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Background: The staging of esophageal cancer is imprecise. Thoracoscopic/laparoscopic (TS/LS) staging has been proposed as a more accurate lymph node (LN) staging method. We report the experience of an Intergroup NCI trial (CALGB 9380) evaluating the feasibility and accuracy of this staging modality., Patients and Methods: From February 1995 to September 1999, 134 patients were entered in the study. This study represents the analysis of final data on 113 patients. TS/LS was considered feasible if TS and 1 LN sampled at least 3 LN by LS; a confirmed positive node was found; or T4 or M1 disease was documented. If this was accomplished in more than 70% of patients, TS/LS was believed to be feasible., Results: The LN stations most frequently sampled in the thorax (134 patients) were levels 2 (33%), 3 (38%), 4 (40%), 7 (76%), 8 (69%), 9 (55%), and 10 (43%) and in the abdomen levels 17 (70%) and 20 (55%). The frequency of positive LN by level were as follows: 2 (10%), 3 (8%), 4 (10%), 7 (10%), 8 (25%), 9 (10%), 10 (10%), 17 (34%), and 20 (27%). Noninvasive tests (computed tomographic scan, magnetic resonance imaging, esophageal ultrasound scan) each incorrectly identified TN staging as noted by missed positive or false-negative LN or metastatic disease found at TS/LS staging in 50%, 40%, and 30% of patients, respectively. Median operating time was 210 minutes (range, 40 to 865 minutes). Median postoperative hospital stay was 3 days (range, 1 to 35 days). There were no deaths or major complications. Seventy-three percent of patients met the definition for feasibility. In 30 patients TS was not feasible. Positive LN disease was found in 43 patients; 32 were deemed N0. Ten patients had T4/M1 disease. Of the 32 potentially resectable N0 patients, 14 patients had preoperative induction therapy; 13 patients went directly to operation with N0 confirmed in 9 patients, NX in 1 and N1 in 3. Three patients were unresectable, 1 patient died, and 1 was lost to follow-up., Conclusions: In summary, the feasibility of TS/LS was confirmed. It doubled the number of positive LNs identified by conventional, noninvasive staging. The overall accuracy remains to be defined by analysis of the LN negative group in follow-up. Although the positive predictive value was high, further study is warranted to confirm the role of TS/LS in the staging algorithm of esophageal cancer.

Background: P53 protein overexpression in esophageal cancer and its correlation with response and survival after chemoradiation was retrospectively investigated., Methods: Pretreatment and resection specimens were stained by automatic p53 immunohistochemical staining technique., Results: P53 was expressed in 84.0% of esophagoscopy (EGD) biopsies; 71.4% of patients with metastasis of thoracoscopy/laparoscopy lymph nodes (TS/LS LN) identified by hematoxylin/eosin (H/E) were p53 (+); 14.2% of patients with negative TS/LS LN by H/E were p53 (+). Eleven out of 18 patients with p53 (+) in pretreatment EGD remained p53 (+) after chemoradiation; 38.8% of these patients had a pathological complete response (pCR). The median survival of this group was 15 months. Of 4 patients with p53 (-) pretreatment EGD, all of those were still p53 (-) after chemoradiation; 75% of these patients had pCR. The median survival was 30 months. In patients with p53 (+) TS/LS LN, 23% had a pCR after chemoradiation with a median survival of 16 months. In patients with p53 (-) TS/LS LN, 50.0% had a pCR with a median survival of 31.5 months., Conclusions: P53 protein overexpression in pretreatment EGD and TS/LS LN may predict response to chemoradiation and survival in esophageal cancer patients.

Background: Pulmonary resection after high-dose thoracic irradiation is reported to be associated with a high morbidity and mortality, and has been considered to be prohibitive., Methods: We report safe pulmonary resection in 19 consecutive patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy that included greater than 59 Gy thoracic radiation. The mean thoracic radiation dose was 61.8 Gy (range 59.5-66.5) and mean age was 52 years (range 36-72 years). Cell type was adenocarcinoma (6), squamous (7), and other non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (6). Sixteen of 19 patients received concurrent chemotherapy. Median time from end of treatment to surgical resection was 89 days (range 22-258 days). Surgical resection included 13 lobectomies and six pneumonectomies (four right, two left)., Results: A complete pathologic response was seen in 8 of 19 (42%) patients. Three patients required intraoperative transfusion of blood. Mean intensive care unit stay was 2.0 days (range 1-8 days), and mean length of stay (LOS) was 8.0 days (range 3-18 days). There were four postoperative complications; one bronchopulmonary fistula, one subarachnoid-pleural fistula, and 2 patients with prolonged atelectasis. There was no incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or operative mortality., Conclusions: Pulmonary resection, including pneumonectomy, after chemotherapy and high-dose thoracic radiation may be performed safely with a low rate of intraoperative and postoperative complications.

Background: Aggressive routine surgical staging is necessary to evaluate patients to be treated on cooperative oncology protocols. Less than 1% of lung cancer patients in the United States are currently being treated in a clinical trial. Only with results from large, prospective trials can the questions of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy be answered., Methods: An outline describing the schema of preoperative patient evaluation, surgical staging, and the definition of surgical staging and resection procedures appropriate for patients considered for cooperative group protocol is presented. Current Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) protocols are used in the discussion as examples of this systematic approach., Conclusions: Over the next few years, it will be important to enter the maximum number of patients into combined modality studies to identify the role of neoadjuvant treatment in lung cancer. Entry of patients into protocols will also make their pathological specimens and clinical information available for basic science research related to treatment results. Adherence to a logical sequence of patient evaluation as outlined above will optimize patient care, as well as accrual to cooperative group studies.

We treated a patient with a large supraclavicular mass with associated parasthesia of the affected extremity. The mass was removed operatively using a supraclavicular Dartevelle approach.

Background: The evolution of therapy in 105 patients with superior sulcus (Pancoast) tumor over the past 42 years was reviewed., Methods: There were 82 men and 23 women aged 30 to 75 years. Tumor cell types were: squamous, 41 (39%); adenocarcinoma, 23 (21.9%); anaplastic, 14 (13.3%); undetermined, 12 (11.4%); mixed, 9 (8.7%); and large cell 6 (5.7%). Therapy was based on extent of disease and lymph node involvement. There were 5 treatment groups: I, preoperative radiation and operation (n = 28); II, operation and postoperative radiation (n = 16); III, radiation (n = 37); IV, preoperative chemotherapy, radiation, and operation (n = 11); and V, operation (n = 12)., Results: The median survival for group I was 21.6 months; group II, 6.9 months; group III, 6 months; and group V, 36.7 months. Median survival for group IV has not yet been reached (estimated at 72% at 5 years). On univariate analysis, mediastinal lymph node involvement, Horner syndrome, TNM classification, and method of therapy affected survival. On multivariate regression analysis, only N2 and N3 disease and method of therapy were significant (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The optimal treatment for superior sulcus tumor was preoperative radiation and operation. However, triple modality therapy, although promising, requires longer follow-up.

Background: The use of video-assisted thoracic surgery for diagnosis and treatment of mediastinal tumors in a multiinstitution patient population is not well understood., Methods: We studied 48 cases from Cancer and Leukemia Group B thoracic surgeons. Of 21 men and 27 women, aged 41 +/- 16 years, 22 patients were asymptomatic. In the others, 92% of tumor-related symptoms improved or resolved after treatment. Five tumors involved the anterior compartment, 19 the middle, and 24 the posterior compartment. Diagnoses were typical for each compartment but also included uncommon problems such as superior vena cava hemangioma and a histoplasmosis cyst causing hoarseness. Of the lesions, a biopsy of 12 was done without excision and the rest were excised completely. Fifteen were cystic and 10 were malignant (8 biopsy only). Maximal dimensions were 5.2 +/- 3.3 cm., Results: Operations were briefer for 24 posterior (93 +/- 41 min) than 5 anterior (195 +/- 46 min, p < 0.01) or 19 middle mediastinal tumors (170 +/- 78 min, p < 0.01). Although 96% had vital mediastinal relations, only six open conversions were performed because of bleeding (n = 3), large size, impaired exposure, or rib attachments, and no patient had morbidity beyond that expected for the thoracotomy. Postoperative stay was shorter for the nonconversion group (3.2 +/- 2.8 versus 5.5 +/- 2.1 days, p = 0.05), as was chest tube duration (1.7 +/- 1.4 days versus 3.2 +/- 1.9 days, p = 0.03). There were no postoperative deaths or major complications, but 7 patients had minor complications. During a mean of 20 months of surveillance (range, 1 to 52 months), one cyst recurred (asymptomatic) as did one sarcoma that was excised., Conclusions: Video-assisted thoracic surgery is a safe technique for benign mediastinal tumors, typically those in the middle and posterior mediastinum.

Background: The revolution in video technology has led to the acceptance of thoracoscopy as an important tool in thoracic surgery., Methods: A review of all patients undergoing thoracoscopy at the University of Maryland between November 1991 and March 1995 was performed to identify the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications. In addition, the role of computed tomography for predicting intraoperative complications was analyzed., Results: Three hundred forty-eight procedures were performed in 321 patients. Twenty-seven patients required conversion to thoracotomy for various indications. In 12 patients further resection was required after frozen section diagnosis confirmed lung carcinoma. Six patients were opened due to adhesions. Two patients were opened due to inability to find the lesion (this represents 1.6% of all solitary pulmonary nodules). Three cases were converted to thoracotomy for lesions that were too large to remove (representing 2.5% of all solitary pulmonary nodules resected). Two patients required conversion to thoracotomy because of inability to obtain one-lung ventilation. One case required a limited thoracotomy for a lost needle used for needle localization of a solitary intraparenchymal nodule, and 1 patient had emergent exploration for bleeding. Early postoperative complications developed in 10 patients. There were two explorations in the immediate postoperative period for bleeding. Prolonged air leak occurred in 3 patients, empyema in 2, and recurrent pneumothorax, pulmonary edema, and pneumonia in 1 patient each. Computed tomography failed to diagnose adhesions in the majority of patients requiring conversion to thoracotomy., Conclusions: Thoracoscopy is a safe and effective procedure with low intraoperative and postoperative complication rates.

Pharyngogastric anastomosis, otherwise referred to as the "gastric pull-up" procedure, is the most reliable method of reconstruction after laryngopharyngectomy. We currently use a method of gastric to pharyngeal anastomosis that avoids excess tension, and thus decreases the incidence of fistulas and flap failures. With the stomach fully mobilized, the "pull-up" is brought high into the neck using a plastic bag to facilitate delivery via the posterior mediastinum. A curved, U-shaped incision is then made in the fundus of the tongue anteriorly, allowing the posterior nasopharynx to be reached without tension.

Background: Lymph node metastasis has been shown to be an important prognosticator in esophageal cancer. A prospective, multiinstitutional study of thoracoscopic lymph node staging in patients with biopsy-proven esophageal cancer was undertaken at University of Maryland, Medical University of South Carolina, and Brigham and Women's Hospital., Methods: Forty-nine patients underwent thoracoscopic staging between September 1991 and August 1993. Five procedures were incomplete due to adhesions. Preoperative computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, esophageal ultrasound, and bronchoscopy were performed. After our initial experience with the left side of the chest, thoracoscopic staging was done through the right side of the chest unless specific indications dictated otherwise. Beginning in January 1993 routine laparoscopic/mini-laparotomy lympho node staging of the celiac axis was performed., Results: Satisfactory thoracoscopic lymph node staging was achieved in 44 patients (95%). Of 33 patients undergoing esophageal resection, 29 were correctly staged (88%). Since initiating concomitant laparoscopic lymph node staging, we have correctly staged all of the last 9 patients with regard to celiac lymph nodes as well. Information regarding T status obtained at thoracoscopy was as follows: 3 patients were correctly "downstaged" to T3 despite preoperative noninvasive tests suggesting T4. In 2 patients thoracoscopy correctly predicted T4 invasion, whereas in 2 patients, thoracoscopy missed T4 lesions., Conclusions: Thoracoscopy is a valuable tool for staging intrathoracic tumors. Preoperative staging of esophageal cancer may allow better allocation of adjuvant therapy. This pilot study suggests that thoracoscopic staging can correctly predict thoracic lymph node status with high accuracy and aid in better defining T status.

Resection of superior sulcus neoplasms is associated with a number of complications resulting from the extensive nature of the resection and the necessity to sacrifice certain adjacent structures. One of the complications of resection is the development of subarachnoid-pleural fistula, with the subsequent appearance of air in the cerebrospinal fluid circulation. We report a case in which a subarachnoid-pleural fistula led to persistent pneumocephaly in a patient who exhibited postoperative hyponatremia, confusion, and gait disturbance.

Fibrous histiocytomas are uncommon pulmonary tumors. They generally involve only the lung parenchyma. Endobronchial involvement is extremely rare. Usually, surgical resection of the mass is required for definitive diagnosis and therapy. We report a case of benign atypical fibrous histiocytoma visualized during fiberoptic bronchoscopy and review the clinical findings and pathologic features of this tumor.

Up to 10% of neurogenic tumors in the posterior mediastinum demonstrate intraspinal extension. Historically, these lesions have been considered resectable only by a combined thoracic and neurosurgical approach using thoracotomy. Herein, a thoracoscopic excision of a "dumbbell" lesion within the framework of a combined approach is described.

Paraplegia complicating thoracotomy is rare but catastrophic. This report comprises 40 cases: 5 of our cases and 35 reported cases. Our cases comprised a stab wound of the left chest (1), decortication (1), lobectomy for bronchogenic carcinoma (2), and segmental resection for tuberculosis (1). The reported cases included 25 cases following thoracotomy for thoracic pathology (bronchogenic carcinoma, 12; pulmonary tuberculosis, 7; thoracic trauma, 2; bronchiectasis, 1; peptic esophagitis, 1; neurogenic tumors, 2; and benign lung lesion, 1 and 10 cases following operation for malignant hypertension. The surgical procedures performed on the 25 patients with thoracic pathology were lobectomy (8), bilobectomy (1), pneumonectomy (7), decortication (1), thoracoplasty (1), excision of neurogenic tumors (2), drainage of tuberculous cavity (1), and Nissen procedure (1). The intraoperative factors contributing to the neurologic deficit were bleeding at the costovertebral angle (9), migration of oxidized cellulose into spinal canal (9), thrombosis of anterior spinal artery (4), epidural hematoma (2), epidural narcotic (2), metastatic carcinoma (1), and hypotension (1). This serious complication can be prevented by meticulous operation and careful hemostasis. The immediate use of tomographic scanning or magnetic resonance imaging followed by surgical decompression might avert this serious complication.

A study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy of thoracoscopic lung biopsy for interstitial lung disease. The relation between operative findings, pathologic findings, and preoperative computed tomographic scan findings was examined. Twenty-six patients, 10 male and 16 female, underwent thoracoscopic lung resection to diagnose interstitial lung disease. Sixteen patients were outpatients for an elective procedure; 10 were inpatients including 2 who were ventilator dependent. The mean length of operation was 54 minutes and the mean length of chest tube duration, 1.3 days. There were no deaths. Staphylococcal pneumonia developed in 1 patient postoperatively. One patient with systemic pulmonary hypertension was ventilator dependent for 48 hours. A double-lumen endotracheal tube was used in all but 2 patients. Twelve-millimeter trocar ports were used to allow easy interchange of staplers and endoscopic instruments. Biopsy of at least two lobes was performed in each patient with resection of a piece of grossly abnormal lung. A single chest tube was left routinely. The pathologic diagnosis was usual interstitial pneumonitis in 7 patients. Four patients had interstitial fibrosis and 4, granulomas. Three patients had diffuse alveolar damage and 3, Wegener's granulomatosis. Two patients had bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia. One patient each had lymphangioleiomyomatosis, eosinophilic granuloma, and cytomegalovirus. Sixteen patients underwent preoperative computed tomographic scanning. The scans were assessed by 2 radiologists who were blinded to the surgical results. Computed tomography accurately predicted the site of disease in most instances. Four patients had at least one lobe with no evidence of disease on computed tomography but with interstitial lung disease found thoracoscopy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

As more complex thoracoscopic procedures are performed, adequate exposure becomes increasingly more important. The insufflation of CO2 has been demonstrated to aid in the compression of lung parenchyma and the effacement of subpleural lesions, and to act as a retractor when combined with changes in patient position. However, a recent study demonstrated that CO2 insufflation during thoracoscopy in the pig had adverse hemodynamic consequences. We prospectively studied 32 patients undergoing thoracoscopy to evaluate the effects of CO2 insufflation in the clinical setting. The end-tidal CO2 pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and central venous pressure were monitored. Measurements were determined at baseline, at the initiation of one-lung ventilation, and at intrapleural pressures of 2 to 14 mm Hg. We found that the insufflation of CO2 of 2 to 14 mm Hg had no significant effect on the end-tidal CO2 pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, heart rate, or mean arterial pressure, but the central venous pressure did rise from 7.00 +/- 1.5 mm Hg to 17.30 +/- 2.53 mm Hg (p < 0.05). We conclude from this that the insufflation of CO2 during thoracoscopy does not have adverse hemodynamic effects in the clinical setting. Therefore, we propose that low-pressure (< 10 mm Hg) insufflation is a safe adjunct to the conduct of routine thoracoscopic surgical procedures.

We investigated the effects of increases in central venous pressure (CVP) and carotid baroreceptor-induced vasodilation on the rate of extravascular fluid uptake during cardiopulmonary bypass in normotensive and Goldblatt hypertensive dogs. Carotid sinus baroreceptors were selectively perfused to control the level of vasodilation. Central venous pressure was controlled by changing the height of the venous outflow cannula. Extravascular fluid uptake was determined from the rate of change in reservoir volume. After 3 hours of bypass, total fluid accumulation was 56.11 +/- 14.16 mL/kg in normotensive dogs, significantly less than in hypertensive dogs (110.90 +/- 23.20 mL/kg) (p < 0.05). Raising CVP from 1 to 5 mm Hg increased the rate of extravascular fluid uptake in both normotensive (from 0.05 +/- 0.25 to 0.85 +/- 0.22 mL.kg-1.min-1; p < 0.05) and hypertensive dogs (from 0.68 +/- 0.28 to 2.57 +/- 0.46 mL.kg-1.min-1; p < 0.01)). At a constant CVP, baroreceptor-induced vasodilation increased the rate of extravascular fluid uptake in normotensive (from 0.25 +/- .15 to 0.81 +/- .22 mL.kg-1.min-1) and in hypertensive dogs (from 0.84 +/- .12 to 1.72 +/- .32 mL.kg-1.min-1; p < 0.05). Hypertensive dogs were more sensitive to changes in CVP and to baroreceptor-induced vasodilation. The results of this study imply that elevations in CVP or the use of vasodilators may lead to increased extravascular fluid uptake during bypass; this effect may be exacerbated in the hypertensive state.

Thoracoscopy allows evaluation of the mediastinum and assessment of the local spread of malignancy. Adjuvant therapy trials have shown some increased survival for esophageal cancer although morbidity is high. Preoperative staging may allow appropriate allocation of adjuvant therapy. Patients with esophageal cancer underwent computed tomographic scan, magnetic resonance imaging, and endoesophageal ultrasonography. Thoracoscopic staging was performed through the left chest with biopsy of American Thoracic Society level 5 and 6 and 8 and 9 lymph nodes. Resection at a separate sitting with complete intraoperative lymph node sampling was done. Fourteen patients underwent thoracoscopic lymph node staging. One procedure could not be completed because of adhesions. Of the 13 patients undergoing successful staging, all had correct thoracic lymph node staging confirmed at surgical exploration. Two patients with adenocarcinoma of the distal third/gastroesophageal junction were found at laparotomy to have positive celiac lymph nodes. Two patients who had lymph nodes positive at computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance imaging were found to have negative lymph nodes at thoracoscopy and subsequent resection. Two patients were found to have pulmonary metastasis at thoracoscopy. Lymph node stage in esophageal carcinoma is an important prognostic indicator. Thoracoscopic lymph node staging provides accurate pre-resection staging information.

Rupture of the ascending aorta is lethal in virtually all cases. In the recent literature, fewer than 9 cases of chronic, traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta have been documented. Reported herein is such a case, discovered incidentally and repaired successfully under cardiopulmonary bypass using a graft prosthesis. Aortogram remains the diagnostic method of choice in these patients.