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Major pulmonary resections: pneumonectomies and lobectomies.

We report on our experience in 20 patients who underwent major thoracoscopic pulmonary resections between October 1991 and November 1992. These consist of 2 left pneumonectomies, 17 lobectomies, and 1 segmentectomy. The indications were strictly limited to benign pulmonary diseases and stage I (TNM) primary lung cancer. A hilar lymphadenectomy was performed in all cases of malignancy. Our surgical technique is described. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of performing major video-assisted thoracoscopic pulmonary resections, even though the definite role of this procedure in the management of lung cancer must still be defined.

Videothoracoscopic staging and treatment of lung cancer.

Videothoracoscopy, routinely performed as the initial step of an operation, opens interesting opportunities for both the operative staging and treatment of lung cancer. Videosurgical maneuvers ensure thorough exploration of the cavity, thus avoiding unnecessary exploratory thoracotomies, confirming resectability of the lesion by open or, in selected cases, by a direct video-assisted approach. We report our experience of 155 patients submitted to videothoracoscopic operative staging between October 1991 and January 1994. Videothoracoscopic operative staging showed unresectability in 13 patients (8.3%) due to preoperatively unexpected (10 patients) or suspected conditions (3 patients). The remaining 142 patients were divided by staging of the lesion and general conditions into three groups. Group A consisted of 13 elderly patients with small peripheral tumor who could not tolerate lobectomy and who underwent thoracoscopic wedge resection. Group B consisted of 63 patients with peripheral clinical T1 N0 or T2 N0 tumor. Fifty-two lobectomies and 4 pneumonectomies were carried out thoracoscopically. Seven conversions to thoracotomy were necessary due to technical problems. The postoperative course was uneventful in 51, 5 had prolonged air leakage, and a bronchial fistula developed in 1 because of positive-pressure postoperative ventilation. Group C consisted of 66 patients with stage II or IIIa neoplasm. Thoracotomy after thoracoscopy proved unresectability in 4, whereas 62 were submitted to a radical pulmonary resection. In the literature the incidence of exploratory thoracotomies for conditions missed by preoperative staging still remains high. After adoption of videothoracoscopic operative staging we reported a 2.6% exploratory thoracotomy rate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy for bronchogenic carcinoma

Abstract For a long time, primary tumors arising less than 2 cm distal to the carina have presented a contraindication to surgical excision. Tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy technique allows carinal resection and reconstruction but still carries considerable postoperative complications. From 1983 to 1992 we performed 27 right tracheal sleeve pneumonectomies and one left. Fourteen patients had N0 nodes, nine had N1, and five had N2. No anastomotic complications, either fistula or stenosis, were observed. Successful outcome depends on meticulous attention to surgical details and careful anaesthetic management with a new ventilation tube. One patient died on the twenty-second postoperative day from myocardial infarction. Complications included pneumonia (one), vocal cord paresis (two), and pleural empyema without bronchial fistula (one). Conservative treatment allowed complete recovery from all complications. There are seven patients alive at 4 years after operation and one at 5 years. Six patients have been disease-free for between 1 and 32 months. Two patients died free of disease at 13 and 42 months. Two patients died of mediastinal recurrence and 10 of distant metastases within 6 and 54 months. (J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG 1994;107:13-8)