Treatment of benign endobronchial tumors: when, how, and why. Insights, experiences, and interventional pulmonology strategies.

Benign endobronchial tumors are rare clinical entities characterized by considerable variability in etiology and clinical presentation. The authors report four cases of endobronchial hamartomas treated and followed up from 2018 to 2023. Three of these cases, with identical endobronchial localization in the right lower lobe, were radically treated in flexible bronchoscopy with the only use of biopsy forceps. Another case with a different localization in the left main bronchus was treated with a laser through rigid bronchoscopy. In addition, the authors outline the main interventional pulmonological strategies for the treatment of benign tumors with endobronchial growth based on the existing literature.

Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 Infection Screening before Thoracic Surgery during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Objectives: During coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, preoperative screening before thoracic surgery is paramount in order to protect patients and staff from undetected infections. This study aimed to determine which preoperative COVID-19 screening tool was the most effective strategy before thoracic surgery. Methods: This retrospective cohort multicenter study was performed at 3 Italian thoracic surgery centers. All adult patients scheduled for thoracic surgery procedures from 4th March until 24th April, 2020, and submitted to COVID-19 preoperative screenings were included. The primary outcome was the yield of screening of the different strategies. Results: A total of 430 screenings were performed on 275 patients; 275 anamnestic questionnaires were administered. 77 patients were screened by an anamnestic questionnaire and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). 78 patients were selected to combine screening with anamnestic questionnaire and chest computed tomography (CT). The positive yield of screening using a combination of anamnestic questionnaire and RT-PCR was 7.8% (95% CI: 2.6-14.3), while using a combination of anamnestic questionnaire and chest CT was 3.8% (95% CI: 0-9). Individual yields were 1.1% (95% CI: 0-2.5) for anamnestic questionnaire, 5.2% (95% CI: 1.3-11.7) for RT-PCR, and 3.8% (95% CI: 0-9). Conclusions: The association of anamnestic questionnaire and RT-PCR is able to detect around 8 positives in 100 asymptomatic patients. This combined strategy could be a valuable preoperative SARS-CoV-2 screening tool before thoracic surgery.

Comments on "The surgical approach of late-onset tracheoesophageal fistula in a tracheostomized COVID-19 patient".

Dear Editor, we have read with interest the case reported by Rotolo et al.  (published in February 2023 as Early Access) concerning the surgical management of tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) in a COVID-19 patient treated with prolonged mechanical ventilation for severe respiratory failure.

Persistent alveolar air leak following pulmonary lobectomy: an old problem in a modern era.

Persistent alveolar air leak (PAAL) after major lung resection remains a common complication in thoracic surgery. The aim of this study was to identify a subset of patients with high risk of developing PAAL after pulmonary lobectomy. Another objective was to evaluate the influence of PAAL on postoperative complications and length of hospital stay. A retrospective analysis on 895 patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy from January 2014 to December 2019 was performed. PAAL was defined as air leak lasting more than 5 days after lung surgery. Univariate analyses and logistic regressions were performed to identify the predictors of PAAL. A backward selection algorithm was used to identify the optimal set of predictors. The incidence of PAAL was 8.2% (74/895). Male gender (p=0.017), BMI (p<0.001), transient ischemic attack (p=0.031), FEV1 (p=0.018), lobectomy combined with adjacent subsegmentectomy (p=0.018), partial and extended pleural adhesions (p=0.033 and p=0.038, respectively) were identified as independent risk factors for PAAL through logistic regression. A weak positive correlation was found between video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and PAAL following pulmonary lobectomy (p=0.100). PAAL was found to be associated with higher risk of postoperative morbidity (p=0.002) and with longer hospital stay (p<0.001). Both preoperative and intraoperative risk factors may be responsible for PAAL after pulmonary lobectomy. VATS does not appear to prevent this postoperative complication. An alveolar air leak lasting beyond 5 days after pulmonary lobectomy is associated with worse postoperative outcomes.

Robotic-assisted Versus Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Lobectomy: Short-term Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial (RVlob Trial).

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether RAL affects perioperative outcomes and long-term efficacy in NSCLC patients, compared with traditional VAL. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: RAL is a promising treatment for NSCLC. However, its efficacy has not been fully evaluated. METHODS: A single-center, open-labeled prospective randomized clinical trial was launched in May 2017 to compare the efficacy of RAL and VAL. By May 2020, 320 patients were enrolled. The perioperative results of RAL and VAL were compared. RESULTS: The 320 enrolled patients were randomly assigned to the RAL group (n = 157) and the VAL group (n = 163). Perioperative outcomes were comparable between the 2 groups, including the length of hospital stay (P = 0.76) and the rate of postoperative complications (P = 0.45). No perioperative mortality occurred in either group. The total amount of chest tube drainage {830 mL [interquartile range (IQR), 550-1130 mL] vs 685 mL [IQR, 367.5-1160 mL], P = 0.007} and hospitalization costs [$12821 (IQR, $12145-$13924) vs $8009 (IQR, $7014-$9003), P < 0.001] were significantly higher in the RAL group. RAL group had a significantly higher number of LNs harvested [11 (IQR, 8-15) vs 10 (IQR, 8-13), P = 0.02], higher number of N1 LNs [6 (IQR, 4-8) vs 5 (IQR, 3-7), P = 0.005], and more LN stations examined [6 (IQR, 5-7) vs 5 (IQR, 4-6), P < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: Both RAL and VAL are safe and feasible for the treatment of NSCLC. RAL achieved similar perioperative outcomes, together with higher LN yield. Further follow-up investigations are required to evaluate the long-term efficacy of RAL. (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03134534).

Anomalous segmental pulmonary vein: additional V6 behind the bronchus intermedius draining into the superior pulmonary vein.

Anatomical variations of pulmonary venous drainage have been widely described in the literature in order to perform safe thoracic surgical procedures. We report a case of anomalous vein from the superior segment of the right lower lobe running in the posterior mediastinum and draining into the superior pulmonary vein. As the patient showed a usual right inferior pulmonary vein, formed by the union of the superior segment right lower lobe vein (V6) and the common basal vein joining the left atrium, the uncommon segmental pulmonary vein described was named: additional V6. It was identified preoperatively and recognized intraoperatively during thoracoscopic right lower lobectomy and lymph node dissection performed for lung cancer treatment. Diagnostic imaging and careful surgical dissection are helpful tools to avoid intraoperative bleeding and other complications during thoracic surgical procedures due to unrecognized vascular anomalies.

Alectinib rescue therapy in advanced ALK rearranged lung adenocarcinoma: a case report.

Alectinib is a highly selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) that is approved as first-line treatment in adult patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and as second-line in patients previously treated with crizotinib, and has been shown in the literature to significantly prolong progression-free survival compared to chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The authors describe a clinical case of a 24-year-old woman with malignant massive pleural effusion caused by ALK rearranged pulmonary adenocarcinoma with pleural and pericardial metastasis, in which, despite a dramatic clinical debut, the correct and timely management of the diagnostic and therapeutic path allowed for extraordinary therapeutic success.

Postoperative Bronchopleural Fistula: A Conservative Way of Treatment in Selected Cases.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative bronchopleural fistula represents a challenging issue for thoracic surgeons. The treatment options reported include bronchoscopic or surgical procedures but the method yielding the best results remains unclear. METHODS: In our thoracic surgery department, between January 2011 and June 2020, 11 patients treated conservatively for early bronchopleural fistula after lobectomy or bilobectomy were reviewed. The fistula size ranged between 2 and 3 mm and complete suture dehiscence. RESULTS: In all 11 patients favorable conditions such as clinical stability, complete expansion of the remaining lung, and resolution of the pleural infection allowed a successful conservative treatment with chest tube drainage. CONCLUSION: In selected cases, conservative management of early bronchopleural fistula after lobectomy or bilobectomy may be an alternative therapeutic option to bronchoscopic or surgical procedures, regardless of the fistula size.

How to avoid "en masse" lobectomy using VATS technique in presence of hilar fibrosis.

Perivascular fibrosis is technically one of the most challenging issue to manage during thoracoscopic lobectomy and it is associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic injury. Here we report a case of thoracoscopic right lower lobectomy performed with individual dissection of segmental arteries due to dense adventitial fibrosis around the right lower lobe pulmonary artery. This approach may be considered as an alternative to the so-called "en masse" lobectomy and a way to avoid conversion to thoracotomy.

Emergency rigid bronchoscopy in two lower social class patients with mirror like complete pulmonary malignant atelectasis.

Several factors as cultural factors and social class other than biological and genetic factor can affect symptom perception in patients with malignant airway obstruction. Poor perception of dyspnoea can result in the delayed seeking of medical care so increase access to intensive care due to impeding respiratory failure. In patients issued from malignant airway obstruction, therapeutic bronchoscopy procedure can not affect the endotracheal extubation although immediate airway patency can be obtained. We reported the outcome of two patients from lower social classes admitted in intensive care and underwent emergency rigid bronchoscopy for malignant complete pulmonary atelectasis.

Variations in the branching patterns of pulmonary artery during thoracoscopic pulmonary resection.

PURPOSE: The knowledge of variations in the branching patterns of pulmonary artery may have important clinical implications in the field of thoracic surgery. METHODS: At the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Monaldi Hospital in Naples, between January 2017 and December 2019, 569 anatomic pulmonary resections via video-assisted thoracic surgery, including lobectomy and segmentectomy, were performed. RESULTS: Among the 569 thoracoscopic pulmonary resections, 24 variations in the branching patterns of pulmonary artery were identified and documented. Anatomic variations on the left were more frequent than on the right. CONCLUSION: This paper, providing a summary of vascular anomalies identified during major lung resections, could help surgeons avoid intraoperative complications, especially during minimally invasive procedures where the visual field is more restricted than open surgery.

Common and Uncommon Variations of Pulmonary Venous Drainage in Patients Undergoing Thoracoscopic Lobectomy.

BACKGROUND: Variations in pulmonary venous anatomy should not be undermined by thoracic surgeons during procedures which involve the pulmonary veins. METHODS: We have identified vascular anomalies in 25 of 346 patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy at our Thoracic Surgery Unit, between December 2016 and November 2018. RESULTS: Some vascular anomalies described have not been reported in recent literature and include right V7 draining into the middle lobe pulmonary vein, accessory right V6 behind the bronchus intermedius, two V6 from the apical segment of left lower lobe, two V6 from the apical segment of right lower lobe, and one of them draining into the superior pulmonary vein. CONCLUSION: Thoracic surgeons should be aware of this type of anomalies because failure in the preoperative or intraoperative identification of the pulmonary venous variations may lead to serious complications.

Circumferential esophageal leiomyoma: Management by combined robotic surgery and intraoperative endoscopy.

Leiomyoma is the most common benign tumor of the esophagus. Open thoracotomy, the traditional approach adopted for the enucleation of the esophageal leiomyoma, over the years, has been gradually replaced by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. However, this minimally invasive approach has limitations, such as two-dimensional vision and reduced range of motion, which have recently been overcome by technical advantages of robot-assisted surgery. In the surgical management of circumferential esophageal leiomyoma, a combined use of robotic surgery and intraoperative endoscopy may be helpful to facilitate tumor enucleation and to prevent esophageal mucosal injury during the surgical procedure.

Transbronchial needle aspiration in severe cardiac failure patient: 'The old bull knows best'.

Conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (cTBNA) remains a basic technique that must be part of the bronchoscopists expertise. In cases where EBUS is not available, cTBNA must be kept in mind: 'the old bull knows best'.

The Overweight Paradox: Impact of Body Mass Index on Patients Undergoing VATS Lobectomy or Segmentectomy.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of BMI on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing VATS lobectomy or segmentectomy. Data from 5088 patients undergoing VATS lobectomy or segmentectomy, included in the VATS Group Italian Registry, were collected. BMI (kg/m2) was categorized according to the WHO classes: underweight, normal, overweight, obese. The effects of BMI on outcomes (complications, 30-days mortality, DFS and OS) were evaluated with a linear regression model, and with a logistic regression model for binary endpoints. In overweight and obese patients, operative time increased with BMI value. Operating room time increased by 5.54 minutes (S.E. = 1.57) in overweight patients, and 33.12 minutes (S.E. = 10.26) in obese patients (P < 0.001). Compared to the other BMI classes, overweight patients were at the lowest risk of pulmonary, acute cardiac, surgical, major, and overall postoperative complications. In the overweight range, a BMI increase from 25 to 29.9 did not significantly affect the length of stay, nor the risk of any complications, except for renal complications (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.07-2.24; P = 0.03), and it reduced the risk of prolonged air leak (OR: 0.8; 95% CI: 0.71-0.90; P < 0.001). 30-days mortality is higher in the underweight group compared to the others. We did not find any significant difference in DFS and OS. According to our results, obesity increases operating room time for VATS major lung resection. Overweight patients are at the lowest risk of pulmonary, acute cardiac, surgical, major, and overall postoperative complications following VATS resections. The risk of most postoperative complications progressively increases as the BMI deviates from the point at the lowest risk, towards both extremes of BMI values. Thirty days mortality is higher in the underweight group, with no differences in DFS and OS.

Post-Intubation Tracheoesophageal Fistula: Surgical Management by Complete Cervical Tracheal Transection.

We report successful surgical management of post-intubation tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) in an adult patient requiring long-term mechanical ventilation. A complete tracheal transection without tracheal resection, via an anterior cervical approach, followed by direct closure of tracheal and esophageal defect, and interposition of muscle flap between the suture lines and tracheal reconstruction was performed. In selected cases, this surgical procedure may be a viable alternative to traditional techniques used to treat post-intubation TEF via the anterior or lateral cervical approach.

Acquired Benign Tracheoesophageal Fistula: An Alternative Tracheoplastic Technique.

We present a case of surgical management of a tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) following prolonged intubation. After transverse tracheal division and retraction of the distal stump, direct closure of the esophageal defect and repair of the membranous tracheal defect using a synthetic bioabsorbable patch were performed, followed by interposition of muscle flap between the suture lines and tracheal reconstruction. Large TEFs, without tracheal stenosis or circumferential airway defect, associated with marked peritracheal inflammation, may be treated with this alternative tracheoplastic technique in patients deemed not suitable for tracheal resection and anastomosis.

Unusual Periaortic Mediastinal Recurrence of Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma: When Making Diagnosis Is Really Necessary.

We report an unusual mediastinal recurrence along descending thoracic aorta during oncologic follow-up in a 47-year-old female smoker issued by lung adenocarcinoma with a history of left lower lobectomy and lingulectomy en bloc followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III A-N2. Regional recurrence occurring along the staple line was suspected and endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) combined to PET/CT allowed to reach definitive tissue diagnosis. High focal hypermetabolic activity on PET/CT at the site of suspect recurrence was necessary to check the lesion sampling by EBUS-TBNA.

Factors Associated with Early Discharge after Thoracoscopic Lobectomy: Results from the Italian VATS Group Registry.

Objective. There are limited data for estimating the risk of early discharge following thoracoscopic lobectomy. The objective was to identify the factors associated with a short length of stay and verify the influence of these variables in uncomplicated patients. Methods. We reviewed all lobectomies reported to the Italian VATS Group between January 2014 and January 2020. Patients and perioperative characteristics were divided into two subgroups based on whether or not they met the target duration of stay (≤ or >4 days). The association between preoperative and intraoperative variables and postoperative length of stay (LOS) ≤4 days was assessed using a stepwise multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify factors independently associated with LOS and factors related to LOS in uncomplicated cases. Results. Among 10,240 cases who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy, 37.6% had a hospital stay ≤4 days. Variables associated with LOS included age, hospital surgical volume, Diffusion Lung CO % (81 [69−94] vs. 85 [73−98]), Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1) % (92 [79−106] vs. 96 [82−109]), operative time (180 [141−230] vs. 160 [125−195]), uniportal approach (571 [9%] vs. 713 [18.5%]), bioenergy sealer use, and pain control through intercostal block or opioids (p < 0.001). Except for FEV1 and blood loss, all other factors emerged significantly associated with LOS when the analysis was limited to uncomplicated patients. Conclusions. Demographic, clinical, and surgical variables are associated with early discharge after thoracoscopic lobectomy. This study indicates that these characteristics are associated with early discharge. This result can be used in association with clinical judgment to identify appropriate patients for fast-track protocols.

The long-term oncologic outcomes of robot-assisted bronchial single sleeve lobectomy for 104 consecutive patients with centrally located non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Up to now, no study has described the long-term survival and its prognostic factors of robot-assisted sleeve lobectomy. Here, the present cohort study reported the long-term oncologic outcomes of robot-assisted sleeve lobectomy to evaluate the oncological feasibility of sleeve lobectomy via a robotic surgical system in patients with centrally located non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: A total of 104 consecutive patients with centrally located NSCLC who underwent robot-assisted bronchial single sleeve lobectomy between October 2014 and May 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Bronchial single sleeve lobectomy only refers to the resection and end-to-end anastomosis reconstruction of the bronchus, without the resection of the pulmonary vessels or carina. The recurrence status during follow-up, 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were assessed. Results: In the total cohort, 47 (45.2%) patients had pathological stage I disease, 28 (26.9%) patients had pathological stage II disease, and 29 (27.9%) patients had pathological stage III disease. Recurrence occurred in 26 (25.0%) patients, including locoregional recurrence in 10 (9.6%) patients and distant recurrence in 16 (15.4%) patients. No endobronchial nor perianastomotic recurrence was detected. The Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that the 5-year DFS and OS rates in the cohort were 67.9% and 73.0%, respectively. In terms of pathological stages, the 5-year DFS and OS rates were 82.9% and 82.2% for stage I patients, 57.8% and 69.7% for stage II patients, and 54.5% and 63.7% for stage III patients, respectively. Multivariable analyses demonstrated that higher pathological stage or N2 stage were independent risk factors for poorer DFS and OS. Conclusions: Robot-assisted bronchial single sleeve lobectomy could be an oncologically adequate procedure for patients with centrally located NSCLC, due to the long-term survival was similar to that reported for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or open technique. Further studies of comparative studies or high-quality randomized controlled trials are required.