Shuenn-Wen Kuo

Needlescopic versus conventional video-assisted thoracic surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax: a comparative study

BACKGROUND Management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax by needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has rarely been attempted and no comparison study with conventional VATS is available. In this study, we compared the clinical outcomes of needlescopic VATS with conventional VATS in treating primary spontaneous pneumothorax. The technique and our experience with needlescopic VATS are reported. METHODS Between April 2001 and April 2002, a total of 63 patients with recurrent, persistent, or contralateral primary spontaneous pneumothorax were recruited for this study. Operative procedures included needlescopic VATS in 28 patients and conventional VATS in 35 patients. We used a modified operative technique to improve the poor and narrower vision of the needle-videothoracoscope. RESULTS There was no mortality or major complications in either of the two groups. Needlescopic and conventional VATS groups had comparable operation times, postoperative pain, requested doses of meperidine hydrochloride, durations of postoperative chest drainage, and length of hospital stay. After a mean follow-up of 8 months, the needlescopic VATS group had less residual neuralgia (p = 0.021) and better wound satisfaction (p = 0.043) than the conventional VATS group. Ipsilateral recurrence of pneumothorax occurred in 1 patient (3.6%) in the needlescopic VATS group but not in any patients in the conventional VATS group. CONCLUSIONS Our experience showed that needlescopic VATS is technically feasible and can be a satisfactory alternative to conventional VATS in treating primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Limited vision of needlescopic VATS can be improved by the modified technique we used. However, conversion to conventional VATS or minithoracotomy is suggested in selected patients to prevent early recurrence.

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis: A 10-year surgical experience in a single institution

OBJECTIVE Early diagnosis and aggressive surgical drainage are very important for successful treatment of descending necrotizing mediastinitis. However, the surgical techniques used for this condition remain controversial. We report our 10-year experience of managing this devastating disease, focusing on the multidisciplinary, minimally invasive operative procedures and the unique bacteriologic factors in Taiwan. METHODS Between January 1997 and January 2007, we retrospectively reviewed 18 patients with descending necrotizing mediastinitis who were treated in the National Taiwan University Hospital. Diagnosis and Endo classification were confirmed by computed tomography of the neck and chest. RESULTS Eight women and 10 men were included in this study. The mean age was 57.8 +/- 15.2 years. Cervical drainage was performed in the involved area in all patients. The methods for mediastinal drainage included transcervical (n = 10), video-assisted thoracic surgical drainage (n = 6), subxiphoid drainage (n = 1), and mediastinoscopy-assisted drainage (n = 1). We could not rescue 3 patients because of uncontrolled sepsis before surgery, for a mortality rate of 16.7%. Klebsiella pneumoniae uniquely represents the most common pathogen in diabetic patients (P = .01), leading to more complicated courses in older patients (P =.04) and requiring more surgical interventions (P =.05) than other pathogens. CONCLUSION Transcervical mediastinal drainage is first justified in patients with limited disease in the upper mediastinum. For those with involvement of the lower anterior mediastinum, an additional subxiphoid approach is suggested. Cervicotomy with video-assisted mediastinal drainage is an excellent combination for involvement of the posterior mediastinum and pleural space. Klebsiella pneumoniae uniquely represents the most important and threatening causative pathogen for diabetic patients with descending necrotizing mediastinitis.

Virological, Serological, and Antiviral Studies in an Imported Human Case of Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Virus in Taiwan

We describe the clinical course and virological characteristics of the first H7N9 influenza case in a Taiwanese patient; this patient had detectable viruses in the airway for 2 weeks, during which time an oseltamivir resistance-associated R292K mutation rapidly emerged. Anti-H7N9 antibody was detected 21 days after onset of symptoms, when H7N9 viral load declined significantly.

Association of GSTP1 Polymorphism and Survival for Esophageal Cancer

Purpose: Activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) is associated with detoxification of xenobiotics and the maintenance of cell viability. Genetically variant GSTs produce different enzymatic activities. The clinical significance of this variation is still puzzling. We investigated whether genetic polymorphisms of GST including GSTP1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 affect survival among esophageal cancer patients. Experimental Design: From 1996 to 2002, 233 patients with pathologically proven esophageal cancer were recruited from the Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital. GST genotypes, including GSTT1, GSTM1, and GSTP1, were determined by PCR or PCR-RFLP. The influence of the genetic polymorphisms on patient survival was estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier survival function and Cox proportional hazards models. Results: The mean survival times (months) of the GSTP1 Ile/Ile, Ile/Val, and Val/Val were 11, 10, and 7, respectively (P < 0.05). The more the patients carried GSTP1 variant Val alleles, the poorer the survival rate (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.84; Ptrend = 0.045). In contrast, no association of GSTT1 or GSTM1 genotypes with survival rate was noted. Conclusion: The presence of the GSTP1 variant allele (Val) is associated with a poorer prognosis of esophageal cancer.

Thoracoscopic pleurodesis for primary spontaneous pneumothorax with high recurrence risk: a prospective randomized trial.

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety between apical pleurectomy and pleural abrasion with minocycline in primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) with high recurrence risk. Background:The optimal thoracoscopic pleurodesis procedure for PSP with high recurrence risk remains controversial. Methods:Between January 2006 and May 2009, a total of 369 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax were treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. After stapled bullectomy, 160 patients with no identifiable bleb or multiple blebs (≥3) were randomly chosen to undergo apical pleurectomy (pleurectomy group, 80 patients) or pleural abrasion with minocycline (abrasion/minocycline group, 80 patients). Results:Patients in the pleurectomy group had a longer operation duration (mean, 81.4 minutes vs 55.8 minutes, P < 0.001), a greater amount of operation bleeding (mean, 29.4 mL vs 13.2 mL, P = 0.025), and a greater amount of postoperative chest drainage (mean, 287.4 mL vs 195.8 mL, P = 0.040). Patients in the abrasion/minocycline group had a higher intensity of chest pain and required more frequent meperidine injections. Hemothorax occurred in 3 pleurectomy patients (3.8%). The short-term results showed that the 2 groups had comparable durations of postoperative chest drainage, durations of postoperative hospital stay, and complication rates. After a mean follow-up of 26.1 months, recurrent ipsilateral pneumothorax occurred in 3 patients (3.8%) in the pleurectomy group and 3 patients (3.8%) in the abrasion/minocycline group. Postoperative long-term residual chest pain and pulmonary function were comparable in both groups. Conclusions:Pleural abrasion with minocycline pleurodesis is as effective as apical pleurectomy and either technique is appropriate for treating PSP patients with high recurrence risk. This trial was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT00270751).

Noncontact respiratory measurement of volume change using depth camera

In this study, a system is developed to measure human chest wall motion for respiratory volume estimation without any physical contact. Based on depth image sensing technique, respiratory volume is estimated by measuring morphological changes of the chest wall. We evaluated the system and compared with a standard reference device, and the results show strong agreement in respiratory volume measurement [correlation coefficient: r=0.966]. The isovolume test presents small variations of the total respiratory volume during the isovolume maneuver (standard deviation <;107 ml). Then, a regional pulmonary measurement test is evaluated by a patient, and the results show visibly difference of pulmonary functional between the diseased and the contralateral sides of the thorax after the thoracotomy. This study has big potential for personal health care and preventive medicine as it provides a novel, low-cost, and convenient way to measure users respiration volume.

Pediatric empyema: Outcome analysis of thoracoscopic management

OBJECTIVE Thoracoscopy has become a favored modality in treating pediatric empyema. However, the factors affecting the outcome of thoracoscopic management remain unclear. In this study, we report our experience using thoracoscopy to treat empyema in pediatric patients and investigate the factors affecting outcome. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the demographic data, clinical presentation, radiographic findings, laboratory studies, and hospital course of 101 pediatric patients who underwent thoracoscopy for empyema between 1995 and 2008. RESULTS Empyema was due to pneumococcus infection in 64 patients (63.4%), and 69% of the cultured microorganisms were penicillin nonsusceptible. Chest computed tomography scan was performed in 96 patients, in whom necrotizing pneumonia was noted in 35 (36.5%). Preoperative intensive care unit admission was required for 33 patients (32.7%). Preoperative chest tube drainage was performed in 36 patients (35.6%), and thoracoscopy was used as the primary treatment in the remaining 65 patients. Complications occurred in 10 patients (9.9%); there were no mortalities. The median postoperative hospital stay was 13 days. Multivariate analyses showed that necrotizing pneumonia was significantly associated with the presence of complications, and that necrotizing pneumonia, preoperative intensive care unit admission, and preoperative chest tube drainage were independent risk factors for a longer postoperative hospital stay. CONCLUSION The clinical presentations of empyema in children requiring thoracoscopy are diverse. Patients with necrotizing pneumonia and those requiring preoperative intensive care unit admission and undergoing preoperative chest tube drainage are at high risk for developing complications and requiring longer hospital stay after thoracoscopy.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pulmonary crisis and primary graft dysfunction.

This report describes the clinical use of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system in a 23-year-old woman with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension due to end-stage systemic lupus erythematosus. The system was also used to provide a direct bridge from resuscitation to transplantation after acute onset of pulmonary crisis and maintenance of stable hemodynamics during the bilateral lung transplant, and also to provide optimal oxygenation until the transplanted lung recovered from severe primary graft dysfunction.

Prognostic significance of histologic differentiation, carcinoembryonic antigen value, and lymphovascular invasion in stage I non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE For stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the only 2 prognostic factors incorporated into the seventh edition of the TNM staging system were tumor size and visceral pleural invasion. However, with this staging system, the prognostic precision of survival has proved elusive, suggesting the need to include additional prognostic factors. To improve prognostic applications and treatment decisions, we investigated clinicopathologic factors affecting progression-free survival in patients with surgically resected stage I NSCLC. METHODS From January 2004 to December 2011, we retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathologic characteristics of 758 consecutive patients with surgically resected stage I NSCLC at the National Taiwan University Hospital. RESULTS The 5-year progression-free survival rate was 82.3% and 64.0% for those with stage IA (n=481) and stage IB (n=277), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed poor or moderate histologic differentiation and elevated preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen were statistically significant risk factors for recurrence in patients with stage IA. Poor or moderate histologic differentiation, elevated preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen, lymphovascular invasion, and tumor size>2 cm were statistically significant risk factors for recurrence in patients with stage I NSCLC. The 5-year progression-free survival rate was 93.0%, 73.8%, and 40.6% for stage I patients with no, 1 or 2, and >2 risk factors, respectively (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS In addition to tumor size, we identified 3 other independent risk factors for recurrence in patients with stage I NSCLC. These 3 risk factors warrant consideration as additional predictors in the next version of the TNM staging system.

New aspects of the clinicopathology and genetic profile of metachronous multiple lung cancers.

Objective:For treatment decisions and prognostic applications, we evaluated p53/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) somatic aberrations in metachronous multiple lung cancers to differentiate multiple primary lung cancers (MPLCs) from pulmonary metastases. Background:The current criteria to differentiate MPLCs from metastases are based on the histologic type and onset interval and do not incorporate genetic analysis. The genetic background of MPLCs remains unclear. Methods:Ninety-seven metachronous multiple lung cancers were identified to investigate somatic mutations in p53 and EGFR. Mutational analysis of p53 and EGFR was performed on DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded tumors. Results:A high frequency of somatic mutations in p53 (44.3%; 43/97) and/or EGFR (51.5%; 50/97) resulted in a high discrimination rate of tumor clonality (77.3%; 75/97) in metachronous multiple lung cancers. Of the 97 cases, 25 cases (33.3%) and 50 cases (66.7%) were assessed as having the same clonality (SC) and different clonality (DC), respectively. Notably, DC was commonly observed among tumors of the same histologic type (60.7%; 37/61), which further supported the carcinogenic theory of field cancerization. Multivariate analysis revealed that a first primary tumor of 3 cm or smaller (5-year survival: 92.7%; P = 0.001) and a limited resection of the latest tumor (5-year survival: 96.0%; P = 0.016) were 2 independent predictors of favorable prognosis. Conclusions:Because most metachronous tumors of the same histologic type have different clonal origins, clonality assessment is essential to differentiate MPLCs from metastases. We recommend limited resection as the treatment of choice to achieve long-term survival in MPLCs patients with tumors of 3 cm or smaller.