Minimally invasive approaches to acquired shortening of the esophagus: laparoscopic Collis-Nissen gastroplasty.

Acquired shortening of the esophagus remains a controversial finding. In some surgical series of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, the incidence of clinically significant shortening is low enough that some surgeons have questioned its existence. In the setting of massive hiatial hernia, esophageal shortening has been reported to occur in up to 100% of patients. In association with mild to moderate hiatal hernia, clinically significant esophageal shortening is reported from 2.6% to a much higher percentage of patients, depending on the severity and chronicity of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Failure to recognize this shortening may be responsible for a high failure rate after antireflux surgery. Open Collis gastroplasty is an effective way to manage acquired shortening of the esophagus, and it creates a tension-free intra-abdominal segment of neoesophagus for fundoplication. Minimally invasive approaches to Collis-Nissen procedures have been reported by our group and several others with good short-term results.

Non-small cell lung cancer: role of surgery for stages I-III.

Survival following surgical resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has improved since the 1960s, although the 5-year survival rate remains low. This article provides an overview of the role of surgery for NSCLC stages I-III, with a focus on optimizing long-term survival in those patients with resectable disease. Topics explored include diagnosis and staging, indications for resection, types of resection, and indications for adjuvant therapy. A review of the literature indicates a clear survival advantage for complete resection, and is suggestive of an advantage for mediastinal lymph node dissection (vs lymph node sampling) and neoadjuvant therapy (vs adjuvant therapy).

Massive hiatus hernia: evaluation and surgical management.

OBJECTIVE: Paraesophageal hernias represent advanced degrees of sliding hiatus hernia with intrathoracic displacement of the intraesophageal junction. Gastroesophageal reflux disease occurs in most cases, resulting in acquired short esophagus, which should influence the type of repair selected. METHODS: Between 1960 and 1996, 94 patients with massive, incarcerated paraesophageal hiatus hernia were operated on at the Toronto General Hospital. The mean age was 64 years (39 to 85 years), with a female to male ratio of 1.8:1. Organoaxial volvulus was present in 50% of cases. Clinical presentation in these patients included postprandial pain in 56%, dysphagia in 48%, chronic iron deficiency anemia in 38%, and aspiration in 29%. Symptomatic reflux, either present or remote, was recorded in 83% of cases. All patients underwent endoscopy by the operating surgeon. In 91 of 94 patients, the esophagogastric junction was found to be above the diaphragmatic hiatus, denoting a sliding type of hiatus hernia. Gross, endoscopic peptic esophagitis was observed in 36% of patients: ulcerative esophagitis in 22% and peptic esophagitis with stricture in 14%. A complete preoperative esophageal motility study was obtained for 41 patients. The lower sphincter was hypotensive in 21 patients (51%), and the amplitude of peristalsis in the distal esophagus was diminished in 24 patients (59%). These abnormalities are both features of significant gastroesophageal reflux disease. In 13 recent, consecutive patients with paraesophageal hernia, the distance between the upper and lower esophageal sphincters was measured during manometry. The average distance was 15.4 +/- 2.33 cm (11 to 20 cm), which is consistent with acquired short esophagus. The normal distance is 20.4 cm +/- 1.9 (p < 0.0001). RESULTS: All 94 patients were treated surgically: 97% had a transthoracic repair with fundoplication. A gastroplasty was added in 75 cases (80%) because of clearly defined or presumed short esophagus. There were two operative deaths, and two patients were never followed up. Among the 90 available patients, the mean follow-up was 94 months; median follow-up was 72 months. Seventy-two patients (80%) are free of symptoms (excellent result); 13 (13%) have inconsequential symptoms requiring no therapy (good result); and three patients (4%) are improved but have symptoms requiring medical therapy or interval dilatation (fair result). Two patients had poor results because of recurrent hernia and severe reflux. Both were successfully treated by reoperation with the addition of gastroplasty because of acquired shortening, which was not recognized at the first operation. CONCLUSIONS: Most of these 94 patients had symptoms or endoscopic, manometric, and operative findings that were consistent with a sliding hiatus hernia. There was a high incidence of endoscopic reflux esophagitis and of acquired short esophagus. True paraesophageal hernia, with the esophagogastric junction in a normal abdominal location, appears rare. Our observations were supported by measurements obtained at preoperative endoscopy and manometry, and by findings at the time of surgical repair. These observations support the choice of a transthoracic approach for repair in most patients.

Complications and pitfalls: Belsey and Collis-Belsey antireflux repairs.

This article reviews the histories and techniques of the Belsey and Collis-Belsey antireflux repair operations and discusses the complications and pitfalls associated with these two procedures.

Hiatus hernia and gastroesophageal reflux: indications for surgery and selection of operation.

It is generally agreed that no single surgical technique of repair provides adequate results under all circumstances. It is equally important to recognize that almost all conditions which complicate hiatus hernia and gastroesophageal reflux are of a benign order, and the decision for surgery is an option for the adequately informed patient. This article presents the indications for operation and the criteria for selection of open repairs. It is not a review article, but rather expresses the experience and opinions of the author.

Mediastinal parathyroid cysts.

BACKGROUND: Mediastinal parathyroid cysts are a relatively rare clinical entity. The clinical presentation can be quite varied, although most are found incidentally during investigations for esophageal or respiratory symptoms. METHODS: We present a review of the literature and describe two instructive cases showing specific clinical findings. The clinical presentation, radiologic and pathologic findings, and treatment of mediastinal parathyroid cysts are discussed. RESULTS: In the first patient, the presenting symptom was increasing hoarseness resulting from paresis of the right recurrent laryngeal nerve. This case illustrates the rare association of a benign mediastinal parathyroid cyst with unilateral vocal cord palsy. The second patient presented with the more classic findings of progressive dyspnea and stridor related to tracheal compression. CONCLUSIONS: Although mediastinal parathyroid cysts are rare and can have varied presentations, thorough investigation can reveal the underlying cyst. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice and can be expected to produce excellent results.

Pulmonary arteriography for the assessment of technical feasibility of sleeve resection in lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arteriography has been reported to be useful in the preoperative assessment of patients with lung cancer to determine the technical resectability and feasibility of pneumonectomy by imaging the main right and left pulmonary arteries. In this report, we describe the use of selective pulmonary arteriography in the assessment of lobar resectability. METHODS: Selective pulmonary arteriography provides a detailed anatomic view of the lobar branches and has been used at our institution for the past 30 years to preoperatively investigate patients who are candidates for a sleeve lobectomy. RESULTS: Three cases are described that demonstrate the usefulness of selective pulmonary arteriography in the assessment of the technical feasibility of sleeve resection in patients with lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Arteriographic findings may accurately show whether a sleeve lobectomy is technically possible, that only a pneumonectomy is possible, or that the only safe way to ensure clearance of the pulmonary artery is to perform arterioplasty. This information may obviate an unnecessary thoracotomy in patients who are judged on the basis of a physiologic assessment to be unable to tolerate a pneumonectomy.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the airway: thirty-two-year experience.

METHODS: We have reviewed our experience in 38 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the upper airway seen between 1963 and 1995. The mean age was 44.8 years (15 to 80 years) with a male/female ratio of 1:1.1. Thirty-two of the 38 patients were treated by resection and reconstruction (primary anastomosis 28; Marlex mesh prosthesis 4). Twenty-six of the 32 patients undergoing resection received adjuvant radiotherapy. Six patients with unresectable tumors were treated primarily with radiotherapy only. RESULTS: Pathologic examination revealed local invasion beyond the wall of the trachea in all patients. In a majority, microscopic extension was found in submucosal and perineural lymphatics, well beyond the grossly visible or palpable limits of the tumor. Lymphatic metastases were relatively uncommon, occurring in only five of 32 (19%) patients undergoing resection. Metachronous hematogenous metastases occurred in 17 of 38 patients (44%). Thirteen of these 38 patients (33%) had pulmonary metastases. Sixteen of 32 resections were complete and potentially curative. There were two deaths within 30 days of operation. The mean survival in the 14 patients undergoing complete resection was 9.8 years (12 months to 29 years). Sixteen of 32 resections were incomplete (residual tumor at the airway margin on final pathologic examination), with one operative death occurring in this group. The mean survival in the 15 surviving patients was 7.5 years (4 months to 21 years). Six patients were treated with primary radiation only and had a mean survival of 6.2 years (2 months to 14.3 years). In the patients with pulmonary metastases, mean survival was 37 months (4 months to 7 years) from the time of diagnosis of the pulmonary metastasis until their death. CONCLUSION: Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the upper airway is a rare tumor, which is locally invasive and frequently amenable to resection. Although late local recurrence after resection is a feature of this tumor (up to 29 years), excellent long-term palliation is commonly achieved after both complete and incomplete resection. There was a small difference in survival between patients having complete and incomplete resection. Long periods of control can be obtained with radiotherapy alone. The best results, in this series of patients, were obtained by resection. Adjuvant radiotherapy is assumed to favorably influence survival.

Technique of management of subglottic stenosis.

There have been innumerable approaches to the management of subglottic stenosis, which bear testimony to the difficulty in obtaining predictably satisfactory results. Management includes techniques of endoscopic dilation, laser resection, laryngofissure and stenting, and an ingenious array of plastic reconstructions with or without postoperative stenting. On occasion, permanent intubation with a conventional distal tracheotomy or a silicone rubber T tube may be used.

Subglottic resection with primary tracheal anastomosis: including synchronous laryngotracheal reconstructions.

Subglottic stenosis is defined as an obstructing lesion in the upper airway lying at a level between the base of the vocal cords superiorly and the lower border of the cricoid cartilage below. Symptoms of upper airway obstruction are characterized by inspiratory and expiratory stridor and dyspnea. Because most of these injuries follow translaryngeal intubation and assisted ventilation with or without tracheostomy, symptoms usually appear within a few weeks of extubation. This article reviews the management, techniques of reconstruction such as laryngofissure, stenting and endoscopic therapy, and the clinical experience (October 1973 through October 1995) gained with the operation of segmental subglottic resection and primary thyrotracheal anastomosis in 80 consecutive patients with benign disease.

Subglottic stenosis complicating Wegener's granulomatosis: surgical repair as a viable treatment option.

Wegener's granulomatosis frequently involves the subglottis and trachea, often leading to compromise of the upper airway. Moreover, the stenotic segments may persist or progress despite control of the disease elsewhere in the body. In this report, we describe the cases of five patients with Wegener's granulomatosis who, in addition to nasal, sinus, pulmonary and renal involvement, had symptomatic subglottic or tracheal stenosis. Biopsy specimens from involved sites in the subglottis and trachea were often not diagnostic, and the diagnosis was later confirmed by a positive antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody titer. All patients had clinical remission on standard therapeutic regimens with prednisone and cyclophosphamide but continued to have symptoms of extrathoracic airway obstruction. Three of the five patients underwent primary thyrotracheal anastomosis while their disease was in clinical remission, without postoperative compromise of anastomotic integrity or wound healing despite concurrent use of prednisone and cyclophosphamide. There has been no evidence of local disease recurrence during follow-up periods ranging from 3 months to 14 years. We conclude that surgical intervention is a viable treatment option for patients who have symptomatic stenotic segments of the subglottis and trachea as a result of Wegener's granulomatosis in clinical remission.

Exercise oximetry versus spirometry in the assessment of risk prior to lung resection.

BACKGROUND: Spirometry remains a standard method of assessing patient risk prior to lung resection despite its poor sensitivity and specificity. This study compares the relative ability of standardized exercise oximetry and spirometry--forced expiratory volume in the first second--to predict morbidity and mortality after lung resection. METHODS: The study comprised a retrospective review of 396 consecutive patients of whom 299 underwent both oximetry and spirometry. Oximetry was undertaken during standard exercise under the supervision of a single physical therapist. Spirometry identified 46 patients with a forced expiratory volume in the first second of less than 1.5 L who were considered to be high risk. Exercise oximetry was used to identify patients with arterial oxygen desaturation at rest, while walking on level ground, or while climbing two flights of stairs (n = 65). RESULTS: Compared with spirometry, exercise oximetry more reliably predicted home oxygen requirements (p < 0.001), need of admission to the intensive care unit (p < 0.05), prolonged hospital stay (p < 0.001), and respiratory failure (p < 0.05). Oximetry identified 50% of the patients who died, all of whom had a forced expiratory volume in the first second of greater than 1.5 L. Despite its superior predictive value, the sensitivity of oximetry remained low. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that standardized exercise oximetry is a superior screen of the high-risk patient than spirometry (forced expiratory volume in the first second) prior to pulmonary resection when there are no other risk factors noted on initial history and physical examination. A prospective, randomized trial is required to substantiate this conclusion.

Subglottic resection with primary tracheal anastomosis including synchronous laryngotracheal reconstruction.

Etiology, clinical presentation and management as found in the literature of subglottic stenosis are received. Personal experience and results are reported.

Current status of surgical resection for lung cancer.

There have been no major breakthroughs in surgical management for primary lung cancer during the past 40 years. Improved 5-year survival relates primarily to improved preoperative staging and appropriate selection of patients for resection. Perioperative morbidity and mortality, however, has been significantly reduced. Certain principles pertain to current surgical management: resection remains the best treatment for patients with localized, non-small cell primary lung cancer. Accurate preoperative diagnosis and staging: whenever possible, it is desirable to establish the diagnosis and cell type before operation. Accurate evaluation of the N status warrants wide application of invasive staging with mediastinoscopy or a variant. Indications for resection: only patients in whom a complete resection is anticipated should be selected for surgery. Such cases included T1 to T4 stages, N0 and N1 tumors, and selected N2 cases. The indication for resection in patients with hematogenous metastases are anecdotal. Intraoperative staging: accurate and deliberate intraoperative staging with evaluation of nodes using the American Thoracic Society map is highly desirable. The nature of nodal metastases exerts a critical influence on prognosis and in the selection of patients for surgical resection. At present, there is no clear indication for adjuvant therapy in surgically resected cases other than for evaluation and clinical trials.

Atypical presentation of spontaneous pneumomediastinum.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare clinical entity; when diagnosis is certain, no treatment is required and symptoms rarely recur. The clinical presentation is usually diagnostic; however, atypical symptoms may mandate further investigation before diagnosis can be established. We describe 2 patients with spontaneous pneumomediastinum who presented with dominant esophageal symptoms (odynophagia and dysphagia) suggestive of esophageal perforation. Investigation and management are discussed.

Long-term results in surgically managed esophageal achalasia.

The long-term clinical results of surgical treatment for esophageal achalasia were reviewed in 35 patients having a minimum follow-up of 10 years. Group A (n = 22) are those patients whose first procedure (myotomy and Belsey partial fundoplication) was done at our hospital. Group B (n = 13) are those who had undergone one or more previous operations elsewhere. In group A good to excellent results occurred in 21/22 patients (95%) at 1 year, 17/22 (77%) at 5 years, 15/22 (68%) at 10 years, 11/16 (69%) at 15 years, and 6/9 (67%) at 20 or more years. Two patients underwent early reoperation (2 and 5 years) for dysphagia due to incomplete myotomy. Three patients underwent esophagectomy (7, 19, and 23 years) and one patient underwent an antrectomy and Roux-en-Y diversion (23 years) for late-onset complications of reflux. Three of 13 group B patients had had multiple prior operations and had severe reflux damage at presentation and underwent immediate esophagectomy. Ten patients had one or more conservative operations in our hospital, and 4 of these eventually required esophagectomy for disabling reflux. Therefore, there were 10 patients (groups A+B) who underwent esophageal resection, all but 1 of whom had endoscopically documented reflux and 5 of whom had peptic strictures. Six of the 10 esophagectomies were performed more than 10 years (13 to 23 years) after the first operation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Achalasia in Down's syndrome.

Gastrointestinal disorders, including motor disorders of the esophagus, occur more frequently in patients with Down's syndrome than in the general population. We recently diagnosed achalasia in a man with Down's syndrome, an association reported only once before. Of the 643 patients with achalasia treated at our institution over a 30-year period (1962-1992), a total of three had Down's syndrome. We report their clinical, radiological, and manometric findings. Achalasia may be underdiagnosed in patients with Down's syndrome because their intellectual impairment may interfere with their ability to report symptoms adequately. All three patients responded well to conventional treatment.

Staging of the mediastinum. Role of mediastinoscopy and computed tomography.

During the 1940s and 1950s, as many as 50% of thoracotomies identified nonresectable tumors. At present, better than 90% of patients undergoing thoracotomy for presumably resectable lung cancer are found to have operable tumors. This improvement is the result of major advances in the preoperative staging of this disease. Mediastinoscopy and computed tomography (CT) are the most valuable techniques for evaluating the mediastinum in patients with primary cancer of the lung. For each modality, the primary objective is to define the presence or absence of spread to mediastinal lymph nodes. In patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, surgical resection remains the treatment of choice so long as all recognizable tumor can be removed at operation. Both mediastinoscopy and CT provide critical information concerning the potential for a complete resection. Computed tomography remains the most effective noninvasive technique for the evaluation of mediastinal nodes.

Subglottic tracheal resection and synchronous laryngeal reconstruction.

Postintubation injury of the upper airway commonly results in stenotic lesions of the larynx, subglottis, and adjacent trachea. The traditional approach to surgical correction is laryngofissure for the laryngeal component and staged plastic reconstruction of the subglottic stenosis. Reported results are variable and unpredictable, and permanent extubation is impossible in a significant number of patients. We report experience with 15 patients with combined laryngeal, subglottic, and tracheal stenosis who were managed by a one-stage operation: circumferential resection of the subglottis and trachea with primary thyrotracheal anastomosis, combined with laryngofissure and laryngeal reconstruction. These procedures required the collaboration of the Departments of Otolaryngology and Thoracic Surgery of the Toronto General Hospital. Between 1972 and 1991, our thoracic surgical division did 53 circumferential subglottic tracheal resections with primary thyrotracheal anastomosis for benign disease. There were no operative deaths and 51 of 53 patients were successfully extubated. In 15 of these patients, a concomitant laryngofissure for laryngeal reconstruction was required. Laryngeal repair included excision or incision of interarytenoid scar (n = 13), interarytenoid mucosal graft (n = 6), or mobilization of cricoarytenoid joint (n = 3). A temporary laryngotracheal stent (usually a Montgomery T tube) was maintained after the operation in all cases (duration 3 to 42 months). Thirteen of these 15 patients are now permanently extubated and none has functionally significant restenosis. Vocal function is satisfactory to good in these patients. The approach described for these combined laryngotracheal lesions provides better results than those reported with traditional staged and plastic techniques of reconstruction. The collaboration of the departments of otolaryngology and thoracic surgery was essential to achieve these results.