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Despite recent improvement in preoperative staging, nodal and mediastinal upstaging occur in about 5% to 15% of cN0 patients. Different clinical and tumor characteristics are associated with upstaging, whereas the role of the surgeon's experience is not well evaluated. This study aimed to investigate if operator experience might influence nodal upstaging during video-assisted thoracic surgery anatomical lung resection. Clinical and pathological data from the prospective video-assisted thoracic surgery Italian nationwide registry were reviewed and analyzed. Patients with incomplete data about tumor and surgical characteristics, ground glass opacities tumors, cN2 to 3, and M+ were excluded. Clinical data, tumor characteristics, and surgeon experience were correlated to nodal and mediastinal (N2) upstaging using Pearson's χ2 statistic or Fisher exact test for categorical variables and Mann–Whitney U and t tests for quantitative variables. A multivariable model was built using logistic regression analysis. Surgeon experience was categorized considering the number of video-assisted thoracic surgery major anatomical resections and years after residency. Final analysis was conducted on 3,319 cN0 patients for nodal upstaging and 3,471 cN0N1 patients for N2 upstaging. Clinical tumor-nodes-metastasis stage was stage I in 2,846 (81.9%) patients, stage II in 533 (15.3%), and stage III (cT3N1) in 92 (2.8%). Nodal upstaging occurred in 489 (13.1%) patients, whereas N2 upstaging occurred in 229 (6.1%) patients. Years after residency (P =.60 for nodal, P =.13 for N2 upstaging) and a number of video-assisted thoracic surgery procedures(P =.49 for nodal, P =.72 for nodal upstaging) did not correlate with upstaging. Multivariable analysis confirmed cT-dimension (P =.001), solid nodules (P <.001), clinical tumor-nodes-metastasis (P <.001) and maximum standardized uptake values (P <.001) as factors independently correlated to nodal upstaging, whereas cT-dimension (P =.005), clinical tumor-nodes-metastasis (P <.001) and maximum standardized uptake values (P =.028) resulted independently correlated to N2 upstaging. Our study showed that surgeon experience did not influence nodal and mediastinal upstaging during -assisted thoracic surgery anatomical resection, whereas cT-dimension, clinical tumor-nodes-metastasis, and maximum standardized uptake values resulted independently correlated to nodal and mediastinal upstaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air leak is the major factor that influences the permanence of the chest tube and the in-hospital length of stay (LOS) among patients undergoing lung resections. The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of digital chest drain systems, compared with traditional ones, reduced the duration of chest drainage and postoperative in-hospital LOS in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy. The study was a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial. Patients undergoing VATS lobectomy were randomized in 2 groups, receiving a digital drain system or a traditional one and managed accordingly to the protocol. Among 503 patients who fulfilled inclusion criteria and were randomized, 38 dropped out after randomization. Finally, 465 patients were analyzed, of whom 204 used the digital device and 261 the traditional one. In the digital group, there was a significantly shorter median chest tube duration of 3 postoperative days (interquartile range [IQR], 2-4 days) vs 4 postoperative days (IQR, 3-4 days; P =.001) and postoperative in-hospital LOS of 4 days (IQR, 3-6 days) vs 5 days (IQR, 4-6 days; P =.035). Analysis of predictors for increased duration of air leaks showed a relationship with male sex (P =.039), forced expiratory volume in 1 second percentage (P =.004), forced vital capacity percentage (P =.03), and presence of air leaks at the end of surgery (P =.001). In patients undergoing VATS lobectomy, the use of a digital drainage system allows an earlier removal of the chest drain compared with the traditional system, leading to a shorter in-hospital LOS. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Glycated albumin (GA) reflects short-term glycemic control, but few data are available on its association with hard clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between GA levels and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in people with and without a previous diagnosis of diabetes.Methods and Results: Serum GA levels were measured in 12147 people from the general population (1319 with and 10828 without diabetes) that participated in the 1999-2004 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We evaluated the association between GA and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality through December 2015 by linking NHANES data with data from the National Death Index. Associations were compared with those observed for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). After a median follow-up of 13 years, 2785 participants (619 with and 2166 without diabetes) died, 651 of cardiovascular causes. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models showed that higher baseline GA levels were significantly associated with a higher incidence of both outcomes in participants with (all-cause: HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.04; cardiovascular: HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.07) and without diabetes (all-cause: HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.08; cardiovascular: HR: 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.14); on the other hand, we found a trend for increased mortality with increasing HbA1c levels in patients with known diabetes, but not in participants without.Conclusions: For a novel measure of hyperglycemia to be considered useful, its association with hard, long term clinical outcomes is of great importance. We showed that GA is associated with mortality in the general population independently of a previous diagnosis of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous regression of cancer is a known manifestation rarely described for thoracic malignancies. We present the case of a patient affected by an epidermal growth factor receptor–mutant adenocarcinoma who developed a contralateral aspiration pneumonitis months before surgery and manifested a complete pathologic regression without any preoperative oncologic treatment. The underlying mechanisms are not clear, but immune system activation appears to be a key player, acting as a plausible trigger of a change in host response to cancer cells. The tumor microenvironment does not appear to be an "inert spectator" but rather an "active protagonist" on the course of the disease and its therapeutic targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surgical treatment of advanced non-small-cell-lung-cancer (NSCLC) invading mediastinal organs and great vessels is still controversial. The aim of this multicentre study is to analyse oncological outcomes, surgical outcomes and prognostic factors of patients with NSCLC involving heart and great vessels. 362 patients treated surgically for locally advanced T4-NCSLC between 1990 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into five subgroups: pulmonary artery(n = 129), left atrium(n = 82), superior vena cava(n = 80), aorta(n = 43), and multiple vascular structures(n = 28). Resection was complete in 327(90%) patients. Overall 90-day mortality was 8.8%, influenced by poly-transfusions, pneumonectomy, bronchopleural fistula and previous cardiovascular disease (4.5HR.p = 0.03, 3.7HR p = 0.01, 14.0HR.p < 0.001 and 3.0HR p < 0.01). One-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 75%, 43%, 33%, respectively and there were significant differences among the five groups(p < 0.001). Survival was significantly affected by induction radiotherapy, nodal status, pTNM-stage and radicality (3.8HR p = 0.03, 2.6HR p = 0.001, 1.6HR p < 0.05 and 1.6HR p < 0.05). Surgery provided acceptable results in selected patients with T4-NSCLC with major vascular infiltration in expert centres. Nodal-status and radicality influenced the overall-survival and disease-free survival. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy appears to have a positive effect on long-term results, particularly in N2-patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonged air leaks (PAL) complicate 10% to 15% of lung resections, delaying chest tube removal and prolonging length of hospital stay. No consensus exists for managing this common complication, despite favorable results for autologous blood patch pleurodesis (ABPP) in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ABPP. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 510 patients with PAL after lobectomy in four centers between January 2010 and December 2019. They were divided into two groups: group A consisted of patients who received ABPP for PAL of more than 5 days; and group B was patients for whom no ABPP or other procedure was performed for PAL unless strictly necessary. Propensity score matched analysis was performed, and 109 patients were included in each group. Time to cessation of air leak and chest tube removal, length of hospital stay, reoperation, and complications rate were examined. After the propensity score matching, ABPP significantly reduced the number of days before chest tube removal (8.12 vs 9.30, P =.004), and length of hospital stay (10 vs 11 days, P =.045) with fewer perioperative complications (6 vs 17, P =.015). Furthermore, ABPP was related to lower incidence of any additional invasive procedures (0 vs 9, P =.002) and reoperation (0 vs 4, P =.044). No patient in the ABPP group had long-term complications related to pleurodesis. Autologous blood patch pleurodesis is safe and effective in reducing length of hospital stay and leads to earlier chest tube removal without increasing complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful postoperative pain management after major lung resection surgery is mostly achieved through intravenous administration of analgesic drugs. This study explored the use of sublingual sufentanil cartridges (Zalviso) as a noninvasive alternative to postoperative analgesia. From July 2019 to April 2020, patients who underwent major thoracoscopic lung resection surgery were randomly allocated to receive either intravenous pain management, or patient-controlled analgesia by the Zalviso system. Pain assessment scores were collected for a 72-hour time window, and requests for additional medication due to insufficient pain control were recorded. Of the 80 patients enlisted, 40 were assigned to the Zalviso group and 40 to the control group. The groups were not statistically different from each other. The difference in the mean pain scores reported was statistically significant in the first 24 hours in favor of the Zalviso group (P =.046), and the need for additional pain medication was significantly higher in the control group (P =.004). Patient-controlled analgesia using sublingual sufentanil cartridges can provide effective pain relief for patients undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery and can reduce the need for additional medication, offering a noninvasive alternative to traditional intravenous therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor Inflammatory microenvironment (TIME) encompasses several immune pathways modulating cancer development and escape that are not entirely uncoded. The results achieved with immunotherapy elicited the scientific debate on TIME also in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to investigate whether TIME (in terms of PD-L1 expression and/or Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes - TILs) played a separate role in terms of survival (OS) in resected upstaged lung adenocarcinomas (ADCs), excluding other perioperative variables as confounders. This retrospective study included 50 patients with a clinically resectable lung ADC, undergoing surgery (lobectomy or segmentectomy) at the Thoracic Unit of Padova University Hospital between 2016 and 2022 and receiving an unexpected pathological upstaging (IIB or higher). Despite microscopical variables increasing from IIB to IIIB, survival was not significantly related to them. OS was better in TIME-active patients (defined as the presence of positive PD-L1 and/or TILs>10 %) than double negatives (PD-L1-/TILs-) (p = 0.01). In IIB or higher ADCs, TIME-active patients showed an improved survival compared to double negatives, merging the current TIME theories. TIME seems to be associated with survival independently from other microscopical parameter, even in case of resected upstaged adenocarcinomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aortic invasion from non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) is a relative contraindication to surgery for oncological and technical reasons. Only a few studies have been published showing good results. Our aim was to evaluate short and long-term results of surgery for T4 NSCLC with aortic resection. This is a multicenter retrospective study including 47 patients (33 males and 14 females) who received a major lung resection with aortic surgery in our centers between January 2000 and December 2016. Adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in 31 patients (66.0%). Induction therapy was used in 14 patients. Pneumonectomy was performed in 34 patients (72.3%). A subadventitial dissection with or without endovascular stent graft was carried out in 40 patients (85.1%), a cardiopulmonary bypass was used in 3 patients and left heart bypass in 4. Intraoperatively, two patients had bleeding (4.3%) and one ventricular fibrillation (2.1%). Twenty-three patients (48.9%) experienced at least one postoperative complication. A radical resection was achieved in 39 patients (83.0%). Thirty-day and 90-day mortality were 2.1% and 4.3%. One-, 3- and 5-year overall survival were 85.1%, 57.4% and 53.2%. Overall and disease-free survivals were significantly influenced by pathological lymph node status and R status that were independent predictive factors for poorer survival at the multivariate analyses. Aortic resection during surgery for NSCLC is a challenging situation. Nevertheless, oncologic outcomes may be favorable in selected cases justifying a risky procedure that should be performed in experienced hands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T4 tumours comprise a heterogeneous group of locally invasive non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Intrapericardial and extrapericardial involvement of the pulmonary artery (PA) may have a different prognosis. We compared the short and long-term surgery outcomes for NSCLC of the PA with intrapericardial or extrapericardial involvement. This is a multicenter retrospective study that included 129 patients who received an anatomical resection with PA resection and reconstruction in our centres between January 2000 and December 2018. Extrapericardial group included 70 patients, while the intrapericardial included 59. Differences in outcomes were found in terms of left side surgery (more common in extrapericardial, p = 0.010), type of lung resection (p < 0.001), Clavien-Dindo score (p = 0.012) and 90-day mortality (1.4 vs 16.9%, p = 0.002). Overall survival (OS, 91.11 ± 63.78 vs 63.78 ± 58.241 months, p = 0.008) and tumour-free survival (TFS, 68.17 ± 71.57 vs 45.44 ± 61.32 months, p = 0.007) were statistically different. OS stratification for performed pneumonectomy, pathological lymph node status and pattern of recurrence were statistically different (p = 0.017, 0.040, <0.001). Differences were found in terms of recurrence months stratified for recurrence pattern (p < 0.001). According to our results, the difference between PA involvement is significant in terms of survival and complications. A T4 subset or a shift to T3 for extrapericardial involvement of the PA may lead to a change in staging and surgical approach for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of non-small cell lung cancer is based, when suitable, on surgical resection. Pneumonectomy has been considered the standard surgical procedure for locally advanced lung cancers but it is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. Reconstruction of the pulmonary artery, associated with parenchyma-sparing techniques, is meant to be an alternative to pneumonectomy. This retrospective single-center study is based on a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the clinical and oncologic data of patients treated between 2004 and 2016 through pneumonectomy or lobectomy with reconstruction of the pulmonary artery. A propensity score weighting approach, based on the preoperative characteristics of two groups of 124 patients each was performed. The subsequent statistical analysis evaluated long-term and short-term clinical outcomes together with risk factors analysis. The comparison between pneumonectomy and pulmonary artery reconstructions showed a higher 30-day (P =.02) and 90-day (P =.03) mortality rate in the pneumonectomy group, together with a higher incidence of major complications (P =.004). Long-term results have shown comparable outcomes, both in terms of 5-year disease-free survival (52.2% for pneumonectomy vs 46% for pulmonary artery reconstructions, P =.57) and overall 5-year survival (41.9% vs 35.6%, respectively; P =.57). Risk factors analysis showed that cancer-specific survival was related to lymph node status (P <.01) and absence of adjuvant therapy (P =.04). Lymph node status also influenced the risk of recurrence (P <.01). Lobectomy with reconstruction of the pulmonary artery is a valuable and oncologically safe alternative to pneumonectomy, with lower short-term mortality and morbidity, without affecting long-term oncologic results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: To validate a set of indicators for monitoring the quality of care of patients with diabetes in 'real-life' practice through its relationship with measurable clinical outcomes and healthcare costs.Methods and Results: A population-based cohort study was carried out by including the 20,635 patients, residents in the Lombardy Region (Italy), who in the year 2012 were newly taken-in-care for diabetes. Adherence with clinical recommendations (i.e., controls for glycated haemoglobin, lipid profile, urine albumin excretion and serum creatinine) was recorded during the first year after the patient was taken-in-care, and categorized according whether he/she complied with none or almost none (0 or 1), just some (2) or all or almost all (3 or 4) the recommendations, respectively denoted as poor, intermediate and high adherence. Short- and long-term complications of diabetes, and healthcare cost incurred by the National Health Service, were assessed during follow-up. Compared with patients with poor adherence, those with intermediate and high adherence respectively showed (i) a delay in outcome occurrence of 13 days (95% CI, -2 to 27) and 23 days (9-38), and (ii) a lower healthcare cost of 54 € and 77 €. In average, a gain of 18 Euros and 15 Euros for each day free from diabetic complication by increasing adherence respectively from poor to intermediate and from poor to high were observed.Conclusion: Close control of patients with diabetes through regular clinical examinations must be considered the cornerstone of national guidance, national audits, and quality improvement incentive schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total lung-sparing tracheobronchial sleeve resections are a step forward in the treatment of low-grade bronchial tumors in which minimal resection margins are required to achieve complete control of the disease. This study retrospectively collected data on patients who underwent total lung-sparing procedures for low-grade tracheobronchial tumors at 2 thoracic surgical centers from January 1984 to October 2019. The study included 98 patients, 46 –female (47%) and 52 –male (53%), with a median age of 39 years (range, 7 to 70 years). Thirty-four patients underwent operative endoscopy before surgery (32 had laser treatment, and 2 had endobronchial stenting). The surgical resections were as follows: 9 (9%), tracheal carina; 18 (18%), second carina; 31 (32%), left main bronchi; 25 (26%), right main bronchi; and 15 (15%), intermediate bronchus. The median length of the resected bronchus was 2.2 cm. The median postoperative in-hospital stay was 8 days, and no perioperative mortality was observed. Postoperative complications were recorded in 26-patients (27%). The final histologic classification was as follows: 37 typical carcinoids (38%); 10 atypical carcinoids (10%); 29 adenoid cystic carcinomas (30%); 15 mucoepidermoid carcinomas (15%); 6 inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (6%); and 1 glomic tumor (1%). Twenty-two patients had positive resection margins and underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. Three patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma had recurrences (1 local and 2 systemic). After a median follow-up time of 54.5 months (range, 4 to 360 months), the overall actuarial 5-year survival was 97%. Total lung-sparing tracheobronchial sleeve resection for low-grade malignant disease requires advanced surgical skills, but the hospital morbidity and mortality are very low. This technique is adequate and safe for highly selected patients with low-grade endobronchial malignant diseases, and its use should be encouraged in experienced centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstruction of the anterior chest wall defect after sternectomy is a challenge for cardiothoracic surgeons. In 2010, the Padua group published the first case of cadaveric sternum transplantation after sternectomy. This multicenter study reports the clinical indications and early and long-term results of sternal chondral allograft transplantation. This is a retrospective multicenter study from 7 academic centers. We collected demographic data, surgical indications, technical details, and early postoperative results. The complications, long-term stability, and tolerance of the allografts were also analyzed. Between January 2008 and December 2019, 58 patients underwent sternectomy followed by reconstruction using cadaveric-cryopreserved sternochondral allografts. Thirty-two patients were male, median age 63.5 years (interquartile range, 50-72 years). Indications for sternectomy were secondary sternal tumors (n = 13), primary sternal tumors (n = 15), and nonneoplastic disease (n = 30). Thirty patients underwent total sternectomy, 16 lower-body sternectomy, and 12 upper-body manubrium resection. The 30-day mortality was 5%; overall morbidity was 31%. Six early reoperations were necessary because of bleeding (n = 1), titanium plate dislocation (n = 1), and resuture of the skin in the lower part of the incision (n = 4). Overall, 5-year survival was 74%. In all the survived patients, the reconstructions were stable and free from mechanical or infective complications. The main indications for sternal allograft implantation were complex poststernotomy dehiscence followed by primary or secondary tumor involvement of the sternum. The collected results demonstrate that sternochondral allograft transplantation is a safe and effective method in reconstructing the anterior chest wall after sternectomy. Further studies to demonstrate the integration of the bone grafts into the patients' sternal wall will be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Key question: how to overcome intra and inter-observer variability in detecting air leaks? • Key findings: digital drainage allowed an objective assessment of air leaks and a clinical advantage in about 10% of patients. • Take-home message: digital systems could give advantages in making an objective assessment of real air leaks, standardizing the timing of chest tube removal. Chest drainage systems are affected by intra and inter-observer variability and poor sensibility in detecting minimal or apparent air leaks. Overcome intra and inter-observer variability in detecting air leaks. After surgery, a single apical chest tube was connected to the Drentech™ PalmEVO device and air leaks were checked twice a day by observation of both bubbles-in-the-chamber and digital data. On a total of 624 observations, disagreement between digital and traditional systems was recorded in 60(9.6%) cases. In 25(21.4%) patients, a disagreement was recorded. Overall, the digital evaluation influenced clinical management in 13(52%). In 10(40%) patients with temporary discordant features, the presence of high pleural fluid output led to a progressive final concordance. Disagreement between traditional and digital systems in checking air leaks is not negligible. Digital systems could give advantages in making an objective assessment of air leaks, standardizing the timing of chest tube removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of indicators to assess the quality of care for women operated for breast cancer was developed by an expert working group of the Italian Health Ministry in order to compare the Italian regions. A study to validate these indicators through their relationship with survival was carried out. The 16,753 women who were residents in three Italian regions (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Lazio) and hospitalized for breast cancer surgery during 2011 entered the cohort and were followed until 2016. Adherence to selected recommendations (i.e., surgery timeliness, medical therapy timeliness, appropriateness of complementary radiotherapy and mammographic follow-up) was assessed. Multivariable proportional hazards models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios for the association between adherence with recommendations and the risk of all-cause mortality. Adherence to recommendations was 53% for medical therapy timeliness, 73% for appropriateness of mammographic follow-up, 74% for surgery timeliness and 82% for appropriateness of complementary radiotherapy. Risk reductions of 26%, 62% and 56% were observed for adherence to recommendations on medical therapy timeliness, appropriateness of complementary radiotherapy and mammographic follow-up, respectively. There was no evidence that mortality was affected by surgery timeliness. Clinical benefits are expected from improvements in adherence to the considered recommendations. Close control of women operated for breast cancer through medical care timeliness and appropriateness of radiotherapy and mammographic monitoring must be considered the cornerstone of national guidance, national audits, and quality improvement incentive schemes. • 4 indicators to assess the quality of care in operated breast cancer were developed. • High heterogeneity across regions in breast cancer-related care was observed. • Almost all the indicators are associated with improved overall survival. • Benefits are expected from improving adherence with the considered recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of our study was to assess the relationship between adherence with antihypertensive drugs and the risk of death in frail versus nonfrail old individuals. Using the database of the Lombardy Region (Italy), we identified 1 283 602 residents aged ≥65 years (mean age 76) who had ≥3 prescriptions of antihypertensive drugs between 2011 and 2012. A nested case-control design was applied, with cases being the cohort members who died during the observation period (7 years). Logistic regression was used to model the association of interest, with adjustment for potential confounders. Adherence was measured by the proportion of the follow-up covered by prescriptions, and the analysis was separately performed in patients with a good, medium, poor, and very poor clinical status, as assessed by a score that has been shown to be a sensitive predictor of death in the Italian population. The 7-year death probability increased from 16% (good) to 64% (very poor) clinical status. Compared with patients with very low adherence with antihypertensive treatment (<25% of follow-up time covered by prescriptions), those with high adherence (>75% of time covered by prescriptions) exhibited a lower risk of all-cause mortality in each group, the difference decreasing progressively (-44%, -43%, -40%, and -33%) from the good to the very poor clinical status. Adherence with antihypertensive drug treatment was also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality. Adherence with antihypertensive appears to be protective in frail old patients, but the benefit is less marked than in patients with a good clinical status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This group previously reported on the repair of a wide tracheoesophageal fistula with a bioabsorbable patch. The current study describes a consecutive series of patients operated on using the same technique. Data of patients undergoing surgical closure of tracheoesophageal fistula at a single center from 2011 to 2018 were extracted and analyzed. An absorbable patch was used in 8 of 23 patients (34.8%) operated on for tracheoesophageal fistula during the study period. Causes of the fistulae included postintubation injury (n = 6), mediastinal radiotherapy (n = 1), and a complication of lung resection (n = 1). The median fistula size was 27.5 mm (range, 15 to 45 mm). In 3 patients, the surgical approach was through cervicotomy and in 5 it was through right thoracotomy. Prosthetic materials consisted of Gore Bio-A (W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc, Newark, DE) tissue reinforcement in 6 patients and polyglactin 910 knitted mesh in 2 patients. In every case, the prosthesis was covered with a pedicled muscle flap. The esophageal defect was treated by primary closure in 7 patients and by esophageal exclusion in 1. Fistula recurrence and postoperative death occurred in 1 patient (12.5%), whereas 7 patients experienced postoperative complications (87.5%). Five patients resumed oral intake, and 3 breathed without a tracheal appliance. Compared with the other patients, in those who underwent repair of their fistula using a prosthesis, the median size of the airway defect was larger, morbidity was greater, and the rate of resumption of oral intake was lower. Repair of tracheoesophageal fistulae with synthetic prostheses is feasible and may be effective in complex cases. Further research is needed to identify the ideal prosthetic material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for oncological major pulmonary resections is now well established; however, the literature within pulmonary re-operations is still limited. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of redo thoracoscopic resections for ipsilateral pulmonary malignancy. Data from patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery at the Unit of Thoracic Surgery of Padua were analyzed, comparing the results between the first and second ipsilateral surgery. The retrospective study included patients who underwent 2 thoracoscopic surgeries for oncological reasons between 2015 and 2022. The variables considered included patients' baseline characteristics, pre, intra, and postoperative data. The study enrolled 51 patients undergoing ipsilateral thoracoscopic re-operation. The statistical analysis showed that surgical time (95min vs 115min; p = 0.009), the presence of intrapleural adhesions at second surgery (30 % vs 76 %; p < 0.001), overall pleural fluid output (200 vs 560 ml; p = 0.003), time with pleural drainage (2 vs 3 days; p = 0.027), air leaks duration time (p = 0.004) and post-operative day of discharge (3 vs 4 days; p = 0.043) were significantly higher in the re-operation group. No statistical differences were observed between the 2 groups respect to R0 resection rate (90.2 % vs 89.1 %; p=>0.9) and complications (5.8 % vs 15.6 %; p = 0.11). The conversion rate to open surgery was 11.8 %. Although some differences emerged between the first and second intervention, they had minimal impact on the clinical course of the patients. Therefore, thoracoscopic surgery has been shown to be safe and effective in re-operations with satisfying perioperative outcomes. To achieve such results, these procedures should be reserved for experienced surgeons. • VATS represents the gold standard to surgical address most oncological lung resections. • However, the role of VATS for redo surgery is still controversial. • This study compared the outcomes of patients who underwent 2 VATS surgeries. • This study confirms that VATS is feasible, safe, and effective even in redo surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary artery sling is a rare congenital anomaly of the origin and course of the left pulmonary artery. Patients with this condition typically present with respiratory failure in young infancy, and asymptomatic cases are uncommon. We describe the case of an adult patient with a lung adenocarcinoma of the right upper lobe, extending into the hilum and superior mediastinum, and with a previously unknown pulmonary artery sling anomaly. The local invasiveness of the tumor and the peculiar vascular anatomy contributed to a unique surgical scenario, wherein multiple reconstructive procedures were required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Several gray areas and controversies exist concerning the management of pulmonary ground-glass opacities (GGOs), and there is a lack of consensus among clinicians on this topic. One of the main aims of the Italian Society of Thoracic Surgery is to promote education and research, so we decided to perform a survey on this topic to estimate current trends in practice in a large sample of thoracic surgeons. Methods A total of 160 thoracic surgeons responded, namely, completed our questionnaire (response rate, 53%; 160 of 302). The survey was composed of 36 questions divided into six subsections: (1) demographic characteristics of the respondents; (2) terminology and taxonomy; (3) radiologic and radiometabolic evaluation; (4) diagnostic approach and indications for surgery; (5) surgical management; and (6) radiologic surveillance. Results We observed some divergence of opinion regarding the definition of mixed GGOs, the role of 18F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography scans, indications for nonsurgical biopsy, intraoperative techniques for localizing GGOs, indications for surgery, extension of lung resection and lymph node dissection according to the radiologic scenario, use of intraoperative frozen section analysis, and radiologic surveillance of pure GGOs. Conclusions This topic warrants more investigation in the future. An upcoming consensus conference of Italian Society of Thoracic Surgery experts (also open to experts in other specialties) could provide updated indications for GGO management based on the literature, expert opinions, and the results of the present survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many hypertensive patients, treatment is not upgraded despite lack of blood pressure control because of therapeutic inertia. Information is limited, however, on the extent of this phenomenon in real-life medicine. We studied 125 635 patients (age 40-85 years) from the Lombardy region (Italy) who started antihypertensive treatment with 1 drug (n=100 982) or a 2-drug fixed-dose or free combination (n=24 653). A log-binomial regression model was used to estimate the prevalence ratio of combination therapy in relation to the initial treatment strategy. In the initial monotherapy group, patients under drug combinations were 22%, 27%, 32%, and 36% at 6 months, 1, 2, and 3 years later. In the initial combination treatment group, the corresponding percentages were 85%, 82%, 79%, and 78%. This translated into a markedly greater covariate-adjusted propensity of being under a multidrug prescription throughout the follow-up: 3.92 (95% CI, 3.84-4.00) after 6 months and 3.18 (3.12-3.25), 2.56 (2.51-2.60), and 2.23 (2.19-2.27) after 1, 2 and 3 years of treatment. In a propensity score analysis, initial 2-drug combination treatment was also associated with significant reductions in the risk of death (-20%, 11% to 28%) and hospitalization for cardiovascular events (-16%, 10% to 21%) compared with initial monotherapy. Thus, in real life, a large number of patients prescribed initial monotherapy fails to move to combination treatment, as recommended by guidelines. This implies that therapeutic inertia frequently prevents proper treatment uptitration, thereby playing a major role in the low rate of hypertension control that exists worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background Severe primary graft dysfunction (PGD) of grade 3 (PGD3) is a common serious complication following lung transplantation. We aimed to assess physiological donor lung preservation using the Organ Care System (OCS) Lung device compared with cold static storage. Methods In this non-inferiority, randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial (INSPIRE) recipients were aged 18 years or older and were registered as standard criteria primary double lung transplant candidates. Eligible donors were younger than 65 years old with a ratio of partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood to the fraction of inspired oxygen of more than 300 mm Hg. Transplant recipients were randomly assigned (1:1) with permuted blocks, stratified by centre, to receive standard criteria donor lungs preserved in the OCS Lung device (OCS arm) or cold storage at 4°C (control arm). The composite primary effectiveness endpoint was absence of PGD3 within the first 72 h after transplant and 30-day survival in the per-protocol population, with a stringent 4% non-inferiority margin. Superiority was tested upon meeting non-inferiority. The primary safety endpoint was the mean number of lung graft-related serious adverse events within 30 days of transplant. We did analyses in the per-protocol and intention-to-treat populations. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT01630434 . Findings Between Nov 17, 2011, and Nov 24, 2014, we randomly assigned 370 patients, and 320 (86%) underwent transplantation (n=151 OCS and n=169 control); follow-up was completed in Nov 24, 2016. The primary endpoint was met in 112 (79·4%) of 141 patients (95% CI 71·8 to 85·8) in the OCS group compared with 116 (70·3%) of 165 patients (62·7 to 77·2) in the control group (non-inferiority point estimate −9·1%; 95% CI −∞ to −1·0; p=0·0038; and superiority test p=0·068). Patient survival at day 30 post-transplant was 135 (95·7%) of 141 patients (95% CI 91·0–98·4) in the OCS group and 165 patients (100%; 97·8–100·0) in the control group (p=0·0090) and at 12 months was 126 (89·4%) of 141 patients (83·1–93·9) for the OCS group compared with 146 (88·1%) of 165 patients (81·8–92·8) for the control group. Incidence of PGD3 within 72 h was reported in 25 (17·7%) of 141 patients in the OCS group (95% CI 11·8 to 25·1) and 49 (29·7%) of 165 patients in the control group (22·8 to 37·3; superiority test p=0·015). The primary safety endpoint was met (0·23 lung graft-related serious adverse events in the OCS group compared with 0·28 events in the control group [point estimate −0·045%; 95% CI −∞ to 0·047; non-inferiority test p=0·020]). In the intention-to-treat population, causes of death at 30 days and in hospital were lung graft failure or lung infection (n=2 for OCS vs n=7 for control), cardiac causes (n=4 vs n=1), vascular or stroke (n=3 vs n=0), metabolic coma (n=0 vs n=2), and generalised sepsis (n=0 vs n=1). Interpretation The INSPIRE trial met its primary effectiveness and safety endpoints. Although no short-term survival benefit was reported, further research is needed to see whether the reduced incidence of PGD3 within 72 h of a transplant might translate into earlier recovery and improved long-term outcomes after lung transplantation. Funding TransMedics Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]