Randall K. Wolf

Is lobectomy by video-assisted thoracic surgery an adequate cancer operation?

BACKGROUND Although the public perceives video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) as advantageous because it is less invasive than a thoracotomy, the medical community has questioned the safety of VATS lobectomy and its adequacy as a cancer operation. Reported series have not been able to address these issues because follow-up has been only short-term. METHODS A multiinstitutional, retrospective review was performed in 298 consecutive patients who underwent VATS for a standard anatomic lobectomy with lymph node dissection for lung cancer. Pathologic staging was I in 233 (78%), II in 27 (9%), and IIIA in 38 (13%) patients. Kaplan Meier survival analysis was performed. RESULTS The conversion rate from VATS lobectomy to thoracotomy was 6%, but none were for massive intraoperative bleeding. The only death (0.3%) was because of mesenteric venous thrombosis. Forty minor complications occurred in 38 patients (12.8%) undergoing VATS. The mean and median lengths of stay were 5+/-3.39 and 4 days, respectively. Recurrence in an incision occurred in 1 patient (0.3%). The Kaplan Meier 4-year survival for stage I was 70%+/-5%. CONCLUSION The VATS lobectomy for bronchogenic carcinoma appears to be a safe operation, with the same survival as expected for a lobectomy done by thoracotomy.

Thoracoscopic direct clipping of the thoracic duct for chylopericardium and chylothorax

BACKGROUND Chylothorax is a challenging clinical problem. Untreated, it carries a high mortality and morbidity. Traditional surgical management for cases refractory to conservative treatment is thoracic duct ligation through a right open thoracotomy. METHODS We describe 4 patients treated successfully by video-assisted thoracic surgery, using ports and no thoracotomy, and precise ligation and division of the thoracic duct just above the diaphragm. A pericardial window was made in the patient with chylopericardium, as in the patient with end-stage renal disease. Pleurodesis was used in the patient with esophageal carcinoma and the patient with jugular and subclavian vein thrombosis. RESULTS There were 2 women aged 18 and 42 years and 2 men, aged 61 and 65 years. No procedure-related mortality or morbidity occurred. In patients 1, 2, 3, and 4, the postoperative duration of drainage was 5, 7, 7, and 5 days, respectively (mean duration, 6 days) and the hospital stay, 5, 9, 10, and 5 days, respectively (mean stay, 7 days). There was no recurrence of chylothorax or chylopericardium during follow-up (range, 2 to 24 months; mean follow-up, 9 months). One patient died of esophageal carcinoma 4 months after operation. CONCLUSIONS Video-assisted thoracic surgery without a thoracotomy is an effective way of treating chylothorax and carries minimal morbidity.

Thoracoscopic internal mammary artery harvest for MICABG using the harmonic scalpel

BACKGROUND Thoracoscopic internal mammary artery (IMA) harvest is technically demanding, particularly on the left side. We have devised a Harmonic Scalpel (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Cincinnati, OH) technique to facilitate this procedure, and describe our clinical experience here. METHODS The Harmonic Scalpel functions with ultrasonic energy, producing less smoke and lower heat than regular electrocautery. A total of 27 (22 left and 5 right) pedicles of the IMA in 23 patients were harvested from the upper margin of the first rib or higher to the lower margin of the fifth rib thoracoscopically using the Harmonic Scalpel with a hook blade. RESULTS In each case, the IMA harvest was completed thoracoscopically with only the Harmonic Scalpel, decreasing instrument transfers. Each vascular branch was coagulated without charring and was transected with excellent hemostasis. Smokeless views were provided. In the first 17 harvests, Doppler studies 3 months after the procedures demonstrated patent IMAs to the coronary circulation. CONCLUSIONS The Harmonic Scalpel facilitates thoracoscopic IMA harvest and is expected to minimize hyperthermic damage of the IMA.

Computer-assisted robotic heller myotomy: initial case report.

PURPOSE Our objective was to determine the efficacy of computer-assisted robotic laparoscopic Heller myotomy. METHODS A 76-year-old woman with a significant history of achalasia was evaluated for laparoscopic Heller myotomy. The daVinci surgical system was used throughout the procedure. RESULTS Computer assistance allowed scaling of hand motions from a range of 2:1 to 5:1. Successful dissection of the esophageal musculature was accomplished, and a Toupet-type fundoplication was performed. The patient was discharged from the hospital the day after surgery with five port incisions, each <1 cm. CONCLUSIONS Telemanipulator computer-assisted surgical devices may have applications in procedures that require advanced and finely tuned motions, such as Heller myotomy. The benefits of extra magnification and three-dimensional imaging can help prevent esophageal perforation and identify residual circular muscle fibers.

VIDEO-ASSISTED THORACOSCOPY

New therapeutic modalities for disorders of the pediatric spine must include video-assisted thoracoscopy. The endoscopic approach to the spine has involved an evolutionary approach. What began as an isolated drainage of a vertebral abscess was continued as a method of single discectomy; release of the annulus fibrosis with or without ligation of segmental vessels; rib resection for costoplasty; rib harvesting for intervertebral fusion; and most recently, insertion of correctional implants and fusion.

Tension pneumothorax as a complication of video-assisted thorascopic surgery for anterior correction of idiopathic scoliosis in an adolescent female.

Study Design This case report illustrates the occurrence of intraoperative tension pneumothorax, a previously unreported complication occurring during anterior instrumentation for correction of scoliosis by video-assisted surgery. Objectives To demonstrate a consequence of overadvancement of a Steinmann pin (guide wire). Summary of Background Data Although intraoperative tension pneumothorax is admitted to be a theoretical complication of video-assisted surgery for anterior correction of idiopathic scoliosis, there has yet to be a case reported in the literature. This report presents the first case of this complication. Methods A 13-year-old girl who had right thoracic scoliosis with a curve measuring 54° underwent video-assisted surgery discectomy and anterior spinal fusion with instrumentation of T5 through T11. Single-lung ventilation had been achieved with a double-lumen tube and the right lung was deflated. After approximately 4.5 hours of complication-free surgery, intraoperative fluoroscopy showed an approximately 2-cm overadvancement of a guide wire into the opposite hemithorax. Approximately 5 minutes after the overadvancement was corrected, the patient experienced a gradual increase in heart rate and a corresponding gradual decrease in oxygen saturation and both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Approximately 35 minutes later, it was determined that the patient had sustained a tension pneumothorax of the left hemithorax. Results The patient underwent urgent partial reinflation of the right lung and a tube thoracostomy of the left thoracic cavity. Vital signs quickly returned to stable levels, and the left lung easily reinflated with the chest tube suction. The patient remained stable after the procedure was resumed (by right lung deflation). The remainder of the surgery and the postoperative course were uneventful. Conclusions Although video-assisted surgery continues to gain popularity in the management of spinal deformities, the surgical team must be certain to pay meticulous attention to detail throughout the procedure. The early detection and treatment of complications can be life-preserving.

Myocardial electrical impedance responds to ischemia and reperfusion in humans

Myocardial electrical impedance (MEI) is correlated to ischemia and reperfusion of the heart muscle. The entire body of work with MEI to this point has been carried out in animal subjects in vivo and excised tissue samples. In this study, we measured MEI clinically for the first time in human patients who were undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery. MEI was measured with a monitor designed in this laboratory and approved by the FDA for use on human subjects. Our patient population (n=18) had a 70%-100% stenosis of the diseased coronary artery targeted for bypass. We measured MEI continuously during surgery and at 3, 6, 24, and 72 h postoperatively from two temporary pacing electrodes attached to the heart muscle. Absolute baseline impedance ranged from 173 to 729 /spl Omega/. MEI increased with occlusion of the diseased artery prior to bypass. The percent increase from baseline was inversely correlated to the percent stenosis of the diseased artery. MEI decreased below baseline immediately on reperfusion following bypass in all patients and continued decreasing over the measurement period. MEI is a reliable clinical indicator of ischemia and reperfusion in humans and may indicate the effectiveness of coronary artery surgery. The parameter may have monitoring and diagnostic value in heart disease in humans.

Clinical and six-month angiographic evaluation of coronary arterial graft interrupted anastomoses by use of a self-closing clip device: a multicenter prospective clinical trial

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a self-closing surgical clip with an interrupted technique in left internal thoracic artery to left anterior descending artery bypass grafting. METHODS Eighty-two patients were enrolled and treated (February 2000 through August 2001) in a prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter trial. Left internal thoracic artery to left anterior descending artery anastomoses were performed in 60 off-pump coronary artery bypasses (73%), 12 conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (15%), and 10 minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (12%) procedures. Angiograms (64 to 383 days, mean 200 days) were obtained on 63 patients (77%). Qualitative and quantitative angiographic assessment was performed by an independent core laboratory. RESULTS The self-closing surgical clip was used for 82 left internal thoracic artery to left anterior descending artery interrupted anastomoses without the requirement for knot tying or primary suture management. Minimum left internal thoracic artery to left anterior descending artery anastomosis time was 3 minutes. There was one perioperative and one late death (both not heart related) and one reexploration for bleeding unrelated to the anastomotic site. FitzGibbon grades were as follows: A (n = 60, 95.2%), B (n = 3, 4.8%) including one kinked left internal thoracic artery, and O (n = 0, 0%). Quantitative analysis (n = 57) showed mean lumen diameters of left internal thoracic artery proximal to the anastomosis of 2.1 mm, at anastomosis of 2.0 mm, and in the left anterior descending artery distal to the anastomosis of 1.9 mm. The average ratio of the anastomosis to the left anterior descending artery diameter was 1.14 (0.45 to 1.93). Anastomotic stenosis as a percentage of average left internal thoracic artery to left anterior descending artery diameter was -2.3%, comparing favorably with results (23% to 24%) reported from the Patency, Outcomes, Economics, Minimally invasive direct coronary artery (POEM) bypass study. CONCLUSIONS The interrupted technique, facilitated by a self-closing anastomotic clip, yields favorable 6-month angiographic results when compared with other published studies.

Port-access first-rib resection

Abstract. We have developed a thoracoscopic first rib resection technique for treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), employing new instruments designed for endoscopic surgery. A 49-year-old man with Paget-Schroetter syndrome was treated bilaterally, and a 25-year-old woman with neurologic symptoms was treated on the right side by thoracoscopic approach via three ports. Harmonic scalpel, endoscopic elevators, rongeurs, and an endoscopic drill were used. In two patients, approximately 80% of the first rib overlying the subclavian vessels and brachial plexus was successfully removed by this technique. We conclude that port-access first-rib resection is feasible and reproducible using the new instruments described.

Thoracoscopic Limited Pericardial Resection With an Ultrasonic Scalpel

We employed an ultrasonic scalpel, the Harmonic Scalpel (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Cincinnati, OH), for thoracoscopic limited pericardial resection in consecutive 10 patients with massive pericardial effusion or pericarditis. The mean operative time was 27 minutes for pericardial effusion. No dangerous arrhythmias were induced even in the patient with dense pericardial adhesions. There were no operation-related complications or deaths. The thoracoscopic ultrasonic scalpel technique can be an efficacious minimally invasive alternative for pericardial window.