Clipless internal mammary artery harvesting for minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting using the shear-tip harmonic scalpel.

Background: The internal mammary artery (IMA) is the most commonly used graft in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) because of its superior long-term patency rate. However, its small diameter poses challenges in handling, and any vascular damage that may occur during harvesting can significantly affect surgical outcomes. The primary focus during IMA harvesting is to ensure safe and effective hemostasis without direct vascular injury, while ensuring secure and reliable ligation of the vascular branches. Various methods using multiple surgical instruments have been used for this purpose. Unlike traditional instruments, the shear-tip Harmonic scalpel offers more precise vessel branching control, while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues. In this study, we assessed the utility of the shear-tip Harmonic scalpel in patients undergoing minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICABG). Methods: From April 2019 to May 2023, a total of 40 patients underwent MICABG. The IMA was harvested using the shear-tip Harmonic scalpel with a clipless skeletonized technique. In this cohort, 5 patients underwent complete endoscopic harvesting, while 34 patients underwent direct visualization harvesting through minimal thoracotomy. Graft patency was assessed by measuring a Doppler flowmeter in the bypass conduit. Results: Successful graft patency was achieved in all patients. The mean duration of IMA harvesting was 87 min. In total, 38 of the 40 patients underwent MICABG without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass, ensuring a stable procedure. There were no graft-related events or complications observed in any of the patients, and all were discharged without any issues. During a median follow-up period of 15.2 months, only one patient experienced graft occlusion necessitating intervention. Conclusions: The utilization of shear-tip Harmonic scalpel for IMA harvesting in MICABG is feasible and yields stable early results.

Intraoperative changes in upper extremity perfusion index after thoracic paravertebral and intertransverse process block in patients undergoing lung resection surgery.

Background: Perfusion index (PI) has been used as a surrogate marker of sympathetic blockade. This study evaluated changes in PI of bilateral upper extremity after thoracic paravertebral block (PVB) and intertransverse process block (ITPB). Methods: This pilot study included three groups of patients undergoing elective unilateral pulmonary resection under general anesthesia with PVB (n=11) or ITPB (n=10), or urologic procedures with general anesthesia (control group, n=10). Blockades were performed using 10 mL aliquots of 0.5% ropivacaine administered at T3-4, T5-6, and T7-8 intercostal levels immediately after general anesthesia induction. The PI value of the operating side (PI-O) was divided by the contralateral side (PI-CL), and the relative change to baseline was assessed (relative PI-O/PI-CL), with a 50% increase considered meaningful. Results: In all cases within the PVB and ITPB groups, a significant increase in PI was observed following the blockades. The median (1Q, 3Q) intraoperative relative PI-O/PI-CL values were 0.9 (0.8, 1.4), 2.1 (1.4, 2.5), and 1.4 (0.9, 1.9) in the control, PVB, and ITPB groups (P=0.01), respectively. Pairwise comparison revealed a significant difference only between the control and PVB groups (adjusted P=0.01). While the relative PI-O/PI-CL value in the control group generally remained close to 1, occasional fluctuations exceeding 1.5 were noted. Conclusions: PVB induced a noticeable unilateral increase in upper extremity PI, whereas ITPB tended to result in an inconsistent and lesser degree of increase. Monitoring PI values can serve as an indicator of upper extremity sympathetic blockade, but consideration of potential confounders impacting these observations during surgery is essential. Further research is needed to validate these findings.

Noninvasive tracking of mixed venous oxygen saturation via near-infrared spectroscopy cerebral oximetry: a retrospective observational study.

Although previous studies have shown correlation between regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), there is a lack of pragmatic information on the clinical applicability of these findings, such as tracking ability. We retrospectively analyzed continuous intraoperative recordings of rScO2 and SvO2 obtained from a pulmonary artery catheter and either of two near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) devices (INVOS 5100C, Medtronic; O3, Masimo) during off-pump cardiopulmonary bypass (OPCAB) surgery in adult patients. The ability of rScO2 to track SvO2 was quantitatively evaluated with 5 min interval changes transformed into relative values. The analysis included 176 h of data acquired from 48 subjects (26 and 22 subjects for INVOS and O3 dataset, respectively). The area under ROC of the left-rScO2 for detecting change of SvO2 ≥ 10% in INVOS and O3 datasets were 0.919 (95% CI 0.903-0.936) and 0.852 (95% CI 0.818-0.885). The concordance rates between the interval changes of left-rScO2 and SvO2 in INVOS and O3 datasets were 90.6% and 91.9% with 10% exclusion zone. rScO2 can serve as a noninvasive tool for detecting changes in SvO2 levels, a critical hemodynamic measurement.

Cryobiopsy: A Breakthrough Strategy for Clinical Utilization of Lung Cancer Organoids.

One major challenge associated with lung cancer organoids (LCOs) is their predominant derivation from surgical specimens of patients with early-stage lung cancer. However, patients with advanced lung cancer, who are in need of chemotherapy, often cannot undergo surgery. Therefore, there is an urgent need to successfully generate LCOs from biopsy specimens. Conventional lung biopsy techniques, such as transthoracic needle biopsy and forceps biopsy, only yield small amounts of lung tissue, resulting in a low success rate for culturing LCOs from biopsy samples. Furthermore, potential complications, like bleeding and pneumothorax, make it difficult to obtain sufficient tissue. Another critical issue is the overgrowth of normal lung cells in later passages of LCO culture, and the optimal culture conditions for LCOs are yet to be determined. To address these limitations, we attempted to create LCOs from cryobiopsy specimens obtained from patients with lung cancer (n = 113). Overall, the initial success rate of establishing LCOs from cryobiopsy samples was 40.7% (n = 46). Transbronchial cryobiopsy enables the retrieval of significantly larger amounts of lung tissue than bronchoscopic forceps biopsy. Additionally, cryobiopsy can be employed for peripheral lesions, and it is aided via radial endobronchial ultrasonography. This study significantly improved the success rate of LCO culture and demonstrated that the LCOs retained characteristics that resembled the primary tumors. Single-cell RNA sequencing confirmed high cancer cell purity in early passages of LCOs derived from patients with advanced lung cancer. Furthermore, the three-dimensional structure and intracellular components of LCOs were characterized using three-dimensional holotomography. Finally, drug screening was performed using a specialized micropillar culture system with cryobiopsy-derived LCOs. LCOs derived from cryobiopsy specimens offer a promising solution to the critical limitations of conventional LCOs. Cryobiopsy can be applied to patients with lung cancer at all stages, including those with peripheral lesions, and can provide sufficient cells for LCO generation. Therefore, we anticipate that cryobiopsy will serve as a breakthrough strategy for the clinical application of LCOs in all stages of lung cancer.

Type A aortic dissection after 'zone 0' thoracic endovascular aortic repair for type 1 hybrid aortic arch replacement of arch aneurysm.

The recent rise in minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures is being accompanied by an increase in related complications. We report on an acute type A aortic dissection performed in an 82-year-old man 1 week after staged 'zone 0' hybrid thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Previously, the patient had undergone type I hybrid arch debranching and staged 'zone 0' TEVAR for an aortic arch aneurysm. 'Zone 0' TEVAR after type I hybrid debranching might increase the risk for aortic injury on the residual native aorta and should, therefore, be closely followed up to enable the early diagnosis of complications.

Feasibility of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy-guided lung resection for pulmonary ground-glass opacity nodules.

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in imaging modalities and recommended low-dose computed tomography screening programs have made it easier to diagnose early lung cancer. However, the diagnosis of small ground-glass nodules (GGNs) has been problematic due to inappropriate specimen procurement and failure of conventional percutaneous core needle biopsy. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the usefulness of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB)-guided video-assisted lung resection for not only the diagnosis but also treatment of GGNs. METHODS: From 2017 to 2019, 110 patients with suspicious lung cancer lesions that were not diagnosed by conventional procedure underwent ENB-guided lung resection. Among 35 cases of GGNs, 33 cases of localization were included in this study (two cup biopsy cases were excluded). We used SuperDimension™ for the ENB procedure. After general anesthesia, indigo carmine (0.3-0.5 mL) was injected, and GGNs were resected through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. RESULTS: Of the 33 GGNs, 16 were pure (2 adenocarcinomas in situ, 5 minimally invasive adenocarcinomas (MIAs), 3 adenocarcinomas, and 6 benign lesions) and 17 were mixed (1 MIA, 11 adenocarcinomas, and 5 benign lesions). The mean size of all lesions was 11.2±7.78 mm, mean distance to the pleura was 11.2±14.2 mm, and mean ENB procedure time was 18.8±8.88 minutes. Dye localization and surgical resection of GGN were successful in all cases. There was no procedure-related complication. CONCLUSIONS: ENB is a feasible and highly accurate localization method for minimally invasive lung resection of small GGNs.

Do ground-glass opacity-dominant features have prognostic significance in node-negative adenocarcinomas with invasive components of similar sizes?

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyse the prognostic significance of the dominant features of ground-glass opacities (GGOs) in part-solid node-negative adenocarcinomas with invasive components of similar sizes. METHODS: From 2004 to 2017, a total of 544 patients with a diagnosis of part-solid pathological node-negative adenocarcinoma with an invasive component <20 mm in size were selected. The enrolled patients were categorized into 2 groups: a GGO-dominant [50% < GGO (%) < 100%, n = 245] group (group 1) and a solid-dominant [0% < GGO (%) ≤ 50%, n = 299] group (group 2). To analyse the prognostic significance of GGO-dominant features, propensity score matching incorporating variables such as age, sex, preoperative pulmonary function, operation methods and size of the solid component was performed. RESULTS: Propensity score matching produced 92 patients in each group for the prognostic analysis. The mean size of the solid part was 8.8 mm in the GGO-dominant group and 9.0 mm in the solid-dominant group (P = 0.34); the mean size of the total lesion was 22.2 mm in the GGO-dominant group and 14.9 mm in the solid-dominant group (P < 0.001). The 5-year overall survival rates were 96.7% in group 1 and 96.2% in group 2 (P = 0.52), and the 5-year disease-free survival rates were 96.7% in group 1 and 94.3% in group 2 (P = 0.48). CONCLUSIONS: Although the total sizes of the GGO-dominant lesions were larger than those of the solid-dominant lesions, the prognosis of patients with GGO-dominant lesions was not significantly different from that of patients with solid-dominant lesions in node-negative adenocarcinomas with a similar invasive component size <20 mm.

Surgical treatment for mediastinitis after endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration: 2 case reports.

We report two cases of severe mediastinitis accompanied by abscess due to endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), that were successfully treated by effective surgical drainage. A 68-year-old woman was referred to our hospital due to chest discomfort and high fever after EBUS-TBNA, and a 54-year-old man was referred due to general weakness, chills, and high fever after the same procedure. Both were diagnosed with EBUS-related mediastinitis and discharged after surgical treatment. Similar to previous reports, the importance of surgical procedures for mediastinitis caused by EBUS-TBNA was suggested. Further research and establishment of guidelines on this matter is necessary.

Surgical treatment of pulmonary oligorecurrence after curative resection for non-small-cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The most appropriate therapeutic strategy for patients with pulmonary oligorecurrence after curative resection of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear; therefore, characterizing the results of various treatments for pulmonary oligorecurrence would be valuable. This study compared the prognosis of operative and non-operative treatment for pulmonary oligorecurrence after complete resection of NSCLC. METHODS: Among 2230 patients from a prospective lung cancer database who underwent surgical resection between 2004 and 2014, 486 patients (22%) experienced recurrence, including 254 with pulmonary recurrence and 102 with pulmonary oligorecurrence (5 or fewer metastatic lesions). Post-recurrence survival (PRS) rates were compared between those who received operative or non-operative treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy and best supportive care. RESULTS: Among 102 patients with pulmonary oligorecurrence, 41 patients received operative treatment and 61 received non-operative treatment (34 chemotherapy, 15 radiotherapy, 9 chemoradiotherapy and 3 best supportive care). The patients who received operative treatment were significantly younger at the first operation than those in the non-operative group and had better performance status, lower pathological T stage at the first operation, younger age at recurrence and fewer metastatic lesions. The median PRS was 46.4 months, and the 5-year PRS rates were 67% and 26% in the operative and non-operative groups, respectively. The multivariable analysis revealed that undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery at the first operation and receiving operative treatment for recurrence were independent prognostic factors for more favourable PRS. CONCLUSIONS: Operative treatment of pulmonary oligorecurrence after curative resection significantly prolonged the PRS in patients who underwent curative resection for NSCLC.

Perioperative change in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a prognostic factor in patients with completely resected primary pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: There has been controversy regarding prognostic factors for surgically resected primary pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC). Recently, several studies have shown that neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was a prognostic factor for various types of cancers from multiple organs. Therefore, we performed this study to evaluate whether NLR is related to prognosis after complete surgical resection of primary PSC. METHODS: From Oct. 2003 to Sep. 2015, a total of 50 patients underwent surgical resection for primary PSC. After excluding patients with any history of other malignancy and incompletely resected cases, a total of 37 patients were included, and data were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Change in postoperative NLR and the initial NLR (ΔNLR) was calculated from the perioperative complete blood count (CBC) results. RESULTS: Mean age of the cohort was 62.2±1.9 years, and 31 patients (83.8%) were male. Twenty patients (54.1%) were revealed as pN0. Overall 5-year survival rate was 50.3%. Seventeen patients (45.9%) had locoregional or distant metastases. Univariate survival analysis revealed age >70, ΔNLR >17 as risk factors for overall survival (P=0.009, 0.005) and disease-free survival (P=0.036, 0.018). Multivariate Cox-regression analysis revealed age >70 and ΔNLR >17 as independent risk factors for overall survival and ΔNLR >17 as the only independent risk factor for the disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with completely resected primary PSC, perioperative ΔNLR had a significant effect on the overall survival and disease-free survival. Older age was also an independent risk factor for overall survival.

Validation of Nafamostat Mesilate as an Anticoagulant in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Large-Animal Experiment.

BACKGROUND: Unfractionated heparin is commonly used for anticoagulation in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Several studies have shown that nafamostat mesilate (NM) has comparable clinical outcomes to unfractionated heparin. This study compared anticoagulation with NM and heparin in a large-animal model. METHODS: Beagle dogs (n=8; weight, 6.5-9 kg) were placed on venovenous ECMO. Blood samples were taken every hour and the following parameters were compared: hemoglobin level, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), thromboelastography (TEG) data, platelet function, and inflammatory cytokine levels. RESULTS: In both groups, the aPTT was longer than the baseline value. Although the aPTT in the NM group was shorter than in the heparin group, the TEG parameters were similar between the 2 groups. Hemoglobin levels decreased in both groups, but the decrease was less with NM than with heparin (p=0.049). Interleukin (IL)-1ß levels significantly decreased in the NM group (p=0.01), but there was no difference in the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha or IL-10 between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: NM showed a similar anticoagulant effect to that of unfractionated heparin, with fewer bleeding complications. NM also had anti-inflammatory properties during ECMO. Based on this preclinical study, NM may be a good alternative candidate for anticoagulation in ECMO.

A Life-Threatening Bronchogenic Cyst.

A bronchogenic cyst causing cardiac tamponade is a rare condition. We report an unusual case of a bronchogenic cyst that caused cardiac tamponade. A 49-year-old female patient presented at our emergency room with complaints of palpitations and shortness of breath that had lasted for 5 days preceding the visit. Echocardiography revealed a very large cystic mass compressing the left a trium posteriorly, and a large amount of pericardial effusion caused the diastolic collapse of the ventricles. Atrial fibrillation and aggravated dyspnea were observed, and the patient's vital signs were unstable after admission. We therefore performed an emergency operation. The bronchogenic cyst was resected by thoracotomy and the patient was discharged 12 days after the operation without any complications over 5 years of follow-up.

Carney Complex: Eleven Open Heart Operations in a Single Family.

Herein, we report on a family with Carney complex. Four members of the family underwent a total of 11 open heart operations as well as 9 other operations to treat extrathoracic masses. All the family members met at least 2 major clinical criteria and 1 supplemental criterion. We analyzed their genomic loci, including the protein kinase A regulatory subunit 1 gene. The results revealed no specific mutations, except for a common single nucleotide polymorphism. This case series of Carney complex emphasizes the importance of close longitudinal follow-up because of the high rate of tumor recurrence irrespective of the site. Clinicians should not overlook the specific features of familial myxoma.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a 1,360-g Premature Neonate after Repairing Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return.

With advancements in complex repairs in neonates with complicated congenital heart diseases, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been increasingly used as cardiac support. ECMO has also been increasingly used for low birth weight (LBW) or very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates. However, since prematurity and LBW are risk factors for ECMO, the appropriate indications for neonates with LBW, especially VLBW, are under dispute. We report a case of ECMO performed in a 1,360-g premature infant with VLBW due to cardiopulmonary bypass weaning failure after repairing infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous return.

Classic Peripheral Signs of Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis.

A 50-year-old female patient with visual disturbances was referred for further evaluation of a heart murmur. Fundoscopy revealed a Roth spot in both eyes. A physical examination showed peripheral signs of infective endocarditis, including Osler nodes, Janeway lesions, and splinter hemorrhages. Our preoperative diagnosis was subacute bacterial endocarditis with severe aortic regurgitation. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement and was treated with intravenous antibiotics for 6 weeks postoperatively. The patient made a remarkable recovery and was discharged without complications. We report this case of subacute endocarditis with all 4 classic peripheral signs in a patient who presented with visual disturbance.

In Vivo Neuroprotective Effect of Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate Solution in an Ischemia/Reperfusion Spinal Cord Injury Animal Model.

BACKGROUND: Paraplegia is a devastating complication following operations on the thoracoabdominal aorta. We investigated whether histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution could reduce the extent of ischemia/reperfusion (IR) spinal cord injuries in a rat model using a direct delivery method. METHODS: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into four groups. The sham group (n=6) underwent a sham operation, the IR group (n=6) underwent only an aortic occlusion, the saline infusion group (saline group, n=6) underwent an aortic occlusion and direct infusion of cold saline into the occluded aortic segment, and the HTK infusion group (HTK group, n=6) underwent an aortic occlusion and direct infusion of cold HTK solution into the occluded aortic segment. An IR spinal cord injury was induced by transabdominal clamping of the aorta distally to the left renal artery and proximally to the aortic bifurcation for 60 minutes. A neurological evaluation of locomotor function was performed using the modified Tarlov score after 48 hours of reperfusion. The spinal cord was harvested for histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. RESULTS: The spinal cord IR model using direct drug delivery in rats was highly reproducible. The Tarlov score was 4.0 in the sham group, 1.17±0.75 in the IR group, 1.33±1.03 in the saline group, and 2.67±0.81 in the HTK group (p=0.04). The histopathological analysis of the HTK group showed reduced neuronal cell death. CONCLUSION: Direct infusion of cold HTK solution into the occluded aortic segment may reduce the extent of spinal cord injuries in an IR model in rats.

Voice Change Due to Paratracheal Air Cysts.

Paratracheal air cysts are a rare entity in which cystic formation occurs adjacent to the trachea. Most patients with paratracheal air cysts are asymptomatic, and the cysts are detected incidentally on chest radiograph or computed tomography (CT) scan. Most symptomatic patients complain of pulmonary symptoms or repeated respiratory infection. Rarely, the air cysts can lead to paralysis of the recurrent laryngeal nerve as a result of direct compression. We report a case of a 59-year-old male patient who presented with voice change, and the cause was identified as paratracheal air cysts on a chest CT scan. Surgical resection via video-assisted mediastinoscopy was performed, and the voice recovered immediately after the operation.

Life-Threatening Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation in the Premature Neonate.

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation is a rare, but well-known disease. It can be managed conservatively in patients without symptoms or require surgical removal when symptomatic. The surgical option of choice is en bloc resection of the affected lesion. We report an experience of life-threatening congenital cystic adenoid malformation in a low-birth-weight (1,590 g) premature neonate who was successfully treated with a lobectomy of the lung.