Research advances in thermal ablation for lung cancer / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Although surgical resection remains to be the best treatment strategy for stageⅠnon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), percutaneous thermal ablation offers an important option for patients who are unable to undergo surgical resection. Currently, there are three main thermal ablation methods used in the treatment of lung cancer, including radiofrequency ablation (RFA), microwave ablation (MWA) and argon-helium cryoablation (AHC). With the improvement of technique and the accumulation of experience in the treatment of lung cancer, some limitations are disclosed in the initial application of RFA, such as heat sink effect, skin burns and rapid carbonization. These shortcomings have been overcome in the development of MWA and AHC. The feasibility and safety of thermal ablation for the treatment of lung cancer has been demonstrated and its efficacy has been significantly improved (especially for the tumour diameter≤3 cm). This article will focus on the application and recent research developments of these ablation techniques in the treatment of lung cancer.

Clinical efficacy of different surgical approaches in the treatment of Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction: A retrospective cohort study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To compare the clinical efficacy of different surgical approaches for Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG). Methods    The clinical data of the patients with Siewert type Ⅱ AEG who received sugeries in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Gansu Provincial People's Hospital from August 2014 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical approach: a transabdominal group (transabdominal diaphragmatic esophageal hiatus approach) and a combined group (thoracoabdominal combined with right thoracic approach). Perioperative clinical data and postoperative follow-up data were collected to compare the short- and long-term efficacy of the two groups. Results     A total of 87 patients were enrolled. There were 48 patients (31 males and 17 females, with an average age of 60.85±8.47 years) in the transabdominal group, and 39 patients (25 males and 14 females, with an average age of 61.13±8.51 years) in the combined group. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in the baseline indicators such as gender, age, tumor size and stage (P>0.05). Compared with the combined group, the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative bed rest time, postoperative total drainage volume were shorter or less, and the visual analogue scale score on the 3rd day after surgery were lower in the transabdominal group (P<0.05). However, the total number of lymph nodes dissected, the number of thoracic lymph nodes dissected and the number of positive thoracic lymph nodes in the combined group were larger than those in the transabdominal group, and the differences were statistically significant (P=0.001). The median survival time in the combined group and transabdominal group was 25.85 months and 20.86 months, respectively. The 3-year overall survival rate of the combined group was higher than that of the transabdominal group (46.2% vs. 38.9%, χ2=5.995, P=0.014). However, there was no statistical difference between the two groups in the postoperative catheter time, esophageal and gastric resection margin distance, number of abdominal lymph nodes dissected, number of positive abdominal lymph nodes, or incidence of postoperative complications (P>0.05). Conclusion    For patients with Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction, thoracoabdominal combined with right thoracic approach is safe and effective, and has advantages in thoracic lymph node dissection, bringing more benefits to the patients, so it is recommended to be popularized in clinical practice.

Clinical efficacy of robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumour / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective To evaluate the short-term outcome of robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) for the treatment of posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumour. Methods The clinical data of consecutive patients with mediastinal neurogenic tumors who received RATS treatment completed by the same operator in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Gansu Provincial People's Hospital from June 2016 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The tumors were preoperatively localized and evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging or enhanced CT. Results A total of 35 patients were enrolled, including 19 males and 16 females with a mean age of 34.9±7.1 years. All patients successfully completed the resection of posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors under RATS, and no conversion to thoracotomy occurred during the operation. The average operative time was 62.3±18.0 min, docking time was 10.3±2.6 min, intraoperative bleeding was 33.9±21.6 mL, postoperative 24-hour chest drainage was 69.0±28.9 mL, postoperative chest drainage time was 2.0 (1.0, 3.0) d and the postoperative hospital stay was 3.0 (2.0, 4.0) d. Postoperative complications occurred in 3 patients, including 2 patients with transient Honor syndrome and 1 patient with transient anhidrosis of the affected upper limb. Conclusion RATS for posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumours is safe, effective and feasible, and allows the full benefit of the robotic surgical system to be exploited.

Short- and long-term effects of R4 versus R3+R4 endoscopic thoracic sympathicotomy for acrohyperhidrosis: A retrospective cohort study in a single center / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective To compare the short- and long-term effects of R4 versus R3+R4 endoscopic thoracic sympathicotomy (ETS) for acrohyperhidrosis. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with acrohyperhidrosis admitted to the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Gansu Provincial Hospital for surgical treatment from April 2014 to April 2021. The patients were divided into two groups according to the methods of ETS, including a R4 group and a R3+R4 group. Perioperative clinical data and postoperative follow-up data were collected to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of the two groups. Results A total of 155 eligible patients were included. There were 60 patients in the R4 group, including 23 males and 37 females, with a mean age of 22.55±2.74 years. There were 95 patients in the R3+R4 group, including 40 males and 55 females, with a mean age of 23.14±3.65 years. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in terms of baseline indicators such as gender, age and positive family history (P>0.05). Total operative time was 38.67±5.20 min in the R4 group and 40.05±5.18 min in the R3+R4 group; intraoperative bleeding was 7.25±3.25 mL in the R4 group and 7.95±3.90 mL in the R3+R4 group; postoperative hospital stay was 1.28±0.52 d in the R4 group and 1.38±0.57 d in the R3+R4 group, the differences between the two groups in the above indicators were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Postoperative hand hyperhidrosis symptoms were significantly relieved in both groups, and the complete remission rate was better in the R3+R4 group than that in the R4 group (98.0% vs. 93.3%), but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.358). The R3+R4 group was superior to the R4 group in terms of the relief of plantar hyperhidrosis symptoms, patient satisfaction and quality of life index at 6 months postoperatively (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the overall incidence of compensatory hyperhidrosis at 12 months postoperatively between the two groups (P=0.867), but the incidence of compensatory hyperhidrosis was higher in the R3+R4 group than that in the R4 group (72.6% vs. 70.0%). Conclusion The perioperative outcomes of R4 and R3+R4 ETS are similar, but R3+R4 ETS has a higher rate of symptomatic relief of acrohyperhidrosis, and patients have a better postoperative quality of life. R3+R4 ETS is a reliable option for the treatment of acrohyperhidrosis. However, patients need to be informed that this procedure may increase the risk of compensatory hyperhidrosis.

Research progress of biomarkers for non-small cell lung cancer / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite growing efforts for its early detection by screening populations at risk, the majority of lung cancer patients are still diagnosed in an advanced stage. In the last decade, the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been improved significantly. Emerging options of targeted therapies and immunotherapies have shifted the management of lung cancer to a more personalized treatment approach, significantly influencing the clinical course and outcome of the disease. At present, molecular biomarkers are becoming a powerful tool for diagnosing cancer, predicting treatment response outcomes, and assessing prognosis. In this review, we summarized the biomarkers relevant to the diagnosis, prediction, and prognosis of NSCLC as well as promising novel predictive biomarkers in the future.

Clinical Efficacy of Da Vinci Robot-assisted Subxiphoid Versus Lateral Thoracic Approach for Treatment of Anterior Mediastinal Tumors / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To compare the perioperative efficacy and safety of da Vinci robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) for treatment of anterior mediastinal tumors through subxiphoid versus lateral thoracic approaches under the laryngeal mask anesthesia. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 102 patients with anterior-mediastinal tumors treated by RATS under laryngeal mask anesthesia completed by the same operator. Forty-five patients underwent the subxiphoid approach (subxiphoid group), and 57 patients were treated with the lateral thoracic approach (lateral thoracic group). The operating time, intraoperative bleeding, and total postoperative drainage volume in the two groups were compared and analyzed. Results All patients successfully completed resection of the anterior mediastinal tumor without the occurrence of perioperative death. In terms of total postoperative drainage volume, postoperative drainage time, postoperative hospital stay, and VAS pain on postoperative days 2 and 3, the subxiphoid group was more advantages (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of operative time, docking time, total operative time, intraoperative bleeding volume, postoperative day 1 VAS pain score, or postoperative complications (P > 0.05). Conclusion The subxiphoid approach of RATS is safe and feasible for resection of anterior mediastinal tumors. Compared with the lateral thoracic approach, the subxiphoid approach has advantages in terms of rapid postoperative recovery and postoperative pain.

Effect of Sequence of Pulmonary Artery and Vein Transection in Thoracoscopic Lobectomy on Efficacy and Safety of Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Evaluation / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To systematically evaluate the effect of sequence of pulmonary artery and vein transection in thoracoscopic lobectomy on the efficacy and safety of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Methods PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and CBM databases were searched for the researches on The post-operative efficacy of pulmonary arteriovenous and pulmonary vein resection sequence in thoracoscopic lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer. The retrieval time is from the database construction to May 2022. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Results Eight articles were included, including 3 randomized controlled studies and 5 cohort studies, with a total of 1810 patients. Meta-analysis results showed that: The operative time (MD=13.34, 95%CI(7.36, 19.32), P < 0.0001) and intraoperative blood loss (MD=45.29, 95%CI(40.24, 50.35), P < 0.0001) in the group with priority pulmonary vein resection were significantly higher than those in the group with priority pulmonary vein resection. The difference was statistically significant. However, the benefits of OS (HR=1.34, 95%CI (1.12, 1.60), P=0.001) and DFS (HR=1.44, 95%CI(1.18, 1.76), P=0.0003) in the group of priority pulmonary vein transection were significantly better than those in the group of priority pulmonary artery transection, with statistically significant differences. Conclusion Priority pulmonary vein transection during thoracoscopic lobectomy effectively improved patients' OS and DFS, resulting in higher survival benefit for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, but intraoperative bleeding and operation time are more than those with priority pulmonary artery transection.

Short-Term Efficacy and Postoperative Inflammatory Cytokine Changes in Lung Cancer Treated with Da Vinci Robot-assisted Versus Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To evaluate the short-term outcomes and postoperative inflammatory cytokine changes in patients with lung cancer treated with robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) versus video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods A total of 270 patients with lung cancer treated by minimally invasive surgery were selected for the study, and the surgical procedures were selected according to the patients' economic conditions and preferences. Among them, 132 patients completed the operation through RATS, and 138 patients completed the operation through VATS. The clinical data of the two groups were compared. Results All patients successfully completed radical lung cancer surgery, and no perioperative deaths were reported. Intraoperative bleeding, postoperative drainage time, postoperative hospital stay, number of lymph nodes dissected, and number of lymph nodes dissected groups were more advantageous in the RATS group compared with the VATS group (P < 0.05). In terms of operative time, total postoperative chest drainage, and hospitalization cost, the VATS group had an advantage (P < 0.05). The postoperative levels of CRP, PCT, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α increased in both groups, compared with preoperative levels, and the increases in the RATS group were lower than those in the VATS group. Conclusion RATS offers technical and short-term efficacy advantages for the treatment of lung cancer but comes with the disadvantage of high cost. Post-operative inflammatory cytokine elevation is lower in the RATS group, and inflammatory response to the organism is less severe.

Clinical efficacy of paclitaxel and carboplatin with versus without bevacizumab in treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of paclitaxel and carboplatin with or without bevacizumab in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods    The databases including PubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMbase, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP and CBM were searched from inception to October 2022 to collect randomized controlled trials of the clinical efficacy of paclitaxel and carboplatin with or without bevacizumab for the treatment of NSCLC. RevMan 5.4 software was used for meta-analysis. Results    Eight randomized controlled trials were enrolled, involving a total of 1 724 patients. Meta-analysis showed that for the treatment of NSCLC, the disease control rate, overall response rate, 1-year survival rate, and 2-year survival rate were higher in the trial group (paclitaxel and carboplatin combined with bevacizumab) than those in the control group (paclitaxel and carboplatin) (P<0.05); however, the incidences of the adverse reactions, such as leukopenia, hemorrhage, proteinuria and hypertension, etc, were higher in the trial group than those in the control group (P<0.05). There were no statistical differences between the trial group and the control group in the incidences of fatigue, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia or hyponatremia, etc (P>0.05). In addition, the median progression-free survival and overall survival were longer in the trial  group than those in the control group. Conclusion    For the treatment of NSCLC, paclitaxel and carboplatin combined with bevacizumab is superior in terms of disease control, overall response and prolonging patient survival, etc, but will be associated with more adverse reactions.

Mortality of lung cancer patients versus other cancer patients infected with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To compare the mortality in lung cancer patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) versus other cancer patients infected with COVID-19. Methods    A computer search of PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang database, VIP database and CNKI database was conducted to compare the mortality of lung cancer and other cancers patients infected with COVID-19 from the inception to December 2021. Two thoracic surgeons independently screened the literature, extracted data, and then cross-checked the literature. After evaluating the quality of the included literature, a meta-analysis was performed on the literature using Review Manager 5.4 software. Results    A total of 12 retrospective cohort studies were included, covering 3 065 patients infected with COVID-19, among whom 340 patients suffered from lung cancer and the remaining 2 725 patients suffered from other cancers. Meta-analysis results showed that the lung cancer patients infected with COVID-19 had a higher mortality (OR=1.58, 95%CI 1.24 to 2.02, P<0.001). Subgroup analysis results showed that the mortality of two groups of patients in our country was not statistically different (OR=0.90, 95%CI 0.49 to 1.65, P=0.72). Whereas, patients with lung cancer had a higher mortality than those with other cancers in other countries (Brazil, Spain, USA, France, Italy, UK, Netherlands) (OR=1.78, 95%CI 1.37 to 2.32, P<0.001). Conclusion    There is a negligible difference in mortality between lung cancer and other cancers patients who are infected with COVID-19 in our country; while a higher mortality rate is found in lung cancer patients in other countries. Consequently, appropriate and positive prevention methods should be taken to reduce the risk of infecting COVID-19 in cancer patients and to optimize the management of the infected population.

Research progress of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 co-expression in non-small cell lung cancer and SARS-CoV-2 / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Since the first case of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at the end of 2019, the virus has spread rapidly around the world and has become a global public health problem. In the process of this virus epidemic, compared with the general population, cancer patients are considered to be highly susceptible people, especially the lung cancer patients. Some studies have shown that angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) may be the pathway for SARS-CoV-2 to infect the host. At the same time, ACE2 is often abnormally expressed in non-small cell lung cancer. Therefore, understanding the respective mechanisms of ACE2 in COVID-19 and non-small cell lung cancer has extremely important reference value for the study of vaccines and therapeutic drugs, and also provides meaningful guidance for the protection of patients with lung cancer during the epidemic. This article reviews the possible invasive mechanism of ACE2 in SARS-CoV-2 and its abnormal expression in non-small cell lung cancer.

CT-guided Hook-wire versus microcoil localization in the pulmonary nodules surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@# Objective    To systematically evaluate the application effect of CT-guided Hook-wire localization and CT-guided microcoil localization in pulmonary nodules surgery. Methods    The literatures on the comparison between CT-guided Hook-wire localization and CT-guided microcoil localization for pulmonary nodules were searched in PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang, VIP and CNKI databases from the inception to October 2021. Review Manager (version 5.4) software was used for meta-analysis. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of studies. Results    A total of 10 retrospective cohort studies were included, with 1 117 patients including 473 patients in the CT-guided Hook-wire localization group and 644 patients in the CT-guided microcoil localization group. The quality of the studies was high with NOS scores>6 points. The result of meta-analysis showed that the difference in the localization operation time (MD=0.14, 95%CI −3.43 to 3.71, P=0.940) between the two groups was not statistically significant. However, the localization success rate of the Hook-wire group was superior to the  microcoil group (OR=0.35, 95%CI 0.17 to 0.72, P=0.005). In addition, in comparison with Hook-wire localization, the microcoil localization could reduce the dislocation rate (OR=4.33, 95%CI 2.07 to 9.08, P<0.001), the incidence of pneumothorax (OR=1.62, 95%CI 1.12 to 2.33, P=0.010) and pulmonary hemorrhage (OR=1.64, 95%CI 1.07 to 2.51, P=0.020). Conclusion    Although Hook-wire localization is slightly better than microcoil localization in the aspect of the success rate of pulmonary nodule localization, microcoil localization has an obvious advantage compared with Hook-wire localization in terms of controlling the incidence of dislocation, pneumothorax and pulmonary hemorrhage. Therefore, from a comprehensive perspective, this study believes that CT-guided microcoil localization is a preoperative localization method worthy of further promotion.

Role of the m7G methyltransferase METTL1 in tumours / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

N7-methylguanosine (m7G) is a common post-transcriptional modification of RNA that plays an important role in RNA processing, metabolism and function and is mainly regulated by the methyltransferase 1 (METTL1) and WD repeat domain 4 (WDR4) complexes. Several studies have shown that the METTL1/WDR4 complex promotes or inhibits the progression of many tumours, including head and neck tumours, lung, liver, colon, bladder and esophageal squamous cancers, which are dependent on m7G methylation modification of tRNA or miRNA. Therefore, METTL1 and m7G modification can be used as biomarkers or potential intervention targets, providing a new direction for early diagnosis and treatment of tumors. This article will mainly discuss the mechanism and corresponding research progress of METTL1 in tumorigenesis through m7G.

Accuracy of endoscopy-based artificial intelligence-assisted diagnostic system in the diagnosis of early esophageal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To systematically evaluate the accuracy of endoscopy-based artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnostic systems in the diagnosis of early-stage esophageal cancer and provide a scientific basis for its diagnostic value. Methods    PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang database, VIP database and CNKI database were searched by computer to search for the relevant literature about endoscopy-based AI-assisted diagnostic systems for the diagnosis of early esophageal cancer from inception to March 2022. The QUADAS-2 was used for quality evaluation of included studies. Meta-analysis of the literature was carried out using Stata 16, Meta-Disc 1.4 and RevMan 5.4 softwares. A bivariate mixed effects regression model was utilized to calculate the combined diagnostic efficacy of the AI-assisted system and meta-regression analysis was conducted to explore the sources of heterogeneity. Results    A total of 17 articles were included, which consisted of 13 retrospective cohort studies and 4 prospective cohort studies. The results of the quality evaluation using QUADAS-2 showed that all included literature was of high quality. The obtained meta-analysis results revealed that the AI-assisted system in the diagnosis of esophageal cancer presented a combined sensitivity of 0.94 (95%CI 0.91 to 0.96), a specificity of 0.85 (95%CI 0.74 to 0.92), a positive likelihood ratio of 6.28 (95%CI 3.48 to 11.33), a negative likelihood ratio of 0.07 (95%CI 0.05 to 0.11), a diagnostic odds ratio of 89 (95%CI 38 to 208) and an area under the curve of 0.96 (95%CI 0.94 to 0.98). Conclusion    The AI-assisted diagnostic system has a high diagnostic value for early stage esophageal cancer. However, most of the included studies were retrospective. Therefore, further high-quality prospective studies are needed for validation.

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.

Efficacy and safety of enteral nutrition with jejunostomy tube versus nasojejunal tube after radical resection of esophageal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of jejunostomy tube versus nasojejunal tube for enteral nutrition after radical resection of esophageal cancer. Methods    PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and CBM databases were searched to collect the clinical effects of jejunostomy tube versus nasojejunal nutrition tube after radical resection of esophageal cancer from inception to October 2021. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Results    Twenty-six articles were included, including 17 randomized controlled studies and 9 cohort studies, with a total of 35 808 patients. Meta-analysis results showed that: in the jejunostomy tube group, the postoperative exhaust time (MD=–4.27, 95%CI –5.87 to –2.66, P=0.001), the incidence of pulmonary infection (OR=1.39, 95%CI 1.06 to 1.82, P=0.02), incidence of tube removal (OR=0.11, 95%CI 0.04 to 0.30, P=0.001), incidence of tube blockage (OR=0.47, 95%CI 0.23 to 0.97, P=0.04), incidence of nasopharyngeal discomfort (OR=0.04, 95%CI 0.01 to 0.13, P=0.001), the incidence of nasopharyngeal mucosal damage (OR=0.13, 95%CI 0.04 to 0.42, P=0.008), the incidence of nausea and vomiting (OR=0.20, 95%CI 0.08 to 0.47, P=0.003) were significantly shorter or lower than those of the nasojejunal tube group. The postoperative serum albumin level (MD=5.75, 95%CI 5.34 to 6.16, P=0.001) was significantly better than that of the nasojejunal tube group. However, the intraoperative operation time of the jejunostomy tube group (MD=13.65, 95%CI 2.32 to 24.98, P=0.02) and the indent time of the postoperative nutrition tube (MD=17.81, 95%CI 12.71 to 22.91, P=0.001) were longer than those of the nasojejunal nutrition tube. At the same time, the incidence of postoperative intestinal obstruction (OR=6.08, 95%CI 2.55 to 14.50, P=0.001) was significantly higher than that of the nasojejunal tube group. There were no statistical differences in the length of postoperative hospital stay or the occurrence of anastomotic fistula between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion    In the process of enteral nutrition after radical resection of esophageal cancer, jejunostomy tube has better clinical treatment effect and is more comfortable during catheterization, but the incidence of intestinal obstruction is higher than that of traditional nasojejunal tube.

Toumai® endoscopic robot-assisted thoracic surgery in three patients / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To explore the application of Toumai® minimally invasive endoscopic robot in thoracic surgery, and to observe its safety and short-term surgical efficacy. Methods    Three patients were enrolled from October to December 2021, including 1 male (69 years) and 2 females (47 years and 22 years). All 3 patients received surgery with Toumai® endoscopic surgical robot, including radical lung cancer surgery in 2 patients and mediastinal tumor resection in 1 patient. Results    All 3 patients were successfully operated without conversion to thoracotomy, complication or death. For the male lobectomy patient, the total operation time was 120 min, the intraoperative blood loss was 100 mL, the catheter drainage time was 4 days and the hospital stay time was 5 days. For the female lobectomy patient, the total operation time was 103 min, the intraoperative blood loss was 100 mL, the catheter drainage time was 4 days and the hospital stay time was 5 days. For the female mediastinal tumor patient, the total operation time was 81 min, the intraoperative blood loss was 50 mL, the catheter drainage time was 3 days and the hospital stay time was 3 days. Conclusion    The Toumai® minimally invasive endoscopic surgical robot is safe and effective in thoracic surgery. Compared with Da Vinci surgical robot, Toumai® has the same 3D visual field experience and smooth operation.

Efficacy and safety of nedaplatin versus cisplatin plus fluorouracil for treatment of esophageal neoplasms: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of nedaplatin versus cisplatin combined with fluorouracil in the treatment of esophageal neoplasms. Methods    PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang, VIP and CBM databases were searched by computer to investigate the randomized controlled studies about the clinical effects of nedaplatin combined with fluorouracil versus cisplatin combined with fluorouracil in the treatment of esophageal neoplasms. The retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to January 2021. And meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4. Results    A total of 12 randomized controlled studies involving 744 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that the total effective rate of the nedaplatin group was better than that of the cisplatin group (P<0.05). The incidence of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and renal impairment in the nedaplatin group was lower than that in the cisplatin group (P<0.05), but the incidence of leukopenia and hemoglobin decline was higher than that in the cisplatin group (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the incidence of liver injury, or platelet decline between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion    Nedaplatin combined with fluorouracil has more advantages than cisplatin combined with fluorouracil in the treatment of esophageal cancer, the incidence of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea is lower, and the damage to kidney function is also smaller.

Animal experimental study of endoscopic cholecystolithotomy after lumen-apposing metal stent implantation (with video) / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To investigate the safety and feasibility of endoscopic cholecystolithotomy after endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) implantation in animals.Methods:Six miniature pigs of 30-35 kg were selected to laparotomy under intravenous anesthesia. Two to four sterile human stones with diameter of 0.8-2.0 cm were implanted in their gallbladder. After successful modeling, LAMS was implanted between the stomach and gallbladder under the guidance of EUS. Ultrafine endoscope was used to search and remove stones after passing the gastric stent into the gallbladder. Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) and endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD) was performed to prevent bile leakage. And then ordinary endoscope was used to remove LAMS and close the wound. The success rate, operation time, and incidence of complications were analyzed.Results:Five pigs were successfully implanted with LAMS, and the ultrafine endoscope entered the gallbladder smoothly. Small stones were removed from the stone basket, and large stones were completely removed after laser lithotripsy. The total operation time was 87-128 min. No postoperative complications such as bleeding, perforation, infection, or biliary fistula were observed. Failure in 1 pig was due to the first EST plus ERBD, resulting in rapid reduction of gallbladder volume and away from the gastric cavity leading to puncture difficulties.Conclusion:Endoscopic cholecystolithotomy after EUS-guided LAMS implantation is safe and feasible, and may provide animal experimental evidence for potential therapeutic approach for patients with difficulty in cholecystectomy.

A comparative study between Da Vinci robotic surgery and traditional thoracoscopic surgery in thymomatectomy / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy and prognosis of robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS )compared with traditional thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in the treatment of thymoma.Methods:The clinical data of 128 patients with thymoma who underwent surgery in our hospital from January 2006 to November 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, There were 83 males and 45 females. The age ranged from 23 to 76 years old, with an average of (45.89±13.84) years old. The patients were divided into RATS group (58 cases) and VATS group (70 cases). Cox proportional risk model was used to analyze the factors affecting the postoperative hospital stay. Results:Compared with VATS group, RATS group patients had longer operation time[(128.61±32.13)min vs. (96.42±45.37)min, P=0.036], less intraoperative blood loss[(35.25±5.62)ml vs. (58.36±3.65)ml, P=0.016], less blood transfusion (1.72% vs. 7.14%, P=0.029), and less postoperative complications (17.2% vs. 22.9%, P=0.039). The average total hospitalization cost was higher [(56 721.18±98 457.24) yuan vs. (25 135.68±12 403.29) yuan, P<0.001], and the average postoperative hospitalization time was shorter[(4.15±1.51) days vs. (6.65±2.74)days, P<0.001], all with statistically significant differences. However, there was no statistical differences in conversion to thoracotomy, intraoperative complication, the surgical margin was positive, postoperative infectionpostoperative drainage amount, postoperative drainage time, expenses for medicine and anesthetic fee( P>0.05). Multiple linear regression models showed that different groups ( P=0.013), age ( P=0.025), combined with myasthenia gr avis( P=0.047), combined with underlying disease( P=0.016), intraoperative blood loss( P=0.034), conversion to thoracotomy ( P=0.024), postoperative infection( P=0.008), postoperative complications( P=0.026) and postoperative drainage time ( P=0.031) affected postoperative hospital stay. Conclusion:Robot-assisted thymectomy is a safe and effective method for the treatment of thymomas. RATS recover faster after surgery with fewer complications and shorter hospital stays than RATS after thoracoscopic surgery, but more large, high-quality studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of RATS.