Abstract: Objective To investigate the feasibility of videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) ronchial sleeve lobectomy for lung cancer, and to describe this treatment method. Methods Between December 2010 and April 2011, three patients in our hospital underwent VATS bronchial sleeve lobectomy as treatment for right upper lobe nonsmall cell lung cancer. The patients were one female and two males, aged 61, 65, and 62 years. Surgical incisions were the same as for singledirection VATS right upper lobectomy. The right superior pulmonary vein was firstly transected, followed by the first branch of the pulmonary artery. Then, the lung fissure was transected and the mediastinal lymph nodes, including the subcarinal nodes, were also dissected to achieve sufficient exposure of the right main bronchus. The bronchus was transected via the utility incision, and the anastomosis was accomplished by continuous suture with 30 Prolene stitches. Another 0.5 cm port in the 7th intercostal space at the posterior axillary line was added in the third operation for handling of a pair of forceps to help hold the needle during anastomosis. A sealing test was performed to confirm that there was no leakage after completion of the anastomosis, and the stoma was covered with biological material. Bronchoscopy was performed to clear airway secretions and to confirm that there was no stenosis on postoperative day (POD) 1. Results The lobectomy and lymph node dissection was finished in 5158 minutes (averaging 54.7), and the time needed foranastomosis was 4055 minutes (averaging 45.7). Total blood loss was 55230 ml (averaging 155.0 ml). Number of dissected lymph nodes was 1821 (averaging 19.3). One patient was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the right upper lobe with metastatic hilar lymph node invasive to the right upper lobar bronchus. The other two patients were both diagnosed with centrally located squamous cell carcinoma of the right upper lobe, and all the patients achieved microscopically negative margins. There was no stenosis of the anastomosis stoma, and the postoperative course was uneventful. These patients were discharged on POD 810 (averaging 8.7 days), and they recovered well during the followup period, which lasted 2 to 6 months. [WTHZ]Conclusion [WTBZ]For experienced skillful thoracoscopic surgeons, VATS bronchial sleeve lobectomy is safe and feasible. Making the incisions of a singledirection VATS lobectomy with an additional miniport may be an ideal approach for this procedure.
ObjectiveTo investigate the CT signs and clinicopathological features of peripheral cavitary lung adenocarcinoma with the largest diameter less than or equal to 3 cm.Methods From January 2015 to December 2017, the CT signs and clinicopathological fertures of 51 patients with ≤3 cm peripheral cavitary lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed by chest CT and surgical pathology were retrospectively analyzed. Furthermore, CT signs and clinicopathological features of thick-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma and thin-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma were compared. There were 29 males and 22 females at age of 62 (56, 67) years.ResultsThere were 27 thick-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma and 24 thin-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma. Thick-walled cavitary adenocarcinoma had greater SUVmax [6.5 (3.7, 9.7) vs. 2.2 (1.4, 3.8), P=0.019], larger cavity wall thickness (11.8±4.6 mm vs. 7.6±3.7 mm, P=0.001), larger tumor tissue size [2.1 (1.7, 2.8) cm vs. 1.6 (1.2, 2.0) cm, P=0.006], and more solid nodules (17 patients vs. 8 patients, P=0.035). Thin-walled cavitary adenocarcinoma had more smoking history (12 patients vs. 6 patients, P=0.038), larger cavity size [12.3 (9.2, 16.6) mm vs. 4.4 (2.8, 7.1) mm, P=0.000], and larger proportion of cavities [0.30 (0.19, 0.37) vs. 0.03 (0.01, 0.09), P=0.000]. On CT signs, there were more features of irregular inner wall (19 patients vs. 6 patients, P=0.000), intra-cystic separation (16 patients vs. 6 patients, P=0.001) and vessels through the cystic cavity (10 patients vs. 1 patient, P=0.001) in thin-walled caviraty lung adenocarcinoma.ConclusionPeripheral cavitary lung adenocarcinoma of ≤3 cm on chest CT has characteristic manifestations in clinical, imaging and pathology, and there is a statistical difference between thick-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma and thin-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the curative and economic effect of da Vinci robotic lung segmentectomy. MethodWe retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 13 patients who underwent robotic lung segmentectomy (as a robotic group) and 35 patients who underwent thoracoscopic lung segmentectomy (as a thoracoscopic group) in our hospital between September 2014 and April 2015. There were 4 males and 9 females at age of 43-73 (59.1±8.9) years in the robot group and 17 males and 18 females in the thoracoscopic group at age of 30-79 (59.1+12.0) years. Effects of the two groups were compared. ResultsPostoperative hospitalization time in the robotic group was shorter than that in the thoracoscopic group (4.4±0.8 d vs. 6.3±2.5 d, P<0.05). But the cost of hospitalization in the robotic group was higher than that in the thoracoscopic group (P<0.05). The surgery indwelling catheter time and incidence of complications in the robotic group were lower than those in the thoracoscopic group with no statistical difference (P=0.053, 0.081). ConclusionRobotic lung segmentectomy is a safe and feasible operation method. With the further accumulation of clinical experience and decrease of the cost of materials, the robot will play a more important role in the future of minimally invasive thoracic surgery.
Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics, short-term therapy outcome and survival in patients of lung cancer with different smoking status. Methods 3751 cases were enrolled and the differences in age, sex, pathological type, stage, treatment modality, efficiency and survival were compared according patients′smoking status. Results 1206 ( 32. 2% ) patients were never smokers and 2545 ( 67. 8% ) were smokers. 80. 3% male patients and 10. 5% female patients were smokers. Among never smoking lung cancer patients, proportion of female gender, adenocarcinoma, second primary neoplasm,advanced stages and non-operative treatment were high. In the smokers, much more COPD and pulmonary tuberculosis, squamous cancer and operative treatmentwere found. No statistical differences were detected in overall outcome and survival. Conclusions The clinical characters and treatmentmodalities of patients with lung cancer of different smoking status were significant different, but had the same survival. Patients’smoking status should be accountted into the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.
Objective To investigate the changes of pulmonary diffusing capacity and pulmonary capillary blood volume in stable COPD patients with mixed ventilation dysfunction, and explore the possible pathophysiological factors. Methods 159 stable COPD patients with mixed ventilation dysfunction were recruited in the study and 36 normal subjects were recruited as control. The Belgium medisoft box5500 was used to determine the pulmonary ventilation function, lung capacity, and pulmonary diffusing capacity. The measured parameters included forced vital capacity ( FVC) , forced expiratory volume in one second ( FEV1 ) ,maximal voluntary ventilation ( MVV) , vital capacity ( VC) , total lung capacity( TLC) , residual volume ( RV) , minute volume of alveolar ventilation ( VA ) , lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide ( DLCO) , pulmonary membrane diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide ( DMCO) , and pulmonary capillary blood volume ( Vc) . The above parameters were compared between the COPD patients and the normal subjects. The relationship was analyzed between DLCO% pred, DMCO% pred, Vc% pred and all the ventilation parameters. Results In stable COPD patients with mixed ventilation dysfunction, all parameters of pulmonary ventilation function, lung capacity, and pulmonary diffusing capacity were significantly different from the normal subjects ( Plt;0. 05 or Plt;0.01) . FVC, VC, VA, and DMCO of the COPD patients were about 66% of the calculated value or more. The average TLC%pred was a little higher than the normal. FEV1 , MVV, DLCO and Vc were abnormally lower which were between 36% ～44% . The average RV%pred was 188% of the predicted value. Obvious correlation could be detected between DLCO% pred, DMCO% pred, Vc%pred and FEV1%pred, FEV1/FVC, TLC% pred, RV%pred, RV/TLC and VA% pred etc.Conclusions In COPD patients with mixed ventilation dysfunction, the pulmonary blood capillary is damaged seriously which lead to a significant decrease of the capacity of pulmonary blood capillary, as well as seriously air distribution disturbance and ventilation/bloodstream mismatch. The Vc decline may develope before the impairment of pulmonary diffusing capacity which may contribute to the damaged of DLCO and DMCO.
Objective To investigate the effect of lung volume reduction surgery （LVRS） on messenger RNA expression levels of cytoskeletal proteins in diaphragmatic muscle tissues of emphysematous rabbits. Methods A total of 40 rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups （10 rabbits in each group） ：normal control group, emphysema group, sham operation group and LVRS group. Rabbits in control group were intratracheally administered with 0.9% normal sodium, but those in other groups were intratracheally administered with 0.4% papain at the dose of 0.5 ml/kg and inhaled cigarette smoke to induce emphysema model. Then, rabbits in emphysema group were fed routinely, however, after median sternotomy , bilateral LVRS was performed in LVRS group but not in sham operation group. The mRNA expression levels of titin and nebulin in the diaphragmatic muscles of rabbits in each group were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction（RT-PCR）. Results Compared with control group, the mRNA expression levels of titin and nebulin in the rabbit diaphragm of emphysema groups and sham operation group decreased significantly （P〈0.01 ）, so did those in LVRS group （P〈0.05）. But it increased significantly in LVRS group compared with emphysema group and sham operation group （P〈0.05）. Conclusion LVRS can increase the mRNA expression levels of titin and nebulin in diaphragmatic muscle tissues of emphysematous rabbits, which may be the associated mechanisms at the molecular level in restoring the functions of the emphysematous diaphragm by LVRS.
ObjectiveTo explore the factors that affect the accuracy of percutaneous thermal ablation of lung metastases and coping strategies.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 31 patients who met the conditions for thermal ablation of lung metastases in Ninth People’s Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between October 2019 and December 2020. There were 19 males and 12 females with a mean age of 40-81 (62.8±10.3) years. A total of 33 metastases tumors were thermally ablated, 12 were radiofrequency ablation and 19 were microwave ablation.ResultsOf the 33 metastatic tumors, 5 targets showed significant puncture deviation, 4 of them completed the ablation after adjustment and 1 failed. The result of the univariate logistic regression showed the distance within the lung parenchyma (P=0.043) and the maximum diameter of the tumor (P=0.025) were independent risk factors for the accuracy of percutaneous thermal ablation. In terms of correlation, there was a positive correlation between the accuracy of percutaneous thermal ablation and the distance within the lung parenchyma (P=0.033), and a negative correlation between the maximum diameter of metastases tumor (P=0.004) and hemoptysis (P=0.015). Complete ablation rate was 87.8% (29/33).ConclusionWhen we perform CT-guided percutaneous thermal ablation of lung metastases, we must fully prepare the deviation plan for the small diameter tumor, the long travel distance in the lung parenchyma, and hemoptysis during puncture. Complete ablation can be achieved by fully identifying the anatomical features of the tumor and its surrounding structures, shortening the travel distance in the lung parenchyma and increasing the ablation range.
Objective To assess the effects of physiotherapy on pulmonary function in COPD patients with lung cancer after lobectomy or pneumonectomy. Methods Fifty-five COPD patients with lung cancer undergoing lobectomy or pneumonectomy from January 2005 to May 2014 were recruited in the study. They were divided into group A received comprehensive physiotherapy before surgery and group B without comprehensive physiotherapy before surgery. The changes of lung function and tolerance were compared before physiotherapy (T1 time point) and after physiotherapy (T2 time point) in the group A, and between two groups before lung resection (T2 time point) and after lung resection (T3 time point). Results In group A, the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), vital capacity (VC), peak expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (FEF50) and FEF25 increased significantly respectively by 16.96%, 14.75%, 20.69% and 13.79% compared with those before physiotherapy. Meanwhile, six-minutes walking distance (6MWD) achieved a significant improvement. After resection of lung, FEV1 and VC appeared to reduce, and pulmonary small airway function, tolerance, and clinical features deteriorated significantly. The differences between T2 and T1 in FEV1, FEF50 and FEF25 in the patients with FEV1%pred ≥80% and 50%-80% were similar with those in the patients with FEV1%pred<50%. The differences between T2 and T3 in FEF50 and FEF25 in the patients with FEV1%pred≥80% and 50%-80% were higher than those with FEV1%pred<50%. For the patients with lobectomy, FEV1 and VC in the group B were lower than those in the group A (FEV1: 10.24% vs. 22.44%; VC: 10.13% vs. 20.87%). For the patients with pulmonary resection, FEV1 and VC had little differences (FEV1: 36.33% vs. 36.78%; VC: 37.23% vs. 38.98%). Conclusion Physiotherapy is very important for the preoperative treatment and postoperative nursing of COPD patients with primary lung cancer.
Objective To Assess the efficacy of using lung ultrasound to guide alveolar recruitment maneuver in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods Sixty patients with ARDS were randomly divided into two groups, ie, maximal oxygenation group (n=30) and lung ultrasound group (n=30). All the patients had artificial airway and needed mechanical ventilation. The patients in the two groups accepted recruitment maneuver guided by maximal oxygenation or lung ultrasound respectively. During the course of recruitment maneuver, the arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), central venous pressure (CVP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac output (CO), and extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) were recorded and compared between both groups. Results The PaO2 in lung ultrasound group was higher than that in maximal oxygenation group (P=0.04). The PEEP was higher in lung ultrasound group but without significant difference (P=0.910). There was no significant difference of the other outcomes (CVP, MAP, CO, EVLWI) between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion Lung ultrasound is an effective means that has good repeatability and security for guiding recruitment maneuver in patients with ARDS.
ObjectiveTo explore the clinicopathological features of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP).MethodsA total of 25 patients with PAP who were pathologically diagnosed in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from 2014 to 2018 were collected as the study subjects.ResultsThe 25 patients with PAP were 18–73 years old, with an average age of (42.52±15.79) years. There were 20 males and 5 females. The most common type was autoimmune PAP (15 cases), and secondary PAP (10 cases) were found in patients with pneumonia, tuberculosis, nephrotic syndrome, and pneumoconiosis. The common clinical symptoms of PAP were cough (24 cases), expectoration (20 cases), and progressive difficulty in breathing (11 cases of shortness of breath and 5 cases of dyspnea). The chest CT manifestations included double lung grinding (19 cases), grid-like changes (11 cases), and map-like changes (3 cases). Periodic acid-schiff (PAS) staining and post-digestion PAS staining double positive lipoprotein-like deposits was observed in lung biopsy (in the alveolar cavity) and/or alveolar lavage fluids.ConclusionsPAP has no characteristic clinical symptoms and a long diagnosis period. Clinicians should combine clinical signs, imaging features, and lung biopsy and/or alveolar lavage fluid PAS staining and post-digestion PAS staining to confirm the diagnosis.