Hakan Kutlay

Surgical treatment in bronchiectasis: analysis of 166 patients

BACKGROUND Bronchiectasis is usually caused by pulmonary infections and bronchial obstruction. It is still a serious problem in developing countries as our country. We reviewed the morbidity and mortality rates and outcome of surgical treatment for bronchiectasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1990 and 2000, 166 patients (92 female and 74 male patients) underwent pulmonary resection for bronchiectasis. The mean age was 34.1 years (range, 7-70 years). Mean duration of symptoms was 5.7 years. RESULTS Symptoms were copious amount of purulent sputum in 135 patients, expectoration of foul-smelling sputum in 109, hemoptysis in 35 and cough in all patients. The indication for pulmonary resection was failure of medical therapy in 158 patients, massive hemoptysis in five and lung abscess in three. The disease was bilateral in six patients and mainly confined to the lower lobe in 127. One hundred and twenty patients had a lobectomy, 13 had a pneumonectomy, 21 had a segmentectomy and a combination of these approaches in 18. Operative morbidity and mortality were seen in 18 (10.5%) and in three (1.7%) patients, respectively. Follow-up was complete in 148 patients with a mean of 4.2 years. Overall, 111 patients were asymptomatic after surgical treatment, symptoms were improved in 31, and unchanged or worse in six. CONCLUSIONS Surgical treatment of bronchiectasis is more effective in patient with localized disease. It is satisfactory with acceptable ratio of morbidity and mortality.

Parenchyma-Preserving Surgery in the Management of Pulmonary Hydatid Cysts

Pulmonary hydatid cysts remain a significant health problem in endemic regions like Turkey. Here, we present our surgical experience in patients with pulmonary hydatid cysts. Between January 1985 and January 2001, 1118 operations were performed in 1032 patients (528 males, 504 females; mean age 32.7 years; range 1–87 years) with pulmonary hydatid cysts in our department. Posterolateral thoracotomy was performed in 1015 (98.3%), two-stage thoracotomy in 34 (3.3%), and median sternotomy in 17 (1.7%) patients. We preferred conservative surgical procedures. As a surgical procedure, cystotomy and capitonnage was performed in 626 (56%), cystotomy alone in 368 (33%), wedge resection in 81 (7%), enucleation in 29 (3%), and decortication in 11 (1%) patients. None of our patients were treated with anatomic resection. During surgery, 949 patients (92%) had unruptured and 83 patients (8%) had ruptured hydatid cyst. The morbidity ratio was 6.7%. Major complications were wound infection (2.3%), prolonged air leak (1.9%), atelectasis (1.2%), pleural effusion (0.8%), postoperative hemothorax (0.6%), and empyema (0.3%). Two patients (0.2%) died within the first month postoperatively. Mean follow-up was 31.2 months. Recurrence was detected in only 35 patients (3.3%). Treatment of pulmonary hydatid cyst is primarily surgical. Medical treatment is indicated for recurrent and multiple hydatid cysts postoperatively. Cystotomy alone, or cystotomy and capitonnage, as parenchyma-preserving surgery, is preferred. Radical surgery including pneumonectomy, lobectomy, and segmentectomy should be avoided.

Single-stage transthoracic approach for right lung and liver hydatid disease.

OBJECTIVE Human echinococcosis remains a serious health problem for the Mediterranean countries. Synchronous pulmonary and hepatic hydatid disease may occur in 4% to 25% of cases. Our experience on simultaneous surgical treatment of right lung and liver hydatid disease in patients was reviewed. METHODS Between 1990 and 2000, 48 patients (33 female patients and 15 male patients) with synchronous right lung and liver dome hydatid cysts were operated with a 1-stage procedure. RESULTS Six patients had previous surgical treatment of hepatic (n = 2) or pulmonary (n = 4) hydatid cyst. The pulmonary cysts were diagnosed with radiography in 18 patients and thoracic computed tomography scan in 30. The pulmonary cysts of 9 patients were bilateral. Seventy-five pulmonary cysts were seen in radiological examinations. The diagnosis of hepatic cysts was established with ultrasonography in 18 patients and upper abdominal computed tomography in 30. The total number of hepatic cysts was 48. In cases with pulmonary cysts, cystotomy and capitonnage were performed in 32 patients, only cystotomy was done in 14 patients, and wedge resection was performed in 2. Liver cysts were approached to transdiaphragmatically after the lung cysts had been dealt with and were managed with evacuation of the cysts. In the remaining cases, marsupialization (n = 2), pericystectomy (n = 1), and enucleation (n = 1) were performed. Major postoperative complications were hemorrhage (n = 1) and biliocutaneous fistula (n = 1). Hepatic recurrence was seen in 3 patients (6.2%) and pulmonary recurrence in 1 (2.1%). CONCLUSION Transthoracic approach is a useful and a safe surgical management of both pulmonary and upper surface of hepatic hydatid cysts.

Atypically located pericardial cysts

Pericardial cysts are uncommon benign abnormalities and are most often found in either cardiophrenic angle. We present the cases of 3 patients with a cyst in the mediastinum and review the literature. Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of pericardial cyst. Clinicians should include pericardial cyst in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses.

Management of Recurrent Malignant Pleural Effusion with Chemical Pleurodesis

PurposeMalignant pleural effusion is a common complication of primary and metastatic pleural malignancies. It is usually managed by drainage and pleurodesis, but there is no consensus as to the best method of pleurodesis. We compared the effectiveness, side effects, and cost of different chemical pleurodesis agents used in patients with malignant pleural effusion.MethodsBetween January 1990 and December 2001, 108 patients with malignant pleural effusion underwent chemical pleurodesis in our department. Thoracoscopy was performed in 64 patients (59%), a minithoracotomy in 18 (17%), tube thoracostomy in 11 (10%), and a small-bore catheter was inserted in 15 (14%). Talc was used in 68 (63%) patients, tetracycline in 26 (24%), and bleomycin in 14 (13%). Talc was instilled by insufflation during surgery after drainage, whereas tetracycline and bleomycin were instilled via tube or catheter for pleural analgesia.ResultsTalc resulted in significantly earlier tube and catheter removal, after an average 4.1 days versus 5.1 days after tetracyline, and 6.3 days after bleomycin (P = 0.026, P = 0.001, respectively). A significantly lower reaccumulation ratio in 90 days was achieved by the talc group, with nine (13.2%) patients, representing an 86.8% success rate, than in the tetracyline and bleomycin groups, with seven (26.7%) and five (35.7%) patients, respectively, representing 73.8% and 64.3% success rates (P = 0.04).ConclusionsTalc resulted in the earliest expansion, minimal drainage, and the earliest tube and catheter removal.

Primary malignant melanoma of the lung in oculocutaneous albino patient.

Oculocutaneous albinism is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by general depigmentation, nystagmus, photophobia, and decreased visual acuity. Malignant melanoma is extremely rare in patients with albinism. We present a 41-year-old albino male patient, who was admitted with a suspected bronchogenic carcinoma. He underwent a pulmonary resection and the diagnosis was primary malign melanoma of the lung. The patient died of tumor recurrence in the postoperative 46th month.

Surgical treatment of peripheral lung cancer adherent to the parietal pleura

OBJECTIVES The objective of this paper is to assess the results of surgical treatment retrospectively in a consecutive series of 85 patients with peripheral non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) invading parietal pleura and chest wall. METHODS From 1994 to 1998, of the 572 patients having pulmonary resection for NSCLC, 29 patients with neoplasm involving the parietal pleura (group I) and 56 with that invading the chest wall (group II) underwent resection. RESULTS The operative mortality rate was 3.4% in group I and 1.8% in group II. In groups I and II, pathologic N status was N0 in 20 (69%) cases, N1 in five (17%), N2 in four (13.8%) and 44 (78.6%), seven (12.5%), five (8.9%), respectively. An incomplete resection (R1) was performed in two (6.9%) patients in group I and seven (12.5%) in group II. Postoperative radiotherapy was carried out in 18 patients in group I and 46 in group II. Systemic chemotherapy was also administered in seven patients in group I and eight in group II. There was a significant difference in adjuvant therapy between the groups (P<0.05). Two patients (R1) in group I (7.4%) and 12 patients (seven patients R1+5 R0) in group II (24%) had local recurrence. There was no significant difference in local recurrence between the groups (P=12). Follow-up was completed in 79 cases (28 in group I and 51 in group II). Median survival for groups I and II were 27+/-6 and 16+/-4.6 months, respectively. Five-year survival was longer in group I than in group II (33 vs. 14%), but there was no significant difference (P=13). CONCLUSIONS We found similar survival rates for extrapleural resection in limited parietal pleura invasion and chest wall resection in exceeded-beyond-parietal pleura invasion. The completeness of resection is important in both groups.

Fibrohistiocytic tumor of the trachea in a child

A 10-year-old girl who had been treated for presumed asthma during the previous year, was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea and wheezing. An endotracheal tumor was detected and a tracheal resection was performed. The tumor was diagnosed as a fibrohistiocytic tumor. Biologic behavior of fibrohistiocytic tumors of the trachea is not clear and morphologically similar cases are interpreted as malignant or benign by different authors. However, an analysis of the present case and 11 well documented cases in the literature shows that this tumor must be evaluated as a low-grade malignancy and initial complete tumor resection is necessary.

Female and male differences in the survival of patients undergoing resection for lung cancer.

Abstract Objective: In recent years much attention has been focused on the rapidly increasing incidence of primary lung cancer in women. The aim of this study was to determine gender differences in patients treated surgically for lung cancer. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients who had lung resection for primary lung cancer from January 1994 to December 1998. Results: There were 530 men and 42 women. Women were younger than men (55.6 ± 10 versus 57 ± 9.9). The difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.9). The mean cigarette consumption was greater in men than in women (p < 0.001). We observed a higher operative morbidity and mortality rate in men compared to women (p < 0.05). Men had more squamous cell carcinoma (61.7%). In female patients, squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma were found with almost the same incidence (35.7% versus 33.3%). There was a significant difference in the distribution of cell types (p < 0.001). Pathologic stages for women were; I = 38.2%, II = 21.4%, IIIa = 21.4%, IIIb = 9.5%, IV = 9.5% and for men; I = 40.4%, II = 26.6%, IIIa = 24%, IIIb = 6%, IV = 3%. There was no significant difference in the stage distribution between genders (p = 0.2). Median survival for female and male patients were 38 ± 9.2 and 35 ± 3.2 months. Female patients’ survival was longer than male patients but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: This study emphasizes sex differences in cigarette consumption, operative mortality and the distribution of cell types of patients with primary lung cancer. These initial results should strongly encourage additional studies in different countries on the interaction between sex and lung cancer characteristics to improve clarity.

Resection of Esophageal Carcinoma During Pregnancy

Esophageal carcinoma diagnosed during pregnancy is a rare occurrence. A 26-year-old pregnant patient was referred to our hospital with dysphagia. A thorough examination showed a tumor in the esophagus. Laparotomy, thoracotomy, and cervical exploration were performed. There are only 2 cases reported in the literature about esophageal carcinoma diagnosed during pregnancy and treated surgically. However, ethical dilemmas arise in managing such situations. Here we report a case of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed at 27 weeks of gestation in which surgical resection was performed successfully.