Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic resection of anterior mediastinal cystic teratoma: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Mediastinal teratomas are rare tumors that frequently occur in the anterior mediastinum. The majority of these tumors are benign and slow growing. Due to their low malignant potential, the treatment for these tumors is surgical resection. More recently, the surgical management has shifted from invasive approaches such as a sternotomy to minimally invasive ones such as robotic-assisted thoracoscopic resections utilizing lung isolation ventilation. We present a rare case of a locally advanced mediastinal teratoma requiring resection, which was initially attempted thoracoscopically using double lung ventilation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 43 year-old female was found to have an anterior mediastinal mass during work-up for an intermittent cough in 2009. Chest imaging and biopsy at the time showed evidence of a cystic teratoma without concerning features. She underwent imaging surveillance until 2018, when repeat chest imaging showed increasing growth and worrisome radiologic features concerning for malignant degeneration. She underwent an elective robotic-assisted thoracoscopic resection utilizing double lung ventilation, but due to extensive involvement of the right lung, pericardium, superior vena cava, and right phrenic nerve the patient had to be repositioned and started on single lung ventilation mid-procedure to facilitate a safe and complete resection. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior mediastinal teratomas can be successfully removed by robotic-assisted thoracoscopic resections utilizing single lung ventilation. Though robotic-assisted thoracoscopic resection utilizing double lung ventilation can be effective in performing certain procedures such as lung wedge resections, thymectomy, pleural biopsies and minimally invasive cardiac procedures, it is limited in removing locally advanced mediastinal tumors.

Randomized Trial of Medical versus Surgical Treatment for Refractory Heartburn.

BACKGROUND: Heartburn that persists despite proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment is a frequent clinical problem with multiple potential causes. Treatments for PPI-refractory heartburn are of unproven efficacy and focus on controlling gastroesophageal reflux with reflux-reducing medication (e.g., baclofen) or antireflux surgery or on dampening visceral hypersensitivity with neuromodulators (e.g., desipramine). METHODS: Patients who were referred to Veterans Affairs (VA) gastroenterology clinics for PPI-refractory heartburn received 20 mg of omeprazole twice daily for 2 weeks, and those with persistent heartburn underwent endoscopy, esophageal biopsy, esophageal manometry, and multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring. If patients were found to have reflux-related heartburn, we randomly assigned them to receive surgical treatment (laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication), active medical treatment (omeprazole plus baclofen, with desipramine added depending on symptoms), or control medical treatment (omeprazole plus placebo). The primary outcome was treatment success, defined as a decrease of 50% or more in the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)-Health Related Quality of Life score (range, 0 to 50, with higher scores indicating worse symptoms) at 1 year. RESULTS: A total of 366 patients (mean age, 48.5 years; 280 men) were enrolled. Prerandomization procedures excluded 288 patients: 42 had relief of their heartburn during the 2-week omeprazole trial, 70 did not complete trial procedures, 54 were excluded for other reasons, 23 had non-GERD esophageal disorders, and 99 had functional heartburn (not due to GERD or other histopathologic, motility, or structural abnormality). The remaining 78 patients underwent randomization. The incidence of treatment success with surgery (18 of 27 patients, 67%) was significantly superior to that with active medical treatment (7 of 25 patients, 28%; P = 0.007) or control medical treatment (3 of 26 patients, 12%; P<0.001). The difference in the incidence of treatment success between the active medical group and the control medical group was 16 percentage points (95% confidence interval, -5 to 38; P = 0.17). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients referred to VA gastroenterology clinics for PPI-refractory heartburn, systematic workup revealed truly PPI-refractory and reflux-related heartburn in a minority of patients. For that highly selected subgroup, surgery was superior to medical treatment. (Funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01265550.).

Management of Patients With Stage I Lung Cancer.

The treatment of stage I non-small-cell lung cancer has advanced markedly over the past century. The transition from therapeutic nihilism with ensured mortality to radical surgery with pneumonectomy to rational oncologic-based resection has resulted in dramatically improved outcomes and reduced morbidity. The superiority of anatomic resection with lobectomy over sublobar resection for fit patients with stage I disease, where more than one half of all patients should expect to be cured, is backed by level 1 evidence. Minimally invasive approaches have further decreased morbidity and mortality, and prospective trials continue to assess whether sublobar resection is appropriate in more select circumstances for tumors < 2 cm. Interest in studying the patient at high risk for complications after lobectomy has been spurred by recent advances in surgical, radiotherapy, and ablative treatment options. In particular, provocative results with stereotactic body radiotherapy have led to rapid adoption in clinical practice with a resultant decrease in the number of untreated patients. A comparison of outcomes across studies of competing modalities remains challenging given the potential impact of selection bias in single-arm trials, and attempts to conduct randomized studies have been largely unsuccessful. Given the uncertainty in defining optimal therapy, patients are best served by a multidisciplinary team of thoracic surgeons, radiation oncologists, pulmonologists, and chest and interventional radiologists to ensure that they receive the evaluation and treatment best suited not only to their tumor and medical challenges but also to their concerns, fears, and values.

Treatment for sternoclavicular joint infections: a multi-institutional study.

BACKGROUND: Sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) infections are rare and difficult to manage. Surgery is necessary for treatment. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of the university hospital and Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals of all patients treated for SCJ infections since 2001 was conducted. Fifteen [15] patients were identified and evaluated for the types of infections, risk factors, treatments and survival. RESULTS: All 15 patients were symptomatic including: pain [13], erythema [9], purulent drainage [3], fever greater than 38.3 °C [2], and leukocytosis [9]. The associated medical problems included: diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN) and renal failure. All patients underwent intraoperative joint resection. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of intraoperative wound cultures grew staphylococcus aureus. Fourteen patients were discharged on intravenous antibiotics. The follow-up ranged between 1 week-11 months. Thirteen patients are currently alive without infection. Two patients died: 1 of sepsis and 1 of unknown causes after discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Symptomatic SCJ infections require surgical intervention. The most common organism was staphylococcus aureus.

The use of thrombolytics in the management of complex pleural fluid collections.

BACKGROUND: To determine the efficacy of thrombolytics for the management of complex pleural fluid collections. METHODS: We reviewed patients that received alteplase for persistent loculated pleural fluid collections after simple tube drainage between July 01, 2007 and November 01, 2012. Our alteplase protocol is 6 mg of alteplase in 50 mL of normal saline injected into the pleural chest tube. The chest tube is clamped for four hours and then opened. Normally this is repeated daily for 2 to 3 days (d). RESULTS: One hundred and three [103] patients were identified with 110 interventions. Sixty-eight (66%) of the patients were male, with ages ranging from 20-91 years (y), mean 57.2 y. Twenty (18.2%) patients were trauma patients, 60 (55%) had hypertension and 32 (35%) were smokers. Most patients had one of the following diagnoses: 79.6% (82/110) loculated pleural fluid collection as a result of an empyema or 20.4% (21/110) retained hemothorax. The mean time from diagnosis to alteplase treatment for a hemothorax was 12.8 days (range, 1-32 days) and 16.2 days (range, 4-48 days) for an empyema. The mean duration of therapy was 2.2±1.4 days (1-11 days). The time from alteplase to chest tube removal was 4.5 days (1-21 days). Eleven of 103 (10.7%) patients required surgery including 3 video assisted decortications. The others had adequate radiographic resolution. Seventeen patients (16.5%) died, in the hospital of: sepsis, respiratory failure, aortic injury, and cardiac arrest. CONCLUSIONS: Alteplase therapy is an effective alternative to surgery in most complex pleural fluid collections.

Pulmonary Mucormycosis Treated With Lobectomy.

A 57 year old man was referred from an outside facility for an unresolving pneumonia. Imaging of the chest demonstrated a right lung mass with a consolidation in the middle lobe, pleural effusion, and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Cytologic examination of cultures from the bronchoscopy and thoracentesis did not yield a definitive diagnosis. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed because of a retained hemothorax and a suggestive lesion. Biopsy specimens obtained during VATS were consistent with mucormycosis. The patient underwent a middle lobectomy and pleurectomy without any adverse event. When bronchoscopy and thoracentesis cannot provide a diagnosis, thoracoscopic pleural biopsy can be the next step in the diagnosis of mucormycosis.

Biopsy first: Lessons learned from Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 140503.

OBJECTIVE: Cancer and Leukemia Group B 140503 is an ongoing, multicenter randomized trial assessing whether sublobar resection is equivalent to lobectomy for the treatment of stage I A non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ≤2 cm in diameter. The objective of this report is to determine the reasons precluding intraoperative randomization. METHODS: From June 15, 2007, to March 22, 2013, 637 patients were preregistered to the trial. Three hundred eighty-nine were randomized successfully (61%), and 248 patients were not randomized (39%). We analyzed the reasons for nonrandomization among a subset of the nonrandomized patients (208) for whom additional data were available. RESULTS: Of these 208 patients, undiagnosed benign nodules (n =104, 16% of all registered patients) and understaging of NSCLC (n =45, 7% of all registered patients) were the dominant reasons precluding randomization. Granulomas represent one-quarter of the benign nodules. The understaged patients had unsuspected nodal metastases (n =28) or other more advanced NSCLC. The rate of randomization was significantly greater in those patients who had a preoperative biopsy (P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: In a carefully monitored cohort of patients with suspected small NSCLC ≤2 cm, a substantial number are misdiagnosed (benign nodules) or understaged. These patients may not have benefited from a thoracic surgical procedure. Preoperative biopsy significantly increased the rate of correct diagnosis. Preoperative biopsy of small suspected NSCLC will reduce the number of nontherapeutic or unnecessary thoracic procedures. Accuracy in preoperative diagnosis is increasingly important as more such small nodules are discovered through lung cancer screening.

Post traumatic pulmonary pseudoaneurysm requiring pneumonectomy: a case report.

A 57-year-old male presented with progressive exertional dyspnea, cough, and hemoptysis. He underwent a chest computed tomography (CT) that demonstrated a 27 cm × 20 cm right chest mass that was causing a local mass effect. Pertinent history revealed that the patient had suffered a severe chest trauma from a MVA in 1981. The patient underwent workup including: needle localized biopsy, bronchoscopy and endoscopic biopsy. There was considerable concern for a malignant process and a subsequent right pneumonectomy with en bloc resection of the chest wall and diaphragm was performed. The final pathology concluded the mass to be a large pseudoaneurysm. Pseudoaneurysms after traumas are extremely rare, especially blunt trauma, and should be considered once other etiologies have been excluded.

Successful Treatment of Invasive Pulmonary Mucormycosis in an Immunocompromised Patient.

A 59-year-old man undergoing chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia had a bilateral pneumonic process. The right lung subsequently developed several small cavitary lesions extending from the central hilum to the chest wall. Despite medical therapy, repeat imaging demonstrated coalescence into a single, large, central cavitary lesion. Thoracic surgery was consulted because of the central hilar involvement of all three lobes; a pneumonectomy would have been required to resect the lesion. However, he was not a candidate for pneumonectomy because of a low predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second. We performed a rib resection, debridement, and marsupialization, in which the skin was sewn circumferentially to the parietal pleura. His wound was managed with wet-to-dry dressings. Postoperatively, he recovered well, with resolution of his cough. Three weeks after surgery, he was discharged from the hospital, and the cavity completely closed at 4 months.

Laparoscopic management of obstructed gastric conduit after minimally invasive esophagectomy.

We describe a novel, minimally invasive method of managing an obstructed gastric conduit after minimally invasive esophagectomy. In addition, we briefly review the management of obstructed gastric conduit in patients status-post minimally invasive esophagectomy. On literature review, it was noted that gastrojejunostomy after esophagectomy was exceptionally rare. Only one other reported case of gastrojejunostomy after esophagectomy was found in the literature. This is the first reported case to our knowledge of laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy after minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). Laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy after minimally invasive esophagectomy for obstructed gastric conduit is technically feasible, and it effectively managed the obstruction in our patient.

High-dose hypofractionated proton beam radiation therapy is safe and effective for central and peripheral early-stage non-small cell lung cancer: results of a 12-year experience at Loma Linda University Medical Center.

PURPOSE: We update our previous reports on the use of hypofractionated proton beam radiation therapy for early-stage lung cancer patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Eligible subjects had biopsy-proven non-small cell carcinoma of the lung and were medically inoperable or refused surgery. Clinical workup required staging of T1 or T2, N0, M0. Subjects received hypofractionated proton beam therapy to the primary tumor only. The dose delivered was sequentially escalated from 51 to 60 Gy, then to 70 Gy in 10 fractions over 2 weeks. Endpoints included toxicity, pulmonary function, overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and local control (LC). RESULTS: One hundred eleven subjects were analyzed for treatment outcomes. The patient population had the following average characteristics; age 73.2 years, tumor size 3.6 cm, and 1.33 L forced expiratory volume in 1 second. The entire group showed improved OS with increasing dose level (51, 60, and 70 Gy) with a 4-year OS of 18%, 32%, and 51%, respectively (P=.006). Peripheral T1 tumors exhibited LC of 96%, DSS of 88%, and OS of 60% at 4 years. Patients with T2 tumors showed a trend toward improved LC and survival with the 70-Gy dose level. On multivariate analysis, larger tumor size was strongly associated with increased local recurrence and decreased survival. Central versus peripheral location did not correlate with any outcome measures. Clinical radiation pneumonitis was not found to be a significant complication, and no patient required steroid therapy after treatment for radiation pneumonitis. Pulmonary function was well maintained 1 year after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose hypofractionated proton therapy achieves excellent outcomes for lung carcinomas that are peripherally or centrally located. The 70-Gy regimen has been adopted as standard therapy for T1 tumors at our institution. Larger T2 tumors show a trend toward improved outcomes with higher doses, suggesting that better results could be seen with intensified treatment.