Predictive factors inhibiting recovery of the respiratory function after anatomical pulmonary resection.

PURPOSE: Some patients have worse actual observed postoperative (apo) respiratory function values than predicted postoperative (ppo) values. The present study therefore clarified the predictive factors that hinder the recovery of the postoperative respiratory function. METHODS: This study enrolled 255 patients who underwent anatomical pulmonary resection for lung cancer. A pulmonary function test (PFT) was carried out before surgery and at one, three, and six months after surgery. In each surgical procedures, the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) ratio was calculated as the apo value divided by the ppo value. In addition, we investigated the predictive factors that inhibited postoperative respiratory function improvement in patients with an FEV1 ratio < 1.0 at 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: The FEV1 ratio gradually improved over time in all surgical procedures. However, 49 of 196 patients who underwent a PFT at 6 months after surgery had an FEV1 ratio < 1.0. In a multivariate analysis, right side, upper lobe, segmentectomy and pleurodesis for prolonged air leakage were independent significant predictors of a decreased FEV1 ratio (p = 0.003, 0.006, 0.001, and 0.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: Pleurodesis was the only controllable factor that might help preserve the postoperative respiratory function. Thus, the intraoperative management of air leakage is important.

Successful all robotic-assisted excision of highly malignant mediastinal neuroblastoma in a toddler: A case report.

An otherwise well 28-month-old girl presented with fever/left thigh pain. Computed tomography identified a 7 cm right posterior mediastinal tumor extending to the paravertebral and intercostal spaces with multiple bone and bone marrow metastases on bone scintigraphy. Thoracoscopic biopsy diagnosed MYCN non-amplified neuroblastoma. Chemotherapy shrank the tumor to 5 cm by 35 months of age. Robotic-assisted resection was chosen because the patient was large enough and public health insurance coverage was available. At surgery, the tumor was well-demarcated by chemotherapy and dissection posteriorly from the ribs/intercostal spaces and medially from the paravertebral space and azygos vein was facilitated by superior visualization/instrument articulation. The capsule of the resected specimen was intact on histopathology, confirming complete tumor resection. Despite minimum distance specifications between arms, trocars, and target sites with robotic assistance, excision was safe without instrument collisions. Robotic assistance should be actively considered for pediatric malignant mediastinal tumor provided the thorax is of adequate size.

Port Placement in Robotic Thoracic Surgery for Inferior Mediastinal Tumors.

Robotic surgery for inferior mediastinal tumors located below the inferior vein is rare. The difficulty of resection varies depending on port placement and approach, especially on the left side. Considering that we have tried 3 different approaches for left inferior mediastinal tumors, we identify the advantages and disadvantages of each method. The approach from 3 arms and 1 assist placed on the ventral side of the inferior angle of the scapula is the best access for inferior mediastinal tumors. If the Si system is used, the patient cart should approach from the caudal side and dock on the dorsal side.

Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation in Children: Advantages of an Additional Trocar in the Lower Thorax for Pulmonary Lobectomy.

Aim: To present the use of an additional trocar (AT) in the lower thorax during thoracoscopic pulmonary lobectomy (TPL) in children with congenital pulmonary airway malformation. Methods: For a lower lobe TPL (LL), an AT is inserted in the 10th intercostal space (IS) in the posterior axillary line after trocars for a 5-mm 30° scope, and the surgeon's left and right hands are inserted conventionally in the 6th, 4th, and 8th IS in the anterior axillary line, respectively. For an upper lobe TPL (UL), the AT is inserted in the 9th IS, and trocars are inserted in the 5th, 3rd, and 7th IS, respectively. By switching between trocars (6th↔8th for the scope, 4th↔6th for the left hand, and 8th↔10th for the right hand during LL and 5th↔7th, 3rd↔5th, and 7th↔9th during UL, respectively), vital anatomic landmarks (pulmonary veins, bronchi, and feeding arteries) can be viewed posteriorly. The value of AT was assessed from blood loss, operative time, duration of chest tube insertion, requirement for post-operative analgesia, and incidence of perioperative complications. Results: On comparing AT+ (n = 28) and AT- (n = 27), mean intraoperative blood loss (5.6 vs. 13.0 ml), operative time (3.9 vs. 5.1 h), and duration of chest tube insertion (2.2 vs. 3.4 days) were significantly decreased with AT (p < 0.05, respectively). Differences in post-operative analgesia were not significant. There were three complications requiring conversion to open/mini-thoracotomy: AT- (n = 2; bleeding), AT+: (n = 1; erroneous stapling). Conclusions: An AT and switching facilitated posterior dissection during TPL in children with congenital pulmonary airway malformation enhancing safety and efficiency.

Intraoperative complications and troubles in robot-assisted anatomical pulmonary resection.

OBJECTIVE: Regarding intraoperative complications and troubles during robot-assisted thoracic surgery, few data are available especially in Japan. This study was aimed to elucidate intraoperative complications and troubles in robotic anatomical lung resection, and to present managements and outcomes of those. METHODS: This was a retrospective singe-institutional study. The first 192 consecutive patients who underwent robot-assisted anatomical lung resection between January 2017 and August 2019 were evaluated. We examined the frequency, management and outcomes of intraoperative complications and troubles. RESULTS: Of the 192 eligible patients who underwent robotic anatomical lung resection, lobectomy was performed for 156 (81.2%), and segmentectomy for 36 (18.8%). Three (1.5%) required conversion to open thoracotomy. Of these, bleeding from the pulmonary artery was the cause in two patients (1.0%) and inflammatory adhesion of hilar lymph nodes in 1 (0.5%). Other intraoperative complications and troubles included bronchial injuries in 3 patients (1.5%), lung injury by assistant in one patient (0.5%) and horizontal movement limitation of da Vinci arm in one patient (0.5%). Regarding bronchial injuries, two of three were stump injuries related to stapling, the remaining was to dissection of the bronchial tissues. All bronchial repairs were completed without conversion, and postoperative complications related to bronchial injury were not observed. The 30-day and 90-day mortality rates were both 0%. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of intraoperative complications and troubles in robot-assisted thoracic surgery was low in our first series. All conversions were related to bleeding and impending bleeding, and no conversion was required for bronchial injury.

Is lower zone mediastinal nodal dissection always mandatory for lung cancer in the lower lobe?

PURPOSE: Dissection of the lower zone mediastinal nodes is mandatory during systematic nodal dissection for lung cancer. However, the significance of lower zone lymph node metastasis (LZM) in lung cancer remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to identify the predictive factors for LZM in patients with lower lobe lung cancer. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 257 patients with lower lobe lung cancer, in whom pulmonary resection and mediastinal nodal dissection were performed between 2009 and 2013. The radiological factors on thin-section computed tomography scans (TSCT) and several conventional clinical factors were evaluated as possible predictors of LZM. RESULTS: Twenty (7.8 %) patients exhibited LZM. The majority of the tumors were especially located in segment 10 (50 %). All patients showed a solid appearance on TSCT. In a univariate analysis, the tumor location, a solid appearance and the clinical T factor significantly predicted LZM (p = 0.011, 0.005, 0.018). Furthermore, based on a multivariate analysis, the tumor location in segment 10 significantly predicted LZM in patients with lower lobe solid lung cancer (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: The appropriate surgical strategy for lower zone lymph node dissection should be selected based on the tumor location and the findings of TSCT, due to the high frequency of LZM (19.6 %), especially in patients with pure solid lung cancer in segment 10.

Does cortical motor neuron excitability change in peripheral nerve injury?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate changes in cortical motor neuron excitability after peripheral nerve injury, evoked spinal cord potentials (ESCPs) following hemispheric transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) were recorded in awake patients with unilateral brachial plexus injury. METHODS: ESCPs following hemispheric TMS were recorded in 6 patients with unilateral complete type brachial plexus injury. Studies were performed within 6 months from the time of injury. ESCPs were recorded from posterior epidural space using catheter electrodes. Hemispheric TMS was applied on the motor cortex using a figure-of-8 coil. The threshold of ESCPs following hemispheric TMS was measured. The number, latency, and amplitude of ESCPs following high stimulus hemispheric TMS were measured and compared. RESULTS: No significant change was observed in the threshold of ESCPs following TMS contra-lateral to the injured upper limb compared to that following TMS contra-lateral to the intact upper limb. Several ESCP components were recorded following high stimulus hemispheric TMS. No significant changes were observed in comparison with number, latency and amplitude of ESCPs following high stimulus TMS contra-lateral to the injured upper limb and those following TMS contra-lateral to the intact upper limb. CONCLUSIONS: From a study of ESCPs following single TMS, no evidence was obtained that cortical motor neuron excitability changes in patients with traumatic unilateral brachial plexus injury at relatively early stages. We investigated the changes of cortical motor neuron excitability in patients with brachial plexus injury from the ESCPs following TMS. In single TMS, our data gave no evidence for cortical excitability changes at relatively early stages.