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Cytomegalovirus (CMV) commonly infects immunocompromised individuals, such as cancer patients. We present a case involving a 60‐year‐old male with Stage 3A lung adenocarcinoma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosed with CMV tracheobronchitis, initially suspected as cancer progression. Treatment with ganciclovir led to partial improvement in symptoms of shortness of breath and cough, as well as bronchoscopic findings. However, due to ganciclovir‐induced neutropenia, the therapy was switched to foscarnet. Distinguishing between cancer progression and infectious tracheobronchitis through physical examination and chest CT scans remains challenging. In lung cancer patients presenting with airway and bronchial narrowing along with ulcerative mucosal lesions, CMV infection should be considered. A bronchoscopic biopsy is crucial for accurate diagnosis and determining the appropriate treatment in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The conventional double-lumen tube (DLT) insertion method requires a rotatory maneuver that was developed using direct laryngoscopy and may not be optimal for video laryngoscopy. This study compared a new non-rotatory maneuver with the conventional method for DLT insertion using video laryngoscopy. Methods: Patients scheduled for thoracic surgery requiring one-lung ventilation were randomly assigned to either the rotating (R) or non-rotating (NR) method groups. All patients were intubated using a customized rigid J-shaped stylet, a video laryngoscope, and a left-sided silicone DLT. The conventional rotatory maneuver was performed in the R group. In the NR group, the stylet was inserted with its tip oriented anteriorly (12 o'clock direction) while maintaining the bronchial lumen towards the left (9 o'clock direction). After reaching the glottic opening, the tube was inserted using a non-rotatory maneuver, maintaining the initial orientation. The primary endpoint was the intubation time. Secondary endpoints included first-trial success rate, sore throat, hoarseness, and airway injury. Results: Ninety patients (forty-five in each group) were included. The intubation time was significantly shorter in the NR group compared to the R group (22.0 [17.0, 30.0] s vs. 28.0 [22.0, 34.0] s, respectively), with a median difference of 6 s (95% confidence interval [CI], 3–11 s; p = 0.017). The NR group had a higher first-attempt success rate and a lower incidence of sore throats. Conclusions: The non-rotatory technique with video laryngoscopy significantly reduced intubation time and improved first-attempt success rate, offering a viable and potentially superior alternative to the conventional rotatory technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One major challenge associated with lung cancer organoids (LCOs) is their predominant derivation from surgical specimens of patients with early-stage lung cancer. However, patients with advanced lung cancer, who are in need of chemotherapy, often cannot undergo surgery. Therefore, there is an urgent need to successfully generate LCOs from biopsy specimens. Conventional lung biopsy techniques, such as transthoracic needle biopsy and forceps biopsy, only yield small amounts of lung tissue, resulting in a low success rate for culturing LCOs from biopsy samples. Furthermore, potential complications, like bleeding and pneumothorax, make it difficult to obtain sufficient tissue. Another critical issue is the overgrowth of normal lung cells in later passages of LCO culture, and the optimal culture conditions for LCOs are yet to be determined. To address these limitations, we attempted to create LCOs from cryobiopsy specimens obtained from patients with lung cancer (n = 113). Overall, the initial success rate of establishing LCOs from cryobiopsy samples was 40.7% (n = 46). Transbronchial cryobiopsy enables the retrieval of significantly larger amounts of lung tissue than bronchoscopic forceps biopsy. Additionally, cryobiopsy can be employed for peripheral lesions, and it is aided via radial endobronchial ultrasonography. This study significantly improved the success rate of LCO culture and demonstrated that the LCOs retained characteristics that resembled the primary tumors. Single-cell RNA sequencing confirmed high cancer cell purity in early passages of LCOs derived from patients with advanced lung cancer. Furthermore, the three-dimensional structure and intracellular components of LCOs were characterized using three-dimensional holotomography. Finally, drug screening was performed using a specialized micropillar culture system with cryobiopsy-derived LCOs. LCOs derived from cryobiopsy specimens offer a promising solution to the critical limitations of conventional LCOs. Cryobiopsy can be applied to patients with lung cancer at all stages, including those with peripheral lesions, and can provide sufficient cells for LCO generation. Therefore, we anticipate that cryobiopsy will serve as a breakthrough strategy for the clinical application of LCOs in all stages of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mediastinitis by endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration. • EBUS-related mediastinitis is treated effectively by surgical drainage. • Combination of surgery and medical treatment can be very effective in the treatment of inflammation caused by EBUS. We report two cases of severe mediastinitis accompanied by abscess due to endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), that were successfully treated by effective surgical drainage. A 68-year-old woman was referred to our hospital due to chest discomfort and high fever after EBUS-TBNA, and a 54-year-old man was referred due to general weakness, chills, and high fever after the same procedure. Both were diagnosed with EBUS-related mediastinitis and discharged after surgical treatment. Similar to previous reports, the importance of surgical procedures for mediastinitis caused by EBUS-TBNA was suggested. Further research and establishment of guidelines on this matter is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to analyse the prognostic significance of the dominant features of ground-glass opacities (GGOs) in part-solid node-negative adenocarcinomas with invasive components of similar sizes. METHODS From 2004 to 2017, a total of 544 patients with a diagnosis of part-solid pathological node-negative adenocarcinoma with an invasive component <20 mm in size were selected. The enrolled patients were categorized into 2 groups: a GGO-dominant [50% < GGO (%) < 100%, n  = 245] group (group 1) and a solid-dominant [0% < GGO (%) ≤ 50%, n  = 299] group (group 2). To analyse the prognostic significance of GGO-dominant features, propensity score matching incorporating variables such as age, sex, preoperative pulmonary function, operation methods and size of the solid component was performed. RESULTS Propensity score matching produced 92 patients in each group for the prognostic analysis. The mean size of the solid part was 8.8 mm in the GGO-dominant group and 9.0 mm in the solid-dominant group (P  = 0.34); the mean size of the total lesion was 22.2 mm in the GGO-dominant group and 14.9 mm in the solid-dominant group (P  < 0.001). The 5-year overall survival rates were 96.7% in group 1 and 96.2% in group 2 (P  = 0.52), and the 5-year disease-free survival rates were 96.7% in group 1 and 94.3% in group 2 (P  = 0.48). CONCLUSIONS Although the total sizes of the GGO-dominant lesions were larger than those of the solid-dominant lesions, the prognosis of patients with GGO-dominant lesions was not significantly different from that of patients with solid-dominant lesions in node-negative adenocarcinomas with a similar invasive component size <20 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent rise in minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures is being accompanied by an increase in related complications. We report on an acute type A aortic dissection performed in an 82-year-old man 1 week after staged 'zone 0' hybrid thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Previously, the patient had undergone type I hybrid arch debranching and staged 'zone 0' TEVAR for an aortic arch aneurysm. 'Zone 0' TEVAR after type I hybrid debranching might increase the risk for aortic injury on the residual native aorta and should, therefore, be closely followed up to enable the early diagnosis of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Importance: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of surgical intervention in treating traumatic diaphragmatic rupture accompanied by pleural empyema resulting from radiofrequency ablation for renal cell carcinoma., Case Presentation: A 72-year-old female patient underwent radiofrequency ablation at our institution's urology department to address a 4-cm tumor in the left upper kidney detected during routine health screening. Subsequently, the patient experienced persistent fever from the 5th day post- procedure. Chest radiography revealed increased opacity in the left lower lung, prompting further evaluation with contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography. Examination revealed multiple loculated effusions and discernible diaphragmatic defects. Consequently, the patient was referred to the department of thoracic surgery, where an emergency surgery was performed. The surgical procedure was performed under general anesthesia the following day, revealing a 4-centimeter defect in the diaphragm along with damaged surrounding tissue and multiple loculated empyema sacs within the thoracic cavity. The intervention included excision of the empyema sacs, extensive irrigation, and reconstruction of the diaphragm using a 2-mm Gore- Tex membrane. One week postoperatively, the patient was discharged without any complications related to the procedure., Clinical Discussion: Although radiofrequency ablation is considered a relatively safe procedure with low complication rates, vigilant post-procedural monitoring is essential for detecting potentially serious complications., Conclusion: Surgical intervention remains the preferred approach for the repair of traumatic diaphragmatic ruptures and is typically performed via thoracotomy., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement No conflicts of interest related to this work., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: Radiation therapy, a standard postoperative treatment for breast cancer, can lead to chronic ulcers owing to compromised tissue healing. Accordingly, flap surgery using healthy tissues is essential for aesthetic and functional recovery. Although various flap techniques exist, each has its own drawbacks. This study introduces the vertical muscle-sparing latissimus dorsi flap as a superior alternative due to its comparative operative efficiency and tissue preservation., Case Report: Two female patients aged 60 and 59 years with histories of breast cancer in their left breast treated with radiotherapy presented with chronic ulcers. The first patient had a 4 × 5 cm defect infiltrating the pleural space, while the second had a 15 × 9 cm defect after thoracic surgery for a bronchopleural fistula. In both cases, debridement was followed by reconstruction using a vertical muscle-sparing latissimus dorsi flap, thereby avoiding the need to change the patient's position and repeated draping during surgery. Both patients showed good postoperative recovery without significant complications., Results: The vertical muscle-sparing latissimus dorsi flap resulted in better adhesions and functional outcomes due to shorter surgical duration., Conclusion: The vertical muscle-sparing latissimus dorsi flap is an effective and efficient method for reconstructing radiation-induced chest wall ulcers in patients with breast cancer. Its application in the presented cases highlights its potential as a preferred option in similar clinical scenarios., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Han, Kim, Kim and Ha.)

Background: The internal mammary artery (IMA) is the most commonly used graft in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) because of its superior long-term patency rate. However, its small diameter poses challenges in handling, and any vascular damage that may occur during harvesting can significantly affect surgical outcomes. The primary focus during IMA harvesting is to ensure safe and effective hemostasis without direct vascular injury, while ensuring secure and reliable ligation of the vascular branches. Various methods using multiple surgical instruments have been used for this purpose. Unlike traditional instruments, the shear-tip Harmonic scalpel offers more precise vessel branching control, while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues. In this study, we assessed the utility of the shear-tip Harmonic scalpel in patients undergoing minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICABG)., Methods: From April 2019 to May 2023, a total of 40 patients underwent MICABG. The IMA was harvested using the shear-tip Harmonic scalpel with a clipless skeletonized technique. In this cohort, 5 patients underwent complete endoscopic harvesting, while 34 patients underwent direct visualization harvesting through minimal thoracotomy. Graft patency was assessed by measuring a Doppler flowmeter in the bypass conduit., Results: Successful graft patency was achieved in all patients. The mean duration of IMA harvesting was 87 min. In total, 38 of the 40 patients underwent MICABG without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass, ensuring a stable procedure. There were no graft-related events or complications observed in any of the patients, and all were discharged without any issues. During a median follow-up period of 15.2 months, only one patient experienced graft occlusion necessitating intervention., Conclusions: The utilization of shear-tip Harmonic scalpel for IMA harvesting in MICABG is feasible and yields stable early results., 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-23-1810/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Background: Perfusion index (PI) has been used as a surrogate marker of sympathetic blockade. This study evaluated changes in PI of bilateral upper extremity after thoracic paravertebral block (PVB) and intertransverse process block (ITPB)., Methods: This pilot study included three groups of patients undergoing elective unilateral pulmonary resection under general anesthesia with PVB (n=11) or ITPB (n=10), or urologic procedures with general anesthesia (control group, n=10). Blockades were performed using 10 mL aliquots of 0.5% ropivacaine administered at T3-4, T5-6, and T7-8 intercostal levels immediately after general anesthesia induction. The PI value of the operating side (PI-O) was divided by the contralateral side (PI-CL), and the relative change to baseline was assessed (relative PI-O/PI-CL), with a 50% increase considered meaningful., Results: In all cases within the PVB and ITPB groups, a significant increase in PI was observed following the blockades. The median (1Q, 3Q) intraoperative relative PI-O/PI-CL values were 0.9 (0.8, 1.4), 2.1 (1.4, 2.5), and 1.4 (0.9, 1.9) in the control, PVB, and ITPB groups (P=0.01), respectively. Pairwise comparison revealed a significant difference only between the control and PVB groups (adjusted P=0.01). While the relative PI-O/PI-CL value in the control group generally remained close to 1, occasional fluctuations exceeding 1.5 were noted., Conclusions: PVB induced a noticeable unilateral increase in upper extremity PI, whereas ITPB tended to result in an inconsistent and lesser degree of increase. Monitoring PI values can serve as an indicator of upper extremity sympathetic blockade, but consideration of potential confounders impacting these observations during surgery is essential. Further research is needed to validate these findings., 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-24-69/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Background: Recent advances in imaging modalities and recommended low-dose computed tomography screening programs have made it easier to diagnose early lung cancer. However, the diagnosis of small ground-glass nodules (GGNs) has been problematic due to inappropriate specimen procurement and failure of conventional percutaneous core needle biopsy. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the usefulness of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB)-guided video-assisted lung resection for not only the diagnosis but also treatment of GGNs., Methods: From 2017 to 2019, 110 patients with suspicious lung cancer lesions that were not diagnosed by conventional procedure underwent ENB-guided lung resection. Among 35 cases of GGNs, 33 cases of localization were included in this study (two cup biopsy cases were excluded). We used SuperDimension™ for the ENB procedure. After general anesthesia, indigo carmine (0.3-0.5 mL) was injected, and GGNs were resected through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery., Results: Of the 33 GGNs, 16 were pure (2 adenocarcinomas in situ, 5 minimally invasive adenocarcinomas (MIAs), 3 adenocarcinomas, and 6 benign lesions) and 17 were mixed (1 MIA, 11 adenocarcinomas, and 5 benign lesions). The mean size of all lesions was 11.2±7.78 mm, mean distance to the pleura was 11.2±14.2 mm, and mean ENB procedure time was 18.8±8.88 minutes. Dye localization and surgical resection of GGN were successful in all cases. There was no procedure-related complication., Conclusions: ENB is a feasible and highly accurate localization method for minimally invasive lung resection of small GGNs., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/jtd.2020.03.71). The authors have no conflicts of interests to declare., (2020 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Background: There has been controversy regarding prognostic factors for surgically resected primary pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC). Recently, several studies have shown that neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was a prognostic factor for various types of cancers from multiple organs. Therefore, we performed this study to evaluate whether NLR is related to prognosis after complete surgical resection of primary PSC., Methods: From Oct. 2003 to Sep. 2015, a total of 50 patients underwent surgical resection for primary PSC. After excluding patients with any history of other malignancy and incompletely resected cases, a total of 37 patients were included, and data were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Change in postoperative NLR and the initial NLR (ΔNLR) was calculated from the perioperative complete blood count (CBC) results., Results: Mean age of the cohort was 62.2±1.9 years, and 31 patients (83.8%) were male. Twenty patients (54.1%) were revealed as pN0. Overall 5-year survival rate was 50.3%. Seventeen patients (45.9%) had locoregional or distant metastases. Univariate survival analysis revealed age >70, ΔNLR >17 as risk factors for overall survival (P=0.009, 0.005) and disease-free survival (P=0.036, 0.018). Multivariate Cox-regression analysis revealed age >70 and ΔNLR >17 as independent risk factors for overall survival and ΔNLR >17 as the only independent risk factor for the disease-free survival., Conclusions: In patients with completely resected primary PSC, perioperative ΔNLR had a significant effect on the overall survival and disease-free survival. Older age was also an independent risk factor for overall survival., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Unfractionated heparin is commonly used for anticoagulation in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Several studies have shown that nafamostat mesilate (NM) has comparable clinical outcomes to unfractionated heparin. This study compared anticoagulation with NM and heparin in a large-animal model., Methods: Beagle dogs (n=8; weight, 6.5-9 kg) were placed on venovenous ECMO. Blood samples were taken every hour and the following parameters were compared: hemoglobin level, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), thromboelastography (TEG) data, platelet function, and inflammatory cytokine levels., Results: In both groups, the aPTT was longer than the baseline value. Although the aPTT in the NM group was shorter than in the heparin group, the TEG parameters were similar between the 2 groups. Hemoglobin levels decreased in both groups, but the decrease was less with NM than with heparin (p=0.049). Interleukin (IL)-1 β levels significantly decreased in the NM group (p=0.01), but there was no difference in the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha or IL-10 between the 2 groups., Conclusion: NM showed a similar anticoagulant effect to that of unfractionated heparin, with fewer bleeding complications. NM also had anti-inflammatory properties during ECMO. Based on this preclinical study, NM may be a good alternative candidate for anticoagulation in ECMO., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Background: Paraplegia is a devastating complication following operations on the thoracoabdominal aorta. We investigated whether histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution could reduce the extent of ischemia/reperfusion (IR) spinal cord injuries in a rat model using a direct delivery method., Methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into four groups. The sham group (n=6) underwent a sham operation, the IR group (n=6) underwent only an aortic occlusion, the saline infusion group (saline group, n=6) underwent an aortic occlusion and direct infusion of cold saline into the occluded aortic segment, and the HTK infusion group (HTK group, n=6) underwent an aortic occlusion and direct infusion of cold HTK solution into the occluded aortic segment. An IR spinal cord injury was induced by transabdominal clamping of the aorta distally to the left renal artery and proximally to the aortic bifurcation for 60 minutes. A neurological evaluation of locomotor function was performed using the modified Tarlov score after 48 hours of reperfusion. The spinal cord was harvested for histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations., Results: The spinal cord IR model using direct drug delivery in rats was highly reproducible. The Tarlov score was 4.0 in the sham group, 1.17±0.75 in the IR group, 1.33±1.03 in the saline group, and 2.67±0.81 in the HTK group (p=0.04). The histopathological analysis of the HTK group showed reduced neuronal cell death., Conclusion: Direct infusion of cold HTK solution into the occluded aortic segment may reduce the extent of spinal cord injuries in an IR model in rats.