[The role of resection surgical techniques in complex treatment of multi-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis].

A total of 16 patients with pulmonary resections for MDR-TB are included in a retrospective study for a period of 7 years. They are 9 (63.4%) male and 7 (36.3%) female with an average age of 32.6 years. Unilateral cavitary lesions are visualized in all patients. Bilateral changes are found in 9 (55.5%) patients, but the contralateral lesions are predominantly nodules and fibrosis. Multi-drug resistance was observed to an average of 4.4 anti-TB medicines. The mean duration of the preoperative re-treatment regimens is 4.9 months. Despite the preoperative anti-TB treatment, 8 (50%) of our patients are positive at the time of surgery. The following operations are carried out: lobectomy (68.75%), lobectomy with S6 (6.25%) and pneumonectomy (25%). No intraoperative and 30-day postoperative deaths are observed in our cohort. Postoperative complications are found in 4 (25%) of the cases. The mean postoperative in-hospital stay is 10.2 days. The postoperative anti-TB regimens are administered for at least 18 months, but in most of the patients their duration is 24 months. Postoperative follow-up is possible in all patients for the mean period of 34 months. Relapse of the disease is found in 3 (18.75%) preoperatively positive patients. Late mortality is observed in 1 (6.2%) patient 9 months after pneumonectomy due to relapse and empyema development. Eight (50%) of the patients are under follow-up program without medication. The rest 5 (31.25%) patients are negative but still on anti-TB regimens. In conclusion, we feel that pulmonary resections are of a paramount importance as an adjunctive method in the complex treatment of MDR-TB with good postoperative results.

[Surgical treatment of pulmonary metastases--surgical methods, early and long-term results].

AIM: To retrospectively evaluate the postoperative results after surgery for lung metastases from extrapulmonary origin. METHODS: A total of 45 patients were operated on for lung metastases between Jan 1996 and Dec 2006. They were 22 (48.9%) male and 23 (51.1%) female with a mean age of 51.6 years. Unilateral operation was carried out in 34 (75.6%) of the patients and another 11 (24.4%) patients were operated on for bilateral metastases. In 8 of them a one-stage operation was performed via median sternotomy (6) and bilateral successive thoracotomies (2). Two-stage strategy was applied in 3 patients. Metastasectomy via sternotomy as a surgical procedure was performed in all cases with bilateral lesions. In one case with one-stage successive thoracotomies a lobectomy and metastasectomy were used. In the group of unilateral operation the following procedures were carried out: metastasectomy in 23 (51%), lobectomy in 7 (15.6%), extended lobectomy in 2 (4.4%), sleeve lobectomy in 1 (2.2%) and polysegmental resection in 1 (2.2%). VATS was applied in 6 (13.3%) patients. RESULTS: No 30-day postoperative mortality was faced. There were 3 (6.7%) minor postoperative complications. The mean number of resected metastases was 2.3 per patient. The primary tumor sites were as follow: colorectal carcinoma--15 (33.3%); renal carcinoma--5 (12.1%); breast carcinoma--6 (13.3%); soft tissue fibrosarcoma--6 (13.3%); osteosarcoma--4 (8.9%); melanoma--1 (2.2%); gastric carcinoma--1 (2.2%), thyreoid gland carcinoma--1 (2.2%); suprarenal carcinoma--1 (2.2%) and carcinoma of salivary gland type--1 (2.2%). Mediastinal lymph nodes dissection was carried out in all patients and in 5 (12.1%) was found a metastatic mediastinal lymph nodes involvement. Adequate control of primary site tumor was achieved in all patients. Until the end of the study 01.01.2008, 19 (42.2%) of the patients are alive. The median survival was 38 months with 95% Confidence Interval (33-43). The gender (p=0.194), metastases diameter (p=0.211), mediastinal lymphnode involvement (p=0.102), initial clinical symptoms (p=0.233) and the primary site stage (p=0.091) can not be considered as a prognostic factors. The prognosis was significantly influenced by histology (p=0.0275), but because of small number of cases in the groups result should be interpreted with caution. The disease free interval (p=0.0348) and metastases number > 3 (p=0.0456) are considered prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Surgery is an integral part of multimodality treatment of lung metastases with low postoperative complication rate and good long-term results. Respectability, "disease free interval" and number of metastases are considered to be the main prognostic factors.

[Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for treatment of pleural empyema]. / Video-asistirana torakoskopska khirurgiia (VATS) za lechenie na plevralniia empiem.

During 1996-2003 a total of 359 patients were treated for empyema. Forty eight of them (with parapneumonic empyema) were prospectively randomized into 2 groups of 24 patients who underwent early decortication either by thoracotomy or VATS. Comparing to thoracotomy group, VATS group had a significantly shorter chest tube duration (5.8+/-1.1 vs 9+/-1.3 days; p=0.03) and postoperative in-hospital stay with parapneumonic empyema (8.7+/-0.9 vs 12.8+/-1.1 days; p=0.009). VATS has been found to be particularly useful for treating the fibrinopurulent phase of empyema, in which multiple loculations could be easily disrupted to allow adequate drainage of a "cleaned" pleural space. On the other hand, although VATS is highly effective, it is not indicated in every patient and it's indiscriminate use may lead to none required operative interventions.

[Surgical treatment of chronic pleural empyema--seven years' experience]. / Khirurgichno lechenie na khronichniia plevralen empiem--sedemgodishern opit.

During a 7 years period a total of 112 patients with chronic pleural empyema were operated on. There were 92 male and 20 female with mean age of 48.4 years. The mean duration of empyema clinical manifestation up to the operation was 59 days. Pleurectomy and decortication were carried out in 99 patients and in the other 5 cases they were associated with pulmonary resection. Additional thoracoplasty was necessary in only 7 patients. Rethoracotomy for hemostasis was performed in 5 (5.6%) patients. The overall postoperative mortality was 5.6%. The mean hospital stay after pleurectomy and decortication was 13 days and after the thoracoplasty it was 19 days. The follow-up period was 6 months for 84 (75%) and 12 months for 70 (62%) of the patients. No disease relapse was observed. Pulmonary function was improved after 3 to 6 months in the majority (89%) of the patients. Fully recovered working capacity was found in 44% of the patients.

[Surgical treatment of chronical pulmonary abscesses--contemporary treatment]. / Khirurgichno lechenie na khronichniia belodroben abstses--suvremenni postanovki.

Between Jan 1991 and Dec 2000 a total of 67 patients were operated on for chronic primary pulmonary abscesses. They were 57 men and 10 women with mean age of 46.2 (range, 12 to 72) years. The indications for surgery was mainly "delayed closure" following medical therapy and percutaneous tube drainage (3), as well as a massive hemoptysis in 4 cases. CT scanning and brochoscopy were performed in all patients. The majority of them had multiple isolates (51/67) of both aerobic and anaerobic (predominantly Bacteroides sp., Fusobacterium sp., and Peptococci) organisms. The following operations were carried out: lobectomy (52) including 8 decortications, bilobectomy (5), pneumonectomy (4) including two pleuro pneumonectomy, polysegmentectomy (4) and segmental resection (2). The 30-day hospital mortality rate was 1.49% (1 patient died following rethoracotomy for bronchial stump fistula with empyema and polyorganic insufficiency). Major postoperative complications were 6 (8.9%) and included 3 pleural empyema (additional drainage), two rethoracotomy for intrapleural bleeding and one residual pleural cavity, treated by thoracoplasty. Minor postoperative complications (atelectasis, wound infection and prolonged air-leakage) were observed in 9 patients (13.4%). The long-term results (following-up ranged from 6 to 112 weeks) are considered very good. In conclusion, surgery is indicated for patients with significant hemoptysis, suspected malignancy and those with "late healing" abscesses with acceptable postoperative results, although the rate of major postoperative complications remains relatively high.

[One-stage operation for multi-organ echinococcosis (bilateral pulmonary, hepatic and splenic) by sterno-laparotomy]. / Ednoetapna operatsiia pri mnogoorganna ekhinokokoza (dvustranna belodrobna, chernodrobna i na slezkata) chrez sterno-laparotomiia.

Between 1990 and 2001 in Thoracic Surgery Department at SHATPD "Saint Sophia"--Sofia a total of 821 patients with pulmonary hydatidosis were operated on. In 5 (0.6%) of them the cysts were situated in the both lungs, lever and spleen. For the first time in the surgical practice a sterno-laparotomy were carried out for one-stage cysts' removal in this multi-organ localization. The stages of this approach as well as the indications and contraindications for its applications are described in detail.

[Omentoplasty in surgical management of postpulmonectomy pleural empyema]. / Omentoplastika v khirurgichnoto lechenie na postpulmonektomichniia plevralen empiem.

A method of treating postpulmonectomy pleural empyema, practically implemented in this country for the first time, is described. Three patients are subjected to operation. Right pulmonectomy for lung cancer and chronic inflammatory process is done twice, and left pleuropulmonectomy for tuberculosis--once. Postpulmonectomy empyema persists in all three cases regardless of the adequate continuous suction drainage and intrapleural antiseptic management. Anaerobic and gram-negative flora is isolated. The size and location of the intrapleural cavity being cured are assayed by CT, thoracic ultrasonography and fistulography. In none of the patients is clinical and FBS evidence of bronchopleural fistula established. The operative procedure consists in resection of a 4 cm segment from the underlying rib in the drainage zone, and further cavity treatment under thorascopic control. Minor median laparotomy and skeletization of the greater omentum are performed preserving a major nutrient vessel depending on the location of the cavity. The omentum is drived into the pleural cavity through a parietal opening of the diaphragm, measuring 3-4 fingerbreadths. Pleural cavity drainage is carried out according to Redon. Two patients run an uneventful postoperative course. One female patient develops pylorospasm successfully cured by spasmolytic therapy and H2 blockers. CT and thoracic echography do not show presence of residual cavities. The patients are free of any complaints over periods ranging from 6 to 16 months postoperatively. The inference is reached that omentoplasty is a new method promoting successful elimination of both postpulmonectomy empyema, and other residual pleural cavities as well, with or without bronchopleural fistula.

[Plastic and reconstructive surgery of the bronchial tree]. / Plastichni i rekonstruktivni operatsii na bronkhialnoto durvo.

Bronchoplastic and reconstructive operations (BPRO) are a major issue in the broad methodological spectrum of thoracic surgery. It is the aim of the study to analyze the indications, operative technique and results of such operations on the basis of experience gained in the Clinic of Thoracic Surgery over a 5-year period. A total of 19 patients (14 men and 5 women) at mean age 50.7 y (range 16 to 70 y) are operated. By histological variant of the tumor operated on, the patients are distributed as follows: carcinoid--4 cases, fibromas--1, squamous cell carcinoma--10, adenocarcinoma--1, bronchoalveolar carcinoma--1, small-cell carcinoma--1 and leiomyosarcoma--one. The reconstructive operations performed include: isolated bronchus resection--2, right upper lobectomy with cuff resection--7, right upper bilobectomy with cuff resection--2, left upper lobectomy with cuff resection--7 (in two instances in conjunction with angioplasty), and left lower lobectomy with cuff resection and angioplasty--one. No intraoperative and perioperative lethality (within 30 days) is recorded. An overweight female patient with diabetes hardly lending itself to compensation develops severe suppuration. In two instances serious concurrent complications necessitate reoperation. Overall postoperative hospital stay--20 days; without the 3 severe complications--12.8 days. One patient dies of brain metastases within 6 months of the intervention. The survivorship term in the remainder varies from 1 year to 4 years 9 months, averaging 31 months. There are no stenoses or granulations of the anastomoses requiring endoscopic treatment. Presumably, BPRO are an adequate therapeutic approach to patients presenting centrally located malignant and benign tumors. The results of their application in the series being examined are estimated as very good.