An aggregate score to stratify the technical complexity of video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop a score to predict the complexity of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomies preoperatively. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-nine consecutive patients undergoing VATS lobectomy operated on by a single surgeon as the first operator were included. Complex operations were defined as: operation time >180 min (corresponding to the 75th percentile) or a conversion to thoracotomy. Several patient-related baseline and radiological variables were tested for a possible association with surgical complexity by logistic regression analysis. An aggregate score was created by weighing the regression estimates of the significant predictors. Patients were then grouped in classes of risk according to their scores. Finally, the score was validated in an external population of 154 VATS lobectomy patients. RESULTS: Twenty-nine VATS lobectomies (21%) were classified as complex. The following variables were found to be significantly associated with a complex operation and were used to calculate the risk score in each patient (1 point each): male (P = 0.006), presence of thick pleura (P = 0.003), presence of emphysema (P = 0.001), enlarged hilar nodes (P = 0.003). Patients were grouped in 4 classes showing an incremental incidence of complex operations (P < 0.0001): score 0, 7.4%; score 1, 18%; score 2, 27%; score >2, 67%. In the external validation set, the score confirmed its association with the incidence of complex operations (P < 0.001): score 0, 7.3%; score 1, 10%; score 2, 16%; score >2 50%. CONCLUSIONS: The complexity score appeared to be reproducible in an external setting and can be used to preoperatively identify appropriate candidates for VATS lobectomies to improve the efficiency and safety of the training phase.

Late diagnosis of silent thoracic aortic rupture presented as a right pleural effusion.

Patients with ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm rarely present in a stable clinical condition. A man was referred to our hospital with the diagnosis of ruptured saccular aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta. He successfully underwent both endovascular graft repair and open thoracotomy.

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation due to left atrial appendage herniation and review of the literature.

The incidence of the isolated form of partial absence of the pericardium is a rare finding. The authors present a case of an isolated left sided pericardial defect with intrathoracic protrusion of the left atrial appendage found during a left upper lobectomy for lung cancer, unrecognized after serial echocardiographs and computed tomography scan of the thorax. The patient suffered from episodes of atrial fibrillation which disappeared after pericardial defect repair without antiarrhythmic medication.