ObjectiveTo compare the clinical efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopy and thoracotomy for the treatment of encapsulated tuberculous pleurisy. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 99 patients who had underwent surgery for encapsulated tuberculous pleurisy within 3 months of disease onset in our hospital from January through December 2013. Based on the surgical mode, patients were assigned to a video-assisted thoracoscopy group, including 49 patients (35 males and 14 females, a mean age of 26.78±9.36 years), to receive video-assisted thoracoscopic pleurectomy; or a thoracotomy group, including 50 patients (31 males and 19 females, a mean age of 31.84±11.08 years), to receive conventional thoracotomic pleurectomy. The first 43 patients in the video-assisted thoracoscopy group received thoracic catheter drainage, with the drainage volume of 659.08±969.29 ml; the first 48 patients in the thoracotomy group received thoracic catheter drainage, with the drainage volume of 919.03±129.97 ml. The clinical effects were compared between the two groups. ResultsAll the patients in the video-assisted thoracoscopy group completed thoracoscopy without conversion to thoracotomy. The surgery duration and postoperative intubation time were shorter in the video-assisted thoracoscopy group than those in the thoracotomy group (surgery duration:103.00±53.04 min vs. 127.06±51.60 min, P<0.01; postoperative intubation time 3.02±0.83 d vs. 3.94±1.25 d, P<0.01). At the end of 6 months of follow-up, the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1>) was 2.83±0.64 L in the thoracos-copy group and 2.25±0.64 L in the thoracotomy group (P<0.01); forced vital capacity (FVC) was 3.02±0.72 L in the thora-coscopy group and 2.57±0.79 L in the thoracotomy group (P<0.05); and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) was 93.90± 15.86 L in the thoracoscopy group and 80.34±17.06 L in the thoracotomy group (P<0.01). ConclusionThoracoscopic surgery is feasible for patients with encapsulated pleurisy within 3 months of onset. Furthermore video-assisted thoraco-scopy will be superior to thoracotomy.
Objective To explore the safety and efficacy for patients with central airway-pleural fistula (APF) treated by atrial septal defect (ASD) occluder. Methods This was a retrospective study. Between January 2017 and October 2021, a total of 16 patients with postoperative APF were treated with ASD occluder through bronchoscope under local anesthesia combined with sedation. The efficacy and complication were recorded during and after the procedure. Results Sixteen patients were recruited in this study and the average age was 60.7 years (range 31 - 74 years). The main etiology for APF was lobectomy/segmentectomy (n=12), pneumonectomy (n=2), radical esophagectomy (n=1) or decortication for chronic empyema (n=1). Totally, 4 fistulas were located in right main bronchus, 3 in left main bronchus, 3 in right upper bronchus, 1 in right middle bronchus, 2 in right lower bronchus and 3 in left upper bronchus. The median diameter of APF was 7.8 mm (ranged from 4 to 18 mm) and the median diameter of ASD occluder inserted was 10.0 mm (ranged from 6 to 20 mm). Successful occlusion of APF was observed in 15 patients (15/16) and 1 patient died of multiple organ failure caused by bacteremia 14 days after the procedure. Fourteen patients were recruited for long-term follow-up, on a median follow-up period of 16.2 months (ranged from 3 to 46 months). There were 12 patients of complete remission and 2 patients of partial remission and only one patient took a second operation due to the enlargement of fistula and translocation of occluder. At follow-up, 4 patients died and the reasons were directly related to the primary etiology, and no patient died due to APF recurrence. Conclusion Endobronchial closure of central APF using ASD occluder is a minimally invasive but effective modality of treatment with satisfactory long-term outcome.
Objective To analyze the outcome of fast track surgery after intercostal nerve block (INB) during thoracoscopic resection of lung bullae. Methods We recuited 76 patients who accepted thoracoscopic resection of lung bullae from February 2013 to March 2015. They were randomly divided into two groups: an intercostal nerve block and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (INB+IPCA) group, in which 38 patients (30 males, 8 females, with a mean age of 23.63±4.10 years) received INB intraoperatively and IPCA postoperatively, and a postoperative intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IPCA) group, in which 38 patients (33 males, 5 females, with a mean age of 24.93±6.34 years) only received IPCA postoperatively. Their general clinical data and the postoperative pain visual analogue scale (VAS) were recorded. Analgesia-associated side effects, rate of the pulmonary infection were observed. Expenses associated with analgesia during hospital were calculated. Results The score of VAS, the incidence of nausea and vomiting, fatigue and other side effects, pulmonary atelectasis and the infection rate in the INB+IPCA group were significantly lower than those in the IPCA group. Postoperative use of analgesic drugs was significantly less than that in the IPCA group. Medical expenses did not significantly increase. Conclusion INB+IPCA is beneficial for fast track surgery after thoracoscopic resection of lung bullae.
In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy has changed the treatment of various malignant tumors. Immunotherapy for specific targets currently plays an important role in melanoma, lung cancer and other tumors. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive malignant tumor. Although the treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the clinical efficacy is limited, and the prognosis of advanced patients is poor. With the application of monoclonal antibodies such as programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4, MPM patients have more treatment options. And compared with traditional chemotherapy, immunotherapy may have the effect of improving survival and shrinking tumors. This article will summarize the current clinical trials of immunotherapy in MPM, and explain the current application and progress of immunotherapy in MPM from both single-agent immunotherapy and combined immunotherapy.
目的：探討胸膜活檢對胸腔積液病因診斷的價值。方法:對268例胸腔積液患者行經胸壁胸膜活檢術。結果:268例患者共行胸膜活檢289次，二次及以上活檢者19例，獲取胸膜組織244例，穿刺成功率91%，經病理檢查有18例為正常胸膜組織，陽性診斷者為226例，陽性率92.6%（226/244），其病理診斷為結核104例（46%）、腫瘤54例（23.9%）、慢性炎癥68例（30.1%）；發生并發癥者19（6.6%），全部為氣胸，肺壓縮均小于30%，未做特殊處理數日后自行吸收。結論:從本組資料可以看出，經胸壁胸膜活檢術對于胸腔積液的病因診斷具有非常好的效果，相比胸水涂片或病理檢查具有更高的陽性率。因此經胸壁胸膜活檢術由于它的簡單、安全、高效等特點，目前在胸腔積液病因診斷方面仍是一項重要的手段。
Objective To investigate the postoperative treatment of pleuropneumonectomy for tuberculosis destroyed lung in ICU, in order to improve the therapeutical efficacy for these patients. Methods Clinical data of 52 patients who suffered from tuberculosis destroyed lung and underwent pleuropneumonectomy from June 2008 to June 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. All of subjects received routine treatment in ICU after the operation. Meanwhile，appropriate targeting treatments were applied including diagnosis and treatment of postoperative bleeding; application of fiberbronchoscope to aspirate the sputum after the operation,sequential non-invasive ventilation after the invasive ventilation for acute respiratory failure after operation ,etc.Results A total of 52 patients received the pleuropneumonectomy operation. Bleeding occurred in 11 cases after operation and stopped after the integrated therapy. 8 patients suffered from acute respiratory failure and attenuated after sequential ventilation. No patients died for postoperative bleeding or acute respiratory failure. Conclusions Patients who suffered from tuberculosis destroyed lung and received pleuropneumonectomy with postoperative bleeding and acute respiratory failure have a good prognosis after appropriate postoperative treatment in ICU.