventional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (c-VATS). METHODS: Lobectomy by SITS (60) and c-VATS (20) was performed for Stage I lung cancer between 2011 and 2014. In SITS, an ∼ 5-cm small incision was placed at the fourth or fifth intercostal space from the anterior to posterior axillary line. C-VATS was performed via three or four ports using trocars only. The evaluation items were general operative outcomes, pain stress using the Numeric Rating scale (NRS) on postoperative days 3, 7 and 30, and some pathological symptoms related to the neuropathic wound pain through the operative course. The number of days of use of analgesic agents was also evaluated for 1 month after surgery. RESULTS: SITS showed similar perioperative outcomes (postoperative hospital stay, blood loss, surgical time, drainage duration, creatine phosphokinase (CPKmax), creactive protein (CRPmax) and frequency of postoperative complications) to those of c-VATS. Additionally, the average NRS in SITS decreased on postoperative days 7 and 30 (Day 7: 2.4 ± 0.4 vs 4.2 ± 0.3, P = 0.041, Day 30: 1.7 ± 0.4 vs 3.3 ± 0.3, P = 0.038) and the number of days analgesic agents were administered was also reduced (SITS: 8.1 ± 0.9 vs c-VATS 13.1 ± 1.2 days, P = 0.045). The frequency of allodynia, hyperalgesia, hypaesthesia and numbness was significantly reduced in the SITS group. CONCLUSIONS: Although conclusive evidence has not yet been obtained, SITS is more minimally invasive in regard to postoperative wound pain compared with c-VATS. This procedure should be considered as a treatment option for early-stage lung cancer.

Covering the staple line with a polyglycolic acid sheet after bullectomy for primary spontaneous pneumothorax prevents postoperative recurrent pneumothorax.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative recurrent pneumothorax (PORP) can arise after surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) that is recurrent or involves prolonged air leakage. In this study, which included 265 patients (279 cases) with PSP who underwent surgery at our department, the percentage of patients that did not experience PORP was compared between a group that underwent bullectomy alone (group A) and a group in which the staple line and the surrounding visceral pleura were covered with a PGA sheet after bullectomy (group B) in order to study the utility of PGA sheets for preventing PORP. METHODS: Among the patients with PSP who underwent surgery, the cases of 92 patients (98 cases) from Group A and 173 patients (181 cases) from Group B were reviewed retrospectively. The incidence rates of PORP in these two groups were statistically analyzed in addition to the associations between PORP and age, gender, the affected side, height, body weight, height/weight ratio, smoking habits, or the surgical procedure. RESULTS: In total, 96.7% of the patients in group B did not suffer PORP, which was significantly higher than the equivalent figure for group A (83.7%, log-rank test: P=0.0003). Moreover, among the examined parameters, only covering the staple line with a PGA sheet was found to be an independent prognostic factor (Cox regression: P=0.0003; HR =0.212; 95% CI, 0.082-0.547). CONCLUSIONS: It was revealed that when bullectomy is performed in patients with PSP, wide coverage of the staple line and the surrounding visceral pleura with a PGA sheet significantly reduces the risk of PORP.

Intramuscular myxoma in the chest wall.

Intramuscular myxomas are benign soft-tissue tumors that often develop in the thigh. A 66-year-old woman was referred with an abnormal shadow on chest roentgenogram. The tumor was well defined and smooth and originated from the second intercostal space. Positron emission tomography showed no accumulation of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in the tumor. The patient attended the outpatient department for follow-up care. Because the mass grew slightly after 52 months, the patient underwent complete removal by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. On histopathological examination, the tumor was diagnosed as an intramuscular myxoma in the chest wall. The patient has had no recurrence 3 years after surgery. A case of intramuscular myxoma in the chest wall, completely resected by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, is reported. A well-defined, smooth, homogeneous mass in the chest wall may therefore be intramuscular myxoma.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy (VAT-T) with lateral thoracotomy for stage II and III thymoma.

Thymoma has malignant potential and is the most common anterior mediastinal tumor. Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), which is less invasive surgical procedure, is a good option for resecting Masaoka stage I tumors. Whether VATS is appropriate, depends on the surgeon's judgment and accurate imaging diagnosis. We introduce a technique involving a combination of video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy (VAT-T) and lateral thoracotomy for stage II and some stage III thymomas that have locally invaded the lung and/or pericardium.

Mature teratoma of the posterior mediastinum: report of a case.

Mediastinal teratoma generally arises in the anterior mediastinum. Posterior mediastinal teratomas have been rarely reported to date, especially in adults. We report a case of posterior mediastinal teratoma in a 57-year-old woman. The pre-operative diagnostic work-up revealed a posterior mediastinal tumor with calcification and fluid components. The tumor, adhering to the descending aorta, was radically removed through video-assisted thoracic surgery. Histological examination was concluded for a mature teratoma with cystic change. The imaging features of posterior mediastinal teratomas are identical to those in the anterior mediastinum, except for their location. To be different from anterior mediastinal teratomas, benign teratomas in the posterior mediastinum are often involved with a major surrounding structure, including aorta, chest wall, and esophagus. When a posterior mediastinal tumor has the typical features of a mature teratoma in the pre-operative findings, the adhesion to the surrounding structure should be considered.

Choriocarcinoma of the lung: report of a case.

In this report, a 27-year-old woman with a solitary pulmonary nodule is described. Because computed tomography-guided biopsy could not confirm the diagnosis, surgical treatment was performed by video-assisted thoracic surgery. Histological findings showed cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts, suggesting choriocarcinoma. However, there were no abnormal findings on gynecological examination, including ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron-emission tomography. Choriocarcinoma is a malignant neoplasm and can arise after a pregnancy, as a component of germ cell tumors, or in association with a poorly differentiated somatic carcinoma. Our patient, a young female with an antecedent gestation, has no recurrence after surgery. There were tumor emboli in pulmonary arteries and no component of primary lung carcinoma on histological examination. These findings indicate that the lesion was a metastasis of gestational choriocarcinoma. A rare case of a patient with metastatic gestational choriocarcinoma of a solitary pulmonary nodule without any uterine abnormality is presented.