Does the Nuss procedure for treating pectus excavatum compromise the long term internal mammary artery flow? A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The Nuss procedure is the most common procedure used to treat patients with pectus excavatum. The effect of the Nuss bars on the long-term internal mammary artery flow (IMA) is not well studied. This could have an impact on patients requiring a coronary artery bypass grafting surgery after the Nuss procedure. We performed a systematic review to study the impact of the Nuss bars on the IMA long term flow. METHODS: A Medline search from January 1990 to August 2020 was performed using [Nuss OR thoracoscopic pectus OR minimally invasive pectus] AND [Internal mammary OR Internal thoracic OR IMA OR ITA]. English language papers only were included. This trial was registered with PROSPERO under registration number CRD42021234010. RESULTS: A total of 48 papers were identified using the reported search, of which three represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. One study looked at the IMA flow via computed tomography (CT)-angiography on the 10th postoperative day after the Nuss procedure and found 15 out of 34 patients (44%) to have abnormal IMA blood flow but with no clinical consequences. Two studies looked at the IMA flow after removal of the Nuss-bar. The first study utilized CT-angiography on the 5th postoperative day after Nuss-bar removal and found four out of the six patients studied (67%) to have abnormal flow. The last study was composed of 19 patients and looked at IMA flow during the presence of the Nuss-bars and after its removal utilizing Doppler-angiography. It found 11 out of 19 patients (58%) to have abnormal blood flow with the bars in place. After removal of the bars, only two patients (10%) were found to have unilateral IMA obstructed flow. CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing the Nuss procedure for management of pectus excavatum, the internal mammary artery flow is compromised in 44%-58% of patients with the bar in situ. When these patients are assessed 10 days following removal of the bar, some reversal of compromised IMA flow is evident. However, in up to 67% of patients, abnormal IMA flow remains. Further studies are required to determine whether this abnormal flow is permanent, which will require examining patients at longer follow-up intervals. Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting who have a history of a Nuss procedure should receive preoperative IMA imaging.

Is surgical resection superior to bronchoscopic resection in patients with symptomatic endobronchial hamartoma?

A best evidence topic was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: in surgically fit patients with biopsy proven symptomatic endobronchial hamartoma (EH), is surgical resection superior to bronchoscopic resection in terms of outcome. A total of 756 articles were identified using the reported search, of which 8 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, date, journal, country, study type, population, outcomes and key results are tabulated. Three studies included patients who had either bronchoscopic or surgical treatment of EH in the same study. Modalities of surgery included performing a lobectomy, segmentectomy, bronchotomy and a pneumonectomy. Complete resection was 100% in the surgical group and ranged from 8% to 100% in the group treated bronchoscopically. Morbidity was present in 1 patient in a single study (6.6%) in the form of a pneumothorax after a bronchoscopic resection. No mortality was recorded in any study. A follow-up period of 16.2, 26 and up to 60 months showed recurrence of 26.7%, 12% and 0% respectively in the groups treated by bronchoscopy and no recurrence in the surgical group. Four studies looked at bronchoscopic treatment only for EH. Modalities of treatment included mechanical resection, laser, cryotherapy and Argon plasma coagulation. Complete resection ranged from 50-100% with patients achieving only partial resection requiring repeated endoscopic sessions. Morbidity was present in 3 out of the 4 studies; 1 case of pneumothorax in each of 2 studies (4.4% and 2%) and 25% morbidity rate in the third study (pneumothorax/airway stenosis). No mortality was present in any study. One study reported no recurrence after a median follow-up of 12.2 months, while another reported 50% recurrence, although the follow-up period was not stated. The final study included patients with EH treated only by surgical resection due to end stage lung damage caused by prolonged endobronchial obstruction. The majority of resections (71.4%) were in the form of lobectomies. Two major morbidities were recorded (28.5%) with no mortality. After a mean follow-up period of 7 years, no recurrences were recorded. To conclude, in biopsy proven symptomatic EHs, bronchoscopic treatment should be the first choice except in patients with end stage lung damage requiring surgical resection. Morbidity is low with pneumothorax the most common complication. Patients may require multiple sessions for complete removal as a significant recurrence rate is present, but is usually managed effectively by repeated bronchoscopic management.

Current Solutions for Long-Segment Tracheal Reconstruction.

This article is a continuation of previous reviews about the appropriate method for long-segment tracheal reconstruction. We attempted to cover the most recent, successful and promising results of the different solutions for reconstruction that are rather innovative and suitable for imminent clinical application. Latest efforts to minimize the limitations associated with each method have been covered as well. In summary, autologous and allogenic tissue reconstruction of the trachea have been successful methods for reconstruction experimentally and clinically. Autologous tissues were best utilized clinically to enhance revascularization, whether as a definitive airway or as an adjunct to allografts or tissue-engineered trachea (TET). Allogenic tissue transplantation is, currently, the most suitable for clinical application, especially after elimination of the need for immunosuppressive therapy with unlimited supply of tissues. Similar results have been reported in many studies that used TET. However, clinical application of this method was limited to use as a salvage treatment in a few studies with promising results. These results still need to be solidified by further clinical and long-term follow-up reports. Combining different methods of reconstruction was often required to establish a physiological rather than an anatomical trachea and have shown superior outcomes.

A magnet built on bronchoscopic suction for extraction of tracheobronchial headscarf pins: a novel technique and review of a tertiary centre experience.

OBJECTIVES: Airway metal pins are one of the most commonly inhaled foreign bodies in Eastern societies in young females wearing headscarves. We innovated a modified bronchoscopic technique to extract tracheobronchial headscarf pins by the insertion of a magnet to allow an easy and non-traumatic extraction of the pins. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of our new technique and compare it with our large previous experience with the classic bronchoscopic method of extraction of tracheobronchial headscarf pins. METHODS: We performed a study comparing our retrospective experience of classic bronchoscopic extraction from February 2004 to January 2014 and prospective experience with our modified technique using the magnet from January 2014 to June 2015. An institutional review board and new device approval were obtained. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty-six procedures on 315 patients were performed during our initial 10-year experience. Of them, 304 patients were females. The median age of our group was 13 (0-62). The median time from inhalation to procedure was 1 day (0-1022). After introducing our modified new technique using the magnet, 20 procedures were performed. Nineteen were females. The median time of the procedure and the need to forcefully bend the pin for extraction were in favour of the new technique in comparison with our classic approach (2 vs 6 min; P < 0.001) (2 patients = 20% vs 192 = 58%; P < 0.001). The conversion rate to surgery was also in favour of the modified technique but did not reach statistical significance (0 = 0% vs 15 = 4.8%; P = 0.32). All patients who underwent the modified technique were discharged home on the same day of the procedure. No procedural complications were recorded. All remain well on a follow-up period of up to 14 months. CONCLUSIONS: Bronchoscopic extraction of tracheobronchial inhaled headscarf pins using a novel technique using homemade magnets was safer and simpler in comparison with our large experience with the classic approach. We advise the use of this device (or concept) in selected patients in centres dealing with this problem.