Minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

Background: In this study, we present our minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy technique and survival rates of this technique. Methods: Between September 2013 and December 2020, a total of 140 patients (56 males, 84 females; mean age: 55.5±10.3 years; range, 32 to 76 years) who underwent minimally invasive Ivor- Lewis esophagectomy for esophageal cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative patient data, oncological and surgical outcomes, pathological results, and complications were recorded. Results: Primary diagnosis was esophageal cancer in all cases. Minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy was carried out in all of the cases included in the study. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was administrated in 97 (69.3%) of the cases. The mean duration of surgery was 261.7±30.6 (range, 195 to 330) min. The mean amount of intraoperative blood loss was 115.1±190.7 (range, 10 to 800) mL. In 60 (42.9%) of the cases, complications occurred in intraoperative and early-late postoperative periods. The anastomotic leak rate was 7.1% and the pulmonary complication rate was 22.1% in postoperative complications. The mean hospital stay length was 10.6±8.4 (range, 5-59) days and hospital mortality rate was 2.1%. The median follow-up duration was 37 (range, 2-74) months and the three- and five-year overall survival rates were 61.8% and 54.6%, respectively. Conclusion: Minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy can be used safely with low mortality and long-time survival rates in esophageal cancer.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the Pleural Swab of a COVID-19 Patient with a Pneumothorax.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While evaluating nasopharyngeal swabs by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is diagnostic, thorax computed tomography (CT) findings are also guiding in diagnosis. The association of pneumothorax and pleural effusion is not common in coronavirus disease. We presented the nucleic acid detection by a pleural swab sample in a COVID-19 patient with ground-glass opacity appearance and spontaneous pneumothorax.

Modified capitonnage technique for giant pulmonary hydatid cyst surgery.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effectiveness of the modified technique (Aydin Technique), which was applied for capitonnage in the surgical treatment of giant pulmonary hydatid cysts. METHODS: Twenty-two cases were operated on for giant hydatid cysts with a total of 23 modified techniques for capitonnage (bilateral giant hydatid cyst in 1 case) in our clinic between January 2018 and December 2020. The demographic data were recorded. RESULTS: Thirteen out of 22 (59.1%) of cases were male and 9 (40.9%) were female. The mean age was 22.0 ± 15.8 and 14 cases (63.6%) were children. Hydatid cysts were intact in 13 (56.5%) cases and ruptured in 10 (43.5%) cases. Hydatid cyst diameters were on average 123 ± 21 mm. A modified method was performed for capitonnage in all cases while decortication was performed in 2 (8.7%) cases due to pleural thickening. Radiological atelectasis was observed in 6 cases (27.3%) postoperatively. The patients with atelectasis recovered without any clinical problem and no intervention was needed. In 1 case, an infection developed at the incision site. Postoperative prolonged air leak, empyema and mortality were not observed in any of the cases. The postoperative mean length of hospital stay was 7.18 ± 2.15 days. The mean follow-up period was 19.5 ± 11.5 months. No recurrence was encountered in the follow-up of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study may suggest to perform this new-described modified Aydin technique to avoid major capitonnage complications of the giant pulmonary hydatid cyst surgery.