[Surgical Therapy of Acquired Unilateral Diaphragmatic Paralysis: Indication and Results]. / Chirurgische Therapie bei erworbener einseitiger Zwerchfelllähmung: Indikation und Ergebnisse.

Unilateral elevation of the diaphragm may be due to various causes and requires further elucidation when the aetiology is unknown. Elevation of the diaphragm is often caused by diaphragmatic paralysis, either due to damage to the phrenic nerve or to the phrenic muscle. Patients typically complain of increased respiratory distress when lying down, bending or swimming. Basic diagnostic testing consists of a chest X-ray, as well as spirometry and computer tomography of the neck and chest. In many cases, no cause can be identified for the diaphragmatic paralysis. In symptomatic patients, diaphragm plication leads to fixation and thus to a reduction in the paradoxal respiratory movement of the paralysed diaphragm. In a large majority of studies, this results in significant and lasting improvement in vital capacity and respiratory distress. Spontaneous recovery of diaphragm paralysis is possible, even after several months, so a waiting period of at least 6 months should elapse before diaphragmatic plication is performed, if the clinical situation allows. The procedure can be performed minimally invasively, with low morbidity and mortality. When cutting the phrenic nerve, a nerve suture is recommended, if possible, or otherwise diaphragm plication during the procedure, especially in the case of pneumonectomy. This review provides an overview of the causes, pathophysiology, symptoms, diagnosis, therapy and results of diaphragmatic plication in acquired, unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis in adults, and suggests an algorithm for diagnostic testing and therapy.

[Mediastinitis: Clinical Presentation and Therapy]. / Mediastinitis: Klinik und Behandlungsoptionen.

Acute infection of the mediastinum remains a condition with high morbidity and lethality rates. The manifestation and course of the illness vary widely depending on the cause of infection. Lack of knowledge or awareness of the illness and mostly unspecific clinical symptoms often delay diagnosis and thereby the start of adequate therapy. Computed tomography (CT) of the neck and thorax is the method of choice for diagnostics and control of therapeutic success. An early diagnosis with immediate surgical debridement and drainage of all infected tissue compartments, as well as strict sepsis therapy, are decisive for the prognosis.

[Lung cancer: is surgery an option for persisting N2 after induction therapy?]. / Lungenkarzinom: Gibt es eine Indikation zur Resektion bei persistierendem N2 nach neoadjuvanter Chemotherapie?

BACKGROUND: Induction chemotherapy followed by surgical resection has been a treatment option for stage IIIA3 N2 non-small cell lung cancer since publication of some small randomised trials during the 1990s. Later on other studies suggested a poor prognosis in cases of persistent N2 disease, so surgical treatment for these patients was not recommended. This study analyses the outcome of patients with persisting N2 disease and tries to identify prognostic parameters within that group of patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study with 50 patients after induction therapy for stage IIIA N2 NSCLC. We analysed the influence of the postoperative lymph node involvement as well as the number of involved lymph nodes on the overall survival. RESULTS: 50 patients with potentially resectable stage IIIA N2 were included in the analysis. In 25 cases (50 %) a persisting N2 remained after induction therapy with cisplatin/gemcitabine, 11 patients had a mediastinal downstaging. 14 patients did not qualify for surgery because of disease progression or comorbidities. The resection consisted in 29 cases of a lobectomy or bilobectomy; two times pneumonectomy was necessary and 4 segmentectomies and one atypical resection were performed. The median survival of patients with persisting N2 (ypN2) was 14.6 months, if mediastinal downstaging was achieved (ypN0/1) it was 22.3 months (p = 0.172). The number of involved mediastinal lymph nodes was a significant prognostic factor. If less than 6 lymph nodes were involved the mean survival was 17.5 months, while it was 8.6 months in patients with more than 6 involved lymph nodes (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The median survival for patients with persisting N2 disease is less favourable compared to patients with mediastinal downstaging. However, the long-term survival for patients with less than 6 involved lymph nodes is 17.5 months. Therefore surgical resection for these patients seems to be justified. After induction therapy a rigorous restaging should be performed to rule out persisting multilevel N2 disease.