Endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration: effectiveness and accuracy in non-small cell lung cancer staging.

INTRODUCTION: Endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has a cardinal role in the diagnosis and staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), providing an accurate nodal staging in a less invasive way than surgical biopsy. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of EBUS-TBNA in the pre-operative NSCLC mediastinal staging, as well as to evaluate EBUS-TBNA specificity and sensibility in our cohort. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data of NSCLC patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA followed by major pulmonary resection between January 2020 and December 2022. EBUS-TBNA was performed in patients with NSCLC (central T ≤ 3 cm, peripheral/central T > 3 cm), following the ESTS guidelines. The target nodes were selected on the basis of their radiologic/metabolic characteristics. Each procedure was conducted together with rapid on-site cytological evaluation (ROSE). RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were included (M/F = 17/8). At least three needle passages on each target lymph node were performed. No complications during or after the procedures occurred. We found a 100% correspondence between ROSE on the sampled nodes and postoperative pathologic findings. An upstaging occurred in three cases (12%) because of the involvement of stations 5 and 6 (not accessible via EBUS), while the only case of downstaging (N2 → N0, 4%) was probably due to intercurrent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In all cases, EBUS-TBNA has proved to achieve a diagnostic procedure on the target nodes. CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA is a safe and effective procedure that offers high sensitivity and specificity when performed together with ROSE, which improves the accuracy of sampling. Doubt on nodal stations 5 and 6 involvement should be settled by other techniques.

Surgical treatment of tracheal stenosis during Covid-19 era: a single-center experience and lessons learnt on the field.

SARS-CoV2 outbreak led to several healthcare system challenges, especially concerning respiratory support to Covid-19 patients. In the first 2 years of pandemic (2020-2021), we assisted to a marked increase of post-invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) tracheal stenosis incidence, many of them requiring surgical treatment, namely resection and primary end-to-end anastomosis. Our aim is to describe our experience during the abovementioned biennium, focusing on postoperative outcomes of patients who have had Covid-19 ("post-Covid"). We retrospectively collected pre-, intra- and postoperative data on all patients who underwent tracheal surgery for benign stenosis in our Unit from May 2020 to October 2021, including previous Covid-19. Comparison between "post-Covid-19" and "non-Covid-19" groups' outcomes was then performed. Patients were 9 males and 6 females, and mean age was 57.4 ± 13.21 years. Nine patients had previous Covid-19 (60%). All patients underwent multidisciplinary preoperative evaluation. Almost every operation was conducted by cervicotomy, and the mean length of the resected specimen was 23.9 ± 6.5 mm. Postoperative complications were: dysphonia (3 cases), wound infection (1), bleeding (1), ab-ingestis pneumonia (1), anastomosis dehiscence (2), and stenosis recurrence (1). Thirty-day mortality rate was 6.7% (1 patient). No significant differences between "post-Covid-19" and "non-Covid-19" groups were identified. Pathology revealed, in 5 "post-Covid-19" patients, signs of vasculitis or perivascular inflammatory infiltrate. Tracheal stenosis' surgical treatment has always been known as a challenging procedure because of high perioperative morbidity and mortality rates. Our experience shows that previous Covid-19 and ongoing pandemic did not significantly affect perioperative outcomes of patients who underwent tracheal resection and primary end-to-end anastomosis in a high-volume Center and after multidisciplinary workup.

Nerve-Sparing Surgery in Advanced Stage Thymomas.

BACKGROUND: Phrenic nerve infiltration has been described in as many as 33% of advanced thymomas; en bloc resection causes diaphragmatic loss of function, with detrimental effects on pulmonary function. We report the outcomes of selected patients operated on for invasive thymoma with a nerve-sparing technique. METHODS: From 1990 to 2015 we used nerve-sparing surgery with the intention to treat all patients with advanced stage thymomas without preoperative evidence of hemidiaphragmatic palsy, but with macroscopic evidence of phrenic nerve involvement. All patients underwent adjuvant radiotherapy (45 to 60 Gy) with or without chemotherapy. Long-term outcomes and the pattern of recurrence were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Among 140 patients with stage III and IVa operated on during the study period, 19 women and 18 men with a median age of 52 years received a nerve-sparing resection. Myasthenia gravis was associated in 25 cases. In 12 patients, phrenic palsy was observed postoperatively, and eventually 4 of them recovered. Recurrence was found in 10 patients (7 stage IVa, 3 stage III) requiring additional therapies. Three patients died of cancer-related causes, with an overall survival of 265.4 months and a disease-free survival of 233.2 months. CONCLUSIONS: Phrenic nerve preservation in cases of invasive thymomas is feasible and may warrant an acceptable local control of disease, if associated with radiotherapy. According to these results, this technique could be proposed to all patients with invasive thymoma, especially in those affected by severe comorbidities or with a poor performance status.

Diaphragm and lung-preserving surgery with hyperthermic chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma: A 10-year experience.

BACKGROUND: The best surgical treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma is still under a debate, but recent evidence points toward a less-invasive approach to reduce morbidity and mortality. We reported our 10-year experience of a limited surgical approach associated with hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITHOC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 2005 and 2014, patients with epithelioid or biphasic malignant pleural mesothelioma were treated with lung-diaphragm-pericardium-sparing pleurectomy associated with double-drug HITHOC; at least 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy were then administered. The primary outcome examined was the feasibility of the procedure, whereas secondary outcomes were overall survival and disease-free interval. RESULTS: Among 49 patients, 41 were male. Median age was 68 years (35-76 years). Histology was epithelioid in 43 cases. Pathologic stage I, II, III, and IV occurred in 12, 14, 20, and 3 cases, respectively. No intraoperative complications or postoperative mortality occurred, whereas morbidity rate was 46.9%. Median hospital stay was 8 days (5-45 days). Actuarial median overall survival was 22 months and a 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival accounted for 79.6%, 45.7%, and 9.9%, respectively. Disease-free survival after surgery was 62%, 37.5%, and 18.5% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. Risk factors analysis for overall survival confirmed a significant role for early stages, epithelioid histology, and fibrinogen serum levels. CONCLUSIONS: Cytoreductive surgery associated with HITHOC and adjuvant chemotherapy appears feasible and safe, with no mortality and low morbidity. Preserving lung and diaphragmatic function might warrant an acceptable long-term outcome.

Chest wall resection for mesothelioma recurrence after surgery.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive and usually fatal disease, and its optimal management is still under debate. Surgery for recurrent malignant mesothelioma has been reported rarely in highly selected cases. We report a case of chest wall resection for local recurrence of epithelioid mesothelioma 3 years after cytoreductive surgery. Our patient experienced a 6-month disease-free survival after redo surgery, with complete resolution of his chest pain and discomfort.

Long-term results of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of pulmonary metastases: a single institution experience.

OBJECTIVES: Surgical resection of pulmonary metastases is considered as a therapeutic procedure in selected cases. However, many patients are unable to tolerate surgical intervention due to comorbidities and/or poor pulmonary reserve, also related to repeated parenchymal resections. Considering this scenario, we decided to investigate the role of radiofrequency ablation (RFA). METHODS: The outcomes of all patients that underwent RFA for lung metastases, during the period 2003-2013, were analysed. The primary end-points were overall survival (OS) and local progression-free survival (LPFS). Secondary end-point was the analysis of possible risk factors affecting OS and LPFS. RESULTS: Ninety-nine RFAs were performed on 61 patients (38 men, 23 women, median age of 74 years). Fourteen patients were treated for two or more lesions, for a total of 86 lesions. Twelve lesions were treated up to three times. The median lesion diameter was 2 cm. The majority of patients were affected by lung metastases from colorectal cancer (47.5%). All procedures were successfully completed. One death occurred, whereas the morbidity rate was 11% (8% pneumothorax requiring chest drainage). At a median follow-up of 28 months, the 1-, 3-, 5-year OS (LPFS) rates were 94.8% (86.3%), 49.0% (70.3%) and 44.5% (68.3%), respectively. No significant correlation was found, using univariate and multivariate analysis, between OS and age, gender, histology of primary cancer (colon versus others), type of approach (computed tomography versus ultrasonography guidance), number of treated lesions (1 vs >1), disease-free interval (from primary tumour to first lung metastases) (1-35 vs >35 months), previous lung resections (yes versus no), whereas a tendency towards better OS was observed, by applying univariate analysis, for a lesion of <3 cm (P = 0.051) and for the presence of local disease 1 month after treatment (P = 0.056), however, without a statistically significant difference. With regard to LPFS, lesion dimensions (P = 0.005) and the presence of local disease 1 month after treatment (P < 0.001) were found to be significant risk factors, in both univariate and multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: RFA appears as a feasible and safe procedure, with an acceptable morbidity, offering the possibility to safely repeat the treatment on the same lesion. RFA can be considered a valid option for the local control of lung metastases, in patients not eligible for surgery, especially those with lesions smaller than 3 cm.

Minimally invasive mediastinal surgery.

In the past, mediastinal surgery was associated with the necessity of a maximum exposure, which was accomplished through various approaches. In the early 1990s, many surgical fields, including thoracic surgery, observed the development of minimally invasive techniques. These included video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), which confers clear advantages over an open approach, such as less trauma, short hospital stay, increased cosmetic results and preservation of lung function. However, VATS is associated with several disadvantages. For this reason, it is not routinely performed for resection of mediastinal mass lesions, especially those located in the anterior mediastinum, a tiny and remote space that contains vital structures at risk of injury. Robotic systems can overcome the limits of VATS, offering three-dimensional (3D) vision and wristed instrumentations, and are being increasingly used. With regards to thymectomy for myasthenia gravis (MG), unilateral and bilateral VATS approaches have demonstrated good long-term neurologic results with low complication rates. Nevertheless, some authors still advocate the necessity of maximum exposure, especially when considering the distribution of normal and ectopic thymic tissue. In recent studies, the robotic approach has shown to provide similar neurological outcomes when compared to transsternal and VATS approaches, and is associated with a low morbidity. Importantly, through a unilateral robotic technique, it is possible to dissect and remove at least the same amount of mediastinal fat tissue. Preliminary results on early-stage thymomatous disease indicated that minimally invasive approaches are safe and feasible, with a low rate of pleural recurrence, underlining the necessity of a "no-touch" technique. However, especially for thymomatous disease characterized by an indolent nature, further studies with long follow-up period are necessary in order to assess oncologic and neurologic results through minimally invasive approaches. Furthermore, increased robotic experience and studies, including randomized controlled trials, are needed to validate the findings of the current literature.

Multi-institutional European experience of robotic thymectomy for thymoma.

BACKGROUND: Robotic thymectomy for early-stage thymomas has been recently suggested as a technically sound and safe approach. However, due to a lack of data on long term results, controversy still exists regarding its oncological efficacy. In this multi-institutional series collected from four European Centres with high volumes of robotic procedures, we evaluate the results after robot-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy for thymoma. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2014, 134 patients (61 males and 73 females, median age 59 years) with a clinical diagnosis of thymoma were operated on using a left-sided (38%), right-sided (59.8%) or bilateral (2.2%) robotic approach. Seventy (52%) patients had associated myasthenia gravis (MG). RESULTS: The average operative time was 146 minutes (range, 60-353 minutes). Twelve (8.9%) patients needed open conversion: in one case, a standard thoracoscopy was performed after robotic system breakdown, and in six cases, an additional access was required. Neither vascular and nerve injuries, nor perioperative mortality occurred. A total of 23 (17.1%) patients experienced postoperative complications. Median hospital stay was 4 days (range, 2-35 days). Mean diameter of resected tumors was 4.4 cm (range, 1-10 cm), Masaoka stage was I in 46 (34.4%) patients, II in 71 (52.9%), III in 11 (8.3%) and IVa/b in 6 (4.4%) cases. At last follow up, 131 patients were alive, three died (all from non-thymoma related causes) with a 5-year survival rate of 97%. One (0.7%) patient experienced a pleural recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that robotic thymectomy for thymoma is a technically feasible and safe procedure with low complication rates and short hospital stays. Oncological outcome appears to be good, particularly for early-stage tumors, but a longer follow-up period and more cases are necessary in order to consider this as a standard approach. Indications for robotic thymectomy for stage III or IVa thymomas are rare and should be carefully evaluated.

Pleural recurrence of thymoma: surgical resection followed by hyperthermic intrathoracic perfusion chemotherapy†.

OBJECTIVES: Recurrences of thymoma are described in 10-30% of cases up to 10 years after surgical resection. Herein we report our experience with surgical removal of pleural recurrences followed by hyperthermic intrathoracic perfusion chemotherapy (HITHOC). METHODS: We prospectively collected data of patients with pleural recurrence of thymoma who underwent surgery followed by HITHOC. After thoracotomy had been closed, drainages were connected to a dedicated perfusion machine, pleural space was filled with saline solution, progressively heated up to 42.5°C. At this time, chemotherapeutic agents (Doxorubicin and Cisplatin) were injected and perfusion lasted 60 min. RESULTS: In the period 2005-2012, 13 consecutive patients have been treated (8 males, 5 females, mean age 46 years). Initial Masaoka-Koga stage was 2 IIa, 5 IIb, 5 III, 1 IVa. Disease-free interval was 47.2 months on average [standard deviation (SD): 25.5]. Nine patients presented paraneoplastic syndromes (8 myasthenia gravis and 1 red cell aplasia). Complete resection was achieved in all cases except one. HITHOC was successfully performed in all cases and no signs or symptoms of toxicity were recorded in the perioperative period. With a mean follow-up period of 64.6 months (SD: 32.5), 1 patient died for toxicity following systemic chemotherapy, another one died disease-free, 4 patients developed pleural relapses (2 ipsilateral, 2 contralateral) and 1 mediastinal and abdominal nodal metastases. Mean survival was 58 months [SD: 34.4), median survival by the Kaplan-Meier method was not reached while 5-year actuarial survival was 92%. CONCLUSIONS: HITHOC was shown to be feasible and safe. In terms of efficacy, it seems promising but multicentre studies and a longer follow-up period are required to ascertain its effectiveness.

Wedge resection and radiofrequency ablation for stage I nonsmall cell lung cancer.

The main aim of this study was to compare radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and wedge resection in terms of disease recurrence and survival, as intent-to-treat therapy for stage I nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in marginal or non-surgical candidates. 121 high-risk patients, treated for stage I NSCLC with wedge resection (n=59) or RFA (n=62) in a 7-year period, were analysed. Age, sex, comorbidity score, performance status, forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity values, body mass index, T-stage and histology were evaluated as possible risk factors affecting disease recurrence and survival. At a median follow-up of 36 and 42 months for wedge resection and for RFA (p=0.232), local recurrence rate was 2 and 23%, respectively (p=0.002). The 1-, 2- and 5-year overall survival (disease-free interval) rates were 100% (96%), 96% (90%) and 52% (76%) for wedge resection, and 93% (87%), 72% (63%), and 35% (55%) for RFA (p=0.044 and p=0.01, respectively). None of the analysed parameters was found to be risk factor for disease recurrence and survival, except stage T2, which significantly affected disease-recurrence, overall and cancer-related survival and disease-free interval in the RFA group. Whenever possible, surgical resection, even if limited, should be preferred due to its higher disease control and survival rates. RFA can be considered a valid option for inoperable patients, especially for those with stage T1N0.

Transcollation® technique in the thoracoscopic treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

OBJECTIVES: The already low invasiveness of the thoracoscopic treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax may be further reduced by the transcollation® technique. Herein, we report our further experience with a new device, to coagulate blebs and bullae, compared with contrast to endostapler resection. METHODS: Data of patients with recurrent or persistent spontaneous pneumothorax, who underwent thoracoscopic treatment, were prospectively collected and reviewed. Those with blebs or bullae (Stages III and IV in accordance with Vanderschueren's classification) were treated with a new device, based on coupling saline solution perfusion with radiofrequency energy. The combination of fluid with radiofrequency allows the sealing of tissue, avoiding charring or burning. Most operations were performed through two 1-cm incisions only. RESULTS: From 2005 to 2010, 73 patients were treated. These were 59 males (80.8%) and 14 females (19.2%), with a mean age of 27.9 years [standard deviation (SD): 11.7]. Forty-three patients underwent general anaesthesia with selective intubation, 9 awake epidural anaesthesia and 21 spontaneous breathing anaesthesia with laryngeal mask. The mean operation time was 31 min (SD: 10.2). The median postoperative drainage period and hospital stay were 2 days (range of 1-11) and 3 days (range of 2-11), respectively. Prolonged air leak occurred in 1 patient (1.4%). Over a mean follow-up period of 60 months (SD: 22.5), two recurrences (2.7%) were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The transcollation® technique by cold coagulation of blebs and bullae seems to be effective in the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Owing to its potential advantages, it appears to be particularly suitable to be associated with awake epidural and LMA anaesthesia.

Robotic surgery for lung cancer.

During the last decade the role of minimally invasive surgery has been increased, especially with the introduction of the robotic system in the surgical field. The most important advantages of robotic system are represented by the wristed instrumentation and the depth perception, which can overcome the limitation of traditional thoracoscopy. However, some data still exist in literature with regard to robotic lobectomy. The majority of papers are focused on its safety and feasibility, but further studies with long follow-ups are necessary in order to assess the oncologic outcomes. We reviewed the literature on robotic lobectomy, with the main aim to better define the role of robotic system in the clinical practice.

Nonintubated thoracoscopic pulmonary nodule resection under spontaneous breathing anesthesia with laryngeal mask.

OBJECTIVE: During the past 20 years, the use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has increased as an important minimally invasive tool. To further reduce its invasiveness, after a preliminary experience, we decided to use a nonintubated spontaneous breathing general anesthesia, for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery resection of lung nodule, using a laryngeal mask (LMA). This study aimed to verify the safety and the feasibility of this technique. METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients who underwent thoracoscopic wedge of lung nodule under spontaneous breathing general anesthesia with LMA are the subjects of this study. Clinical data, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, Adult Comorbidity Evaluation-27 score, and Revised Cardiac Risk Index score were recorded for each patient. General inhalatory anesthesia (sevoflurane) was given in all cases through an LMA, without muscle relaxants, thus allowing spontaneous breathing. All procedures were performed in the lateral decubitus position. The maximum and minimum values of end-tidal carbon dioxide tension and oxygen saturation were recorded during the procedure. The level of technical feasibility was stratified by the operating surgeon according to four levels: excellent, good, satisfactory, and unsatisfactory. RESULTS: There were 13 men and 7 women (mean age, 57 years). The mean induction anesthesia time was 6 minutes, whereas the mean operative time was 38 minutes. The values of oxygen saturation as well as minimum and maximum end-tidal carbon dioxide tension were 99.1%, 33.6 mm Hg, and 39.1 mm Hg, respectively. No mask displacement occurred. The mean operative time was 38 minutes (range, 25-90 minutes). The level of technical feasibility was defined as excellent in 19 cases and good in 1 case. No mortality occurred. Morbidity consisted of pleural effusion (one case), which was medically resolved. The mean postoperative stay was 3.5 days. Histopathologic results were one squamous cell lung cancer (lung primary), one adenocarcinoma (lung primary), five metastasis from colon cancer, four metastasis from breast cancer, three metastasis from renal cancer, three sarcoidosis, two amartocondroma, and one tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience suggests that thoracoscopic wedge resection of lung nodule is safe and feasible under spontaneous breathing anesthesia with LMA. This technique permits a confident manipulation of lung parenchyma and a safe stapler positioning, without cough, pain, or panic attack described for awake epidural anesthesia, avoiding the risks related to tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.

VATS-based approach for robotic lobectomy.

Lobectomy with systematic lymph node sampling or dissection remains the mainstay of treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer. The use of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) to perform lobectomy was first reported in 1992. Advantages of VATS include less trauma and pain, shorter chest drainage duration, decreased hospital stay, and preservation of short-term pulmonary function. However, VATS is characterized by loss of binocular vision and a limited maneuverability of thoracoscopic instruments, an unstable camera platform, and poor ergonomics for the surgeon. To overcome these limitations, robotic systems were developed during the last decades. This article reviews the technical aspects of robotic lobectomy using a VATS-based approach.

Robotic lobectomy for lung cancer: evolution in technique and technology.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyse the results of robotic lobectomy for lung cancer. The evolution of technique and technology was evaluated. METHODS: During the period 2004-12, all patients who underwent robotic lobectomy for clinical early-stage lung cancer were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 included 69 patients operated by the first generation of surgical robotic system. Group 2 included 160 patients treated with the latest generation of surgical robotic system. Age, gender, comorbidities, operative time, docking time, conversion rate, morbidity, mortality and length of postoperative stay were compared in both groups. RESULTS: The two groups were homogeneous in terms of age, gender and comorbidities. Histopathological analysis showed 41 and 107 adenocarcinomas, 27 and 37 squamous cell carcinomas, 1 and 7 large cell carcinomas, in Groups 1 and 2, respectively, and 5 sarcomatoid carcinomas and 4 carcinoids in Group 2. The pathological stage for Group 1 was Stage I (48 cases), Stage II (17 cases) and Stage III (4 cases). For Group 2, Stage I was found in 115 cases, Stage II in 30 cases and Stage III in 15 cases. The mean operative time was 237 (standard deviation (SD) + 66.9) and 172 (SD ± 39.6) min for Groups 1 and 2 (P = 0.002), respectively. The conversion rates were, respectively, 10.1 and 5.6% (P = 0.21), mortality rates 1.4 and 0% (P = 0.30) and morbidity rates 22 and 15% (P = 0.12). The mean length of postoperative stay was 4.4 (SD ± 3.1) and 3.8 days (SD ± 2.2) (P = 0.26), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a positive trend in the outcomes for patients who underwent the upgraded robotic system surgery compared with those treated by the standard system.

Robot-aided thoracoscopic thymectomy for early-stage thymoma: a multicenter European study.

OBJECTIVE: Minimally invasive thymectomy for stage I to stage II thymoma has been suggested in recent years and considered technically feasible. However, because of the lack of data on long-term results, controversies still exist on surgical access indication. We sought to evaluate the results after robot-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy in early-stage thymoma. METHODS: Data were collected from 4 European centers. Between 2002 and 2011, 79 patients (38 men and 41 women; median age, 57 years) with early-stage thymoma were operated by left-sided (82.4%), right-sided (12.6%), or bilateral (5%) robotic thoracoscopic approach. Forty-five patients (57%) had associated myasthenia gravis. RESULTS: Average operative time was 155 minutes (range, 70-320 minutes). One patient needed open conversion, in 1 patient a standard thoracoscopy was performed after robotic system breakdown, and in 5 patients an additional access was required. No vascular and nervous injuries were recorded, and no perioperative mortality occurred. Ten patients (12.7%) had postoperative complications. Median hospital stay was 3 days (range, 2-15 days). Median diameter of tumor resected was 3 cm (range, 1-12 cm), and Masaoka stage was stage I in 30 patients (38%) and stage II in 49 patients (62%). At a median follow-up of 40 months, 74 patients were alive and 5 had died (4 patients from nonthymoma-related causes and 1 from a diffuse intrathoracic recurrence), with a 5-year survival rate of 90%. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that robot-enhanced thoracoscopic thymectomy for early-stage thymoma is a technically sound and safe procedure with a low complication rate and a short hospital stay. Oncologic outcome seems good, but a longer follow-up is needed to consider this as a standard approach definitively.

Robotic extended thymectomy for early-stage thymomas.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to report a single referral centre experience in robotic extended thymectomy for clinical early-stage thymomas, evaluating its safety, feasibility and efficacy, with special regard to oncological outcomes. METHODS: Between April 2002 and February 2011, we retrospectively selected all those patients who underwent robotic thymectomy for clinical early-stage thymomas. Operative time, morbidity, mortality, duration of hospitalization and overall and disease-free survival were analysed. RESULTS: There were 14 patients (8 males, 6 females) with a mean age of 65.2 years (range 23-81). One patient suffered from myasthenia gravis. The WHO classifications were: A in two cases, AB in four cases, B1 in three cases, B2 in two cases and B3 in three cases. The Masaoka stages were: I in seven cases, IIA in four cases, IIB in two cases and III in one case. The mean operative time was 139 min. No intra-operative complication or death occurred. Conversion to open surgery was required in two cases. Minor complications occurred in two patients (14.2%) due to pleural effusion. The mean hospitalization was 4.0 days. Five patients underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. All patients were alive with no disease recurrence, with a median follow-up of 14.5 months (range 1-98). CONCLUSIONS: Robotic thymectomy is a safe and feasible technique, with a short operative time and low morbidity. Even on a small series with short follow-up, robotic extended thymectomy for thymoma appeared to be an effective treatment for early-stage thymomas.

Ten-year experience of mediastinal robotic surgery in a single referral centre.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report a single referral centre experience in the exeresis of mediastinal lesions with robotic surgical system. The outcomes of all patients were retrospectively investigated with special regard to myasthenic and thymomatous patients. METHODS: From February 2001 to December 2010, 69 patients (30 males, 39 females), with a mean age of 55.4 years (range 20-81), underwent robotic surgery for treatment of mediastinal lesions. There were 39 thymectomies, 13 paravertebral neurogenic tumour removals, 9 pleuropericardial cyst removals, 3 teratoma excisions, 4 lymphonodal removals and 1 enterogenous cyst excision. Operative time, conversion rate, morbidity and mortality were analysed. RESULTS: There were no intra-operative complications, and no mortality. The mean operative time was 124.3 min (range 45-240). Conversion to open surgery occurred in three cases (4.3%). All post-operative complications (7.2%) were conservatively treated. The mean post-operative stay was 4.3 days (range 3-10). For the myasthenic patients (mean follow-up of 18 months), the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America change in status resulted improved in 18 (90%) patients and unchanged in 2 (10%) patients. In cases of thymoma, the pathological analysis revealed Masaoka stage I (seven cases), IIA (three cases), IIB (two cases) and III (one case). No disease recurrence occurred at a mean follow-up of 16 months. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience suggests that the surgical system was safe in performing mediastinal mass resection, with low morbidity and conversion rate. The robotic system proved useful, especially in a tiny space such as the mediastinum, and appeared to be an effective treatment for myasthenia gravis and for early-stage thymoma.

Radio-guided thoracoscopic surgery (RGTS) of small pulmonary nodules.

BACKGROUND: The demand for adequate tissue sampling to determine individual tumor behavior is increasing the number of lung nodule resections, even when the diagnosis is already recognized. Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is the procedure of choice for diagnosis and treatment of small pulmonary nodules. Difficulties in localizing smaller and deeper nodules have been approached with different techniques. Herein we report our 13-years' experience with radio-guided thoracoscopic resection. METHODS: Patients with pulmonary nodules smaller than 1 cm and/or deeper than 1 cm, below the visceral pleura, underwent computed tomography (CT)-guided injection of a solution, composed of 0.2 ml (99)Tc-labeled human serum albumin microspheres and 0.1 ml nonionic contrast, into the nodule. During the VATS procedure, an 11-mm-diameter collimated probe connected to a gamma ray detector was introduced to scan the lung surface. The area of major radioactivity, which matched with the area of the nodule, was resected. RESULTS: From 1997 to 2009, 573 patients underwent thoracoscopic resection of small pulmonary nodules, 211 with the radio-guided technique. There were 159 men and 52 women, with an average age of 60.6 years (range = 12-83). The mean duration of the surgical procedure was 41 min (range = 20-100). The procedure was successful in 208/211 cases. Three patients (0.5%) required conversion to a minithoracotomy. The mean length of pleural drainage and hospital stay was 2.3 and 3.7 days, respectively. Histological examination showed 98 benign lesions and 113 malignant lesions (61 metastases and 52 primary lung cancers). CONCLUSION: This study confirms that radio-guided localization of small pulmonary nodules is a feasible, safe, and quick procedure, with a high rate of success. The spread of the sentinel lymph node technique has increased the availability of technology required for RGTS.