Abstract: Objective To compare the sensitivity and accuracy of autofluorescence bronchoscope (AFB) and white light bronchoscope (WLB) in airway examination for patients with central type lung cancer. Methods From September 2009 to May 2010, 46 patients including 36 males and 10 females with an average age of 62.1 years underwent both AFB and WLB procedures in People’s Hospital of Peking University. Among them, 35 were preliminary diagnostic cases and 11 were postoperative surveillance cases. Local anaesthesia of glottis and airway, and general anaesthesia with continuous intravenous drugs were given before electric bronchoscope was adopted. All patients underwent WLB examination followed by AFB procedure. All suspicious abnormal visual findings were recorded for biopsy and pathological examination. Results All procedures were carried out safely without death or severe complications. We performed bronchoscopy 48 times for all 46 patients and 159 tissues of various sites were taken out for biopsy and pathologic examination which showed 64 malignancies and 95 none malignancies. In 64 malignancies, AFB found all but WLB missed 15 with a missed diagnosis rate of 23.4%. Thirtysix times of examination were performed for the 35 preliminary diagnostic cases and 56 sites of malignancy were found. AFB found all, while WLB missed 12, and 6 sites of malignancy found by AFB were larger in size than those found by WLB. AFB detected 3 cases of multisite malignancy, but WLB missed these diagnoses. The results of AFB and WLB were the same for 26 patients. Twelve times of bronchoscopy were performed for the 11 postoperative surveillance cases and 8 sites of malignancy were found. AFB found them all while WLB missed 3 which were two recurrent cases during the early period after lung cancer surgery. The sensitivity of AFB and WLB was 100.0 % and 76.6%(Plt;0.05) respectively, and the negative predictive value of AFB and WLB was 100.0% and 84.5%(P=0.002) respectively. Conclusion AFB has a better sensitivity and negative predictive value than WLB in detecting mucous canceration lesions in central type lung cancer, and is more accurate in assessment of tumor margins, more sensitive in finding multiple lesions in airway and detecting early cancer recurrence in postoperative surveillance patients.
Objective To find out the best time and investigate the indications for conversion to horacotomy in completely thoracoscopic lobectomy. Methods Between Sep. 2006 and Feb. 2009, 172 patients including 88 male and 84 female with the median age of 58.9 years, underwent completely thoracoscopic lobectomy. Postoperative pathology showed that there were 133 cases of primary lung cancer, 7 cases of lung cancer metastasis and other malignant tumors, and 32 cases of benign diseases. Among them, 46 patients had the tumor on the right upper lobe (RUL), 23 on the right middle lobe (RML), 31 on the right lower lobe (RLL), 36 on the left upper lobe (LUL) and 36 on the left lower lobe (LLL). Three incisions were made in all operations. The procedures of systematic lymphadenectomy and anatomic lobectomy were similar with routine thoracotomy. If there was mediastinal lymph node adhesion, metastasis or bleeding, the incision would be extended to 12-15 cm and the surgery would be converted to thoracotomy. According to whether the maximum tumor dimension was above 5 cm or under 3 cm, the patients were divided into two groups. At the same time, we also divided the patients into two groups based on whether thoracotomy was performed. The data of both two groups were compared respectively. Results All surgeries were carried out safely with no serious complications or perioperative deaths. The average surgical duration was 185 minutes, and the average blood loss was 213 ml. Thirteen operations were converted to thoracotomy with a conversion rate of 7.6%. Among them, 9 were interfered by lymph nodes and bleeding happened in 4 operations. Lobectomy was performed on 12 patients and pneumonectomy was performed on 1 patient after thoracotomy. For the 16 cases of tumor with its dimension larger than 5 cm, the average operation time was 187 minutes and the average blood loss was 203.8 ml, while for the 98 cases of tumor with its dimension smaller than 3 cm, the average operation time was 202 minutes and the average blood loss was 231.3 ml. The difference between these two groups was not statistically significant. Among the 13 cases of conversion to thoracotomy, the mean age of the patients was 68.7 years old and the average tumor dimension was 23.8 mm. For the 159 cases without thoracotomy, the average age was 59.3 years old and the tumor dimension averaged 27.8 mm. There was a significant difference between them (P=0.016). Conclusion Interference by lymph nodes and bleeding are the most important causes of conversion to thoracotomy in completely thoracoscopic lobectomy while size of tumor, fused fissure or plural adhesions can be always managed thoracoscopically.
Abstract: Objective To discuss the security, effectiveness and risk factors of videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery for posterior mediastinal tumors. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the data of 59 patients including 36 men and 23 women who underwent thoracoscopic resection of posterior mediastinal tumors in People’s Hospital of Peking University from May 2001 to July 2009. Their age ranged from 6 to 73 years old with an average age of 40.6 years old. The average maximum diameter of the tumors was 4.86 cm. All procedures were performed under general anesthesia and tumors were cut out with three ports. The anterior port was extended to 6 to 10 cm when conversion to thoracotomy was needed. After mediastinal pleura were opened, the tumor was stripped out along the outside of peplos and the vascular pedicle nerves were managed respectively. Results All surgeries were carried out successfully. The surgical duration, perioperative blood loss, postoperative chest tube duration and postoperative stay in hospital were respectively 45-300 min(125.80±57.40 min), 10-1 000 ml(168.10±157.70 ml), 1-10 d(2.50±1.74 d), and 2-14 d(5.24±2.24 d). There were 6 cases of conversion to open thoracotomy with a conversion rate of 10.2%. Postoperative pathology showed that there were 46 cases of neurogenic tumors, 10 cases of cyst, 2 cases of teratoma, and 1 case of lipoma. Follow-up was done on 51 cases for a period of 7-108 months(55.0±24.0 months) and 8(13.6%) cases were missed out during the period. No recurrence or death occurred during the followup. Logistic multivariable analysis showed that maximum diameter of the tumor ≥6 cm was the independent risk factor for extending operative time (OR=1.932，P=0.004), increasing perioperative blood loss (OR=2.267，P=0.002), increasing conversion rate to thoracotomy (OR=3.123，P=0.004) and increasing postoperative complication rate (OR=1.778，P=0.013). Conclusion Videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery for posterior mediastinal tumor is safe and effective. Maximum diameter of the tumor ≥6 cm is an independent risk factor for increasing operation difficulty and risk.
Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of completely thoracoscopic lobectomy and the indications of this procedure. Methods Between Sep. 2006 and Jun. 2008, 100 consecutive patients（46 men，54 women, median age60.1±12.5 years，range from 18 to 82 years) underwent completely thoracoscopic lobectomy. All candidates were either peripheral pulmonary nodules suspected of lung cancer (85 pts.) or benign lesions (15 pts.) localized within single lobe who needed to receive lobectomy. The lobectomy was completed through three tiny incisions in the intercostal space. Anatomic lobectomies were carried out in all cases and systemic lymph node dissection was performed in malignancies. This group consisted of lobectomies of right upper lobe (n=25), right middle lobe (n=14), right lower lobe (n=22), left upper lobe (n=18), and left lower lobe (n=21). Results All procedures were successfully completed except for 3 conversions to thoracotomy. Postoperative diagnosis were primary lung cancer (n=81), lymphoma (n=1), metastasis of clear cell carcinoma from kidney (n=1), and, benign lesions (n=17). Five patients had mild complications in which two had atelectasis, one needed temperately echanical ventilation, one had pneumonia and one had chylothorax. All were treated conservatively without reoperation. No operative mortality or serious complications occurred in this group. The operative duration was 186.4±52.9min (range from 60 to 300 minutes). The blood loss was 233.9±275.9ml（range from 50 to 750ml）, and only one case needed blood transfusion. Chest drainage time was 7.1±3.0 days. Postoperative hospital stay was 9.5±3.2 days. Followedup time was for 1 to 27 months, metastasis happened in two patients with primary lung cancer 15 and 3 months separately after operation. Conclusion The completely thoracoscopic lobectomy is a safe and feasible surgical procedure with minimal invasiveness. The advocated indications include selected peripheral typed early stage lung cancer and benign pulmonary lesions which need lobectomy.
Objective To summarize our experience of using rigid bronchoscopy in the managent of patients with tracheobronchial disease. Methods From Sep.2002 to Nov.2007, 44 patients of tracheobronchial disease（31 men，13 women, median age 51.9 years) underwent rigid bronchoscopic operations. All procedures were carried out under general anesthesia with high frequency jet ventilation. After the rigid bronchoscope was placed in the main trachea through the mouth , the airway was checked out firstly, and then the lesion was removed by repeated freezing, argon plasma coagulation, cauterization or mechanical ablation, and a stent maybe implanted while needed. Results All 54 procedures were accomplished endoscopically without mortality or major morbidity (16 clearence,19 core out,8 scar clearance,3 foreign body removal, 8 stent insert or removal).The lesion located at trachea in 19 cases, at carina in 4 cases,at left main bronchus in 11 cases and at right main bronchus in 10 cases. There were 17 benign diseases and 27 malignant diseases. There were 3 slight complications. 16 patients compliating with benign disease were followed-up and 1 patient was missed,there was no tumor recurrence except 3 patients complicating with tracheal scar who received reoperations during 4-44 (mean 23.0) months follow-up period. Of the 27 malignant cases,23 patients were followed-up and 4 patients were missed, the follow-up period were 5-58(mean 27.1)months.3 patients died in one months after operation of other disease; the other patients all survived more than one month,especially 7 patients who received radical resection of the tumor survived more than one year. Conclusions These data show that rigid bronchoscope can be applied safely and effectively in the management of tracheobronchial disease.
ObjectiveTo emphasize the important role of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in treatment of mediastinal bronchogenic cysts (MBCs).MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 112 patients (53 males and 59 females) of mediastinal bronchogenic cysts who underwent VATS in our institution between April 2001 and Aprial 2016. Median age was 4–75 (45.6±15.0) years. All patients underwent chest CT preoperatively. The patients were divided into two groups: an anterior mediastinum group, 47 patients; a middle and posterior mediastinum group, 65 patients including 35 patients in the middle mediastinum, 30 patients in the posterior mediastinum. The average diameter was 0.5–22.0 (3.50±2.33) cm. The average CT attenuation was 0–67 (35.5±15.3) Hu on unenhanced CT. We began each operation with the VATS technique.ResultsThe CT diagnostic accuracy for group middle and posterior mediastinum with CT value≤20 Hu was higher than others (61.5% vs. 13.1%, χ2=17.675, P<0.001). A total of 111 patients underwent VATS, only one patient converted to open thoracotomy. Cyst resection and thymectomy were conducted in 45 patients, cyst resection and extended thymectomy were conducted in 2 patients in the anterior mediastinum group. Simply cyst resection were performed in the middle and posterior mediastinum group (n=65). The average operative time was 40–360 (104.5±43.1) min. The average intraoperative blood loss was 5–600 (57.9±88.9) mL. The intraoperative complication rate was 3.6% and the incomplete resection rate was 6.3%. The main reason for these was severe adhesion between the cyst and mediastinal structure. No serious postoperative complication was found. Follow-up was done in 99 patients, and the mean follow-up time was 42 (12–191) months. There was no local recurrence.ConclusionVATS resection of MBCs is a safe and efficacious procedure, and minimally invasive and surgical resection should be performed as early as possible for MBCs.