Yen-Lung Lee

Is prophylactic treatment of contralateral blebs in patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax indicated

OBJECTIVES More than 50% of patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax have contralateral blebs/bullae, and about a quarter will develop a contralateral pneumothorax. The purpose of this prospective study was to determine the need for elective treatment of asymptomatic contralateral blebs/bullae in patients presenting with primary spontaneous pneumothorax. METHODS From May 2006 through June 2008, results from 35 patients with ipsilateral primary spontaneous pneumothorax without contralateral blebs receiving unilateral video-assisted thoracic surgery, 35 patients with ipsilateral primary spontaneous pneumothorax with contralateral blebs receiving unilateral video-assisted thoracic surgery, and 16 patients with ipsilateral primary spontaneous pneumothorax receiving bilateral video-assisted thoracic surgery for positive contralateral blebs were collected. Their demographic and operating data were also recorded. RESULTS There was no significant difference in age, gender, smoking percentage, body mass index (kg/m(2)), blood loss, and postoperative pain among groups. There was longer operative time and length of stay in group receiving bilateral surgery. Within the follow-up period of 16.68 +/- 9.91 months (median, 17.50), no recurrence on either lung was found in the group operated on both sides, while contralateral occurrence was found in 17.14% of the group with ipsilateral primary spontaneous pneumothorax with contralateral blebs receiving unilateral video-assisted thoracic surgery within the period of 18.15 +/- 8.07 months (median, 21). CONCLUSION The study showed that the preemptive video-assisted thoracic surgery for the contralateral blebs/bullae effectively prevented the contralateral occurrence.

Needlescopic Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery for Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax

Minimally invasive surgery is the current trend of approach in various fields. Since May 2006, our team has started implementing needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery as the standard surgical treatment for primary spontaneous pneumothorax. During a seventeen-month period, 62 consecutive patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax were operated on. The ages, sex ratio, operative times, blood loss, postoperative pain in visual analog scale (VAS), length of stay and hospital costs were recorded and compared with that of another 62 consecutive patients who received conventional video-assisted thoracic surgery between July 2004 and April 2006. Only the postoperative pain in VAS was significantly lower in the needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery group; the rest remained the same. Also the wounds were almost undetectable in the needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery patients. There were no major complications, mortality or recurrence in either group. Needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery is a high-tech technique which provides safety, effectiveness, economy and outcome comparable to that of conventional techniques. It is also associated with less pain and better cosmetics.

Comparison of needlescopic and conventional video-assisted thoracic surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax

Abstract Whether the outcome of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) when treated with needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery is positive is still under scrutiny. The present study was conducted to compare the needlescopic approach with the conventional approach. One-hundred and six patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax who had undergone needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery (NVATS) between May 2006 and August 2008 were reviewed. Their age, gender, smoking status, BMI, side of attack, operative indications, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative length of stay, postoperative pain in visual analog scale (VAS), postoperative recurrence and follow-up period were recorded. These data were compared with those of 89 patients with PSP who had undergone conventional video-assisted thoracic surgery (CVATS) between June 2002 and April 2006. The operative time was shorter (NVATS: 82.36 ± 35.58 min, CVATS: 99.78 ± 35.74 min; p = 0.008) and intraoperative blood loss was less (NVATS: 16.67 ± 25.90 ml, CVATS: 24.36 ± 26.86 ml; p = 0.04) for the NVATS group. The postoperative pain in VAS was significantly less in NVATS. No major complication or mortality was found in either group. For treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax, NVATS is a safe and effective option. Further, it has the added benefit of less pain and improved cosmetics.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for postoperative recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax

OBJECTIVES Postoperative recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a troublesome complication and an important issue to be discussed. This study is to determine whether Re-video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) should be performed for postoperative recurrent PSP (PORP). MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients who had underwent needlescopic VATS for PSP between Jan. 2007 and Dec. 2011 were reviewed. RESULTS VATS was initially performed on 239 patients with PSP in total. Eleven patients were found to have PORP during a follow-up period of 36.95 months. Nine patients received Re-VATS and only two patients receiving conservative treatment had no further recurrence. No conversion to thoracotomy, blood transfusion and prolong air leak were recorded. CONCLUSIONS Even for smaller size cases, Re-VATS, which is technically feasible, safe and effective with better cosmetics and minor postoperative pain, should be a strong contender as priority treatment.

Expedite recovery from esophagectomy and reconstruction for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after perioperative management protocol reinvention

BACKGROUND Surgery for esophageal cancer is invasive and challenging, and always to be followed with arduous post-operative care and recovery. This study, maybe one of the first in Asian populations, is to determine whether a reinvented protocol for perioperative management for esophageal cancer surgery which is being implemented in our department, will lead to a faster convalescence and also significantly decrease financial burdens garnered by patients during hospitalization. METHODS Operated on by the same surgeon and team in the same hospital, consecutive patients who had received esophagectomy and reconstruction for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively reviewed. On the basis of two different treatment periods, patients were divided into two groups: A and B. Group A was patients who had received the new reinvented protocol between 2012 and 2016, while group B patients were those having received the previous protocol between 2008 and 2011. Their demographics, post-operative outcome, and hospital charges were collected and compared. RESULTS There were 64 patients in group A, and 69 in group B. Ventilator days (P<0.001), ICU stay (P<0.001), and post-operative stay (P<0.001) were significantly shorter in group A patients. Complication rates were similar between the two groups. No hospital mortality was noted in either group. Hospital charges in group A were found to be perceptively lower, although not statistically significant (P value =0.078). CONCLUSIONS The current protocol of perioperative care effectively ameliorated convalescence after esophagectomy and reconstruction for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma without increasing complication rate or mortality. It is also potentially more practical in future health care policies during this era of financial shortage.

Expression of redox sensing factor Nrf2 in lung macrophages and type II pneumocytes as a prognostic factor in pneumothorax recurrence

BACKGROUND Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a common clinical problem. However, PSP recurrence is still a major concern. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a protective role against oxidative airway diseases. The aim was to investigate the role of Nrf2 in PSP patients and its correlation with recurrence. METHODS Eighty-nine patients were enrolled and received wedge resection of lung with identifiable blebs. Nrf2 expression in resected lung tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and correlated with clinicopathological variables. The prognostic value of Nrf2 for incidence-of-recurrence was determined by Kaplan-Meier estimates and the significance of differences was evaluated by the log-rank test. RESULTS Nrf2 staining was predominantly observed in alveolar macrophages and type II pneumocytes of PSP patients and correlated with recurrence (P<0.001 and P=0.001, respectively) and PSP location (macrophages, P=0.013). High Nrf2 expression was correlated with better incidence-of-recurrence (macrophages, P=0.003; type II pneumocytes, P=0.003). Moreover, incidence-of-recurrence was better in patients with higher Nrf2 expression, especially those in the age ≤20, male, and non-smoking groups (macrophages, P=0.009, 0.006, and 0.012; type II pneumocytes, P=0.003, 0.011, and 0.010, respectively). CONCLUSIONS High Nrf2 expression in alveolar macrophages and type II pneumocytes was significantly associated with the decreased recurrence risk and was the independent factor predicting a better incidence-of-recurrence in PSP. Our results suggest that Nrf2 activation in high risk patients may be a potential target for reducing PSP recurrence.

Impending Asphyxia Caused by Migration of Tracheal Expandible Stent: An Unexpected Complication

The use of covered self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) for malignant tracheo-esophageal fistula can lead to complications. We report such a case, in which local migration of a tracheal stent caused it to erode through the trachea and invade the esophagus, leading to compromise of the airway. This situation was finally resolved by emergency tracheostomy, thereby saving the patient. The stent was retrieved and a long tracheostomy tube was put in place so as to bypass the fistula. Similar complications could not be found in the literature.

Needlescopic Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery for Paraesophageal Bronchogenic Cyst

The authors report an adult with a paraesophageal bronchogenic cyst which was encountered incidentally during a routine chest roentgenogram in a health examination. Needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery was successfully utilized to remove the bronchogenic cyst that was densely adherent to the adjacent esophagus. After operation, the patient had an uneventful recovery and a normal esophagogram, and was discharged on postoperative day 4. Our present case suggests that needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery provides a more minimally invasive technique with the same safety profile as conventional thoracoscopic surgery in managing mediastinal masses.

Migration-A Usual Complication of Covered Self-Expandable Metallic Stent with an Unusual Course-Case Report

The authors report a 46-year-old male with middle-third esophageal cancer and invasion of the left main bronchus who underwent an insertion of a left main bronchial stent (Ultraflex, Boston Scientific, 14 mm×40 mm) to relieve airway stenosis, since the widest portion of the left main bronchus was only 11 mm. After 3 months, left main bronchial stent migration with right main bronchial orifice obstruction was noted on the chest computed tomography and flexible bronchoscopy. Rigid bronchoscopy was performed to remove the migrated stent and a new larger stent was inserted (Ultraflex, Boston Scientific, 16 mm×40 mm). Left main bronchial stent migration with right main bronchial orifice total obstruction is rarely encountered in the literature. Migration rarely occurs 3 months after an initial stent deployment, especially when a larger stent is used.