Post-Traumatic Pyothorax: Epidemiology, Management and Prognosis in the Thoracic Surgery Department of the Donka National Hospital

Pyothoraxes, also called thoracic empyemas, are defined by the presence between the two layers of the pleura, of a frankly purulent liquid, or of a shady or clear liquid but containing a majority of altered polynuclear cells with germs direct examination. They are said to be traumatic when they follow a thoracic trauma whatever the mechanism;usually a pre-existing post-traumatic pleural effusion. The general objective of this study was to help identify the epidemiological and prognostic factors in the management of post-traumatic pyothorax in the Thoracic Surgery Department of the Donka National Hospital. Methodology: This was a descriptive retrospective study covering a period of 2.5 years from 01/06/2016 to 31/12/2018 carried out in the Thoracic Surgery Department of the Donka National Hospital. Results: During the study period, 17 cases of post-traumatic pyothorax were observed among the 288 files of admitted and hospitalized patients. In the course of this study, a rate was 5.90%. The most affected age group was 1 to 5 years old. The male sex was in the majority (76.5%). The most common occurrence was the fall, i.e. 41.2%. 47% of patients consult after 60 days. Chest pain and dyspnea were the main symptoms during our study (82.3%). Antibiotics and analgesics dominated the medical treatment used in 100% of the cases and pleural drainage was the first line surgical treatment practiced in 88.2% of the cases. The prognosis is favorable without sequelae in 52.9% of cases with an average hospital stay of 9 days. Post-traumatic pyothorax is a serious pathology involving the vital and functional respiratory prognosis, hence the need to diagnose and treat it early.

Enhanced recovery after surgery in elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery

BACKGROUND This study was designed to investigate the clinical outcomes of enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS)in the perioperative period in elderly patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer(NSCLC).AIM To investigate the potential enhancement of video-assisted thoracic surgery(VATS)in postoperative recovery in elderly patients with NSCLC.METHODS We retrospectively analysed the clinical data of 85 elderly NSCLC patients who underwent ERAS(the ERAS group)and 327 elderly NSCLC patients who received routine care(the control group)after VATS at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital between May 2015 and April 2017.After propensity score matching of baseline data,we analysed the postoperative stay,total hospital expenses,postoperative 48-h pain score,and postoperative complication rate for the 2 groups of patients who underwent lobectomy or sublobar resection.RESULTS After propensity score matching,ERAS significantly reduced the postoperative hospital stay(6.96±4.16 vs 8.48±4.18 d,P=0.001)and total hospital expenses(48875.27±18437.5 vs 55497.64±21168.63 CNY,P=0.014)and improved the satisfaction score(79.8±7.55 vs 77.35±7.72,P=0.029)relative to those for routine care.No significant between-group difference was observed in postoperative 48-h pain score(4.68±1.69 vs 5.28±2.1,P=0.090)or postoperative complication rate(21.2%vs 27.1%,P=0.371).Subgroup analysis showed that ERAS significantly reduced the postoperative hospital stay and total hospital expenses and increased the satisfaction score of patients who underwent lobectomy but not of patients who underwent sublobar resection.CONCLUSION ERAS effectively reduced the postoperative hospital stay and total hospital expenses and improved the satisfaction score in the perioperative period for elderly NSCLC patients who underwent lobectomy but not for patients who underwent sublobar resection.

Long-term survival outcomes of video-assisted thoracic surgery for patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Background： Video-assisted thoracic surgery （VATS） has been shown to be a safe alternative to conventional thoracotomy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. However, popularization of this relatively novel technique has been slow, partly due to concerns about its long-term outcomes. The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term survival outcomes of patients with NSCLC after VATS, and to determine the significant prognostic factors on overall survival. Methods： Consecutive patients diagnosed with NSCLC referred to one institution for VATS were identified from a central database. Patients were treated by either complete-VATS or assisted-VATS, as described in previous studies. A number of baseline patient characteristics, clinicopathologic data and treatment-related factors were analyzed as potential prognostic factors on overall survival. Results： Between January 2000 and December 2007, 1,139 patients with NSCLC who underwent VATS and fulfilled a set of predetermined inclusion criteria were included for analysis. The median age of the entire group was 60 years, with 791 male patients （69%）. The median 5-year overall survival for Stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ disease according to the recently updated TNM classification system were 72.2%, 47.5%, 29.8% and 28.6%, respectively. Female gender, TNM stage, pT status, and type of resection were found to be significant prognostic factors on multivariate analysis. Conclusions： VATS offers a viable alternative to conventional open thoracotomy for selected patients with clinically resectableNSCLC

Application of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in curative surgery for esophageal cancer:A metaanalysis

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal cancer(EC)treatment is still a subject of debate.AIM To compare the clinical efficacy and toxic side effects between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(nCRT)and neoadjuvant chemotherapy(nCT)for locally advanced EC(LAEC).METHODS A comprehensive search was conducted using multiple databases,including PubMed,EMBASE,MEDLINE,Science Direct,The Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Database,Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database,and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database Article.Studies up to December 2022 comparing nCRT and nCT in patients with EC were selected.RESULTS The analysis revealed significant differences between nCRT and nCT in terms of disease-free survival.The results indicated that nCRT provided better outcomes in terms of the 3-year overall survival rate(OSR)[odds ratio(OR)=0.95],complete response rate(OR=3.15),and R0 clearance rate(CR)(OR=2.25).However,nCT demonstrated a better 5-year OSR(OR=1.02)than nCRT.Moreover,when compared to nCRT,nCT showed reduced risks of cardiac complications(OR=1.15)and pulmonary complications(OR=1.30).CONCLUSION Overall,both nCRT and nCT were effective in terms of survival outcomes for LAEC.However,nCT exhibited better performance in terms of postoperative complications.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy plus surgery in the treatment of potentially resectable thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUNDIn recent years, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) combined with surgeryhas been gradually applied in patients with locally advanced thoracic esophagealcancer, but its effectiveness and safety remains unclear. In this clinical trial, weprospectively investigated the efficacy and safety of NCRT plus surgery in thetreatment of thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC).AIMTo investigate the efficacy and safety of NCRT combined with surgery in thetreatment of potentially resectable TESCC.METHODSThirty patients with advanced TESCC hospitalized in our hospital from July2016 to June 2019 were prospectively studied. All patients received NCRT, whichincluded intensity modulated conformal radiotherapy (40-44 Gy/20-22f, 2 Gy/f)and chemotherapy (paclitaxel 150-175 mg/m2d1, 22 + lobaplatin 25-30 mg/m2d2,23 for two cycles). Surgery was performed after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.The effectiveness and safety of these treatments were observed.RESULTSAmong these 30 patients, complete response was achieved in two cases (6.7%) andpartial response in 26 cases (86.7%), yielding an objective response rate of 100%.All patients underwent radical surgery successfully. The R0 resection rate was100%, and the pathologic complete response rate was 33.3%. The incidence ofgrade III- IV granulocytopenia was 10% during the NCRT, and anastomoticleakage occurred in one patient after surgery.CONCLUSIONFor patients with potentially resectable TESCC, NCRT can effectively reduce thetumor size, increase R0 resection rate, and achieve obvious pathologicaldegradation, with mild adverse reactions. Thus, it is worthy of wider clinicalapplication.

Partial removal of the pulmonary artery in video-assisted thoracic surgery for non-small cell lung cancer

Lobectomy with partial removal of the pulmonary artery in video-assisted thoracic surgery （VATS） currently remains a challenge for thoracic surgeons. We were interested in introducing pulmonary vessel blocking techniques in open thoracic surgery into video-assisted thoracic surgery （VATS） procedures. In this study, we reported a surgical technique simultaneously blocking the pulmonary artery and the pulmonary vein for partial removal of the pulmonary artery under VATS. Seven patients with non-small-cell lung cancer （NSCLC） received lobectomy with partial removal of the pulmonary artery using the technique between December 2007 and March 2012. Briefly, rather than using a small clamp on the distal pulmonary artery to the area of invading cancer, we replaced a vascular clamp with a ribbon and Hem-o-lock clip to block the preserved pulmonary veins so as to prevent back bleeding and yield a better view for surgeons. The mean occlusion time of the pulmonary artery and pulmonary veins were 44.0±10.0 and 41.3±9.7 minutes, respectively. The mean repair time of the pulmonary artery was 25.3±13.7 minutes. No complications occurred. No patients showed abnormal blood flow through the reconstructed vessel. There were no local recurrences on the pulmonary artery. In conclusion, the technique for blocking the pulmonary artery and veins is feasible and safe in VATS and reduces the risk of abrupt intraoperative bleeding and the chance of converting to open thoracotomy, and extends the indications of VATS lobectomy.

Spontaneous coronary artery rupture after lung cancer surgery:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Spontaneous coronary artery rupture(SCAR)is a rare and life-threatening complication after lung cancer surgery.We present a case of SCAR following left upper lobectomy,successfully managed through emergency thoracotomy and coronary artery ligation.CASE SUMMARY A 61-year-old male patient underwent left upper lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection for lung cancer.The surgery was performed using singleport video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery,and there were no observed complications during the procedure.However,19 h after surgery,the patient experienced chest discomfort and subsequently developed severe symptoms,including nausea,vomiting,and a drop in blood pressure.Urgent measures were taken,leading to the diagnosis of SCAR.The patient underwent emergency thoracotomy and coronary artery ligation,successfully stopping the bleeding and stabilizing the condition.Despite postoperative complications,the patient made a successful recovery and was discharged from the hospital.CONCLUSION SCAR is a rare but life-threatening complication following lung cancer surgery.Immediate thoracotomy has been shown to be a life-saving measure,while stenting is not the preferred initial approach.

The Application of Specific Nursing in Perioperative Patients of Thoracic Surgery and Postoperative Recovery and Improvement of Patients’ Negative Emotions

Objective: To study the application of specific nursing in perioperative patients of thoracic surgery and postoperative recovery and improvement of patients’ negative emotions. Patients and Methods: A total of 88 patients in the thoracic surgery operating room of our hospital were selected and divided into group A (specific nursing, n = 44) and group B (routine nursing, n = 44). The anxiety and depression status of the two groups were assessed by the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). The relevant respiratory parameters after surgery, including total lung capacity, maximum respiration flow-rate, tidal volume, and vital capacity were observed. The extubation time, ICU hospitalization time, and VAS scores of postoperative pain were compared, with a score of 10 being full. The higher the score, the higher the pain. The in-cidence of postoperative wound infection, pulmonary infection, respiratory tract infection and the satisfaction with the operation were compared. Sf-36 scale was used to score the physical function, life function, psychological function and quality of life of the patients in the two groups. Results: The surgical effect of group A was significantly higher than that of group B (all p < 0.05). The total lung capacity, maximum respiration flow-rate, tidal volume and vital capacity of group A were significantly higher than those of group B (all p < 0.05). The extubation time and hospitalization time of group A were significantly higher than those of group B (all p < 0.05). VAS score of group A was significantly lower than that of group B (all p < 0.05). The infection rate of group A was significantly lower than that in group B (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Specific nursing has higher application value than routine nursing, which is worth further promotion in clinic.

Unveiling the secrets of gastrointestinal mucous adenocarcinoma survival after surgery with artificial intelligence:A population-based study

BACKGROUND Research on gastrointestinal mucosal adenocarcinoma(GMA)is limited and controversial,and there is no reference tool for predicting postoperative survival.AIM To investigate the prognosis of GMA and develop predictive model.METHODS From the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results database,we collected clinical information on patients with GMA.After random sampling,the patients were divided into the discovery(70%of the total,for model training),validation(20%,for model evaluation),and completely blind test cohorts(10%,for further model evaluation).The main assessment metric was the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC).All collected clinical features were used for Cox proportional hazard regression analysis to determine factors influencing GMA’s prognosis.RESULTS This model had an AUC of 0.7433[95% confidence intervals(95%CI):0.7424-0.7442]in the discovery cohort,0.7244(GMA:0.7234-0.7254)in the validation cohort,and 0.7388(95%CI:0.7378-0.7398)in the test cohort.We packaged it into Windows software for doctors’use and uploaded it.Mucinous gastric adenocarcinoma had the worst prognosis,and these were protective factors of GMA:Regional nodes examined[hazard ratio(HR):0.98,95%CI:0.97-0.98,P<0.001]and chemotherapy(HR:0.62,95%CI:0.58-0.66,P<0.001).CONCLUSION The deep learning-based tool developed can accurately predict the overall survival of patients with GMA postoperatively.Combining surgery,chemotherapy,and adequate lymph node dissection during surgery can improve patient outcomes.

Effect of endobronchial blocker tube in the pulmonary carcinoma with video-assisted thoracic surgery

Objective:The aim of this study was to observe the effect of endobronchial blocker tube in the pulmonary carcinoma with video-assisted thoracic surgery.Methods:Forty patients of pulmonary carcinoma with video-assisted thoracic surgery were randomly assigned into two groups with twenty cases each:endobronchial blocker tube group(group 1) and double-lumen endobronchial tube group(group 2).After anesthesia was induced,in group 1,single lumen tube was intubated at first,and then endobronchial blocker tube intubated to left or right primary bronchus under the guidance of fiber-optic bronchoscope according to operational necessary,injected 2-4 mL air to blocker balloon and blocker one lateral primary bronchus for one-lung ventilation necessarily;while in group 2,the position of double-lumen endobronchial tube was confirmed with fiber-optic bronchoscope after intubation.Blood samples were collected before anesthesia induction,double lumen ventilation,at the one-lung ventilation of 5 min,30 min,60 min,120 min and 180 min,SBP,DBP,HR,SpO2,partial pressure of end tidal carbon dioxide(PetCO2),pH,PaO2,PaCO2,PaO2/FiO2 were recorded.Results:Forty cases' intubations were all successful.There were no differences in SBP,DBP,HR,SpO2,PetCO2,pH,PaCO2 between two groups in different points(P > 0.05).Paw in group 1 was lower than group 2,PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 in group 1 was higher than group 2 in the one lung ventilation of 5 min,30 min,60 min,120 min and 180 min.Conclusion:The endobronchial blocker tube can meet the request of video-assisted thoracic surgery,with the special advantages of simple insertion,lower airway and better oxygenation.Endobronchial blocker tube offer a new way for one-lung ventilation in the pulmonary carcinoma with video-assisted thoracic surgery.

Application of a continuous respiratory sound monitoring system in thoracic surgery

Dear Editor,We would like to present a novel system for monitoring double-lumen tube(DTL)positions in thoracic surgery by respiratory sounds at the trachea and the bronchi,based on our previously described methodology,algorithms,and patented technology[1-2].Most thoracic surgeries require one-lung ventilation(OLV).A DLT or a bronchial blocker(BB)is the most common means for managing OLV.Intraoperative DLT or BB malposition is a critical issue that needs to be accurately and promptly detected to prevent the incidence of hypoxemia and unintended re-expansion of operated lung during OLV[3-4].A multi-center study of 2127 patients requiring OLV during thoracic surgery revealed that DLTs were used in 95%of patients with a malposition rate of 14%,and BBs were used in 5%of patients with a malposition rate of 33%[5].

The Role of Ultrasound and Air Leak Measurement in Assessing Lung Expansion after Thoracic Surgery

Objective: To determine if lung ultrasound semiology is applicable to the post-surgical hemithorax, and its value in the evaluation of lung expansion in the postoperative period when paired with the use of digital chest drain systems. Methods: Prospective observational study including all patients undergoing thoracic surgery from June 2012 to March 2013. Patients undergoing pleurodesis or hemodynamically unstable were not considered candidates. Final inclusion in the study was based on the availability of digital chest drain system. A transthoracic lung ultrasound evaluation of the anterior and anterolateral windows was performed 20 minutes after chest drain placement. Presence or not of lung sliding and air leak values taken from the digital chest drain system were recorded. Data were submitted to a binomial classification test for analysis. Results: Forty-nine patients were included, yielding a total of 64 hemithoraces. Lung sliding was seen in 53 cases (82.8%), and an air leak value of 20 ml/min or less in 56 cases (87.5%). Sensitivity was 92.8% (95% CI: 82.6% to 97.9%) and specificity 87.5% (95% CI: 47.3% to 97.9%). Positive predictive value was 98.1%, and negative predictive value was 63.6%. Conclusions: Transthoracic lung ultrasound is a useful technique that can complement the use of digital chest drain systems in the evaluation of post-surgical lung expansion. The incorporation of lung ultrasound can greatly reduce the need for chest radiographs in thoracic surgery departments.

Preferences of the Thoracic-Surgery Academic Teaching Staff on Thoracotomy Opening/Closure and Post-Thoracotomy Pain Management

Background: A survey was conducted on preferences for thoracotomy opening and closure as well as post-thoracotomy pain management among academic teaching staff of thoracic surgeons in Turkey. It was aimed to assess the attitudes of the thoracic surgery training-center academicians on aforesaid topic. Methods: A 7-question questionnaire was performed by face-to-face interview or online by e-mail to the academic professionals working at resident-training centers. Eighty-eight randomly selected academicians were invited to complete the questionnaire, and 48 of them answered. Based on the complete and valid responses, the methods for opening and closure of thorax, the number of chest drains placed, the method of analgesia in per-or postoperative period and the analgesic agents used commonly were assessed. Results: Thirty-three (68.8%) of 48 were working at university hospitals and 24 (50.0%) were in age group of 40 - 49 years. Muscle-sparing (41.7%) and standard posterolateral thoracotomies (41.7%) were the most preferred incision. The most used method for closing thorax was pericostal sutures. Per-or postoperative analgesia was stated to be performed by all of the participants, while 45 (93.75%) of them reported that they preferred to administrate more than one procedure. Intercostal/paravertebral nerve block (26.4%), epidural analgesia (24.5%), systemic parenteral non-steroid drugs (24.5%) and systemic parenteral opioid (20.9%) were the most commonly used methods. Conclusion: Preventing intercostal nerve injury decreaseed post-thoracotomy pain, as well as the necessity of post-operative analgesic use. Conversely, most of the academic staff did not prefer the methods for preserving intercostal nerve. More than one analgesia procedure were said to be used by majority of the participants.

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.

Comparison of transthoracic and transabdominal surgical approaches for the treatment of adenocarcinoma of the cardia

Background and Objective: Transthoracic and transabdominal approaches are commonly used for the surgical treatment of adenocarcinoma of the cardia. Which approach is better has been controversial for quite a long time. Our study aimed to compare the surgical trauma, range of lymph node dissection, and the prognosis of the transthoracic and transabdominal approaches for the treatment of adenocarcinoma of the cardia. Methods: The medical records of 331 patients with adenocarcinoma of the cardia treated in our hospital between 1994 and 2003 were analyzed. Of the 331 patients, 284 underwent operation via transthoracic approach and 47 via transabdominal approach. Surgery-related status, postoperative complications, range of removed lymph nodes and prognosis of the two groups were compared. Results: There was no significant difference in surgery-related status and postoperative complications between the two groups (P >0.05). The mean number of removed lymph nodes from the thoracic cavity was much higher in transthoracic group than in transabdominal group (P < 0.001), while that from the abdominal cavity was similar in both groups (P = 0.404). The thoracic lymph node metastasis rate was 18.8% in transthoracic group and 13.3% in transabdominal group. The median survival time was 29 months in transthoracic group and 28 months in transabdominal group, and the 5-year survival rates were 34.9% and 40.1% (P= 0.599). Conclusions: For the surgical treatment of adenocarcinoma of the cardia, the surgical trauma of the transthoracic approach is similar with that of transabdominal approach. The transthoracic approach has the advantage in thoracic lymph node dissection. The two approaches have no obvious effect on the prognosis.

Overexpression of Cdc25C predicts response to radiotherapy and survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy followed by surgery

Biomarker identification is crucial for the selection of patients who might benefit from radiotherapy.To explore potential markers for response and prognosis in patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy followed by surgery,we evaluated the expression of cell cycle checkpoint-related proteins Chk2,Cdc25C,and Cyclin D1.A total of 56 patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were treated with radiotherapy followed by surgery.Pretreatment tumor biopsy specimens were analyzed for Chk2,Cdc25C,and Cyclin D1 expression by immunohistochemistry.High expression of Chk2,Cyclin D1,and Cdc25C was observed in 44(78.6%),15(26.8%),and 27(48.2%) patients,respectively.The median survival was 16 months(range,3-154 months),with a 5-year overall survival rate of 19.6%.Overexpression of Chk2 was associated with smoking(P = 0.021),overexpression of Cdc25C was associated with patient age(P = 0.033) and tumor length(P = 0.001),and overexpression of Cdc25C was associated with pathologic complete response(P = 0.038).Univariate analysis demonstrated that overexpression of Cdc25C and pathologic complete response was associated with better survival.In multivariate analysis,Cdc25C was the most significant independent predictor of better survival(P = 0.014) for patients treated with radiotherapy followed by surgery.Overexpression of Cdc25C was significantly associated with pathologic complete response and better survival of patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer treated with radiotherapy followed by surgery.These results suggest that Cdc25C may be a biomarker of treatment response and good prognosis for esophageal carcinoma patients.Thus,immunohistochemical staining of Cdc25C in a pretreatment specimen may be a useful method of identifying optimal treatment for patients with esophageal carcinoma.

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.

Comparison of survival outcomes between transthoracic and transabdominal surgical approaches in patients with Siewert-Ⅱ/Ⅲesophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma:a single-institution retrospective cohort study

Objective： To compare the survival outcomes of transabdominal （TA） and transthoracic （TT） surgical approaches in patients with Siewert-II/III esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Methods： This retrospective study was conducted in patients with Siewert-II/III esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma who underwent either TT or TA operations in the West China Hospital between January 2006 and December 2009. Results： A total of 308 patients （109 in the TT and 199 in the TA groups） were included in this study with a follow-up rate of 87.3%. The median （P25, P75） number of harvested perigastric lymph nodes was 8 （5, 10） in the TT group and 23 （16, 34） in the TA group （P〈0.001）, and the number of positive perigastric lymph nodes was 2 （0, 5） in the TT group and 3 （1, 8） in the TA group （P〈0.004）. The 5-year overall survival （OS） rate was 36% in the TT group and 51% in the TA group （P=0.005）. Subgroup analysis by Siewert classification showed that 5-year OS rates for patients with Siewert II tumors were 38% and 48% in TT and TA groups, respectively （P=0.134）, whereas the 5-year OS rate for patients with Siewert III tumors was significantly lower in the TT group than that in the TA group （33% vs. 53%; P=0.010）. Multivariate analysis indicated that N2 and N3 stages, RI/R2 resection and a TT surgical approach were prognostic factors for poor OS. Conclusions： Improved perigastric lymph node dissection may be the main reason for better survival outcomes observed with a TA gastrectomy approach than with TT gastrectomy for Siewert III tumor patients.

Ivor Lewis subtotal esophagectomy with two-field lymphadenectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus

AIM： To evaluate the clinical outcome of Ivor Lewis subtotal esophagectomy with two-field lymphadenectomy for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus. METHODS： From January 1998 to December 2001, 73 patients with lower thoracic esophageal carcinoma underwent Ivor-Lewis subtotal esophagectomy with two-field lymphadenectomy. Clinicopathological information, postoperative complications, mortality and long term survival of all these patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS： The operative morbidity and mortality was 15.1% and the mortality was 2.7%. Lymph node metastases were found in 52 patients （71.2%）. Nodal metastases to the upper, middle, lower mediastini and upper abdomen were found in 13 （17.8%）, 15 （20.5%）, 30 （41.1%）, and 25 （34.2%） patients, respectively. Postoperative staging was as follows： stage Ⅰ in 5 patients, stage Ⅱ in 34 patients, stage Ⅲ in 32 patients, and stage Ⅳ in 2 patients, respectively. The overall 5-year survival rate was 23.3%. For NO and N1 patients, the 5-year survival rate was 38.1% and 17.3%, respectively （X^2 = 22.65, P 〈 0.01）. The 5-year survival rate for patients in stages Ⅱ a, Ⅱ b and Ⅲ was 31.2%, 27.8% and 12.5%, repsectively （X^2 = 29.18, P 〈 0.01）. CONCLUSION： Ivor Lewis subtotal esophagectomy with two-field （total mediastinum） lymphadenectomy is a safe and appropriate operation for squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus.

Maximum standardized uptake value on PET/CT in preoperative assessment of lymph node metastasis from thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The presence of lymph node metastasis is an important prognostic factor for patients with esophageal cancer.Accurate assessment of lymph nodes in thoracic esophageal carcinoma is essential for selecting appropriate treatment and forecasting disease progression.Positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography(PET/CT)is becoming an important tool in the workup of esophageal carcinoma.Here,we evaluated the effectiveness of the maximum standardized uptake value(SUVmax)in assessing lymph node metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)prior to surgery.Fifty-nine surgical patients with pathologically confirmed thoracic ESCC were retrospectively studied.These patients underwent radical esophagectomy with pathologic evaluation of lymph nodes.They all had18F-FDG PET/CT scans in their preoperative staging procedures.None had a prior history of cancer.The pathologic status and PET/CT SUVmax of lymph nodes were collected to calculate the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and to determine the best cutoff value of the PET/CT SUVmax to distinguish benign from malignant lymph nodes.Lymph node data from 27 others were used for the validation.A total of 323 lymph nodes including 39 metastatic lymph nodes were evaluated in the training cohort,and 117lymph nodes including 32 metastatic lymph nodes were evaluated in the validation cohort.The cutoff point of the SUVmax for lymph nodes was 4.1,as calculated by ROC curve(sensitivity,80%;specificity,92%;accuracy,90%).When this cutoff value was applied to the validation cohort,a sensitivity,a specificity,and an accuracy of 81%,88%,and 86%,respectively,were obtained.These results suggest that the SUVmax of lymph nodes predicts malignancy.Indeed,when an SUVmax of 4.1 was used instead of 2.5,FDG-PET/CT was more accurate in assessing nodal metastasis.