Right middle lobe syndrome after upper lobectomy: Role of the bronchial angle.

BACKGROUND: Right middle lobe syndrome is part of a spectrum of relatively rare but serious conditions that may occur following right upper lobectomy. We aimed to assess whether the preoperative middle lobe bronchial angle on CT predicted patients at risk of developing middle lobe syndrome. METHOD: All patients who had a complete upper lobectomy over 4 years were retrospectively reviewed for clinical and imaging findings of middle lobe syndrome. Patients with previous lung surgery, preoperative chemo- or radiation therapy, or more extensive surgical resection were excluded. Patient demographics and symptoms, the surgical, pathologic and bronchoscopy reports, and pre- and post-operative chest imaging, to include 3D CT reconstructions and measurements of the middle lobe angles in a subset of patients, were retrospectively reviewed. RESULT: One hundred and twenty-eight patients met inclusion criteria. Ten (8%) had middle lobe syndrome based on symptoms and imaging features. Eight had severe middle lobe consolidation. Two had postoperative onset of wheezing, with middle lobe bronchial abnormality on CT. The pre- and postoperative middle lobe bronchial angles of 14 patients without middle lobe syndrome were compared to 10 patients with middle lobe syndrome. The middle lobe bronchus was completely obliterated postoperatively and could not be determined in 1 patient. There was no significant difference between the pre- and postoperative angles in patients with or without middle lobe syndrome. CONCLUSION: Middle lobe syndrome occurred in 8% of patients with right upper lobectomy. The preoperative middle lobe bronchial angle did not predict patients at risk for developing middle lobe syndrome.

Colon Interposition for Esophageal Cancer.

Esophagectomy and colon interposition in the adult patient, either for primary alimentary reconstruction or as a secondary replacement after initial resection/reconstruction for malignant or benign disease, remains a valuable tool in the thoracic surgeon's armamentarium. It is important for surgeons to remain versed in the complexities of the operation, including preoperative preparation and decision making, operative procedural and technical variations, and recognition and timely treatment of postoperative complications. In this article, we present technical details of the procedure, a review of selected published studies, long-term results, and indications and outcomes for revisional surgery.

Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy for Achalasia.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy surgery is an incisionless, minimally invasive, natural orifice technique used to treat the symptoms of achalasia and other spastic disorders of the esophagus. Recent experience demonstrates that it can be performed safely by experienced esophageal surgeons and there are very good short-term outcomes comparable to laparoscopic myotomy. The rapid worldwide adoption of this technique demonstrates its potential to replace the current therapies available for achalasia. A cautionary note is important in that long-term outcomes are not yet available in terms of dysphagia and GERD symptoms.

A model based on endoscopic morphology of submucosal esophageal squamous cell carcinoma for determining risk of metastasis on lymph nodes.

BACKGROUND: It is important to identify patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in T1b stage that are the least likely to metastasize on the lymph nodes, to undergo endoscopic resection, especially for the patients unfit for esophagectomy. The relationship between endoscopic morphology and frequency of nodal metastasis has never been well studied. The aims of the study were to investigate the predictive value of endoscopic morphology for lymphatic metastasis, and to develop a risk stratification model in submucosal (T1b) ESCC. METHODS: Pathologic variables of patients with T1b ESCC who underwent esophagectomy from 2006 through 2016 were collected and divided into training sets (patients between 2006 and 2011) and validation sets (patients between 2012 and 2016). The endoscopic morphology of the tumor was determined by analyzing endoscopic reports according to the Paris classification. The correlation between the clinicopathological factors and nodal metastasis was examined. A prediction model was developed to estimate the risk of metastasis using these predictors. RESULTS: A total of 175 patients were included in this study. A tumor with an endoscopic shape of flat type (0-II type as Paris classification was defined) was significantly related to lower risk of lymphatic metastasis with the frequency of 15.5% (OR: 3.049, 95% CI: 1.363-6.819, P=0.005). The combination of endoscopic morphology with other pathologic characteristics including lymphovascular invasion, length of tumor, depth of tumor invasion into submucosa, and tumor differentiation improved the predictive value of the nodal metastasis. The risk stratification model was developed with a C-index of 0.726 (95% CI: 0.702-0.751), which identified a low risk subgroup with a lymph node rate of 7.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that when a tumor is in flat shape (0-II type) it is related to a less lymphatic metastasis, and the combination of the endoscopic morphology with the other four pathologic variables can yield a more robust approach to predict the risk of lymphatic metastasis in submucosal ESCC.

Prevention and management of intraoperative crisis in VATS and open chest surgery: how to avoid emergency conversion.

Video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has become a routinely utilized approach to complex procedures of the chest, such as pulmonary resection. It has been associated with decreased postoperative pain, shorter length of stay and lower incidence of complications such as pneumonia. Limitations to this modality may include limited exposure, lack of tactile feedback, and a two-dimensional view of the surgical field. Furthermore, the lack of an open incision may incur technical challenges in preventing and controlling operative misadventures leading to major hemorrhage or other intraoperative emergencies. While these events may occur in the best of circumstances, prevention strategies are the primary means of avoiding these injuries. Unplanned conversions for major intraoperative bleeding or airway injury during general thoracic surgical procedures are relatively rare and often can be avoided with careful preoperative planning, review of relevant imaging, and meticulous surgical technique. When these events occur, a pre-planned, methodical response with initial control of bleeding, assessment of injury, and appropriate repair and/or salvage procedures are necessary to maximize outcomes. The surgeon should be well versed in injury-specific incisions and approaches to maximize adequate exposure and when feasible, allow completion of the index operation. Decisions to continue with a minimally invasive approach should consider the comfort and experience level of the surgeon with these techniques, and the relative benefit gained against the risk incurred to the patient. These algorithms may be expected to shift in the future with increasing sophistication and capabilities of minimally invasive technologies and approaches.