Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic fissureless right upper lobe anterior segmentectomy for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor:A case report

BACKGROUND Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors(IMTs)are exceptionally rare neoplasms with intermediate malignant potential.Surgery is the accepted treatment option,aiming for complete resection with clear margins.CASE SUMMARY A 39-year-old woman presented with a growing solitary pulmonary nodule measuring 2.0 cm in the right upper lobe(RUL)of the lung.The patient underwent a RUL anterior segmentectomy using uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy.A preliminary tissue diagnosis indicated malignancy;however,it was later revised to an IMTs.Due to the absence of a minor fissure between the right upper and middle lobes,an alternative resection approach was necessary.Therefore,we utilized indocyanine green injection to aid in delineating the intersegmental plane.Following an uneventful recovery,the patient was discharged on the third postoperative day.Thereafter,annual chest tomography scans were scheduled to monitor for potential local recurrence.CONCLUSION This case underscores the challenges in diagnosing and managing IMTs,showing the importance of accurate pathologic assessments and tailored surgical strategies.

Combined laparoscopic and thoracoscopic repair of adult right-sided Bochdalek hernia with massive liver prolapse: A case report

BACKGROUND A Bochdalek hernia(BH)is a congenital diaphragmatic hernia that often develops in the neonatal period.BH typically occurs on the left side of the diaphragm.A right-sided BH in an adult is rare.CASE SUMMARY A 45-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of an abnormal shadow seen on chest radiography during a medical check-up.A chest radiograph showed elevation of the right hemidiaphragm.Computed tomography showed prolapse of multiple intraabdominal organs into the right thoracic cavity,corresponding to a right-sided BH.The herniated contents included the stomach,transverse colon,and left lobe of the liver.The left lobe of the liver was enlarged,particularly the medial segment.Laparoscopic surgery was performed.However,the left lobe of the liver was completely trapped in the thoracic cavity.Therefore,thoracoscopic manipulation had to be performed to return the liver to the abdominal cavity.The hernia was repaired with interrupted nonabsorbable sutures and reinforced with mesh.CONCLUSION Combined laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery was successfully performed for right-sided BH with massive liver prolapse and abnormal liver morphology.

Impact of thoracic paravertebral block and sufentanil on outcomes and postoperative cognitive dysfunction in thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery

BACKGROUND Postoperative pain management and cognitive function preservation are crucial for patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer(LC).This is achieved using either a thoracic paravertebral block(TPVB)or sufentanil(SUF)-based multimodal analgesia.However,the efficacy and impact of their combined use on postoperative pain and postoperative cognitive dysfunction(POCD)remain unclear.AIM To explore the analgesic effect and the influence on POCD of TPVB combined with SUF-based multimodal analgesia in patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical resection for LC to help optimize postoperative pain management and improve patient outcomes.METHODS This retrospective analysis included 107 patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical resection for LC at The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital between May 2021 and January 2023.Patients receiving SUF-based multimodal analgesia(n=50)and patients receiving TPVB+SUF-based multimodal analgesia(n=57)were assigned to the control group and TPVB group,respectively.We compared the Ramsay Sedation Scale and visual analog scale(VAS)scores at rest and with cough between the two groups at 2,12,and 24 h after surgery.Serum levels of epinephrine(E),angio-tensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ),norepinephrine(NE),superoxide dismutase(SOD),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and S-100 calcium-binding proteinβ(S-100β)were measured before and 24 h after surgery.The Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)was administered 1 day before surgery and at 3 and 5 days after surgery,and the occurrence of POCD was monitored for 5 days after surgery.Adverse reactions were also recorded.RESULTS There were no significant time point,between-group,and interaction effects in Ramsay sedation scores between the two groups(P>0.05).Significantly,there were notable time point effects,between-group differences,and interaction effects observed in VAS scores both at rest and with cough(P<0.05).The VAS scores at rest and with cough at 12 and 24 h after surgery were lower than those at 2 h after surgery and gradually decreased as postoperative time increased(P<0.05).The TPVB group had lower VAS scores than the control group at 2,12,and 24 h after surgery(P<0.05).The MMSE scores at postoperative days 1 and 3 were markedly higher in the TPVB group than in the control group(P<0.05).The incidence of POCD was significantly lower in the TPVB group than in the control group within 5 days after surgery(P<0.05).Both groups had elevated serum E,Ang Ⅱ,and NE and decreased serum SOD levels at 24 h after surgery compared with the preoperative levels,with better indices in the TPVB group(P<0.05).Marked elevations in serum levels of VEGF,TGF-β1,TNF-α,and S-100β were observed in both groups at 24 h after surgery,with lower levels in the TPVB group than in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION TPVB combined with SUF-based multimodal analgesia further relieves pain in patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical surgery for LC,enhances analgesic effects,reduces postoperative stress response,and inhibits postoperative increases in serum VEGF,TGF-β1,TNF-α,and S-100β levels.This scheme also reduced POCD and had a high safety profile.

Early Application Study of Intravenous Pain Pump Combined with Parecoxib Injection in Relieving Pain in Patients after Thoracoscopy

Objective: To explore the clinical effectiveness of combined use of intravenous pain pump with Parecoxib injection in alleviating pain in patients during the early postoperative period after thoracoscopic surgery. Methods: Eighty patients who underwent thoracoscopic surgery in a tertiary hospital were selected as the study subjects and randomly divided into two groups, with 40 patients in each group. The control group received routine postoperative treatment with intravenous pain pump, while the experimental group received Parecoxib in addition to the standard postoperative pain pump treatment. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores were used to evaluate postoperative pain relief in both groups, along with adverse reactions, postoperative complications, and patient satisfaction with pain relief. Results: Patients who received Parecoxib injection in addition to the routine use of intravenous pain pump had VAS pain scores lower than 3 points at 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, and 36 h postoperatively compared to those in the control group. The incidence of postoperative lung collapse, pleural effusion, and pulmonary infections was also significantly lower in the experimental group. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P Conclusion: Early combined use of Parecoxib injection in the early postoperative period after thoracoscopic surgery has shown good clinical efficacy. It can reduce the level of pain in patients, promote effective coughing and expectoration, facilitate early mobilization of patients, improve patient compliance, reduce complications, shorten hospital stay, and expedite patient recovery. Therefore, it is worth promoting the widespread clinical application of Parecoxib injection in this setting.

Primary repair of esophageal atresia gross type C via thoracoscopic magnetic compression anastomosis:A case report

BACKGROUND Esophageal atresia(EA)is a life-threatening congenital malformation in newborns,and the traditional repair approaches pose technical challenges and are extremely invasive.Therefore,surgeons have been actively investigating new minimally invasive techniques to address this issue.Magnetic compression anastomosis has been reported in several studies for its potential in repairing EA.In this paper,the primary repair of EA with magnetic compression anastomosis under thoracoscopy was reported.CASE SUMMARY A full-term male weighing 3500 g was diagnosed with EA gross type C.The magnetic devices used in this procedure consisted of two magnetic rings and several catheters.Tracheoesophageal fistula ligation and two purse strings were performed.The magnetic compression anastomosis was then completed thoracoscopically.After the primary repair,no additional operation was conducted.A patent anastomosis was observed on the 15th day postoperatively,and the magnets were removed on the 23rd day.No leakage existed when the transoral feeding started.CONCLUSION Thoracoscopic magnetic compression anastomosis may be a promising minimally invasive approach for repairing EA.

Anesthesia for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-assisted thoracoscopic lower lobe subsegmental resection in a patient with a single left lung:A case report

BACKGROUND It is difficult and risky for patients with a single lung to undergo thoracoscopic segmental pneumonectomy,and previous reports of related cases are rare.We introduce anesthesia for Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)-assisted thoracoscopic lower lobe subsegmental resection in a patient with a single left lung.CASE SUMMARY The patient underwent comprehensive treatment for synovial sarcoma of the right lung and nodules in the lower lobe of the left lung.Examination showed pulmonary function that had severe restrictive ventilation disorder,forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 0.72 L(27.8%),forced vital capacity of 1.0 L(33%),and maximal voluntary ventilation of 33.9 L(35.5%).Lung computed tomography showed a nodular shadow in the lower lobe of the left lung,and lung metastasis was considered.After multidisciplinary consultation and adequate preoperative preparation,thoracoscopic left lower lung lobe S9bii+S10bii combined subsegmental resection was performed with the assistance of total intravenous anesthesia and ECMO intraoperative pulmonary protective ventilation.The patient received postoperative ICU supportive care.After surgical treatment,the patient was successfully withdrawn from ECMO on postoperative Day 1.The tracheal tube was removed on postoperative Day 4,and she was discharged from the hospital on postoperative Day 15.CONCLUSION The multi-disciplinary treatment provided maximum medical optimization for surgical anesthesia and veno-venous ECMO which provided adequate protection for the patient's perioperative treatment.

The Application of Forward Control Nursing in Anesthesia, Recovery, and Rehabilitation of Thoracoscopic Lung Cancer Radical Surgery

Objective: To explore the clinical application effect of formulating the operating room nursing work procedure sheet for elderly lung cancer patients in thoracoscopic radical surgery. Methods: A total of 85 elderly patients with lung cancer treated in our hospital from May 2022 to May 2023 were included as the study population for this research. They were divided into a study group of 42 cases and a regular group of 43 cases. The regular group of elderly patients received routine nursing care, while the study group of elderly patients was provided with the operating room nursing care work procedure sheet. The surgical duration, intraoperative blood loss, time to mobilization, and postoperative complication rate were compared and analyzed between the two groups. Results: Compared to the regular group, the study group had significantly shorter surgical duration and time to mobilization, as well as less intraoperative blood loss (P < 0.05). The overall incidence of postoperative complications in the study group (4.76%) was significantly lower than that in the regular group (19.05%) (P Conclusion: Formulating the operating room nursing work procedure sheet for elderly lung cancer patients can effectively improve surgical efficiency, reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, and promote patient prognosis in thoracoscopic radical surgery. Therefore, this model is worth promoting and adopting in clinical practice.

Diagnostic value and safety of medical thoracoscopy for pleural effusion of different causes

BACKGROUND Pleural effusions occur for various reasons,and their diagnosis remains challenging despite the availability of different diagnostic modalities.Medical thoracoscopy(MT)can be used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes,especially in patients with undiagnosed pleural effusion.AIM To assess the diagnostic efficacy and safety of MT in patients with pleural effusion of different causes.METHODS Between January 1,2012 and April 30,2021,patients with pleural effusion underwent MT in the Department of Respiratory Medicine,The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University(Shaanxi,China).According to the discharge diagnosis,patients were divided into malignant pleural effusion(MPE),tuberculous pleural effusion(TBPE),and inflammatory pleural effusion(IPE)groups.General information,and tuberculosis-and effusion-related indices of the three groups were analyzed.The diagnostic yield,diagnostic accuracy,performance under thoracoscopy,and complications of patients were compared among the three groups.Then,the significant predictive factors for diagnosis between the MPE and TBPE groups were analyzed.RESULTS Of the 106 patients enrolled in this 10-year study,67 were male and 39 female,with mean age of 57.1±14.184 years.Among the 74 thoracoscopy-confirmed patients,41(38.7%)had MPE,21 had(19.8%)TBPE,and 32(30.2%)were undiagnosed.Overall diagnostic yield of MT was 69.8%(MPE:75.9%,TBPE:48.8%,and IPE:75.0%,with diagnostic accuracies of 100%,87.5%,and 75.0%,respectively).Under thoracoscopy,single or multiple pleural nodules were observed in 81.1%and pleural adhesions in 34.0%with pleural effusions.The most common complication was chest pain(41.5%),followed by chest tightness(11.3%)and fever(10.4%).Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed effusion appearance[odds ratio(OR):0.001,95%CI:0.000-0.204;P=0.010]and carcinoembryonic antigen(OR:0.243,95%CI:0.081-0.728;P=0.011)as significant for differentiating MPE and TBPE,with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.977(95%CI:0.953-1.000;P<0.001).CONCLUSION MT is an effective,safe,and minimally invasive procedure with high diagnostic yield for pleural effusion of different causes.

Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for complex mediastinal mature teratoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Mediastinal mature teratoma is the most common histological type of primary extragonadal germ cell tumor.In this report,we describe a rare case of giant mature teratoma located primarily in the anterior mediastinum and causing partial atelectasis of the upper and middle lobes of the right lung,as well as extrinsic compression of the right atrium.CASE SUMMARY A 31-year-old male with a giant mediastinal mature teratoma presented with progressive exertional dyspnea and chest pain for 1 mo.Computed tomography of the chest indicated the diagnosis of anterior mediastinal teratoma.The patient underwent right uniportal anterior approach video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS).En bloc resection of the giant teratoma,wedge resection of the upper and middle lobes of the right lung,resection of the thymus and partial excision of the pericardium were successfully performed.The pathological diagnosis revealed a mature cystic teratoma with foreign-body reaction that was closely related to the right lung,atrium dextrum,superior vena cava and ascending aorta.An atrophic thymic tissue was also discovered at the external teratoma surface.The patient was discharged on postoperative day 7.CONCLUSION This is the first report of the use of uniportal VATS for complete resection of a teratoma in combination with wedge resection of the right upper and middle lung lobes and partial resection of the pericardium.

Surgical approaches for stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis:feasibility of complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) thymectomy in comparison with trans-sternal resection

Complete resection could be achieved in virtually all myasthenic patients with Masaoka stage I and II thymoma us- ing the trans-sternal technique. Whether this is appropriate for minimally invasive approach is not yet clear. We evalu- ated the feasibility of complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery （VATS） thymectomy for the treatment of Ma- saoka stage I and Ⅱ thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis, compared to conventional trans-sternal thymectomy. We summarized 33 patients with Masaoka stage I and II thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis between April 2006 and September 2011. Of these, 15 patients underwent right-sided complete VATS （the VATS group） by us- ing adjuvant pneuomomediastinum, comparing with 18 patients using the trans-sternal approach （the T3b group）. No intraoperative death was found and no VATS case required conversion to median sternotomy. Significant differences between the two groups regarding duration of surgery and volume of intraoperative blood loss （P = 0.001 and P 〈 0.001, respectively） were observed. Postoperative morbidities were 26.7% and 33.3% for the VATS and T3b groups, respectively. All 33 patients were followed up for 12 to 61 months in the study. The cumulative probabilities of reaching complete stable remission and effective rate were 26.7% （4/15） and 93.3% （14/15） in the VATS group, which had a significantly higher complete stable remission and effective rate than those in the T3b group （P = 0.026 and P = 0.000, respectively）. We conclude that VATS thymectomy utilizing adjuvant pneuomo- mediastinum for the treatment of stage I and II thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis is technically feasible but deserves further investigation in a large series with long-term follow-up.

Nonintubated uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax

Objective： The objective of the current study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of nonintubated nniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery （VATS） for the management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax （PSP）. Methods： From November 2011 to June 2013, 32 consecutive patients with PSP were treated by nonintubated uniportal thoracoscopic bullectomy using epidnral anaesthesia and sedation without endotracheal intubation. An incision 2 cm in length was made at the 6th intercostal space in the median axillary line. The pleural space was entered by blunt dissection for placement of a soft incision protector. Instruments were then inserted through the incision protector to perform thoracoscopic bullectomy. Data were collected within a minimum follow-up period of 10 months. Results： The average time of surgery was 49.0 rain （range, 33-65 rain）. No complications were recorded. The postoperative feeding time was 6 h. The mean postoperative chest tube drainage and hospital stay were 19.3 h and 41.6 h, respectively. The postoperative pain was mild for 30 patients （93.75%） and moderate for two patients （6.25%）. No recurrences ofpneumothorax were observed at follow-up. Conclusions： The initial results indicated that nonintubated uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic operations are not only technically feasible, but may also be a safe and less invasive alternative for select patients in the management of PSP. This is the first report to include the use of a nonintubated uniportal technique in VATS for such a large number of PSP cases. Further work and development of instruments are needed to define the applications and advantages of this technique.

Safety and feasibility of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for stage IIIA lung cancer

Objective： The current study was prospectively designed to explore the application of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery （VATS） radical treatment for patients with stage ⅢA lung cancer, with the primary endpoints being the safety and feasibility of this operation and the second endpoints being the survival and complications after the surgery. Methods： A total of 51 patients with radiologically or mediastinoscopically confirmed stage ⅢA lung cancer underwent VATS radical treatment, during which the standard pulmonary lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection were performed after pre-operative assessment. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss/ complications, postoperative recovery, postoperative complications, and lymph node dissection were recorded and analyzed. This study was regarded as successful if the surgical success rate reached 90% or higher. Results： A total of 51 patients with non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） were enrolled in this study from March 2009 to February 2010. The median post-operative follow-up duration was 50.5 months. Of these 51 patients, 41 （80.4%） had N2 lymph node metastases. All patients underwent the thoracoscopic surgeries, among whom 50 （98%） received pulmonary lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection completely under the thoracoscope, 6 had their incisions extended to about 6 cm due to larger tumor sizes, and 1 had his surgery performed using a 12 cm small incision for handling the adhesions between lymph nodes and blood vessels. No patient was converted to conventional open thoracotomy. No perioperative death was noted. One patient received a second surgery on the second post-operative day due to large drainage （〉1,000 mL）, and the postoperative recovery was satisfactory. Up to 45 patients （88.2%） did not suffer from any perioperative complication, and 6 （11.8%） experienced one or more complications. Conclusions： VATS radical treatment is a safe and feasible treatment for stage ⅢA lung cancer.

Novel technique for lymphadenectomy along left recurrent laryngeal nerve during thoracoscopic esophagectomy

BACKGROUND In esophageal squamous carcinoma,lymphadenectomy along the left recurrent laryngeal nerve(RLN)is recommended owing to its highly metastatic potential.However,this procedure is difficult due to limited working space in the left upper mediastinum,and increases postoperative complications.AIM To present a novel method for lymphadenectomy along the left RLN during thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the semi-prone position.METHODS The fundamental concept of this novel method is to exfoliate a bilateral pedicled nerve flap,which is a two-dimensional membrane,which includes the left RLN,lymph nodes(LNs)along the left RLN,and tracheoesophageal vessels,by suspending the esophagus to the dorsal side and pushing the trachea to the ventral side(named“bilateral exposure method”).Then,the hollow-out method is performed to transform the two-dimensional membrane to a three-dimensional structure,in which the left RLN and tracheoesophageal vessels are easily distinguished and preserved during lymphadenectomy along the left RLN.This novel method was retrospectively evaluated in 116 consecutive patients with esophageal squamous carcinoma from August 2016 to February 2018.RESULTS There were 58 patients in each group.No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of age,gender,postoperative pneumonia,anastomotic fistula,and postoperative hospitalization.However,the number of dissected LNs along the left RLN in this novel method was significantly higher than that in the conventional method(4.17±0.359 vs 2.93±0.463,P=0.0447).Moreover,the operative time and the rate of postoperative hoarseness in the novel method were significantly lower than those in the conventional method(306.0±6.774 vs 335.2±7.750,P=0.0054;4/58 vs 12/58,P=0.0312).CONCLUSION This novel method for lymphadenectomy along the left RLN during thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the semi-prone position is much safer and more effective.

A single institution experience using the LigaSure vessel sealing system in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax

This study sought to report our 6-year experience with the LigaSure vessel sealing system（LVSS） in videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery（VATS） for primary spontaneous pneumothorax.A series of 180 consecutive patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax were operated on in our institution from May 2005 to December 2010.Intraoperatively,large lesions（bullae or blebs） with a diameter more than 2 cm were resected by staplers,and the residual lesions were treated by LVSS.LVSS was also used to ablate the apical area when no lesions were found.Conventional apical pleural abrasion was done in all cases.All patients were successfully treated using VATS with minimal perioperative bleeding.The mean operating time was 76 minutes（range,43-160 minutes） for single-side procedures and 169 minutes（range,135-195 minutes） for bilateral procedures,the mean number of applied staples was 1.93 per patient（range,0-8 days）,the duration of drainage was 3.8 days（range,2-15 days）,and the duration of hospital stay was 5.8 days（range,3-16 days）.Postoperative complications included persistent air leak（〉 5 days） in 11 cases（6.1%） and residual pneumothorax in 6（3.3%）.None required reoperation.The mean duration of follow-up was 57 months（range,24-105 months）.Recurrence was seen in three cases（1.7%）,and all underwent another operation thereafter.None of the lesions in the relapse cases received ablation with LVSS in the first operation.LVSS can optimize VATS for primary spontaneous pneumothorax and reduces the use of single-use staples.The method is safe,easy to use,and cost-effective and produces satisfactory results.

Evolving thoracic surgery: from open surgery to single port thoracoscopic surgery and future robotic

Thoracic Surgery is a continuous evolving specialty. In the past, thoracic surgeons had to make large incisions in order to operate any pathology inside the chest. This often meant big, painful and ugly scars and long recovery times after surgery. But he history of thoracic surgery changed since the begining of video-assisted thoracoscoDic surgery （VATg3

Nonintubated thoracoscopic lobectomy plus lymph node dissection following segmentectomy for central type pulmonary masses

Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. In the United States, it causes more cancer-related deaths than the next four causes （breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, and pancreatic cancer） of cancer-related mortality combined （1）. About 30% of people have already progressed to stage III lung cancer and 40% to stage IV at the time they are diagnosed （2）. Although chest X-ray and sputum cytology, when applied in health check-ups, can identify some relatively small tumors, they are not able to lower the overall mortality （3）. More recently,

Thoracoscopic segmentectomy assisted by three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography for lung cancer in a patient living with situs inversus totalis: A case report

BACKGROUND Situs inversus totalis(SIT)is a rare congenital condition that is characterized by a complete mirror image of the typical arrangement of the thoracic and abdominal viscera.Performing thoracoscopic segmentectomy for a patient with lung cancer and SIT is an extremely skilled and challenging surgical procedure.CASE SUMMARY A 41-year old woman with a medical history of dextrocardia since childhood was admitted to our hospital with a mixed ground-glass opacity(mGGO)in her left lung field,discovered by computed tomography during her health checkup.In order to facilitate surgical orientation,three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography(3D-CTBA)was preoperatively carried out.The result of 3D-CTBA was consistent with the diagnosis of SIT and an mGGO in the posterior segment of the left upper lobe(LS2).Surgery was conducted in accordance with preoperative 3D-CTBA and designed surgical procedure,combined with intraoperative navigation.Final pathological examination revealed in situ adenocarcinoma.The patient’s postoperative condition was uneventful and no complications were observed.CONCLUSION We present the first case of lung cancer in a patient with SIT who successfully underwent thoracoscopic segmentectomy assisted by 3D-CTBA.This is a new technique that covers precise confirmation and dissection of targeted structures and intersegmental demarcation,and can help achieve a meticulous anatomical segmentectomy.

Awake thoracoscopic surgery under epidural anesthesia: is it really safe?

Thoracoscopic surgeries usually require single-lung ventilation under general anesthesia because of the need to obtain a sufficient working space.In patients with impaired pulmonary function,if the patient can undergo general anesthesia,a more selected collapse of the lung is considered to be beneficial for intraoperative oxygenation.The selective bronchial blockade of the lobe to be resected has been reported by several investigators （1-3）.Mukaida and coworkers first reported thoracoscopic surgery for pnenmothorax under local and epidural anesthesia in 1998 in high-risk patients contraindicated for general anesthesia （4）.

Thoracoscopic resection of a huge esophageal dedifferentiated liposarcoma: A case report

BACKGROUND Esophageal liposarcoma is a rare malignant tumor and an esophageal dedifferentiated liposarcoma(DDL)is extremely rare.There are no reports on the treatment of DDL by thoracoscopic surgery.CASE SUMMARY A 38-year-old woman presented with dysphagia and dyspnea.Imaging examination showed a large mass in the posterior mediastinum.The patient also developed respiratory failure and it was unclear whether this was caused by a mass from inside or outside the esophagus.We decided to perform thoracoscopic exploration to relieve the obstruction caused by tracheal compression.The upper segment of the esophagus was split longitudinally,and most of the mass could be removed from the esophageal lumen to the thoracic cavity.The pedicle was excised by linear cutting closers under mirrors.Little residual mass was visualized by gastroscopy.The mucous and muscular layers were closed by interrupted sutures.Pathological examination showed that the mass was a DDL.The patient did not have any dysphagia or dyspnea 2 wk postoperatively and refused any further treatment.Computed tomography and esophagoscopy did not find any recurrence at up to 20 mo postoperatively.CONCLUSION Thoracoscopy can be used to treat large esophageal masses.

Middle lobe torsion after right upper and lower lobectomy:repositioning of lobar torsion using a3-cm uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

We aimed to describe a method for repositioning of right middle lobar torsion by using a 3-cm uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS) approach. Middle lobe torsion occurred after right upper and lower lobectomy in a 74-year-old man. Immediate re-exploratory thoracotomy using the 3-cm uniportal VATS approach was performed. The torsion was corrected, and the lobe was anchored to the anterior chest wall with Prolene stitches. The patient recovered well postoperatively with daily improvements in chest radiographic findings. Follow-up examination was performed using fiberbronchoscopy, which revealed an unobstructed right middle lobe bronchus and sticky yellow sputum. Follow-up chest computed tomography was performed 3 months after the primary surgery and revealed increased expansion of the right middle lobe. We repositioned the right middle lobe successfully by using the 3-cm uniportal VATS approach, but more cases are needed to confirm the feasibility of the approach. Lobectomy remains the primary treatment option for such cases.