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Background: Regional lymph node recurrence after radical surgery for non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an oligo‐recurrent disease; however, no treatment strategy has been established. In the present study we aimed to determine the clinical outcomes of postoperative regional lymph node recurrence and identify prognostic predictors in the era of molecular‐targeted therapy. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data on clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with regional lymph node recurrence after surgery who underwent treatment for NSCLC between 2002 and 2022. Results: A total of 53 patients were included in this study. The median time between surgery and detection of recurrence was 1.21 years. Radiotherapy (RT) alone and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) were performed in 38 and six patients, respectively. Driver gene alterations were detected in eight patients (EGFR: 6, ROS1:1, and BRAF: 1) and programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression was examined in 22 patients after 2016. Median progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after lymph node recurrences were 1.32 and 4.34 years, respectively. Multiple lymph node recurrence was an independent prognostic factor for PFS, whereas driver gene alteration was the only prognostic factor for OS. There was no significant difference in the OS between patients stratified according to the initial treatment modality for lymph node recurrence. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the number of tumor recurrences may correlate with PFS, while detection of driver gene alterations could guide decision‐making for the appropriate molecular‐targeted therapy to achieve longer OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The objective of this study was to evaluate intraoperative vessel injury and assess troubleshooting during thoracoscopic anatomic pulmonary resection. Methods Between April 2012 and March 2016, 240 patients underwent thoracoscopic anatomic lung resection, 26 of whom were identified as having massive bleeding intraoperatively. We analyzed the injured vessel and the hemostatic procedure employed, then compared the perioperative outcomes in patients with (n = 26) and without (n = 214) vessel injury. In addition, we compared perioperative results based on the period when surgery was performed: early period: April 2012 to March 2014 (n = 93) or late period: April 2014 to March 2016 (n = 146). Results The surgical procedures included 20 lobectomies and 6 segmentectomies. One of the 26 patients had vessel injury at 2 points, giving a total of 27 points of injury. Hemostasis was mostly achieved by application of thrombostatic sealant (63.0%). There were no significant differences in the length postoperative hospitalization (p = 0.67) or morbidity rate (p = 0.43) between the vessel injury and the no-vessel injury groups. There were no significant differences in the incidence of significant intraoperative bleeding (p = 0.13) and total blood loss (p = 0.13) between the early and late periods. Conclusions Application of thrombostatic sealant is one of the useful methods to achieve hemostasis during thoracoscopic anatomic pulmonary resection. Vascular hazards are inherent to a thoracoscopic approach. Therefore, thoracic surgeons should always be concerned about significant intraoperative bleeding and treat it appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Studies of metastatic lung cancer have used various starting points for calculating the survival period, including the time of primary tumor resection and the first and final pulmonary metastasectomy. This study examined differences in prognostic factors according to the starting point used to calculate survival time. Methods We performed surgical resection of pulmonary metastases in 202 consecutive patients between 1999 and 2013. Of these, 146 (excluding overlapping cases) underwent pulmonary metastasectomy. We examined the survival period after resection in patients with pulmonary metastases (group M) and primary tumors (group P). The prognostic influence of variables on survival was analyzed. Results The 5-year survival rate was 76.7% in group P and 62.0% in group M. The significant prognostic factors were the disease-free interval (>1 and >2 years) in group P, and maximum tumor diameter in group M. Interestingly, multivariate analysis showed that the significant prognostic factors (age and nodule diameter) were identical in both groups. Conclusions We believe that the potential confounding factors were counterbalanced by the effect of prognostic factors on multivariate analysis in patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy. If the survival period is defined as starting from the time of the primary tumor resection, this may resolve the variance in survival, because pulmonary metastasectomy is only one option among several available treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preoperative diagnosis of intraosseous schwannoma is challenging because of its rarity. We report a resected case of sternal intraosseous schwannnoma mimicking late recurrence of breast cancer. A 60-year-old Japanese woman with a history of breast cancer was diagnosed as having a sternal tumor by chest computed tomography (CT) demonstrating a round, well-defined, lowdensity nodule measuring 3.3 x 2.8 cm, which was located almost at the center of the sternum and associated with bone lysis and erosion. [18 F]Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/CT demonstrated FDG accumulation in the tumor, suggesting malignancy. Therefore, late isolated recurrence of breast cancer was suspected. Surgical resection was performed for both confirmation of the diagnosis and treatment. Pathological examination revealed that the tumor was composed predominantly of spindleshaped cells arranged in a typical palisading pattern, being compatible with schwannoma. Although the periosteum was intact, the tumor was found to have destroyed the cortex of the sternum and proceeded forward to the bone marrow. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining revealed that the lesion was diffusely and strongly positive for S-100 protein. Thus metastasis from breast cancer was ruled out on the basis of the features revealed by microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound retraction is useful for chest wall surgery involving surgical rib fixation in patients with rib fractures. However, blunt chest trauma with rib fractures frequently involves lung injury, requiring simultaneous pulmonary repairs. In intrapleural surgery for chest trauma involving rib fractures, a rib spreader could cause additional rib fractures. Therefore, we describe the modified application of a second wound retractor for surgery in the thorax and chest wall, and discuss its advantages and disadvantages. We call this method double-wound retraction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A 72-year-old man diagnosed as having primary lung cancer underwent surgical resection using a totally thoracoscopic approach. The thoracoscopic view revealed an incomplete fissure and severe emphysematous change. Therefore, to avoid postoperative air leakage, we decided not to expose the pulmonary artery at the fissure. The inferior pulmonary vein, lower bronchus, and pulmonary artery branches were divided by staplers in a caudal-to-head direction, and then the interlobar area was divided. Postoperative air leakage was not observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The appropriate lateral and posterior basal (S9 + 10) segmentectomy requires exposure and recognition of common basal pulmonary vein branches located deeply in the lung parenchyma. Therefore, we applied the intersegmental tunnelling method in S9 + 10 segmentectomy to recognize the dominant veins to the S9 +10 segment accurately. Between April 2014 and December 2015, five patients underwent thoracoscopic S9 + 10 segmentectomy using intersegmental tunnelling. By using this technique, we can recognize the branches of the pulmonary vein to the affected S9 + 10 segment accurately. This technique can let us perform appropriate S9 + 10 segmentectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anatomy of the lung was originally described based on data acquired from cadaveric studies and surgical findings. Over time, computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques have been developed, allowing for reconstruction and understanding of lung anatomy in a more intuitive way. The wide adoption of 3D-CT imaging technology has led to a variety of anatomical studies performed not only by anatomists but also by surgeons and radiologists. Such studies have led to new or modified classification systems, shed light on lung anatomy from a useful surgical viewpoint, and enabled us to analyze lung anatomy with a focus on particular anatomical features. 3D images also allow for enhanced pre- and intra-operative simulation, improved surgical safety, enhanced educational utility, and the capacity to perform large-scale anatomical studies in shorter time frames. We will review here the key features of 3D-CT imaging of the lung, along with representative anatomical studies regarding (I) general lung anatomy, (II) anatomy of the right and left lobes, and (III) features of interlobar vessels. The current surge of 3D imaging analysis shows that the field is growing, with the technology continuing to improve. Future studies using these new and innovative methodologies will continue to refine our understanding of lung anatomy while enhancing our ability to perform safe and effective surgical resections., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://vats.amegroups.org/article/view/10.21037/vats-23-21/coif). The series “Simulation and Navigation Techniques in VATS/RATS” was commissioned by the editorial office without any funding or sponsorship. SN served as the unpaid Guest Editor of the series. HI served as the unpaid Guest Editor of the series and serves as the unpaid Associate Editor-in-Chief of Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery from December 2022 to November 2024. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Late-onset pulmonary fistula (LOPF) is a well-described complication after segmentectomy, but the precise incidence and risk factors are still unclear. We aimed to determine the incidence of, and risk factors for, LOPF development after segmentectomy., Methods: A single-institution retrospective study was performed. A total of 396 patients who underwent segmentectomy were enrolled. Perioperative data were analyzed to identify the risk factors for LOPF requiring readmission according to univariate and multivariate analyses., Results: The overall morbidity rate was 19.4%. The incidence rates of prolonged air leak (PAL) in the early phase and LOPF in the late phase were 6.3% (25/396) and 4.5% (18/396), respectively. The most common surgical procedures with LOPF development were segmentectomy of the upper-division (n=6) and S 6 (n=5). With a univariate analysis, presence of smoking-related diseases did not affect LOPF development (P=0.139). Conversely, segmentectomy with cranial side free space (CSFS) in the intersegmental plane and use of electrocautery to divide the intersegmental plane were associated with a high risk of LOPF development (P=0.006 and 0.009, respectively). A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that segmentectomy with CSFS in the intersegmental plane and use of electrocautery were independent risk factors for LOPF development. Approximately 80% of patients who developed LOPF recovered by prompt drainage and pleurodesis without reoperation, whereas the remaining patients developed empyema due to delayed drainage., Conclusions: Segmentectomy with CSFS is an independent risk factor for LOPF development. Careful postoperative follow up and rapid treatment are necessary to avoid empyema., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-22-1212/coif). Kimihiro Shimizu serves as an unpaid editorial board member of Journal of Thoracic Disease from April 2022 to March 2024. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2023 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Background: Segmentectomy is a standard procedure, and there is considerable data on routine segmentectomies. However, there are only few reports on lobectomy performed in combination with segmentectomy (lobectomy + segmentectomy). Thus, we aimed to clarify the clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes of lobectomy + segmentectomy., Methods: We reviewed patients who underwent lobectomy + segmentectomy between January 2010 and July 2021 at Gunma University Hospital, Japan. We comparatively analyzed clinicopathological data of patients who underwent lobectomy + segmentectomy and those who underwent lobectomy in combination with wedge resection (lobectomy + wedge resection)., Results: We collected data from 22 patients who underwent lobectomy + segmentectomy and 72 who underwent lobectomy + wedge resection. Lobectomy + segmentectomy was mainly performed to treat lung cancer, and the median number of resected segments was 4.5 and the median number of lesions was 2. Lobectomy + segmentectomy was associated with a higher rate of thoracotomy and a longer operation time. Incidence of overall complications, including pulmonary fistula and pneumonia was higher in the lobectomy + segmentectomy group. However, there were no significant differences in the length of drainage, major complications, and mortality. For lobectomy + segmentectomy, the only left-sided procedure was a left lower lobectomy + lingulectomy, whereas procedures were diverse on the right side, mostly combining a right upper or middle lobectomy with atypical segmentectomies., Conclusions: Lobectomy + segmentectomy was performed for (I) multiple lung lesions, (II) lesions invading an adjacent lobe, or (III) lesions with a metastatic lymph node invading the bronchial bifurcation. Although lobectomy + segmentectomy is a lung-preserving procedure that can benefit patients with multiple or advanced diseases involving two lobes, this procedure should still be performed following a careful patient selection process., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-22-696/coif). KS serves as an unpaid editorial board member of Journal of Thoracic Disease from April 2019 to March 2024. SN received a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2023 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Background: Segmentectomy is now a common treatment option for both lung cancer and metastatic lung tumors with increasing data and evidence. However, data on multiple segmentectomy of different lobes are scarce. Our objective was to clarify the clinicopathological features of multiple segmentectomy., Methods: We reviewed patients who underwent segmentectomy between January 2010 and December 2019 at Gunma University Hospital. Multiple segmentectomy was defined as segmentectomy of different lobes during the same operation, in contrast to single segmentectomy, which was defined as segmentectomy of a single lobe. Clinicopathologic, operative, and postoperative results were compared between multiple segmentectomy and single segmentectomy., Results: There were 324 patients who underwent single segmentectomy and 11 patients (12 cases) who underwent multiple segmentectomy. Multiple segmentectomy was mostly performed for treatment of metastatic lesions rather than lung cancer. The median number of resected segments was 1 (range, 1-5) in the single segmentectomy group and 3 (range, 2-4) in the multiple segmentectomy group. The median number of resected lung lesions was 3.5 in the multiple segmentectomy group. Multiple segmentectomy was associated with longer operative time, more bleeding, and longer drainage period and postoperative stay than the single segmentectomy group. There were no significant differences in severe complications as well as 30- and 90-day mortality., Conclusions: Multiple segmentectomy is a lung-preserving procedure that can be considered for patients with multiple lung lesions and has feasible postoperative outcomes., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-21-1545/coif). KS serves as an unpaid editorial board member of Journal of Thoracic Disease. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2022 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Background: Correlations between volume doubling time (VDT) of primary lung cancer (PLC), histology, and ground glass opacity (GGO) components remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare VDT of PLC in terms of histology and presence or absence of GGO components., Methods: A total of 371 surgically resected PLCs from 2003 to 2015 in our institute were retrospectively reviewed. The VDT was calculated both from the diameters of the entire tumor and of consolidation by using the approximation formula of Schwartz., Results: The median VDTs of adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and others (large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas, small cell lung carcinomas, pulmonary pleomorphic carcinomas, and large cell carcinomas combined) were 261, 70, and 70 days, respectively; these differ significantly (P<0.001). All PLCs with GGO were adenocarcinomas. The VDT of adenocarcinomas with GGO was significantly longer than that of those without GGO (median VDT: 725 and 177 days, respectively), squamous cell carcinomas, and others. When the VDT calculated from the maximum diameter of consolidation component was compared, adenocarcinomas with GGO also showed significantly slower growth than those without GGO (median VDT: 248 versus 177 days, respectively, P=0.040)., Conclusions: The VDT of PLCs is longest for adenocarcinomas. VDT was significantly longer in adenocarcinomas with GGO components than in those without such components, irrespective of VDT calculated on the basis of either the entire tumor diameter or consolidation diameter., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

The appropriate lateral and posterior basal (S9 + 10) segmentectomy requires exposure and recognition of common basal pulmonary vein branches located deeply in the lung parenchyma. Therefore, we applied the intersegmental tunnelling method in S9 + 10 segmentectomy to recognize the dominant veins to the S9 + 10 segment accurately. Between April 2014 and December 2015, five patients underwent thoracoscopic S9 + 10 segmentectomy using intersegmental tunnelling. By using this technique, we can recognize the branches of the pulmonary vein to the affected S9 + 10 segment accurately. This technique can let us perform appropriate S9 + 10 segmentectomy., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Background: Prolonged air leakage after a lobectomy remains a frequent complication in patients with dense fissures. To avoid postoperative air leakage, we used the "thoracoscopic fissureless technique" for patients with dense fissures. A thoracoscopic approach is useful for the fissureless technique because it gives a good operative view from various angles without dividing the fissure. In this study, we compared the peri- or intraoperative results of thoracoscopic fissureless lobectomies to traditional lobectomies with fissure dissection for pulmonary artery (PA) exposure in order to identify the efficacy of thoracoscopic fissureless lobectomy., Methods: Between April 2012 and November 2015, 175 patients underwent a thoracoscopic lobectomy with three or four ports, of whom 14 underwent a fissureless lobectomy because of dense fissures. We compared the characteristics and perioperative outcomes of the patients who underwent the fissureless technique (fissureless technique group, n=14) and the traditional fissure dissection technique for PA exposure (traditional technique group, n=161). In our department, fissureless lobectomy is indicated for patients with a fused fissure (fissural grade III or IV as proposed by Craig in 1997) or inflammation makes it difficult to expose the PA, while the traditional technique is used for other patients., Results: Although the fissureless technique group had longer operation time than the traditional technique group (P=0.0045), there was no significant inter-group difference about blood loss (P=0.85), occurrence rate of intraoperative massive bleeding (P=0.6) or conversion rate to thoracotomy (P=0.31). According to postoperative results, there was no significant inter-group difference in duration of chest tube drainage (P=0.56), length of postoperative hospital stay (P=0.14), or morbidity rate (P=0.16). No mortality occurred in either group., Conclusions: A thoracoscopic fissureless lobectomy is feasible and safe, and useful to avoid postoperative air-leakage in patients with dense fissures., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Computed tomography (CT)-guided lung needle marking is useful to identify pulmonary nodules. However, certain complications sometimes trigger severe after-effects or death. So, we present a convenient and safe method by which small pulmonary nodules can be identified using a particular dye [2% (w/v) gentian violet]., Methods: A patient is initially placed in the lateral operative position. Under CT guidance, a "magic marker" is used to identify the skin above the pulmonary nodule. During the operation, the chest wall is punctured on that mark using a needle loop retractor (Mini Loop Retractor II). A swab saturated in the dye solution is attached to a silk thread and passed through the loop. The loop and string are subsequently retracted. The dye-stamp is apparent on the lung surface above the nodule after the lung is inflated. If the scapula, any vertebra, or the clavicle compromised access to a nodule, we used our geometric technique to locate that nodule., Results: We used this technique to treat 51 lesions of 50 patients presenting from 2013 to 2015. Mean tumor diameter was 7 mm. All lesions were identified via thoracoscopy, all nodules were constrained by ring forceps, and wedge resections were performed using a stapler. All lesions lay very close to the staple markings, as judged by finger or instrument palpation. No complications were encountered., Conclusions: The advantages of our technique are that it is simple and easy, air emboli are not an issue, the skin marking is rapid, safety is assured, and the skin marking does not require hospitalization. Our method is also useful such as following situations; it defines the margins of the cut line upon anatomical segmentectomy, indicates where a skin incision is required, and identifies impalpable nodules, which aids the lung resection but provides frozen sections to the pathologist., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

A 62-yr-old man was transferred to our institution with blunt chest trauma after being pinched between a car and a wall. Chest computed tomography revealed left-sided rib fractures, bilateral pneumothorax, and pneumopericardium, but no displacement of the heart. The pneumopericardium caused us to suspect a tear in the pericardium. Since the left pneumothorax was slightly more marked than the right, we planned a left-sided thoracoscopic exploration. As a result, a right-sided pericardial rupture was found and repaired under thoracotomy. It was difficult to judge the injured side of the pericardial tear. We learned a valuable lesson from this case: The extent of pleural air may be, but is not always, reliable for identification of the injured side of a pericardial rupture. Direct observation of the pleural space using a thoracoscope is necessary for definitive diagnosis.

The results of several pulmonary resections using a uniportal approach have been published. However, there are no reports of uniportal thoracoscopic anatomic segmentectomy in Japan. We have a fundamental belief in "reduced-port surgery" and therefore routinely perform uniportal thoracoscopic surgery for patients with pneumothorax. This report describes a successful case of uniportal thoracoscopic anatomic segmentectomy through a 3.5-cm incision in a 76-year-old woman with primary lung cancer. The patient was pathologically diagnosed with multiple primary adenocarcinomas stage IA (T1aN0M0). Postoperatively, no analgesics were needed. The operative procedure is described in detail and includes technical tips such as the pulley method, extra-vessel exposure, the shaft-on-shaft technique, one-hand encircling, and one-hand exposure. The selection criteria for uniportal thoracoscopic segmentectomy limit its use.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the perioperative results of a single-incision approach using multi-DOF forceps for spontaneous pneumothorax, in comparison with the traditional 3-port approach., Methods: Between May 2012 and June 2013, 44 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax underwent SITS, and their clinical characteristics and perioperative results were evaluated. We then compared those who had undergone SITS (SITS group) with those who had undergone traditional 3-port surgery before the study period (3-port group)., Results: The two groups were similar in terms of mean patient age and pneumothorax laterality (p = 0.81, 0.38), but the proportion of male patients was higher in the 3-port group than in the SITS group (p = 0.0026). Operation time in the SITS group (52.4 min) was longer than in the 3-port group (35.9 min, p &lt;0.0001). The duration of postoperative drainage and hospital stay did not differ significantly between the groups (p = 0.19, 0.075). Although 14 of the 56 SITS patients (25%) showed mild adhesion in the pleural cavity, none required conversion to a 3-port approach. The bullous region in two or three lobes was resected in 23 patients (41%)., Conclusions: SITS using multi-DOF forceps is a useful approach for treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax in selected patients.

A 79-year-old female patient was admitted because of profuse bleeding from a skin defect in the anterior chest due to a deep sternal wound infection. Eighteen years earlier, she had undergone irradiation to treat a sternal metastasis from breast cancer. Computed tomography (CT) showed the extravasation of iodinated contrast material from the ascending aorta. The patient underwent an immediate thoracotomy and recovered. This report presents a very rare case of massive bleeding from the thoracic aorta due to a mediastinal infection after irradiation for sternal metastasis from breast cancer.

Objective: This study investigated the use of a new bipolar sealing device (BSD) in right superior mediastinal lymph node dissection during thoracoscopic surgery., Methods: The study population consisted of 42 consecutive patients undergoing lobectomy with right superior mediastinal lymph node dissection for primary lung cancer. Operative results were compared with those of conventional surgery in 42 background-matched controls. The primary endpoint for the present analysis was the success of right superior mediastinal lymph node dissection during thoracoscopic surgery using a BSD. The secondary endpoints included the duration of the operation, number of dissected lymph nodes, chest drainage volume and duration, postoperative hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality., Results: The BSD was used successfully in 42 patients. No significant difference in duration of lymph node dissection, chest drainage volume, drainage duration, or number of dissected lymph nodes was observed between the study group and the controls. Because of a learning curve, the procedure initially took more than 20 minutes to complete, but surgical time was reduced to approximately 15 minutes after the procedure was performed in 15 patients., Conclusions: Our method is safe and in no way inferior to the conventional procedure. The tendency of the learning curve suggests that a significantly shorter duration of lymph node dissection is possible using this method.