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Advances in perioperative assessment and diagnostics, together with developments in anesthetic and surgical techniques, have considerably expanded the pool of patients who may be suitable for pulmonary resection. Thoracic surgical patients frequently are perceived to be at high perioperative risk due to advanced age, level of comorbidity, and the risks associated with pulmonary resection, which predispose them to a significantly increased risk of perioperative complications, increased healthcare resource use, and costs. The definition of what is considered "fit for surgery" in thoracic surgery continually is being challenged. However, no internationally standardized definition of prohibitive risk exists. Perioperative assessment traditionally concentrates on the "three-legged stool" of pulmonary mechanical function, parenchymal function, and cardiopulmonary reserve. However, no single criterion should exclude a patient from surgery, and there are other perioperative factors in addition to the tripartite assessment that need to be considered in order to more accurately assess functional capacity and predict individual perioperative risk. In this review, the authors aim to address some of the more erudite concepts that are important in preoperative risk assessment of the patient at potentially prohibitive risk undergoing pulmonary resection for malignancy.

Objective Minimally invasive procedures coupled with enhanced recovery pathways enable faster postoperative recovery and shorter hospitalizations. However, patients may experience unexpected concerns after return home, prompting after-hours calls. We aimed to characterize concerns prompting after-hours calls to improve discharge strategies. Methods A single-institution, retrospective review was conducted of thoracic surgical patients from 11/4/2019 to 6/14/2020. Records were reviewed and elements of patient demographics, surgical procedures, postoperative courses, reasons for calls, and outcome of calls were collected. We compared characteristics of patients who made after-hours calls to those who did not, and performed multivariable analysis to identify characteristics associated with making an after-hours call. Results During the study period, 379 patients underwent thoracic surgical procedures, among whom 88 (23.2%) initiated after-hours calls. Of these, 62 (70%) addressed patient symptoms, while 26 (30%) addressed patient questions including drain management, medications, and hospital policy questions. Patients making after-hours calls more frequently had undergone complex operations (26.1% vs 8.2%, P = 0.001), and were less likely to have received a standardized, clinician-initiated post-discharge telephone follow-up (29.5% vs 54.3%, P < 0.001). Complex operations increased likelihood of after-hours calls (OR: 3.33, 95% CI: 1.69-6.57, P < 0.001), while receipt of clinician-initiated telephone follow-up decreased likelihood of after-hours calls (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.22-0.64, P < 0.001). There were no differences in emergency visits between the 2 groups (11% vs 8%, P = 0.370). Conclusions Despite efforts to optimize patient symptoms and knowledge prior to discharge, a substantial number of patients still have concerns after discharge. Many after-hours calls are related to knowledge gaps that may be addressed with improved predischarge education. Moreover, clinician-initiated telephone follow-up shows benefit in reducing after-hours calls.

Background Decreasing the length of stay after thoracic surgery provides both clinical and financial benefits to both the patient and the clinical system. Since 2017, our institution has seen advancements in the care of patients undergoing thoracic surgery after utilising our protocol Enhanced Recovery After Thoracic Surgery (ERATS). Methods The protocol we implemented is comprehensive, including the patient’s pain management, thoracostomy tube drainage, physical therapy and rehabilitation, ventilator support and pulmonary care, as well as other features of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care. In a retrospective review, we compared the overall length of stay prior to the protocol implementation to the length of stay after initiating the changes. Results We identified a median decrease of 2 days (from 6 days to 4 days) following the implementation of this protocol for all types of thoracic surgical procedures (p Conclusions Upon implementation of the ERATS protocol, we appreciated a decrease in the length of stay of thoracic surgery patients at our institution.

The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the implementation of measures to prevent perioperative COVID-19 in thoracic surgery during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic 2020 allowing a continued surgical treatment of patients. The implemented preventive measures in patient management of the thoracic surgery department of the Asklepios Lung Clinic Munich-Gauting, Germany were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative COVID-19 incidence before and after implementation of preventive measures was investigated. Patients admitted for thoracic surgical procedures between March and May 2020 were included in the study. Patient characteristics were analyzed. For the early detection of putative postoperative COVID-19 symptoms, typical post-discharge symptomatology of thoracic surgery patients was compared to non-surgical patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Thirty-five surgical procedures and fifty-seven surgical procedures were performed before and after implementation of the preventive measures, respectively. Three patients undergoing thoracic surgery before implementation of preventive measures developed a COVID-19 pneumonia post-discharge. After implementation of preventive measures, no postoperative COVID-19 cases were identified. Fever, dyspnea, dry cough and diarrhea were significantly more prevalent in COVID-19 patients compared to normally recovering thoracic surgery patients, while anosmia, phlegm, low energy levels, body ache and nausea were similarly frequent in both groups. Based on the lessons learned during the first pandemic wave, we here provide a blueprint for successful easily implementable preventive measures minimizing SARS-CoV-2 transmission to thoracic surgery patients perioperatively. While symptoms of COVID-19 and the normal postoperative course of thoracic surgery patients substantially overlap, we found dyspnea, fever, cough, and diarrhea significantly more prevalent in COVID-19 patients than in normally recovering thoracic surgery patients. These symptoms should trigger further diagnostic testing for postoperative COVID-19 in thoracic surgery patients. Ziel dieser retrospektiven Studie war die Untersuchung von Maßnahmen zur Prävention perioperativer COVID-19-Erkrankungen bei fortgesetztem Vollbetrieb der Thoraxchirurgie während der ersten Welle der COVID-19-Pandemie 2020. Es erfolgte eine retrospektive Analyse von eingesetzten Präventionsmaßnahmen in der Abteilung für Thoraxchirurgie der Asklepios Lungenklinik München-Gauting. Hierzu wurde die Inzidenz postoperativer COVID-19-Erkrankungen vor und nach der Einführung der Präventionsmaßnahmen ausgewertet. Patienten mit thoraxchirurgischen Operationen zwischen März und Mai 2020 wurden in die Studie eingeschlossen. Durch den Vergleich der postoperativen Symptome thoraxchirurgischer Patienten mit Symptomen von COVID-19-Patienten wurden spezifische Symptome zur Früherkennung der postoperativen COVID-19-Erkrankung identifiziert. Vor Einführung der Präventionsmaßnahmen erfolgten 35 thoraxchirurgische Operationen innerhalb von 22 Tagen während hoher COVID-19-Prävalenz im Einzugsgebiet der Klinik. Nach Einführung der Präventionsmaßnahmen erfolgten 57 thoraxchirurgische Eingriffe innerhalb von 54 Tagen. Vor Umsetzung der Präventionsmaßnahmen entwickelten 3 Patienten postoperativ eine COVID-19-Pneumonie. Nach Umsetzung zeigte sich kein postoperativer COVID-19-Fall. Fieber, Atemnot, trockener Husten und Durchfall waren bei an COVID-19 erkrankten Patienten signifikant häufiger als bei thoraxchirurgischen Patienten mit regelhaftem postoperativem Verlauf. Anosmie, Auswurf, Abgeschlagenheit, Gliederschmerzen und Übelkeit traten in beiden Gruppen ähnlich häufig auf. Basierend auf unseren Erfahrungen in der ersten Pandemiewelle bieten wir eine Blaupause für erfolgreiche, leicht umzusetzende präventive Maßnahmen zur Minimierung des Risikos für eine perioperative COVID-19-Erkrankung bei thoraxchirurgischen Patienten. Wir konnten zeigen, dass Symptome einer postoperativen COVID-19-Pneumonie teilweise schwer von klassischen postoperativen Beschwerden abgrenzbar sind. Postoperative Dyspnoe, Fieber, Husten und Diarrhöen traten jedoch signifikant häufiger bei COVID-19-Erkrankten als im postoperativen Verlauf thoraxchirurgischer Patienten auf und sollten daher differenzialdiagnostisch an eine postoperative COVID-19-Erkrankung denken lassen.

Thoracic surgical procedures and the use of cardiac devices such as pacemakers are becoming increasingly common in the population. Therefore, dermatologists may be more likely to encounter previously implanted or discarded surgical material during a dermatological operation on the chest wall. A basic understanding of the types of wires and tunneling paths used in such procedures is essential to accurately predict the presence of these wires and effectively manage any chance encounters. Dermatologists should be aware that temporary epicardial pacemaker electrodes and pacemaker electrodes often remain in the chest wall of many patients. All patients with a history of cardiac surgery should be asked about the possible presence of temporary epicardial electrodes in their body, and if such materials are found during the operation, it is necessary to immediately stop the procedure and do not undertake further manipulations with them until the material from which it is made is determined. Specialists in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery need to document any abandoned wire in the patient's list of problems and inform the patient about the abandoned wire so that he or she can be an important source of clinical information. Trying to pull out the remaining pacemaker electrodes is a serious risk, so dermatologist surgeons should not attempt it under any circumstances. When detecting wire material, it is necessary to determine the type and location of the material before any manipulation or pulling attempts. Once it is established that this is a non-functional, abandoned wire, it is necessary to apply the correct technique for removing it, which consists in gently pulling and securing the wire at the exit point. Accurate identification of the material is required in order not to interfere with the operation of the active device and not to abandon the operation unnecessarily. The aim of the work is to consider the implementation of dermatological operations in patients who have previously undergone cardiac surgery.

Lung cancer is a type of neoplasia with one of the highest incidences worldwide and is the largest cause of mortality due to cancer in the world today. It is classified according to its histological and biological characteristics, which will determine its treatment and prognosis. Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for 85% of the cases, and these are the cases that surgeons mostly deal with. Small cell lung cancer accounts for the remaining 15%. Surgery is the main method for treating early stage lung cancer, and lobectomy is the preferred procedure for treating primary lung cancer, while sublobar resection is an alternative for patients with poor reserve or with very small tumors. Surgeons need to be trained to use the resources and techniques available for lung resection, including less invasive approaches such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS), and need to be familiar with new oncological approaches, including curative, adjuvant or palliative treatments for patients with lung cancer.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in patients undergoing complex thoracic surgical procedures. However, studies reporting the clinical outcomes of these patients are limited to case reports, without real consensus. Our aim was to evaluate the perioperative use of ECMO as respiratory and/or circulatory support in thoracic surgery: indications, benefits, and perioperative management. Methods: Between May 2013 and December 2018, we reviewed the clinical data of 15 patients (11 males and 4 females; mean age: 47 years old; range, 25–73 years) undergoing ECMO-assisted thoracic surgery in our hospital. Results: Of the 15 patients, 10 cases received peripheral veno-arterial (VA) ECMO and five cases received veno-venous (VV) ECMO. Indications for ECMO were pulmonary transplantation with hard-to-maintain oxygenation (n = 5), traumatic main bronchial rupture (n = 2), traumatic lung injury (n = 1), airway tumor leading to severe airway stenosis (n = 2), huge thoracic mass infiltrated vena cava (n = 5). The ECMO duration was 1–51 hours. All patients were successfully extubated and weaned from ECMO postoperatively. The main complications were hemorrhage (26.7%), infection (33.3%), acute hepatic dysfunction (33.3%), and venous thrombosis (26.7%). There was only one hospital death and postoperative one-year survival rate was 86%. Conclusion: Our experience indicates that ECMO is a feasible method for complex trachea-bronchial surgery, huge thoracic mass excision and lung transplantation, and the ECMO-related risks may be justified. With further accumulation of experience with ECMO, a more sophisticated protocol for management of critical airway or heart failure problems in thoracic surgeries can be derived.

Objective Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) with a pre-emptive pain management program has been shown to decrease opioid prescriptions after thoracic surgery. We sought to determine which patient or procedural factors were associated with the need for prescription opioid medications after thoracic surgical procedures. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of a postoperative pain survey at the time of follow-up in combination with procedural and patient characteristic data. We then performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression to determine factors associated with prescription opioids use. Results Two hundred twenty-eight patients completed questionnaires at a median of 37 days after surgery. Most patients received minimally invasive surgery (n = 213, 93%) with the 2 most common types of operations being foregut (n = 92, 40%) and pulmonary resection (n = 80, 35%). Thirty-nine percent of patients (n = 89) were taking chronic pain medications preoperatively, with 15% on chronic opioids medication (n = 33). After surgery, 166 patients (72%) did not take opioids at home. Multivariate analysis showed any chronic opioid medications before surgery (odds ratio, 28.8; 95% confidence interval, 9.13-90.8, P Conclusions ERAS with pre-emptive pain management was associated with patients avoiding opioid prescriptions during recovery. The patient factor of preoperative opioid pain medication(s) and younger age is a significant factor for the patient needing opioids at home after surgery instead of procedural factors. Patient characteristics should be considered when tailoring the patient's pain management after thoracic surgical procedures.

Purpose of review Perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is most often employed during cardiac surgery. This review will summarize some of the recent findings relevant to TEE utilization during thoracic surgical procedures. Recent findings Hemodynamic monitoring is a key component of goal-directed fluid therapy, which is also becoming more common for management of thoracic surgical procedures. Although usually not required for the anesthetic management of common thoracic surgeries, TEE is frequently used during lung transplantation and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. Few clinical studies support current practice patterns, and most recommendations are based on expert opinion. Summary Currently, routine use of TEE in thoracic surgery is often limited to specific high-risk patients and/or procedures. As in other perioperative settings, TEE may be utilized to elucidate the cause of acute hemodynamic instability without apparent cause. Contraindications to TEE still apply and have to be taken into consideration before performing a TEE on a thoracic surgical patient.

OBJECTIVES We reviewed the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 cases and the postoperative outcomes of patients who had thoracic surgery during the beginning and at the highest point of transmission in our community. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed patients who had undergone elective thoracic surgery from 12 February 2020 to 30 April 2020 and were symptomatic or tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection within 14 days after surgery, with a focus on their complications and potential deaths. RESULTS Out of 101 surgical procedures, including 57 primary oncological resections, 6 lung transplants and 18 emergency procedures, only 5 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 were identified, 3 in the immediate postoperative period and 2 as outpatients. All 5 patients had cancer; the median age was 64 years. The main virus-related symptom was fever (80%), and the median onset of coronavirus disease 2019 was 3 days. Although 80% of the patients who had positive test results for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 required in-hospital care, none of them were considered severe or critical and none died. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that, in properly selected cases, with short preoperative in-hospital stays, strict isolation and infection control protocols, managed by a dedicated multidisciplinary team, a surgical procedure could be performed with a relatively low risk for the patient., Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China [1], over 4.9 million cases have been diagnosed around the world [2].

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The extraordinary demands of managing the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the world's ability to care for patients with thoracic malignancies. As a hospital's COVID-19 population increases and hospital resources are depleted, the ability to provide surgical care is progressively restricted, forcing surgeons to prioritize among their cancer populations. Representatives from multiple cancer, surgical, and research organizations have come together to provide a guide for triaging patients with thoracic malignancies as the impact of COVID-19 evolves as each hospital.

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As many as one third of patients undergoing minimally invasive thoracic surgery and one half undergoing thoracotomy will have chronic pain, defined as pain lasting 2 to 3 months. There is limited information regarding predictors of chronic pain and even less is known about its impact on health-related quality of life, known as pain interference. Currently, there is a focus on decreased opioid prescribing after surgery. Interestingly, thoracic surgical patients are the least likely to be receiving opioids before surgery and have the highest rate of new persistent opioid use after surgery compared with other surgical cohorts. These studies of opioid use have identified important predictors of new persistent opioid use, but their findings are limited by failing to correlate opioid use with pain. The objectives of this invited review are to present the findings of pertinent studies of chronic pain and opioid use after thoracic surgery, "where we are," and to discuss gaps in our knowledge of these topics and opportunities for research to fill those gaps, "where we need to go."

Introduction: Microalbuminuria (MA) is considered a reflection of systemic capillary leak and an early marker of acute stress reaction to the surgical insult, proportional to the severity of the initiating condition and predictive of the individual response to surgical stress. Objectives: We conducted a prospective study to assess for the variation of MA within 4 days after thoracic surgery. We correlated observed MA levels with both their respective PaO2/FiO2 respiratory ratio and the onset of postoperative complications. Methods: This single-centre study enrolled 255 consecutive patients having an American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA)score≤3. The mean age was 62 years with 67% male. All patients were scheduled for elective pulmonary resection. MA was measured in urine samples as the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (A/C), prior to, at and after extubation up to 96 hours. PaO2/FiO2 was measured at extubation and on the first postoperative day. Results: Overall, preoperative A/C levels resulted normal, with a significant average increase at extubation which peaked 6 hours later (P 61mg/g (P=0.0003) was associated with postoperative cardio-pulmonary complications (OR 3.85; P=0.003). Conclusion: Within 6 hours after extubation, MA assessment may be a rapid and relatively inexpensive method for better predicting perioperative risk in an ASA score ≤3 population.

Background: In the current healthcare environment there is increasing pressure to deliver high quality care to more people at less cost. Robotic assisted thoracic surgical procedures (RATS) have been shown by some to be more expensive than conventional endoscopic or open surgery. We initiated this study to assess the financial impact of RATS compared to robotic non-thoracic surgery in an academic institution. Methods: A retrospective study was performed for all patients who underwent any robotically assisted surgical procedure at Temple University Hospital (TUH) in fiscal year 2015. Surgical volume, operative time, length of stay (LOS), case mix index (CMI), direct and indirect costs, hospital charges, surgical charges, contribution margin (CM) and net margin (NM) were collected for the thoracic surgery service in addition to other services which performed more than 20 robotic cases a year. We analyzed the data according to the following strategy: (I) financial performance for both inpatient and outpatient robotic procedures for the entire hospital; (II) compared financial data for robotic and non-robotic surgeries in the thoracic surgery division; (III) compared thoracic surgery data with the STS database for the same time period in order to calculate any potential cost saving (PCS). Results: In FY15, a total of 696 robotic procedures were performed by the various services at TUH with a mean of 58 cases each month. Although CM was highest for cardiovascular surgery, the highest NM was by thoracic surgery. Despite having the highest volume and a positive CM, the mostly outpatient urology service showed a negative NM in FY15. A CMI-adjusted comparison on 208 of the 589 robotic procedures where there was a comparable group of inpatients who had open procedures, the mean direct cost for non-robotic procedures was $6,239, 9% less than for robotic procedures. The mean total cost for non-robotic procedures was only 3.64% ($435) less than that for robotic procedures ($11,502 vs. $11,937). When compared with the UHC expected LOS, the robotic group had a lower LOS while the non-robotic group had a higher LOS. The mean total direct costs were $3,510 less for the robotic procedures ($16,502 vs. $20,012). When compared to similar cases reported to the STS in FY 2015, the length of stay, conversion rate, transfusion rate, post-operative complications and OR time compared favorably. Using calculations based on published data, the potential cost savings are in the 1 to 2 million dollar range compared to traditional endoscopic or open procedures reported to the STS. Conclusions: High acuity services such as Thoracic Surgery drive higher CM per case as long as variable costs especially LOS are kept low. Procedures with lower CMI may not provide a high enough CM to offset the fixed and variable costs. Robotic surgical cases performed in the outpatient setting may incur significant losses as the reimbursement does not cover the direct costs. Hospitals should preferentially allocate robotic resources to inpatient procedures with higher CMI and work to decrease overall LOS.

Background The Covid-19 pandemic has caused changes in the surgical treatment of non-Covid patients, especially in thoracic surgery because most procedures are aerosol generating. Hospital Kuala Lumpur, where thoracic procedures are performed, was badly affected. We describe our experience in performing aerosol generating procedures safely in thoracic surgery during the Covid-19 era. Methods Medical records of patients who underwent thoracic surgery from March 18, 2020 to May 17, 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. All patients undergoing thoracic surgery were tested for Covid-19 using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction method. Patients with malignancy were observed for 10 to 14 days in the ward after testing negative. The healthcare workers donned personal protective equipment for all the cases, and the number of healthcare workers in the operating room was limited to the minimum required. Results A total of 44 procedures were performed in 26 thoracic surgeries. All of these procedures were classified as aerosol generating, and the mean duration of the surgery was 130 ± 43 minutes. None of the healthcare workers involved in the surgery were exposed or infected by Covid-19. Conclusion Covid-19 will be a threat for a long time and thoracic surgeons must continue to provide their services, despite having to deal with aerosol generating procedures, in the new normal. Covid-19 testing of all surgical candidates, using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, donning full personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, and carefully planned procedures are among the measures suggested to prevent unnecessary Covid-19 exposure in thoracic surgery.

BACKGROUND Severe thoracic trauma (TT) has a significant impact on the selection of treatment strategy in patients with polytrauma. Our aim was to assess the impact of severe TT on choosing the optimal surgical procedure to decrease mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS Overall, 66 patients with polytrauma and significant TT were analyzed. Demographic data, trauma history, admittance imaging, injury details, injury severity scores, conservative treatment, surgical treatment, days of hospital stay, and mortality data were gathered. Frequencies of thoracic surgical procedures and other treatments were collected and compared with those in the literature. RESULTS All patients had Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores of thorax >3. Injuries to extremities and/or the osseous pelvis accounted for 50% of injuries ; 47.0% included the head and/or neck ; 45.5% were external injuries ; and 27.3% were abdominal injuries or included pelvic organs and/or lumbar spine. Mean prehospital time was 40.3 min. Mean time from trauma occurrence to tertiary treatment was 125 min. Blunt TT (BTT) was recorded in 59 patients (89.4%), and penetrant TT (PTT) was recorded in 7 patients (10.6%). Thoracic drainage, urgent thoracotomy and laparotomy were recorded procedures. The mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) of all patients was 31.17. Nine patients died (13.6%) and had BTT with a mean ISS of 48.44. The Trauma Injury Severity Score for BTT injuries was 77.08% and for PTT, 85.6%. CONCLUSIONS Factors that decreased hospital stay and mortality and increased survival included arriving in time after injury, aggressive reanimation/intensive care, and mandatory thoracic surgical procedure combined with laparotomy.

In more than a century, Approaches to performing thoracic surgical procedures have been changed significantly. A milestone of those changes has been the advent of video-assisted techniques which quickly progressed from minor diagnostic procedures to the performance of almost any major thoracic surgery. by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Despite this, there are still indications for open chest surgeries, as well as the fact that thoracotomy techniques have grown to be significantly less invasive than the full thoracotomy of the past. This chapter examines the evolution of open chest techniques and describes in detail the current method of performing low invasiveness open chest surgery, which leads in excellent results with a mild postoperative course. Unresolved concerns in the comparison of video-assisted and open surgical procedures, notably in lung cancer surgery, are also discussed.

Evidence supporting the utilization of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) outside the intensive care unit is limited. We present 3 clinical situations where intraoperative ECMO was beneficial. Peripheral venovenous cannulation was used to augment tracheal surgery in 2 patients, and in 1 patient who did not tolerate lung isolation. After surgery, all patients were de-cannulated and there were no complications observed due to ECMO. Use of this technology can greatly facilitate thoracic surgical procedures with low risk. ECMO should be considered when performing tracheal surgery and in situations of poor tolerance to lung isolation.

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is a widely used potential treatment option in patients with severe respiratory or cardiac failure with increasing significance. Routine perioperative application of ECLS is applied in cardiac and rare in thoracic surgery. This review will address the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technology and basic concepts, the indications in thoracic surgery, and the intraoperative management of ECMO during surgery. The most common challenges and complications, the postoperative concept, and additional forms of support will be discussed. Technological advances in ECMO components may allow complex thoracic surgical procedures in patients in whom one-lung ventilation cannot be carried out safely without risk of hypoxia or right ventricular failure. The indications of ECLS in thoracic surgery besides lung transplantation are mainly airway resection and reconstructive surgery in patients with obstructive tracheobronchial airway diseases. Rare indications are lung surgery in patients with poor pulmonary reserve and difficulty or impossibility of one-lung ventilation. The intraoperative management of ECMO during thoracic surgery needs professional expertise.

Human echinococcosis is a rare zoonotic infection caused by larvae of the tapeworm species Echinococcus. The most relevant two species to humans are Echinococcus multilocularis and the dog tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. The latter causes cystic echinococcosis, which plays a dominant role in thoracic surgery due to its pulmonal involvement. The parasite develops characteristic hydatic cysts mostly in liver and lung. In 2016 a rise in cases of cystic echinococcosis in Germany was recorded, a probable cause could have been the refugee wave. The infection and advanced stages of the disease does not always cause symptoms and stays asymptomatic. Dry cough, thoracic pain and hemoptysis are uncharacteristic symptoms. Cysts may rupture and void into the bronchial system or thoracic cavity, which can result in empyema. Surgery remains the main therapeutic approach for pulmonary cystic echinococcosis. Surgical therapy includes peri- or endocystectomy, wedge and anatomic resections. Depending on size and localization of hydatid cysts the appropriate surgical technique should be chosen aiming on minimal loss of lung parenchyma. The treatment strategies need to be discussed in an interdisciplinary setting including infectiologists and thoracic or general surgeons. The respective treatment should be carried out in specialized centers due to the low incidence of the disease.

Patient: Female, 76 Final Diagnosis: Right upper lung tumor with severe pulmonary hypertension Symptoms: Shortness of breath Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Ecective bronxhoscopy • robotic right upper lobectomy • thoracic lymphadenectomy Specialty: Anesthesiology Objective: Rare co-existance of disease or pathology Background: It is very challenging for anesthesiologists to manage patients with pulmonary hypertension undergoing general anesthesia for elective or emergent surgeries. Case Report: We present a patient with severe pulmonary hypertension going through a major robotic thoracic surgery. Conclusions: A goal-directed anesthesia management algorithm based on serial stroke volume (SV) values obtained from FloTrac (Edwards Lifesciences, LLC.) minimally invasive arterial pressure sensor was utilized in an attempt to reduce the anesthetic and surgical risk associated with severe pulmonary hypertension.

Introduction: The erector spinae plane (ESP) block is a relatively new interfascial block about which several applications have been described, both in abdominal and thoracic surgical procedures. Case presentation: A 17-year old patient programed for removal of a Nuss bar through mini-thoracotomy. Following the induction with anesthesia, a US-guided bilateral ESP block was administered; no pain was reported during the immediate postoperative period and over the 48-hour follow-up. Conclusion: Bilateral ESP block seems to be promising, easy to administer, and an acceptable alternative to the epidural catheter (the gold standard in the management of analgesia for thoracic surgery), providing adequate and opiate-free analgesia.

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSI) continue to be a major problem for thoracic surgery patients. We aimed to determine incidence rate (IR) and risk factors for SSI in patients with thoracic surgical procedures. Methodology: During 12 years of hospital surveillance of patients with thoracic surgical procedures, we prospectively identified SSI. Patients with SSI were compared with patients without SSI. Results: We operated 3,370 patients and 205 (6.1%) developed SSI postoperatively. We detected 190 SSI among open thoracic surgical procedures (IR 7.1%) and 15 SSI after video-assisted thoracic surgery (IR 2.1%). Five independent risk factors for SSI were identified: wound contamination (p = 0.013; relative risk (RR) 2.496; 95%, confidence interval (CI): 1.208-5.156), American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) score (p = 0.012; RR: 1.795; 95% CI: 1.136-2.834), duration of drainage (p < 0.001; RR: 1.117; 95% CI: 1.085-1.150), age (p = 0.036; RR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.001-1.035) and duration of operation (p < 0.001; RR:1.005; 95% CI:1.002-1.008). Conclusion: The results are valuable in documenting risk factors for SSI in patients undergoing thoracic surgery. The knowledge and prevention of controllable risk factors is necessary in order to reduce the incidence of SSI.

OBJECTIVES: Minimum volume standards for thoracic surgical procedures have been advocated to improve outcomes. However, such standards are controversial within the thoracic surgery literature, and the methodology to determine cut points between high- and low-volume hospitals has been criticized. Furthermore, while multiple studies have examined hospital volume and its relationship with outcomes, there have been very few attempts to study this issue from the perspective of the individual thoracic surgeon. The aim of this study was to determine if surgeon volume is associated with differences in outcomes using a large state-wide database. METHODS: The study utilized the New York State Department of Health Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative (SPARCS) data for analysis. Patients who underwent major lung resections including sublobar resection, lobectomy and pneumonectomy from 1995 to 2014 were included and were categorized into 3 subgroups based on the extent of resection. Patient characteristics included age, gender, race, insurance and comorbidities. Surgeon information was obtained by using a unique identifier. Average annual surgical volumes of sublobar resection, lobectomy and pneumonectomy were calculated separately and grouped into 3 categories based on the tertiles. Demographic data and comorbidities were compared between the various volume groups to analyse the resulting complications. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission. RESULTS: There were a total of 99 576 major lung resections performed between 1995 and 2014 in the SPARCS database. Among these, the majority were wedge or segmental resections (n = 54 953, 55.2%) followed by lobectomy (n = 40 421, 40.6%) and pneumonectomy (n = 4202, 4.2%). In-hospital mortality was significantly greater for low-volume surgeons compared to high-volume surgeons for all resection groups. Additionally, low-volume surgeons had higher 30-day readmission rates for patients undergoing lobectomy and pneumonectomy. However, low-volume surgeons as a group were more likely to operate on black patients and patients with Medicaid, and black race was an independent predictor of mortality across all resection groups. The vast majority of surgeons performing lobectomy (89.5%) were in the low-volume group. CONCLUSIONS: Low-volume surgeons had higher rates of in-hospital mortality compared to their high-volume counterparts. However, the vast majority of surgeons performing lobectomy (89.5%) were in the low-volume group, and low-volume surgeons operated on higher percentages of black patients. These findings suggest that minimal volume standards would significantly impact the current delivery of thoracic surgery in the US.

We are honored to have been invited to write this piece entitled, “How to get the most out of your trainees in robotic thoracic surgery”. Perhaps a better question is “How can we optimally coach and inspire each resident and/or fellow to maximize their value and potential as people, physicians and surgeons during the span of their career?”. As surgeons, we must recognize some of the subtle differences in alignment between ourselves and our trainees, appreciate the value of the trainee within our profession, understand that there is variability to the coaching style that each trainee best responds to, and acknowledge that the success of the people we train—which may be our only true legacy—depends on how we engage and inspire them.

Thoracotomy is the traditional approach to gain pleural cavity in thoracic surgery. Its feature is chest wall opening by costal spreading to provide a direct and wide surgical field view. It allows to comfortably access the throat, lungs, heart and diaphragm. Thoracotomy is not only a classic approach to pleural space but it is also the most common so far. Despite the advent of minimally invasive surgery, that over the last two decades has established itself as the preferred approach for almost all thoracic surgical procedures in high specialized centers (1), thoracotomy indeed is still recommended for many challenging surgical interventions.

OBJECTIVES: 1) To examine the association between vocal fold paresis/paralysis (VFP) and poor swallowing outcomes in a thoracic surgery cohort at the population level, and 2) to assess utilization of ENT/speech language pathology intervention in these cases. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) represents a 20% stratified sample of discharges from US hospitals. Using ICD-9 codes, discharges undergoing general thoracic surgical procedures between 2008 and 2013 were identified in the NIS. Sub-cohorts of discharges with VFP and those who utilized ENT/SLP services were also identified. Weighted logistic regression models were used to compare binary outcomes such as dysphagia, aspiration pneumonia, and other complications; generalized linear models with generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to compare total hospital costs and length of stay (LOS). RESULTS: We identified a weighted estimate of 673,940 discharges following general thoracic surgery procedures. The weighted frequency of VFP was 3,738 (0.55%). Compared to those without VFP, patients who discharged with VFP had increased odds of dysphagia (6.56, CI 95% 5.07–8.47), aspiration pneumonia (2.54, CI 95% 1.74–3.70), post-operative tracheotomy (3.10, CI 95% 2.16–4.45), and gastrostomy tube requirement (2.46, CI 95% 1.66–3.64). Discharges with VFP also had a longer length of stay and total hospital costs. Of the discharges with VFP, 15.7% received ENT/SLP intervention. CONCLUSION: VFP after general thoracic procedures is associated with negative swallowing-related health outcomes and higher costs. Despite these negative impacts, most patients with VFP do not receive ENT/SLP intervention, identifying a potential opportunity for improving adverse swallowing-related outcomes.

Background Compared to an equivalent sized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) double-lumen tube (DLT), a silicone DLT has a shorter endobronchial segment. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of clinically significant displacement of left-sided PVC and silicone DLTs after a positional change to a lateral position from a supine position and determine its effect on the need for DLT repositioning for successful lung separation in patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Methods One hundred eight adult patients requiring one-lung ventilation were randomly divided into group P (PVC DLT, n = 54) and group S (Silicone DLT, n = 54). The position of the DLT was observed before and after lateral positioning to assess the effect of the position change. The incidence of clinically significant displacement (> 10 mm) of DLT was compared between the groups. Results DLTs were clinically significantly displaced in group P (17/48, 35.4%) and group S (18/52, 34.6%) after lateral positioning (P = 0.933). A proximal displacement (31.3% [group P] and 25.0% [group S]) was more common than distal displacement (4.2% [group P] and 9.6% [group S]), with no significant intergroup difference (P = 0.494). After lateral positioning, critical malposition of DLT with bronchial herniation to the right main bronchus was 8.3% (group P) and 7.9% (group S, P = 0.906). Conclusions Left-sided PVC and silicone DLTs produced comparable incidences of clinically significant displacement and, consequently, required similar rates of repositioning for successful lung separation after lateral positioning.

Patient: Male, 71 Final Diagnosis: Left-side secondary spontaneous pneumothorax • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Symptoms: Chest pain • shortness of breath • dyspnea • persistent bubbles extravasation Medication: Antibiotic drugs Clinical Procedure: Lung volume reduction surgery under spontaneous ventilation Specialty: Anesthesiology Objective: Unusual setting of medical care Background: One-lung ventilation under general anesthesia is necessary for most thoracic surgical procedures. However, adverse effects may derive from mechanical ventilation in emphysema patients. At present, lung volume reduction surgery under spontaneous ventilation may attenuate these adverse effects. Case Report: We present a case of left-side secondary spontaneous pneumothorax in a 71-year-old male who had a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for 12 years, combined with a contralateral giant bulla. After conservative therapies, bubble extravasation still persisited on the left side of the drainage tube. Lung volume reduction surgery under spontaneous ventilation was considered. The patient recovered fast though intraoperative critical respiratory management, effective pain control, and suitable sedation, and he was discharged from the hospital 3 days after the operation. Conclusions: Video-assisted thoracic surgery under spontaneous ventilation may be an alternative method for lung volume reduction surgery in emphysema patients who also have secondary spontaneous pneumothorax and a contra-lateral giant bulla.

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after thoracic surgery is increasingly important due to steadily improving survival and better clinical outcomes after treatment for early-stage lung cancer. The recent article by Avery and colleagues describes HRQOL in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for lung cancer in a single UK center. This prospective, longitudinal study is one of the few to use validated, disease-specific survey instruments to study this population. Until the results of the UK-based VIOLET trial (comparing the impact of VIdeo assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy versus conventional Open LobEcTomy) are available, this study provides the most contemporary information on HRQOL trajectory after lung cancer surgery. Importantly, the authors show HRQOL continues to suffer and residual symptoms persist at 1 year after minimally invasive lung cancer surgery. These findings demonstrate the need for longitudinal measurement of postoperative patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in order to (1) provide an adjunct to traditional clinical outcomes as measures of quality, and (2) improve symptom management in routine clinical practice. Given the heterogeneity of international guidelines regarding the optimal follow-up schedule and duration after thoracic surgery, electronic PRO (ePRO) platforms that automatically deliver PRO surveys to patients at home and alert providers for concerning responses may serve to effectively monitor patients beyond the standard post-surgical follow-up periods.

BACKGROUND Frozen section is a standard of care procedure during thoracic surgery when an immediate diagnosis is needed. An alternative procedure is intraoperative cytology. Video-assisted thoracic surgery is currently widely used for thoracic surgical procedures. The aim of this study was to assess intraoperative cytology together with frozen section for accuracy, turnaround time, and total response time during video-assisted thoracic surgery. METHODS We included patients having video-assisted thoracic surgery between August 2018 and February 2019 at our institution. A cytopathologist and a surgical pathologist independently performed intraoperative cytology and frozen sections, respectively. Final histologic diagnosis was the reference standard. Intraoperative cytology, frozen section turnaround, and total response times were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 52 specimens from 27 patients were included. The intraoperative cytology correlated with final histology in 98% of cases. Frozen section correlated with final histology in 100% of cases. Intraoperative cytology turnaround and total response times were equal (mean, 4.35 minutes; range, 2-15 minutes). Mean frozen section turnaround and response times were 26.2 minutes (range, 9-61 minutes) and 36.7 minutes (range, 16-90 minutes), respectively. We found a statistically significant difference between intraoperative cytology and frozen section turnaround time and total response times (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS This study highlights that intraoperative cytology could be as accurate as frozen section and considerably faster during video-assisted thoracic surgery (P < .001). Total response time could potentially be used as a quality metric for video-assisted thoracic surgery.

The outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic pointed out that the need to ensure emergent surgery in positive for infection patients is no longer hypothetical. Among emergency procedures, thoracic surgical operations are frequent. A standardized surgical pathway is mandatory in order to achieve effective and safe management of this subset of patients. We briefly present the protocol adopted by our thoracic surgery division.

One reason that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, is that surgical intervention is highly dependent on earlier tumor stage and good patient condition. As large proportion of cases are already metastatic at presentation and many are locally advanced, curative surgery is only possible in a minority of fit patients. Increasing the number of patients achieving complete resection is one of the avenues to increase overall survival using our existing technology. In the past, complex cases may have been sporadically discussed between various specialists in order to achieve better outcomes. More recently, the idea of discussing those cases on a routine basis, rather than an accident of geography or referral pattern, gave rise to the multidisciplinary team. Lung cancer management is now increasingly complex, especially with novel modalities such as targeted therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors and stereotactic body radiotherapy delivery. Likewise, in thoracic surgery, minimally invasive techniques, early recovery after surgery protocols and complex techniques for resecting locally advanced tumours or preserving lung parenchyma must all be deployed appropriately to continue our incremental gains in survival and quality of life. To highlight the role of specialist thoracic surgeon in the multidisciplinary care of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer, we conducted a search of English language publications for its multidisciplinary-based surgical management. We limited our search to the last decade, then hand-searched relevant references. In addition, we used our large prospective database as a team-oriented specialized thoracic surgical service to benchmark and demonstrate the benefits of specialist surgeons in the modern multidisciplinary team. In conclusion, patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer should have any surgical option withheld without a specialist thoracic surgical opinion as part of the multidisciplinary team discussion.

Graphical abstract, Expansion of the pandemic produced by new coronavirus SATS-CoV-2 has made healthcare focused on patients with COVID-19 disease, leading to discontinue most of elective surgical procedures. Being thoracic surgery eminently oncological, an optimal triage of patients amenable to be safely operated on is mandatory. Moreover, severe pulmonary involvement by COVID-19 causes complications frequently needing urgent thoracic surgical procedures under a new context. The Spanish Society of Thoracic Surgery (SECT) has developed this document to establish basic recommendations to keep up essential elective surgical activity and to guide surgeons facing thoracic urgencies in this new and unknown environment.

The IPCCC is a standardized international system of paediatric and congenital cardiac nomenclature that should be used in all registries, databases and research studies in the domain of paediatric and congenital cardiac care, including those related to HLHS. This recommendation is level 1 class C [15, 16, 700]. Multi-institutional databases and registries allow benchmarking of data concerning death, patterns of practice, morbidity and postoperative length of stay [540]. As a level 1 class C recommendation, all paediatric and congenital cardiac teams should routinely assess their own data against national and international benchmarks using multi-institutional databases and registries [540, 697–699, 701].

Resumen Debido a la grave situacion de pandemia que vivimos causada por el COVID-19, la Seccion de Anestesia Cardiaca, Vascular y Toracica de la SEDAR pretende dar informacion de los aspectos mas relevantes a considerar en pacientes con sospecha o infeccion confirmada por coronavirus que van a ser sometidos a cirugia toracica. Creemos que es esencial mantener una optima transmision de informacion para llevar a cabo maniobras seguras, tanto para los pacientes como para el personal sanitario. La estrategia de manejo debe basarse en una organizacion exquisita del trabajo, definiendo quien, como y cuando va a realizar cada tarea y procedimiento. Las recomendaciones que se proponen, tras valorar el riesgo-beneficio en el escenario especifico de la cirugia de torax y la experiencia de expertos en toracica obtenida en el estudio COV2-VIAEREA, tratan de asesorar sobre los aspectos anestesicos claves a tener en cuenta ante una eventual necesidad de cirugia toracica en el contexto de la pandemia por COVID-19.

Objective The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has altered how the current generation of thoracic surgery residents are being trained. The aim of this survey was to determine how thoracic surgery program directors (PDs) are adapting to educating residents during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods Thoracic surgery PDs of integrated, traditional (2 or 3 year), and combined 4 + 3 general/thoracic surgery training programs in the United States were surveyed between 17th April and 1st May 2020 during the peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic in much of the United States. The 15‐question electronic survey queried program status, changes to the baseline surgical practice, changes to didactic education, deployment/scheduling of residents, and effect of the pandemic on case logs and preparedness for resident graduation. Results All 23 institutions responding had ceased elective procedures, and most had switched to telemedicine clinic visits. Online virtual didactic sessions were implemented by 91% of programs, with most (69.6%) observing same or increased attendance. PDs reported that 82.7% of residents were on a non‐standard schedule, with most being deployed in a 1 to 2 week on, 1 to 2 week off block schedule. Case volumes were affected for both junior and graduating trainees, but a majority of PDs report that graduating residents will graduate on time without perceived negative effect on first career/fellowship position. Conclusions The COVID‐19 pandemic has radically changed the educational approach of thoracic surgery programs. PDs are adapting educational delivery to optimize training and safety during the pandemic. Long‐term effects remain uncertain and require additional study.

BACKGROUND Thoracic surgery constitutes 2.5% of surgical procedures performed in theater, but the skills required are increasingly foreign to military surgeons. This study examines thoracic surgical workload in Iraq and Afghanistan to help define surgical training gaps. METHODS Retrospective analysis of Department of Defense Trauma Registry for all role 2 (R2) (forward surgical) and role 3 (R3) (theater) military facilities, from January 2002 to May 2016. The 95 thoracic surgical International Classification of Diseases-9th Rev.-Clinical Modification procedure codes were grouped into 10 categories based on anatomy or endoscopy. Select groups were further stratified by type of definitive procedure. Procedure groupings were determined and adjudicated by surgeon subject matter experts. Data analysis used Stata Version 15 (College Station, TX). RESULTS Of the total procedures, 5,301 were classified as thoracic surgical procedures and were included in the present study. The majority of thoracic surgical procedures (4,645 [87.6%]) were recorded as being performed at R3 medical treatment facilities (MTFs). The thoracic surgical procedures groups with the largest proportions were: bronchoscopy (39.1%), thoracotomy (16.9%), diaphragm (15.6%), and lung (11.4%). The most common lung procedure subgroup, aside from not otherwise specified, was segmentectomy (28.8%). The R3 MTFs recorded nearly five times the number of lung procedures compared with R2 MTFs; with R3 MTFs recording more than eight times the number of lobectomies compared with R2 MTFs. Thoracic workload was variable over the 15-year study period. CONCLUSION Thoracic surgical skills are necessary in the deployed environment to manage combat-related injuries. Given the current trends in training and specialization, development and sustainment of thoracic surgical skills is challenging in the deployed US trauma system and likely for other nations, and humanitarian surgical care as well. Current training and practice paradigms pose both training and sustainment challenges for surgeons who deploy to a combat zone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic/Care Management IV.

We discuss the hypothesis that common Chest Drain Systems collected to a COVID-19 patient, could be a possible source of contamination for health care staff in a Thoracic Surgery ward and we propose an alternative way to minimize this further risk of transmission.

Background Thoracic surgeons have been incorporating enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols into their practices, not only to reduce narcotic usage but also to improve complication rates and decrease lengths of stay. Here, we describe the utility of a regional block technique that can be used for patients undergoing urgent or elective thoracic surgical procedures or suffering from rib fractures. Methods We report our initial one-year experience with these erector spinae plane (ESP) blocks. Results ESP blocks were placed in 42 patients. The procedure was performed by a trained team of anesthesiologists and certified nurse practitioners. It included placement of a catheter on the ipsilateral chest, followed by a 20 ml of 0.2% ropivacaine bolus and continuous infusion. Patients were then followed by the regional team, as long as the catheter was in place. While it had some technical challenges, the block was effective in 83.3% of patients with no reported mortality or major complications. However, given the confounding factors of the study (such as simultaneous implementation of ERAS protocol) and heterogeneity of the patient population, a control group was difficult to ascertain and meaningful opioid consumption analysis was difficult to perform. Conclusions Regional blocks, such as the ESP block, complement fundamental ERAS principles and serve as an adjunct to the available armamentarium for non-narcotic ways to control pain in thoracic surgical and chest trauma patients. Continued collaboration between the thoracic surgeons and anesthesiologists is needed for its success.

OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to describe the clinical features and outcomes of thoracic surgery patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS Thirty-five patients were treated at the 12 de Octubre University Hospital in Madrid between 1 March 2020 and 24 April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patient demographics, surgical procedures, complications, COVID-19 symptoms and outcomes were recorded. A protocol was introduced to reduce the risk of operating on patients with COVID-19, including symptom screening, a polymerase chain reaction test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and computed tomography scans of the chest. Surgical activity changed significantly during this time, from an initial period of near-normal activity, through an emergency-only period and finally a recovery period when some oncological surgical cases were restarted. Selection criteria for surgical patients are also described. RESULTS A total of 34 patients underwent surgery during the pandemic period. We performed 22 lung resections (11 lobectomies and 11 sublobar resections). No hospital deaths were recorded. An elective surgery patient and an emergency surgery patient were diagnosed with COVID-19 (5.88%). The former died within 30 days after surgery. CONCLUSIONS Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 represents a tremendous limitation for thoracic surgical practice. Preoperative practices to exclude asymptomatic cases infected with the virus allowed us to perform thoracic surgical procedures.

At the present time, the technology and clinical data describing hemodynamic monitoring devices are crucial for anesthesiologists and intensivists caring for patients undergoing thoracic surgical procedures, so that they may better utilize available technology to improve outcomes in this high-risk surgical population.