Clinical Outcomes of Surgical Treatment for Primary Chest Wall Soft Tissue Sarcoma

BACKGROUND@#This study investigated the clinical outcomes of surgical treatment of primary chest wall soft tissue sarcoma (CW-STS).@*METHODS@#Thirty-one patients who underwent surgery for CW-STS between 2000 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. The disease-free and overall survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and prognostic factors were analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards model.@*RESULTS@#The median follow-up duration was 65.6 months. The most common histologic type of tumor was malignant fibrous histiocytoma (29%). The resection extended to the soft tissue in 14 patients, while it reached full thickness in 17 patients. Complete resection was achieved in 27 patients (87.1%). There were 5 cases of local recurrence, 3 cases of distant metastasis, and 5 cases of combined recurrence. The 5-year disease-free rate was 49%. Univariate analysis indicated that incomplete resection (p<0.001) and stage (p=0.062) were possible risk factors for recurrence. Multivariate analysis determined that incomplete resection (p=0.013) and stage (p=0.05) were significantly associated with recurrence. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 86.8% and 64.3%, respectively. No prognostic factor for survival was identified.@*CONCLUSION@#Long-term primary CW-STS surgery outcomes were found to be favorable. Incomplete microscopic resection and stage were risk factors for recurrence.

Clinical Outcomes of Surgical Treatment for Primary Chest Wall Soft Tissue Sarcoma / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the clinical outcomes of surgical treatment of primary chest wall soft tissue sarcoma (CW-STS). METHODS: Thirty-one patients who underwent surgery for CW-STS between 2000 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. The disease-free and overall survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and prognostic factors were analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 65.6 months. The most common histologic type of tumor was malignant fibrous histiocytoma (29%). The resection extended to the soft tissue in 14 patients, while it reached full thickness in 17 patients. Complete resection was achieved in 27 patients (87.1%). There were 5 cases of local recurrence, 3 cases of distant metastasis, and 5 cases of combined recurrence. The 5-year disease-free rate was 49%. Univariate analysis indicated that incomplete resection (p<0.001) and stage (p=0.062) were possible risk factors for recurrence. Multivariate analysis determined that incomplete resection (p=0.013) and stage (p=0.05) were significantly associated with recurrence. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 86.8% and 64.3%, respectively. No prognostic factor for survival was identified. CONCLUSION: Long-term primary CW-STS surgery outcomes were found to be favorable. Incomplete microscopic resection and stage were risk factors for recurrence.

Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery versus Conventional Median Sternotomy for Atrial Septal Defect Closure

BACKGROUND: Median sternotomy is the standard approach for atrial septal defect (ASD) closure. However, minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) has been introduced at many centers in adult/grown-up congenital heart patients. We retrospectively reviewed the results of right anterolateral thoracotomy compared with conventional median sternotomy (CMS) for ASD closure at Seoul National University Hospital. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 60 adult patients who underwent isolated ASD closure from January 2004 to December 2013 (42 in the CMS group, 18 in the MICS group). Preoperative, operative, and postoperative data were collected and compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The MICS group was younger (44.6 years vs. 32.4 years, p=0.002) and included more females (66.7% vs. 94.4%, p=0.025) than the CMS group. Operation time (188.4 minutes vs. 286.7 minutes, p<0.001), cardiopulmonary bypass time (72.7 minutes vs. 125.8 minutes, p<0.001), and aortic cross-clamp time (25.5 minutes vs. 45.6 minutes, p<0.001) were significantly longer in the MICS group. However, there were no significant differences in morbidity and mortality between groups. Only chest tube drainage in the first 24 hours (627.1 mL vs. 306.1 mL, p<0.001) exhibited a significant difference. CONCLUSION: MICS via right anterolateral thoracotomy is an alternative choice for ASD closure. The results demonstrated similar morbidity and mortality between groups, and favored MICS in chest tube drainage in the first 24 hours.

An Unusual Presentation of Schwannoma in the Interatrial Space

We report the case of a 69-year-old woman who was diagnosed with intracardiac schwannoma without symptoms. Preoperative echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass attached to the interatrial septum. The initial diagnosis was a myxoma or a bronchogenic cyst. The tumor was successfully excised under cardiopulmonary bypass. However, the pathology of the excised tumor was consistent with schwannoma. We suggest that cardiovascular surgeons consider schwannoma to be a possible differential diagnosis for a mass close to the interatrial septum.

Isolated Congenital Left Ventricular Diverticulum in Adults

Isolated congenital left ventricular diverticulum is a rare cardiac malformation. Here, we report the case of a 33-year-old woman who had suffered from recurrent transient ischemic attacks for 6 years. Preoperative cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography angiography revealed a diverticulum near the apex. The diverticulum was successfully obliterated by cardiopulmonary bypass. We suggest that isolated congenital left ventricular diverticulum can be easily corrected with a low surgical risk by patch repair and plication techniques.