This patient was a 47-year female who underwent carinal resection and reconstruction because of left main bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma. She underwent four cycles chemotherapy when recovering from surgery because of subcarinal lymph node metastasis. However, the patient suffered from recurred productive cough and dyspnea during chemotherapy. Bronchoscopic assessment revealed stenosis at the reconstructed carina and left main bronchus five months after surgery. The granulation tissues of the left main bronchus showed no evidence of cancer recurrence. After repeated bronchoscopic resection of granulation tissue combined with bronchial stent placement, the left main bronchial stenosis gradually worsened with granulation tissue growth. Three acid-fast bacilli were found in the granulation tissue harvested ten months after surgery. The reason of postoperative bronchostenosis was confirmed as endobronchial tuberculosis, and antitubercular agents were added. Unfortunately, she had persistent left main bronchostenosis due to irreversible destruction and left pulmonary atelectasis thereafter. Therefore, for the recurring anastomotic granulomas after tracheobronchial reconstruction, the possibility of tuberculosis infection should be considered.
Objective To determine the most appropriate T-stage and surgical resection range of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) with adjacent lobe invasion (ALI). Methods Fifty one NSCLC patients who were confirmed as direct ALI were divided into an ALI-T2 and an ALI-T3 group according to the eighth edition of TNM classification. Cases were matched by propensity score matching method at a ratio of 2∶1. The overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), postoperative hospitalization, and postoperative complications among the groups were compared. Results Patients' characteristics were comparable among the groups. Three-year or 5-year survival rate in the ALI-T2 group, the single-lobe invasion T2 (SLI-T2) group, and the T3 (SLI-T3) group was 73.90% and 61.60%, 89.60% and 89.60%, 68.90% and 61.20%, respectively. The OS of SLI-T2 group was significantly higher than that of the ALI-T2 ( P=0.042) group and with similar survival in the SLI-T3 group( P=0.955). In the survival analysis of the ALI-T3 group, the 3-year or 5-year OS of the SLI-T3 group was 70.80% and 65.70%, respectively, while in the poorest prognosis ALI-T3 group was only 31.60% and 21.00% ( P=0.009), respectively. However, no statistical difference was detected between the ALI-T3 and SLI-T4 groups ( P=0.343). The PFS of the patients in the ALI-T3 group was closer to the SLI-T4 group level while lower than that of the SLI-T3 group, but the trend had not been confirmed by statistical analysis ( P 1=0.071, P 2=0.648). The OS and PFS did not differ between the patients undergoing a lobectomy plus wedge resection (LWR) and those undergoing a bilobectomy or pneumonectomy. Compared with a bilobectomy or pneumonectomy, LWR had distinct advantages in the postoperative hospital stay (6.90±3.11days vs. 9.23± 4.43 days, P=0.030), the postoperative duration of drainage (4.41±2.98 days vs. 6.50±4.11 days, P=0.041) and complication rates (4.00% vs. 31.58%, P=0.032). Conclusions We believe that T1-2 stage tumor invading adjacent lobe should be classified as T3 and ALI-T3 tumor should be revised as T4. Beside that, LWR could be considered as a reasonable surgical option for patients with lesser invasive depth (less than 2 cm) in the adjacent lobes.
Objective To explore the relationship between pure solid non-small cell lung cancer with diameter<2 cm and lymph node metastasis rate. Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological data of 611 patients who underwent lobectomy and systematic lymph node dissection in our hospital between October 2005 and September 2016. There were 322 males and 289 females aged 58.8±10.0 years (range from 25 to 84 years). The relationship between clinicopathological feature and lymph node metastasis rate was analyzed by logistic regression. Results Lymph node metastasis was observed in 136 patients. The rate of lymph node metastasis was 22.3% in pure solid non-small cell lung cancer with diameter<2 cm. The result of univariate analysis showed that differentiation of tumor (P<0.001), location of tumor (P=0.047) and gender (P=0.032) were associated with lymph node metastasis. Multivariate analysis showed that differentiation of tumor was an independent risk factor for lymph node metastasis (P<0.001). Conclusion The rate of lymph node metastasis is high in pure solid non-small cell lung cancer with diameter<2 cm. Differentiation of tumor is an independent risk factor for lymph node metastasis. We recommend systematic lymph node dissection in the patients of this group. And we should choose sublobar resection prudentially.
Stage ⅠA lung adenocarcinoma presented as ground glass dominant on thin-section high-resolution CT scan is a special subtype of lung cancer. The characteristics of this subtype are quite different from the other patients, which presented as lower malignancy and better prognosis. Clinical, pathological and imaging studies have revealed that the proportion of the solid component in part-solid ground glass nodule is closely related with the pathological type and the prognosis of lung cancer. The methods for the assessment of the solid components in the ground glass nodule can be classified into three types, including subjective assessment, two dimensional measurement and three dimensional measurement. This review summarized the advantages and the limitations of these three methods. We also reviewed the clinical application of these techniques.
Objective To analyze the current status and difficulties of ERAS applicated in thoracic surgery in different regional hospitals. Methods A total of 773 valid questionnaires were collected during the First West China Forum on Chest ERAS and analyzed by geographical distribution. The content of the questionnaire was divided into two parts, including the respondents’ institute and personal information, as well as 10 questions about ERAS. Results There were 83.57%, 83.82%, 89.58%, 93.75%, 94.74% and 92.86% of surgeons and nurses in Sichuan province, municipalities, the eastern, western, southern and northern respectively who believed that ERAS in all surgeries should be used. There were 61.84%, 60.29%, 65.97%, 81.25%, 73.68% and 75.00% of surgeons and nurses who thought that the concept of ERAS was more in the theory than in the practice; 77.99%, 80.88%, 74.31%, 78.13%, 83.33% and 69.64% of respondents agreed that average hospital stay, patients’ experience and social satisfaction should be the evaluation standard of ERAS practice while 58.50%, 63.24%, 54.86%, 62.50%, 70.18% and 58.93% of respondents believed that immature procedure, lack of consensus and specifications and insecurity for doctors were the reasons for poor compliance of ERAS; 63.23%, 67.65%, 59.72%, 68.75%, 72.81% and 67.86% of respondents thought that the best team of ERAS should be based on the combination of subject integration, surgery orientation and surgeon-nurse teamwork; 43.73%, 44.12%, 43.75%, 46.88%, 59.65% and 41.07% of respondents thought that multidisciplinary cooperation, multi-modality conducted and surgical programming should be the best way for ERAS implementation; 72.98%, 69.12%, 62.50%, 65.63%, 80.70% and 55.36% of responders agreed that the ERAS forum or conference should include the norms and consensus, analysis and implementation of projects and the status and progress of ERAS. Conclusion There are more consistent views on the clinical application of ERAS in all regions. The subject integration, surgeon-nurse teamwork and multidisciplinary, multi-modality cooperation are the best team and best way for ERAS program implementation.
Objective To share the clinical experience of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomic basal segmentectomy by single-direction method. Methods The clinical data of 352 patients who underwent VATS anatomic basal segmentectomy in West China Hospital between April 2015 and April 2021 were retrospectively reviewed, including 96 males and 256 females with a median age of 50 (range, 26-81) years. All basal segmentectomies were performed under thoracoscopy, through the interlobar fissure or inferior pulmonary ligament approach, and following the strategy of single-direction and the method of "stem-branch". ResultsAll patients underwent basal segmentectomy successfully (49 patients of uniportal procedure, 3 patients of biportal procedure and 300 patients of triportal procedure) without addition of incisions or conversion to thoracotomy and lobectomy. The median operation time was 118 (range, 45-340) min, median intraoperative blood loss was 20 (range, 5-500) mL, median drainage time was 2 (range, 1-22) d and median postoperative hospital stay was 4 (range, 2-24) d. The postoperative complications included pneumonia in 6 patients, prolonged drainage (air leakage duration＞5 d or drainage duration＞7 d) in 18 patients, cerebral infarction in 1 patient and other complications in 2 patients. All patients were treated well and discharged without main complaints. No perioperative death happened. ConclusionVATS anatomic basal segmentectomy is feasible and safe. It can be performed in a simple manner following the strategy of single-direction.
Objective We conducted a questionnaire study who attended the First West China Forum on Chest Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) in order to analyze whether it can improve the knowledge of ERAS and how to organize an effective meeting. Methods We analyzed 188 questionnaires from the representatives of the First West China Forum on Chest ERAS after the meeting which included two parts: one was the personal basic information and institution of respondents, and the other was the opinion of the content setting and suggestion for the next forum. Results A percentage of 97.7% of participants believed that this forum contributed to improving their understanding of ERAS and 65.3% of them will put the concept of ERAS into practice after the meeting. The exchange of experience and project communication of ERAS were the most useful agendas approved by representatives while expert lectures should be more appropriate (18.1%). Arrangement for topic discussion and enough time for discussion were supported by 93.1% and 98.9% of the representatives respectively. Multi-center project discussion (80.9%) and interactive sessions especially WeChat interaction (74.0%) should be added on ERAS forum. Conclusion Reasonable agenda settings are beneficial to improve the understanding and compliance of application of ERAS.
ObjectiveTo explore the safety and effectiveness of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) pneumonectomy for bronchiectasis.MethodsThe clinical data of 164 patients undergoing VATS pneumonectomy or open thoracotomy for bronchiectasis in our hospital from March 2002 to July 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to different surgical methods: a thoracotomy group (122 patients, 63 males, 59 females) and a thoracoscopic surgery group (42 patients, 15 males, 27 females). Surgical and follow-up indicators were compared between the two groups.ResultsThere was no difference between the two groups in the blood loss, operation time, perioperative mortality or complication. However patients undergoing VATS had shorter length of postoperative stay than those undergoing thoracotomy (6.9±2.6 d vs. 8.1±3.1 d, P=0.030). In the thoracoscopic surgery group, 3 patients were lost to follow-up and in the thoracotomy group, 5 patients were lost to follow-up. In a median follow-up of 51 months (ranging from 2 to 116 months), 36 patients (92.3%) fully recovered with no sputum or haemoptysis and 3 (7.7%) partially recovered with a reduced sputum or haemoptysis in the thoracoscopic surgery group; 105 (89.7%) fully recovered with no sputum or haemoptysis, 10 (8.5%) partially recovered with a reduced sputum or haemoptysis while 2 (1.7%) without any improvement in the thoracotomy group with no statistical difference (P=0.700).ConclusionVATS pneumonectomy for bronchiectasis is equivalent to thoracotomy in terms of safety and effectiveness, and can be used as an alternative surgical procedure for the treatment of bronchiectasis.
Objective To summarize the perioperative and long-term outcomes of ground-glass opacity (GGO) dominant early stage lung cancer patients treated by anatomic segmentectomy. Methods We collected clinical data of 756 patients from Western China Lung Cancer Database, who underwent intentional anatomic segmentectomy [tumor size (T) ≤ 2 cm, GGO ≥ 50%] in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University from 2009 to 2018. There were 233 males and 523 females at a median age of 53 (25-83) years including 290 (38.4%) patients of simple segmentectomy and 466 (61.6%) patients of complex segmentectomy. All patients were diagnosed as adenocarcinoma, including 338 (44.7%) patients of minimally invasive adenocarcinoma and 418 (55.3%) patients of invasive adenocarcinoma. Results The median operative time was 115 (38-300) min, the median blood loss was 20 (5-800) mL, 58 (7.7%) patients had postoperative complications and the postoperative stay was 4 (2-24) days. The median follow-up period was 43.0 (30.1-167.9) months. Five-year overall survival rate was 99.5% [95%CI (98.8%, 100.0%)], 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 98.8% [95%CI (97.5%, 100.0%)], and 5-year lung cancer-specific survival rate was 100.0%. ConclusionAnatomic segmentectomy has favorable perioperative outcomes and excellent prognosis in GGO dominant early stage lung cancer patients.
Objective To analyze the perioperative outcomes of uniportal thoracoscopic lobectomy compared with three-port thoracoscopic lobectomy. Methods Data were extracted from the Western China Lung Cancer Database, a prospectively maintained database at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Perioperative outcomes of the patients who underwent uniportal or three-port thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer during January 2014 through April 2021 were analyzed by using propensity score matching. Altogether 5 817 lung cancer patients were enrolled who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy (uniportal: 530 patients; three-port: 5 287 patients). After matching, 529 patients of uniportal and 1 583 patients of three-port were included. There were 529 patients with 320 males and 209 females at median age of 58 (51, 65) years in the uniportal group and 1 583 patients with 915 males and 668 females at median age of 58 (51, 65) years in the three-port group. Results Uniportal thoracoscopic lobectomy was associated with less intraoperative blood loss (20 mL vs. 30 mL, P<0.001), longer operative time (115 min vs. 105 min, P<0.001) than three-port thoracoscopic lobectomy. No significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the number of lymph node dissected, rate of conversion to thoracotomy, incidence of postoperative complication, postoperative pain score within 3 postoperative days, length of hospital stay, or hospitalization expenses. Conclusion Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy is safe and effective, and the overall perioperative outcomes are comparable between uniportal and three-port strategies, although the two groups show differences in intraoperative blood loss.