Clinical application of Mimics software system to three-dimensional reconstruction to guide thoracoscopic anatomic pulmonary segmentectomy / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To investigate the clinical effect of 3D computed tomography bronchial bronchography and angiography (3D-CTBA) and guidance of thoracoscopic anatomic pulmonary segmentectomy by Mimics software system. Methods    A retrospective analysis was performed on patients who underwent thoracoscopic segmentectomy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University from June 2020 to December 2022. The patients who underwent preoperative 3D-CTBA using Materiaise's interactive medical image control system (Mimics) were selected as an observation group, and the patients who did not receive 3D-CTBA were selected as a control group. The relevant clinical indicators were compared between the two groups. Results    A total of 59 patients were included, including 29 males and 30 females, aged 25-79 years. There were 37 patients in the observation group, and 22 patients in the control group. The operation time (163.0±48.7 min vs. 188.8±43.0 min, P=0.044), intraoperative blood loss [10.0 (10.0, 20.0) mL vs. 20.0 (20.0, 35.0) mL, P<0.001], and preoperative puncture localization rate (5.4% vs. 31.8%, P=0.019) in the observation group were better than those in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in the thoracic tube placement time, thoracic fluid drainage volume, number of intraoperative closure nail bin, postoperative hospital stay, or postoperative air leakage incidence (P>0.05) between the two groups. Conclusion    For patients who need to undergo anatomical pulmonary segmentectomy, using Mimics software to produce 3D-CTBA before surgery can help accurately identify pulmonary arteriovenous anatomy, reduce surgical time and intraoperative blood loss, help to determine the location of nodules and reduce invasive localization before surgery, and alleviate patients' pain, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Red neural artificial para predecir factores de riesgo asociados a complicaciones postoperatorias secundarias al tratamiento del neumotórax / Artificial neural network to predict risk factors associated with postoperative complications secondary to pneumothorax treatment

Introducción. Debido a la ausencia de modelos predictivos estadísticamente significativos enfocados a las complicaciones postoperatorias en el manejo quirúrgico del neumotórax, desarrollamos un modelo, utilizando redes neurales, que identifica las variables independientes y su importancia para reducir la incidencia de complicaciones. Métodos. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo en un centro asistencial, donde se incluyeron 106 pacientes que requirieron manejo quirúrgico de neumotórax. Todos fueron operados por el mismo cirujano. Se desarrolló una red neural artificial para manejo de datos con muestras limitadas; se optimizaron los datos y cada algoritmo fue evaluado de forma independiente y mediante validación cruzada, para obtener el menor error posible y la mayor precisión con el menor tiempo de respuesta. Resultados. Las variables de mayor importancia según su peso en el sistema de decisión de la red neural (área bajo la curva 0,991) fueron el abordaje por toracoscopia video asistida (OR 1,131), el uso de pleurodesis con talco (OR 0,994) y el uso de autosuturas (OR 0,792; p<0,05). Discusión. En nuestro estudio, los principales predictores independientes asociados a mayor riesgo de complicaciones fueron el neumotórax de etiología secundaria y el neumotórax recurrente. Adicionalmente, confirmamos que las variables asociadas a reducción de riesgo de complicaciones postoperatorias tuvieron significancia estadística. Conclusión. Identificamos la toracoscopia video asistida, el uso de autosuturas y la pleurodesis con talco como posibles variables asociadas a menor riesgo de complicaciones. Se plantea la posibilidad de desarrollar una herramienta que facilite y apoye la toma de decisiones, por lo cual es necesaria la validación externa en estudios prospectivos

Introduction. Due to the absence of statistically significant predictive models focused on postoperative complications in the surgical management of pneumothorax, we developed a model using neural networks that identify the independent variables and their importance in reducing the incidence of postoperative complications. Methods. A retrospective single-center study was carried out, where 106 patients who required surgical management of pneumothorax were included. All patients were operated by the same surgeon. An artificial neural network was developed to manage data with limited samples. The data is optimized and each algorithm is evaluated independently and through cross-validation to obtain the lowest possible error and the highest precision with the shortest response time. Results. The most important variables according to their weight in the decision system of the neural network (AUC 0.991) were the approach via video-assisted thoracoscopy (OR 1.131), use of pleurodesis with powder talcum (OR 0.994) and use of autosutures (OR 0.792, p<0.05). Discussion. In our study, the main independent predictors associated with a higher risk of complications are pneumothorax of secondary etiology and recurrent pneumothorax. Additionally, we confirm that the variables associated with a reduction in the risk of postoperative complications have statistical significance. Conclusion. We identify video-assisted thoracoscopy, use of autosuture and powder talcum pleurodesis as possible variables associated with a lower risk of complications and raise the possibility of developing a tool that facilitates and supports decision-making, for which external validation in prospective studies is necessary

Lobectomías pulmonares en Colombia: una caracterización demográfica y clínico-patológica / Pulmonary lobectomies in Colombia: a demographic and clinicopathological characterization

Introducción. La lobectomía pulmonar es uno de los procedimientos más frecuentes en la cirugía torácica en Colombia y a nivel mundial. El objetivo de este estudio fue proporcionar información sobre el comportamiento clínico de los individuos sometidos a este tipo de cirugías. Métodos. Estudio observacional retrospectivo en un Hospital Universitario de Cali, Colombia, que incluyó todos los pacientes sometidos a lobectomía pulmonar, por causas benignas o malignas, entre los años 2010 y 2020. La información se extrajo del registro institucional de cirugía de tórax, obteniendo datos demográficos, clínicos y patológicos. Resultados. Se evaluaron los registros clínicos de 207 individuos. El 55,5 % eran mujeres, la edad promedio fue 58 años y el 41 % tuvieron antecedente de tabaquismo. En el 51,6 % de los casos se diagnosticaron neoplasias, de las cuales el 47,8 % eran primarias de pulmón, siendo el adenocarcinoma el subtipo más común. Las enfermedades benignas no tumorales representaron el 48,3 % de los casos y la causa más frecuente fueron las infecciones, dentro de las que se incluyeron 17 casos de tuberculosis pulmonar. La técnica más frecuente fue la cirugía toracoscópica video asistida (82,6 %). Presentaron un porcentaje de reintervención del 5,8 %, 10,6 % de complicaciones severas y una mortalidad hospitalaria del 4,3 %. Conclusión. La población evaluada muestra una carga alta de comorbilidades y riesgo operatorio elevado; de forma consecuente, al compararla con otras series internacionales, se encontró un porcentaje mayor de complicaciones perioperatorias y mortalidad.

Introduction. The pulmonary lobectomies is one of the most common procedures in thoracic surgery in Colombia and worldwide. The objective of this study is to provide information on the clinical behavior of individuals who underwent this type of surgeries. Methods. Retrospective observational study at a University Hospital in Cali, Colombia, including all individuals who had pulmonary lobectomies, between the years 2010 to 2020 for benign and malignant causes. The information was extracted from the institutional registry of thoracic surgery, obtaining demographic, clinical and pathological data. Results. The clinical records of 207 individuals were evaluated, 55.5% were women, the average age was 58 years, and 41% had a history of smoking. Of these cases, 51.6% were diagnosed with neoplasms, of which 47.8% were primary lung neoplasms, with adenocarcinoma being the most common subtype. As for benign diseases, they represented 48.3% of the cases and the most frequent cause was infections, including 17 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. The most frequent technique was video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in 82.6%, with a reoperation rate of 5.8%, up to 10.6% of severe complications, a median hospital stay of 6 days, and a hospital mortality of 4.3%.Conclusion. The population evaluated shows a high burden of comorbidities and high operative risk; consequently, when compared with other international series, it shows a higher percentage of perioperative complications, hospital stay, and mortality.

Total Thoracoscopic Surgery for Late Mitral Paravalvular Leakage Repair in A Beating Heart

Abstract Paravalvular leakage (PVL) after mitral valve replacement is a troublesome complication that may lead to severe symptoms and reoperation. Previous case reports on total thoracoscopic cardiac surgery without aortic cross-clamping for repairing late PVL are rare. We describe a 64-year-old man who had undergone aortic and mitral valve replacement via median sternotomy eight years earlier, and who recently developed cardiac failure due to severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and PVL in the posterior mitral annulus. During total thoracoscopic surgery with using the beating heart technique, direct closure of the PVL was achieved via pledgeted mattress sutures, and tricuspid valvuloplasty was routinely performed to treat TR. This case indicated that total thoracoscopic surgery on a beating heart may be an excellent option for treating PVL concomitant with TR.

Thoracoscopic combined subsegmentectomy for 76 patients: A retrospective study in a single center / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To summarize the clinical experience of thoracoscopic combined subsegmentectomy (CSS). Methods    The clinical data of 76 patients who underwent thoracoscopic CSS in Anqing Municipal Hospital from May 2018 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 22 males and 54 females, aged 27.0-76.0 (54.3±10.5) years. All patients underwent preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography using dual source CT. The modified inflation-deflation technique or indocyanine green was used to identify the intersubsegmental border. Results    A total of 86 pulmonary nodules were resected in 76 patients. One patient of left upper lobe S1+2c+S4a, 1 patient of right upper lobe S2b+S3a and 1 patient of right upper lobe S1b+S3b were further performed lobectomy due to insufficient margin. One patient of left upper lobe S1+2+S3a was further performed left upper division segmentectomy due to residual atelectasis. One patient of left upper lobe S1+2c+S3a was further performed left upper division segmentectomy due to B3b+c injury, and the rest completed planned surgeries successfully. The operative time was 90.0-350.0 (174.9±53.2) min. The operative hemorrhage volume was 50.0 (20.0, 50.0) mL. The postoperative hospital stay time was 6.0 (5.0, 7.0) d. Postoperative complications included pulmonary infection in 9 patients, hemoptysis in 3 patients, persistent pulmonary leakage>3 d in 4 patients, pneumothorax in 1 patient, pleural effusion in 1 patient, and myocardial infarction in 1 patient. All of the patients were cured and discharged without perioperative death. Conclusion    Thoracoscopic CSS is relatively complex. Preoperative planning under three-dimensional reconstruction and intraoperative fine operation are helpful for safe completion.

Clinical Prediction of Lung Cancer Complicated with Pulmonary Infection After Thoracoscopic Surgery Based on Nomogram Model / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To analyze the risk factors of lung cancer patients complicated with pulmonary infection after thoracoscopic surgery and establish a predictive nomogram model. Methods A total of 315 patients with primary lung cancer who had undergone thoracoscopic surgery from January 2018 to October 2021 in our hospital were divided into two groups according to the incidence of pulmonary infection. Two groups of clinical data were collected for single-factor and regression analyses, and independent predictors were obtained. On this basis, a risk model was constructed and its predictive effectiveness was evaluated. Results The independent risk factors of lung cancer patients complicated with pulmonary infection after thoracoscopic radical operation were as follows: age≥62.5 years, smoking index≥100, PEF≤72.1 ml/s, TNM stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ, and operation time≥188.5 min (P < 0.05). Based on the above factors, the risk model of the column chart was established. Model-verification results showed that the C-index of the model was 0.909, and the correction curve showed that the column chart model had good differentiation and consistency. Conclusion Lung cancer patients' age, smoking index, TNM stage, PEF, and operation time are closely related to pulmonary infection after thoracoscopic radical operation. The nomogram model is useful for identifying high-risk patients and reducing postoperative complications.

Application of Three-dimensional Computed Tomography Bronchography and Angiography Combined with Perfusion Area Identification Technique in Uniport Thoracoscopic Complex Segmentectomy / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#With the extensive application of segmental lung resection in the treatment of early-stage lung cancer, how to complete segmentectomy more accurately and minimally invasively has become a research hotspot. The aim of this study is to explore the application of three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography (3D-CTBA) combined with perfusion area recognition technique in single-hole thoracoscopic complex segmentectomy.@*METHODS@#From January 2021 to January 2022, the clinical data of 112 consecutive patients undergoing single-port thoracoscopic complex segmentectomy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. The three-dimensional reconstruction combined with perfusion area identification technique was used to perform the operation and the clinical data were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The average operation time was (141.1±35.4) min; the initial time of intersegmental plane display was (12.5±1.7) s; the maintenance time of intersegmental plane was (114.3±10.9) s; the intersegmental plane was clearly displayed (100%); the amount of bleeding was [10 (10, 20)] mL; the total postoperative drainage volume was (380.5±139.7) mL; the postoperative extubation time was (3.9±1.2) d; and the postoperative hospitalization time was (5.2±1.6) d. Postoperative complications occurred in 8 cases.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The advantages of 3D-CTBA combined with perfusion area recognition technique are fast, accurate and safe in identifying intersegmental boundary in single-port thoracoscopic complex segmentectomy, which could provide guidances for accuratding resection of tumors, shortening operation time and reducing surgical complications.

Endometriosis pleuropulmonar y neumotórax catamenial asociado: reporte de caso / Pleuropulmonary endometriosis and associated catamenial pneumothorax:A case report

Resumen ANTECEDENTES: El tórax es la localización extrapélvica más frecuente de la endometriosis; esto sin que su incidencia se haya determinado con estudios suficientes. Tampoco se ha establecido del todo su fisiopatología, pero aun así se han planteado diversas teorías. El neumotórax catamenial es una de las posibles manifestaciones que hacen complejo establecer el diagnóstico e indicar un tratamiento. CASO CLÍNICO: Paciente de 31 años, con antecedente de neumotórax espontáneo a repetición, que acudió a consulta debido a disnea y dolor torácico de un mes de evolución. La radiografía de tórax evidenció el neumotórax del 50% en la parte derecha y la necesidad de la toracostomía. Puesto que los episodios de neumotórax ocurrían en fase catamenial, pero sin poder establecer una causa clara del cuadro clínico, se procedió a la toracoscopia diagnóstica con toma de muestra para estudio histopatológico. Durante el procedimiento se detectaron múltiples lesiones pseudonodulares, de aspecto inflamatorio crónico a nivel pleural y del parénquima pulmonar. El reporte histopatológico fue compatible con endometriosis pleuropulmonar; se le indicó terapia hormonal. Ante la evolución clínica satisfactoria y posoperatorio sin complicaciones la paciente fue dada de alta del hospital. CONCLUSIÓN: El neumotórax catamenial, como consecuencia de una endometriosis pleuropulmonar, es un diagnóstico realmente excepcional y su sospecha debe vincularse con el ciclo menstrual. La atención médica de las pacientes con este diagnóstico debe ser interdisciplinaria, no solo por las estrategias diagnósticas sino por la complejidad del tratamiento y su seguimiento. El tratamiento de elección suele requerir intervenciones quirúrgicas, sumadas a la indicación de la medicación hormonal para prevenir recurrencias, con tasas de éxito favorables. Están pendientes los estudios que establezcan la respuesta del tejido endometrial ectópico torácico al tratamiento médico.

Abstract BACKGROUND: The thorax is the most frequent extrapelvic location of endometriosis, although its incidence has not been sufficiently studied. Its pathophysiology has not been fully established, but several theories have been put forward. Catamenial pneumothorax is one of the possible manifestations that make it difficult to establish the diagnosis and indicate treatment. CLINICAL CASE: A 31-year-old female patient, with a history of repeated spontaneous pneumothorax, presented for consultation due to dyspnea and chest pain of one month of evolution. Chest X-ray showed a 50% pneumothorax on the right side and the need for thoracostomy. Since the episodes of pneumothorax occurred in catamenial phase, but without being able to establish a clear cause of the clinical picture, diagnostic thoracoscopy with sampling for histopathological study was performed. During the procedure multiple pseudonodular lesions of chronic inflammatory aspect were detected at pleural and lung parenchyma level. The histopathological report was compatible with pleuropulmonary endometriosis; hormonal therapy was indicated. Given the satisfactory clinical evolution and postoperative course without complications, the patient was discharged from the hospital. CONCLUSION: Catamenial pneumothorax, as a consequence of pleuropulmonary endometriosis, is a truly exceptional diagnosis and its suspicion should be linked to the menstrual cycle. The medical care of patients with this diagnosis should be interdisciplinary, not only because of the diagnostic strategies but also because of the complexity of the treatment and its follow-up. The treatment of choice usually requires surgical interventions, added to the indication of hormonal medication to prevent recurrences, with favorable success rates. Studies establishing the response of thoracic ectopic endometrial tissue to medical treatment are pending.

The Technology of Homogeneous Scar Tissue Creating as a Result of Ablation of the Atrial Wall with a Radiofrequency Bipolar Clamp: an Experimental and Clinical Study

ABSTRACT Introduction: The objective of this study was to develop a radiofrequency ablation technique to create a homogeneous scar tissue in the atrial myocardium. Methods: In the double-blinded morphological stage of the study, the left atrial appendage was used as an anatomical model to investigate the efficacy of one experimental and two conventional techniques to create ablation lines. Then, these lines were studied by morphologists. The clinical stage involved investigation of the outcomes of the developed technique for creation of ablation lines. During thoracoscopic radiofrequency fragmentation of the left atrium, all ablation lines were created using the experimental radiofrequency technique. Results: In all histological sections of ablation lines created using the criterion of "steady decrease in the time to transmurality", there were no intact (viable) cells, in contrast to the other two conventional methods, i.e., a homogeneous scar of the atrial wall. Investigation of clinical efficacy of this developed technique revealed recurrent atrial fibrillation only in six of 137 patients (4.4%) at median follow-up time of 36 (10; 58) months. None of the patients developed specific complications (wall perforation or bleeding). According to intracardiac mapping performed after the end of the blind period, the sources of atrial fibrillation in these six patients were outside the radiofrequency ablation zone (perimitral or in the right atrium). Conclusion: A steady decrease in the time to transmurality should be considered as the priority intraoperative criterion for the formation of a homogeneous scar during radiofrequency ablation of the left atrium wall using a bipolar ablation clamp.

Application of preoperative localization coupled with CT three-dimensional reconstruction in pulmonary nodule-centered uniportal thoracoscopic combined subsegmental/segmental resection / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To assess the clinical value of preoperative localization coupled with computed tomography (CT) three-dimensional reconstruction in pulmonary nodule-centered uniportal thoracoscopic combined subsegmental/segmental resection. Methods     The clinical data of 30 patients of combined subsegmental/segmental resection in our hospital from December 2019 to October 2021 were retrospectively collected. There were 19 males and 11 females with the mean age of 56.4 (32.0-71.0) years. The pulmonary nodules were located by CT-guided injection of glue before operation. The three-dimensional reconstruction image and operation planning were carried out by Mimics 21.0 software. Results    The operations were all successfully performed, and there was no conversion to open thoracotomy or lobectomy. The mean tumor diameter was 11.6±3.5 mm, the mean distance between the nodule and the visceral pleura was 13.6±5.6 mm, the mean width of the actual cutting edge was 25.0±6.5 mm, the mean operation time was 110.2±23.8 min, the mean number of lymph node dissection stations was 6.5±2.4, the mean amount of intraoperative bleeding was 50.8±20.3 mL, the mean retention time of thoracic catheter was 3.2±1.1 d, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.5± 1.7 d. There was 1 patient of subcutaneous emphysema, 1 patient of atrial fibrillation and 1 patient of blood in sputum. Conclusion     Preoperative CT-guided injection of medical glue combined with CT three-dimensional reconstruction of pulmonary bronchus and blood vessels is safe and feasible in pulmonary nodule-centered uniportal thoracoscopic  combined subsegmental/segmental resection, which ensures the surgical margin and reserves lung tissues.

Da Vinci robotic versus thoracoscopic surgery via subxiphoid approach for treatment of anterior mediastinal tumor: A retrospective cohort study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To compare the effects of anterior mediastinal tumor resection by the Da Vinci robot and video-assisted thoracoscopy via subxiphoid approach. Methods     A retrospective cohort study was conducted to continuously enroll patients who underwent anterior mediastinal tumor resection between 2020 and 2021 in our department. They were divided into a robotic group and a subxiphoid thoracoscopic group. The differences of general indexes (intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, postoperative catheterization time, postoperative hospital stay), postoperative pain visual analogue scale (VAS), perioperative declining levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum prealbumin and serum albumin were compared and analyzed. Results     A total of 113 patients were enrolled. There were 76 patients in the robotic group (46 males and 30 females, median age of 50 years) and 37 patients in the subxiphoid thoracoscopic group (21 males and 16 females, median age of 51 years). Intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, postoperative catheterization time and postoperative hospital stay of the robotic group were better than those in the subxiphoid thoracoscopic group (P<0.05). The postoperative VAS scores in the robotic group were lower than those in the subxiphoid thoracoscopic group, but there was no statistical difference (P>0.05). Perioperative declining levels of hemoglobin, and hematocrit were not statistically different between the two groups (P>0.05). Declining levels of serum prealbumin, and serum albumin in the robotic group were lower than those in the subxiphoid thoracoscopic group (P<0.05). Conclusion     Da Vinci robotic and subxiphoid video-assisted thoracoscopic surgeries for the treatment of anterior mediastinal tumors are both safe and reliable, with short postoperative hospital stay, mild postoperative pain and quick recovery. Da Vinci robot surgery has a slight advantage in the treatment outcome.

A case report of stage Ⅲ silicosis complicated by pulmonary tuberculosis and secondary pneumothorax treated with minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery / 中国职业医学

Objective To analyze the feasibility of using minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery to treat stage Ⅲ silicosis complicated by pulmonary tuberculosis and secondary pneumothorax. Methods This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of a patient with stage Ⅲ silicosis complicated by pulmonary tuberculosis and secondary pneumothorax. Results The patient had stage Ⅲ silicosis complicated with active pulmonary tuberculosis for 1.5 years. In March 2021, a left-sided pneumothorax occurred and was conservatively treated with closed chest drainage. In April 2022, the patient was admitted with sudden frequent coughing and left-sided chest discomfort. Based on occupational history, dust exposure history, high-kilovolt anterior-posterior chest radiography, chest computed tomography, and sputum smear results, the diagnosis was "stage Ⅲ silicosis; active tuberculosis (positive for acid-fast bacilli in sputum smear); left-sided pleural effusion, pulmonary bulla rupture; secondary pneumothorax (recurrent tension type in left, encapsulated in right); left pleural adhesion". On the second day of admission, left-sided closed chest drainage was performed with poor outcome. On the fifth day of admission, minimally invasive thoracoscopic treatment was performed, including left lung volume reduction, pleural adhesion cauterization, and pleural fixation. Postoperative anti-inflammation, anti-tuberculosis, and symptomatic supportive treatments were administered. Due to the patient's severe underlying disease, wound healing was slow postoperatively, but no serious complications occurred. The pneumothorax completely absorbed and recovered in 17.0 days. Conclusion Minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery is an effective treatment for silicosis complicated with pulmonary tuberculosis and secondary pneumothorax, and it is worth promoting.

Efficacy and safety of robot-assisted thymectomy versus video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To evaluate the efficacy and safety of robot-assisted thymectomy (RATS) versus video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy (VATS). Methods    Web of Science, PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Wanfang, VIP and CNKI databases were searched by computer from inception to February 2022. Relevant literatures that compared the efficacy and safety of RATS with those of VATS were screened. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of included cohort studies, and Review Manager 5.4 software was utilized to perform a meta-analysis. Results    A total of 16 retrospective cohort studies were included, covering a total of 1 793 patients (874 patients in the RATS group and 919 patients in the VATS group). The NOS scores of the included studies were≥7 points. Meta-analysis results revealed that RATS had less intraoperative bleeding (MD=−22.45, 95%CI −34.16 to −10.73, P<0.001), less postoperative chest drainage (MD=−80.29, 95%CI −144.86 to −15.72, P=0.010), shorter postoperative drainage time (MD=−0.69, 95%CI −1.08 to −0.30, P<0.001), shorter postoperative hospital stay (MD=−1.14, 95%CI −1.55 to −0.72, P<0.001) and fewer conversion to thoractomy (OR=0.40, 95%CI 0.23 to 0.69, P=0.001) than VATS; whereas, the operative time (MD=8.37, 95%CI −1.21 to 17.96, P=0.090), incidence of postoperative myasthenia gravis (OR=0.85, 95%CI 0.52 to 1.40, P=0.530), overall postoperative complications rate (OR=0.80, 95%CI 0.42 to 1.50, P=0.480) and tumour size (MD=−0.18, 95%CI −0.38 to 0.03, P=0.090) were not statistically different between the two groups. Conclusion    In the aspects of intraoperative bleeding, postoperative chest drainage, postoperative drainage time, postoperative hospital stay and conversion to thoracotomy, RATS has unique advantages over the VATS.

Clinical efficacy of thoracoscopy-assisted modified Nuss procedure in children with pectus excavatum: A retrospective analysis in a single center / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To explore the clinical efficacy of thoracoscopy-assisted modified Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum (PE) in children. Methods    The clinical data of patients with PE who underwent thoracoscopy-assisted modified Nuss procedure from October 2013 to October 2020 in Daping Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results    A total of 86 patients were collected, including 79 males and 7 females with a mean age of 14.03±3.36 years. The operations were performed successfully in all patients without intraoperative cardiac vascular injury or perioperative death. The mean operation time was 87.30±33.45 min, bleeding volume was 19.94±14.60 mL, and the postoperative hospitalization stay time was 6.89±2.59 d. Early postoperative complications included 2 patients of pneumothorax, 2 patients of wound fat liquefaction and infection, 2 patients of bar flipping and displacement. One patient had bar displacement 1 year after the surgery. The total complication rate was 8.14%. All patients were followed up for 3-42 months. The bars were taken out about 36 months after the surgery. According to the evaluation criteria of orthopedic effect, 68 (79.07%) patients were excellent, 10 (11.63%) patients were good, 5 (5.81%) patients were moderate and 3 (3.49%) patients were poor. Conclusion    Minimally invasive and individualized shaping via the Nuss procedure for PE children is safe and convenient, with satisfied effect. It is worthy of popularization in the clinic.

Perioperative effects of da Vinci robot with totally no tube versus subxiphoid video-assisted thymectomy surgery for thymic tumors: A retrospective cohort study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of da Vinci robot with totally no tube (TNT) versus subxiphoid video-assisted thymectomy surgery (SVATS) in the treatment of thymic tumors. Methods     From 2019 to 2021, a retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with thymic tumor resection in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command. All patients underwent total thymectomy and mediastinal fat removal, and they were divided into a TNT group and a SVATS group according to the operation method. The intraoperative blood loss, conversion rate, postoperative visual analogue score (VAS), postoperative hospital stay time and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results     We finally included 435 patiets. There were 168 patients with 83 males and 85 females at an average age of 61.920±9.210 years in the TNT group and 267 patients with 147 males and 120 females at an average age of 61.460±8.119 years in the SVATS group. There was no death or postoperative myasthenic crisis in both groups. There was no statistical difference in postoperative hospital stay (1.540±0.500 d vs. 3.400±0.561 d, P=0.000), intraoperative blood loss (13.450±5.498 mL vs. 108.610±54.462 mL, P=0.000), postoperative 24 h VAS score (4.960±1.757 points vs. 3.600±1.708 points, P=0.000), or postoperative complication rate (3.0% vs. 11.6%, P=0.001). Conclusion     TNT is a more efficient, safe, and effective surgical approach for treating thymic tumors, which can shorten hospital stay time and reduce postoperative complications. However, SVATS can minimize postoperative pain.

Atrial septal defect with atrial fibrillation treated by one-stop radiofrequency ablation and transthoracic closure under total endoscopy: A case report / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Surgical treatment of atrial septal defect (ASD) mainly includes occlusion or repair under cardiopulmonary bypass. Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation includes transcatheter radiofrequency ablation or Maze surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. There are many treatments for ASD patients combined with atrial fibrillation, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. We reported an ASD patient combined with atrial fibrillation treated by totally endoscopic "one-stop" radiofrequency ablation and simultaneous transthoracic ASD occlusion of atrial fibrillation, with good postoperative results.

Eearly outcomes of totally thoracoscopic minimally invasive aortic valve and double valve replacement / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To summarize the early outcomes of totally thoracoscopic minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (AVR) and double valve replacement (DVR). Methods    The clinical data of patients who underwent totally thoracoscopic minimally invasive AVR or DVR in Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital from April 2020 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into an AVR group and a DVR group according to the surgical method, and the clinical data of the two groups were compared. Results    Finally 22 patients were enrolled, including 14 males and 8 females with an average age of 50.0±11.2 years at operation. Eight patients were degenerative disease, 8 were rheumatic heart disease combined with valvular disease, and 6 were bicuspid aortic valve. Out of the 22 patients, 16 underwent AVR alone, and 6 underwent DVR. All patients completed the operation successfully, and there was no death. Perivalvular leakage during surgery occurred in 2 patients. The average cardiopulmonary bypass time was 187.0±39.9 minutes, and aortic cross-clamping time was 117.0 (99.0, 158.0) minutes. Duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay was 9.5 (4.8, 18.3) hours and 41.0 (34.0, 64.0) hours, respectively. The volume of chest drainage at the first 24 hours after surgery was 214.0±124.6 mL, and the postoperative hospital stay was 5.5 (4.0, 8.3) days. The cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamping time in the DVR group were longer than those in the AVR group, and the volume of chest drainage at 24 hours after surgery was more than that in the AVR group, with a statistical difference (P<0.05). Echocardiography before hospital discharge showed paravalvular leakage in 1 patient. There was no death during follow-up of 5.9±3.0 months. Conclusion    The early outcome of totally thoracoscopic minimally invasive AVR and DVR is satisfactory, and the approach of surgery is worth exploring.

Application of ultrafine thoracic drainage tube for postoperative lung tumors after pulmonary uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical application of ultrafine thoracic drainage tube(Abel, 8FR, 20 cm) after pulmonary uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lung tumors.Methods:A total of 2 031 patients who doing lung tumor surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from May 2015 to July 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. According to the types of thoracic drainage tubes, they were divided into the ultrafine drainage tube group(1 026 cases) and the conventional drainage tube group(1 005 cases). The groups were compared in terms of postoperative thoracic drainage at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, postoperative hospital stay, drainage time, postoperative pain index at three days, postoperative analgesia times and postoperative complications.Results:There was no significant difference between two groups in terms of the postoperative thoracic drainage at 24h, 48h, 72h and drainage time( P>0.05). Notably, there were significant differences between two groups in terms of the postoperative hospital stay, postoperative pain index at three days, postoperative analgesia times and postoperative complications( P<0.05). Conclusion:The use of ultrafine thoracic drainage tube after lung tumor surgery is safe and reliable, can better postoperative drainage, achieve the purpose of relieving pain, speeding up postoperative rehabilitation, and convenient nursing, worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in preterm and low birth weight infants / 中华围产医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the treatment of preterm and low birth weight infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and to share the experience.Methods:This retrospective study enrolled 117 newborns with CDH who underwent major surgery at Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from May 1, 2011, to March 31, 2022. Based on gestational age and birth weight, the infants were divided into the preterm and/or low birth weight group (gestational age < 37 weeks and/or birth weight less than 2 500 g, n=41) and the control group (gestational age ≥ 37 weeks and birth weight ≥ 2 500 g, n=76). Furthermore, the preterm and/or low birth weight infants were divided into the thoracoscopic surgery subgroup ( n=31) and the open surgery subgroup ( n=10) according to the surgical approach. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using two independent sample t-tests, rank sum tests, Chi-square test, or Fisher's exact probability test. Results:Preoperative data showed that the Apgar scores at 1 min [7.0 (6.0-8.0) vs 9.0 (8.0-9.8), Z=－4.03] and 5 min [9.0 (8.0-10.0) vs 9.0 (9.0-10.0), Z=－2.13] of the preterm and/or low birth weight infants were both lower than those in the control group (both P<0.05), while the proportion of infants with moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension was higher [68.3% (28/41) vs 38.2% (29/76), χ 2=9.68, P<0.05]. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of the proportion of thoracoscopic surgery, operation time, right diaphragmatic hernia, presence of hernia sac, grading of the defect, presence of liver herniation, and application of mesh (all P>0.05). Regarding the postoperative outcomes, the death rate in the preterm and/or low birth weiht group was higher compared to the control group [36.6% (15/41) vs 13.2% (10/76), χ 2=8.70, P<0.05]. Additionally, the time required to resume full enteral nutrition after surgery was longer in the preterm and/or low birth weight group than that in the control group [25 d (18-29 d) vs 16 d (10-25 d), Z=2.31, P<0.05]. The thoracoscopic subgroup had a lower mortality compared to the open surgery subgroup [25.8% (8/31) vs 7/10, P<0.05]. The thoracoscopic surgery subgroup had a higher Apgar score at 1 min after birth [(7.4±1.6) vs (6.0±2.2), t=2.20, P<0.05], later age at operation (hours after birth) [31.0 h (23.0-48.0 h) vs 17.0 h (4.7-24.5 h), Z=2.57, P<0.05], a lower proportion of infants operated within 24 hours after birth [32.3% (10/31) vs 8/10, P<0.05], and longer duration of operation [170.0 min (122.0-200.0 min) vs 110.0 min (87.3-120.0 min), Z=3.65, P<0.05]. Conclusions:In this study, a higher mortality in the preterm and/or low birth weight group compared to the control group was observed, which may be attributed to the higher proportion of neonates with moderate-severe pulmonary hypertension. The thoracoscopic diaphragmatic repair can be attempted for preterm and low birth weight infants who have relatively stable respiratory and circulatory functions.

The effect of preoperative application of butorphanol tartrate on the quality of recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of preoperative application of butorphanol tartrate on postoperative recovery quality in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy.Methods:A prospective selection was conducted on 96 lung cancer patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy and were admitted to Linyi People′s Hospital from May 2021 to September 2021. They were randomly divided into observation group and control group using a random table number method, with 48 patients in each group. The observation group received intravenous injection of 0.02 mg/kg butorphanol tartrate 15 minutes before anesthesia induction; The control group was given an equal volume of physiological saline. The operation site, operation time, remifentanil dosage during operation, heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) at each time point of admission (T 0), intubation (T 1), 5 min after intubation (T 2), extubation (T 3), 5 min after extubation (T 4), and 15 min into post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) (T 5) were recorded; The awakening Restlessness score (RS), Ramsay score, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score at T 4 and T 5, the time required from completion to extubation, and postoperative anesthesia related adverse reactions were evaluated. Results:There was no significant difference in the operation site, operation time and remifentanil dosage between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with T 0, the HR at T 2, T 3 and T 4, MAP at T 1, T 2, T 3 and T 4 in the two groups decreased significantly (all P<0.05). The HR of the observation group at T 1 and T 3 was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). The VAS scores of T 4 and T 5 in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after surgery, while the Ramsay score were higher than those in the control group (all P<0.001). The incidence of postoperative restlessness, nausea and vomiting in the observation group was lower than that in the control group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Administering 0.02 mg/kg butorphanol tartrate 15 minutes before anesthesia induction can improve the quality of recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy, reduce restlessness and related adverse reactions during recovery.