Recomendaciones para la realización de intervenciones pulmonares durante la pandemia COVID-19 / Recommendations for performing interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic

Coronavirus infection (SARS-CoV-2), is a pandemic disease declared by the World Health Organization (WHO). This disease reports a high risk of contagion, especially by the transmission of aerosols in health care workers. In this scenario, aerosol exposure is increased in various procedures related to the airway, lungs, and pleural space. For this reason, it is important to have recommendations that reduce the risk of exposure and infection with COVID-19. In this document, a team of international specialists in interventional pulmonology elaborated a series of recommendations, based on the available evidence to define the risk stratification, diagnostic methods and technical considerations on procedures such as bronchoscopy, tracheostomy, and pleural procedures among others. As well as the precautions to reduce the risk of contagion when carrying out pulmonary interventions.

Como interpretar una revisión sistemática con comparaciones múltiples o network metaanálisis / How to interpret systematic reviews with multiple comparisons or network meta-analysis

Systematic reviews evaluating multiple interventions can be useful in different clinical situations. However, some concerns arise when more than two interventions are compared and there is a paucity of good quality randomized clinical trials. A novel statistical method based on indirect comparisons, called network meta-analysis (NMA), can be a useful approach to find a clinical answer when multiple interventions are evaluated for the same outcome or comparator. The aim of this review is to describe the main characteristics and provide a user guide for a critical analysis of NMA focusing on its three main domains, namely homogeneity, transitivity and consistency.

Aplicaciones de la impresión 3D en la vía aérea central / Airway tridimensional printing

Tridimensional printing is becoming relevant in medicine, specially in surgical and interventional specialties. We review the technical aspects and clinical application of airway tridimensional printing. Using this technique, simulation models for bronchoscopy and models for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as stent design, tracheal reconstruction and airway models can be created.

Utilidad de la crio-tecnología para uso diagnóstico y terapéutico en neumología intervencionista: crio-biopsia pulmonar transbronquial y crioterapia / Transbronchial cryobiopsies and cryotherapy in lung diseases

Bronchoscopy cryoprobes are used for palliative treatment of endobronchial obstructions caused by tumors and removal of granulation tissue or foreign bodies. Currently this technology is also used for diagnosis of diffuse interstitial lung disease (ILD). The multidisciplinary team that establishes the clinical, radiological and histopathological correlation in ILD, decides about performing a surgical lung biopsy when the characteristics of the interstitial disease are not similar to Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Although surgical lung biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, transbronchial cryo-biopsy has a high diagnostic yield, low morbidity and mortality rate, low rate of complications and lower cost. It is the diagnostic method of choice in ILD when it is available. Technological improvements with greater freezing power and tensile strength of the cryo probes, allow their use in cryotherapy and cryo-recanalization for occlusive airway tumors.

Utilidad del ultrasonido endobronquial para el diagnóstico y etapificación del cáncer pulmonar / Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration

In the last years, several techniques have been developed to obtain a prompt diagnosis or rule out lung cancer. Endobronchial ultrasound- guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive procedure with a high diagnostic yield for mediastinal and central pulmonary lesions. This procedure is especially useful for lung cancer diagnosis and mediastinal staging. Two different types of EBUS are currently available: Radial EBUS and lineal EBUS. Each one has technical differences together with a range of clinical indications. The aim of this review is to discuss about EBUS-TBNA and its current clinical indications, evidence about the accuracy of the procedure for lung cancer diagnosis and staging, and evaluation of the pathological and molecular studies (EGFR, ALK, and ROS1) obtained through EBUS-TBNA and rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE).

Reducción de volumen pulmonar endoscópica en enfisema pulmonar avanzado: Casos clínicos / Endoscopic lung volume reduction in advanced pulmonary emphysema: initial experience in Chile

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has no curative treatment, and in moderate to advanced stages, functional parameters and quality of life are affected. Lung volume reduction improves respiratory parameters and quality of life of these patients. Endoscopic lung volume reduction is a minimally invasive procedure that uses endobronchial valves or coils. Valves are unidirectional, blocking the air from entering the target lobe during inspiration, allowing the exit of air and secretions during expiration. Complete fissure and absence of collateral ventilation are needed for an adequate functioning of endobronchial valves. Endobronchial coils cause mechanical retraction of the lung parenchyma. We report two patients who underwent endoscopic lung volume reduction by endobronchial valves. One patient was on continuous positive pressure non-invasive ventilation due to his severe emphysema.

Aplicaciones torácicas del ultrasonido / A review on thoracic ultrasound

The use of thoracic ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in the emergency department, intensive care unit or in patients with pulmonary diseases is increasing steadily. It is used to guide percutaneous tracheostomies, to assess pleural effusions, to rule out pneumothorax, and to guide the placement of endovascular and pleural catheters. It is also useful in the assessment of patients with dyspnea. The aim of this review is to provide the practical and technical basics for the use of this diagnostic tool among internists and specialists in pulmonary diseases.

Ultrasonografía bronquial con aspiración por aguja fina en el estudio lesiones adyacentes a la vía aérea central / Endobronchial ultrasound and fine needle aspiration for central airway lesions

Background: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided trans-bronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive procedure with a high diagnostic yield for lesions adjacent to the central airway. Aim: To describe the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA for lesions suspicious of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Material and Methods: Prospective study of 128 patients aged 25 to 87 years (56% males) undergoing EBUS-TBNA. Radiological features of the lesions were recorded by chest CT scan such as morphology, margins of the lesion, lesion size and location based on the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) map. Definitive pathological results were evaluated. Results: The average size of lesions was 18.5 millimeter and; 68 cases were of less than 20 millimeters. Sensitivity was 96.7%, specificity 100%, and negative predictive value 93.3%. The most common histological diagnosis was adenocarcinoma. Conclusions: EBUS-TBNA is a useful diagnostic tool for NSCLC suspicious lesions adjacent to the central airway.

Diagnostic yield of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration for mediastinal staging in lung cancer / Rendimiento diagnóstico de la ultrasonografía endobronquial con aspiración transbronquial por aguja fina en el estudio de etapificación mediastínica en pacientes con cáncer pulmonar

OBJECTIVE: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive diagnostic test with a high diagnostic yield for suspicious central pulmonary lesions and for mediastinal lymph node staging. The main objective of this study was to describe the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal lymph node staging in patients with suspected lung cancer. METHODS: Prospective study of patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA for diagnosis. Patients ≥ 18 years of age were recruited between July of 2010 and August of 2013. We recorded demographic variables, radiological characteristics provided by axial CT of the chest, location of the lesion in the mediastinum as per the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer classification, and definitive diagnostic result (EBUS with a diagnostic biopsy or a definitive diagnostic method). RESULTS: Our analysis included 354 biopsies, from 145 patients. Of those 145 patients, 54.48% were male. The mean age was 63.75 years. The mean lymph node size was 15.03 mm, and 90 lymph nodes were smaller than 10.0 mm. The EBUS-TBNA method showed a sensitivity of 91.17%, a specificity of 100.0%, and a negative predictive value of 92.9%. The most common histological diagnosis was adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA is a diagnostic tool that yields satisfactory results in the staging of neoplastic mediastinal lesions. .

OBJETIVO: La ultrasonografía endobronquial con aspiración transbronquial por aguja fina (EBUS-TBNA, por sus siglas en inglés) es una alternativa mínimamente invasiva con un alto rendimiento diagnóstico para lesiones pulmonares centrales sospechosas de cáncer o para etapificación de linfonodos mediastínicos. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es describir el rendimiento de EBUS-TBNA como método de etapificación de linfonodos mediastínicos en pacientes con sospecha de cáncer pulmonar. MÉTODOS: Estudio prospectivo de pacientes sometidos a EBUS-TBNA como método diagnóstico. Se seleccionaron pacientes mayores de 18 años entre julio del 2010 y agosto del 2013. Se registraron variables demográficas, características radiológicas mediante TC axial de tórax, localización mediastínica según clasificación de la International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer y resultado diagnóstico definitivo (EBUS con biopsia diagnóstica o método diagnóstico definitivo). RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 145 pacientes con un total de 354 biopsias. El 54,48% de los pacientes eran hombres, con edad promedio de 63,75 años. El tamaño promedio de los linfonodos fue de 15,03 mm, y 90 fueron menores de 10,0 mm. El rendimiento diagnóstico fue: sensibilidad, 91,17%; especificidad, 100,0%; y valor predictivo negativo, 92,9%. El diagnóstico histológico más frecuente fue adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONES: EBUS-TBNA es una herramienta diagnóstica con buenos resultados en el estudio de etapificación de lesiones neoplásicas en mediastino. .

Riesgos y recomendaciones para la realización de broncoscopia flexible en la paciente embarazada / Risks and recomendations to perform flexible bronchoscopy in pregnant woman

En lo posible se recomienda diferir la Broncoscopia Flexible hasta después del parto o si esto no es posible por lo menos hasta después de la semana 28. La broncoscopia se debe realizar por el neumólogo de mayor experiencia y en un hospital que tenga los servicios de anestesia, obstetricia y neonatología. Consultas a estos especialistas se recomiendan. Se debe consultar al farmaceuta acerca del potencial teratogenico de los medicamentos que se van a emplear durante la broncoscopia. Para la sedacion se deben utilizar las dosis más bajas posibles y no deben usarse medicamentos de categoría D o X. Durante el procedimiento se recomienda monitoreo continuo del ritmo cardiaco, oximetría de pulso y medición intermitente de la presión arterial. Se debe monitorear al feto si esto es posible. La paciente se debe posicionar en el decúbito lateral izquierdo y si esto no es posible el procedimiento se debe realizar con la paciente en posición sentada. Se debe minimizar el tiempo del procedimiento y terminar aquellos en los cuales la paciente no lo tolera bien. El uso de fluoroscopia se debe individualizar para cada paciente dependiendo del riesgo y beneficio de esta. Avances tecnológicos en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de enfermedades pulmonares y de las vías respiratorias como, por ejemplo, ultrasonido endobronchial, TAC con fluoroscopia y la broncoscopia virtual se pueden combinar con la Broncoscopia Flexible BF para minimizar los riesgos a la madre y al feto. (Nota: el enlace a Internet opera para todo el fasciculo 2/2008).