Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon

Background Carinal sleeve resection with pneumonectomy is one of the rarest procedures in thoracic surgery, but for locally advanced central lung cancer with infiltration of the carina it is an option to achieve complete resection. Additionally, it might be the method of choice for patients with stump insufficiency after pneumonectomy or in cases with anastomosis dehiscence after sleeve lobectomy. Aim of this survey was to evaluate the morbidity and long-term survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent sleeve pneumonectomy...

BACKGROUND: This randomized controlled trial was designed to compare 1-year hemodynamic performances and clinical outcomes after aortic valve replacement (AVR) using a recently introduced (the AVALUS group) and worldwide used (the CEPME group) bovine pericardial bioprostheses. METHODS: Patients were screened to enroll 70 patients in each group based on a noninferiority design. The primary endpoint of the trial was the mean pressure gradient across the aortic valve (AVMPG) at 1 year after surgery...

OBJECTIVE: Endocarditis as a potentially life-threatening disease with high complication and mortality rates. In recent years, an increase has been reported throughout Europe. In the aging society, successful treatment is complex and challenging owing to the high rate of multimorbidity. METHODS: We initiated a statewide prospective multicenter endocarditis registry in 2020. Perioperative risk factors, comorbidities, microbiological, laboratory and imaging diagnostics, complications and mortality including 1-year follow-up were collected...

BACKGROUND: Postprocedural thrombocytopenia is a known phenomenon following transcatheter aortic valve implantations (TAVI). The aim of this study is to evaluate whether postinterventional platelet kinetics differ when comparing the current generation of balloon-expandable (BEV) and self-expanding valve prostheses (SEV). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing TAVI at our facility between 2017 and 2019. Patients were stratified according to the type of prosthesis used - BEV or SEV...

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BACKGROUND: The best surgical treatment strategy for coexisting coronary artery disease and lung cancer remains controversial. This study analyzed the safety and efficacy of a simultaneous minimally invasive procedure for patients with coronary artery disease and lung cancer. METHODS: Patients who underwent simultaneous minimally invasive off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and lung resection from January 2016 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed...

Background Alterations in left ventricular (LV) diastolic function following native tissue-preserving aortic valve (AV) procedures have not been systematically investigated. Furthermore, no comparisons have been made between these changes and those observed after prosthetic AV replacement. Methods From October 2017 to August 2020, 74 patients aged <65 years were referred to our institution for elective AV surgery. Preoperative and postoperative (i.e., discharge, 3-months and 1-year follow-up) transthoracic echocardiography was analyzed...

BACKGROUND: We assessed whether implementation of an immediate preoperative treatment in anemic patients could result in fewer perioperative packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions and improved outcomes in a real-world setting. METHODS: Starting onFrom January 1st, 20202020, to November 31st, 2022, we implemented a perioperative protocol for anemic patients (women Hemoglobin (Hb) <11.5 g/dL, men Hb<12.5 g/dL), which included subcutaneous erythropoietin alpha, intravenous Iron, and intramuscular vitamin B12 (all given preoperatively) and per os Iron and folic acid given once a day postoperatively...

BACKGROUND: The possibility of coil dislocation in CT-guided microcoil localization of superficial pulmonary nodules is relatively high. The aim of the study is to investigate the outcomes of deeper localization technique during CT-guided microcoil localization of superficial pulmonary nodules before VATS. METHODS: Fifty-seven identified superficial pulmonary nodules (nodule-pleural distance ≤ 1 cm on CT image) from 51 consecutive patients underwent CT-guided microcoil localization and subsequent VATS were included...

BACKGROUND: There are few studies on continuous intercostal nerve block after single operation hole thoracoscopic surgery, i.e., two-port thoracoscopic surgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analgesic effect of continuous intercostal nerve block after thoracoscopic surgery. METHODS: A total of 80 patients who underwent single operation hole thoracoscopic surgery in our hospital between September 2020 and June 2021 were enrolled and divided into two groups...

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BACKGROUND:  Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is a promising interventional treatment for inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Evidence in favor of BPA is growing, but long-term data remain scarce. The Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) is validated for the assessment of patients with pulmonary hypertension within three domains: symptoms, activity, and quality of life (QoL). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term effects of BPA on these domains in patients with inoperable CTEPH...

BACKGROUND:  Perioperative cardioprotection is essential for achieving satisfactory clinical outcomes in heart failure patients. It is important to understand the factors affecting perioperative cardioprotection. METHODS:  The institutional database was searched for patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF, < 40%) who underwent surgery with cardioplegia-induced arrest. Patients were divided into del Nido cardioplegia (DN) and cold blood cardioplegia (CB) groups...

BACKGROUND: Lung transplantation has recently emerged as a scientifically validated curative therapeutic modality for patients afflicted with end-stage lung disease. This study aimed to conduct a global bibliometric analysis of research articles on lung transplantation between 1983 and 2021. METHODS: Employing the Web of Science database, a bibliometric analysis was conducted to assess the expansion of scientific output within the field of lung transplantation. We searched specific bibliometric characteristics such as language, and year of publication, first author, institutional affiliation, main publishing journals, highly cited articles, and additionally, we made comparisons of the most productive countries...

BACKGROUND: Mediastinal lymphadenopathies with high 18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in patients previously operated on for lung cancer are alarming for recurrence and necessitate invasive diagnostic procedures. Peroperative placement of oxidized cellulose to control minor bleeding may lead to a metastasis-like image through a foreign body reaction within the dissected mediastinal lymph node field at postoperative examinations. In this study, we investigated clinicopathological features and the frequency of foreign body reaction mimicking mediastinal lymph node metastasis...

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection is the gold-standard treatment for the management of early-stage lung cancer. A number of modifiable factors may significantly influence postoperative morbidity and mortality. We examined the outcomes of patients following lung resection based upon preoperative smoking status to quantify the impact on postoperative outcomes. METHODS: Data from consecutive lung resections from 01/01/2012 to 11/06/2021 were included. Biopsies for interstitial lung disease and resections for emphysematous lung or bullae were excluded...

The aim of this randomized study was to investigate whether stripping massage (SM) of myofascial trigger points in the lower rhomboid muscle could alleviate chest pain in patients following thoracoscopic surgery. In addition, a literature review was conducted to assess the effectiveness of various pain management techniques. Sixty adult patients who reported a visual analog scale (VAS) score of 4 or higher were randomly assigned to receive conventional analgesics alone (conventional group) or combined with SM twice daily for 2 weeks (SM group)...

BACKGROUND: Non-disappearing subsolid nodules requiring follow-up are often detected during lung cancer screening, but changes in their invasiveness can be overlooked owing to slow growth. We aimed to develop a method for automatic identification of invasive tumors among subsolid nodules during multiple health check-ups using radiomics technology based on low-dose computed tomography (LD-CT) and examine its effectiveness. METHODS: We examined patients who underwent LD-CT screening from 2014 to 2019 and had lung adenocarcinomas resected after 5-year follow-ups...

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze somatic growth of patients after total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) as well as to identify factors influencing postoperative catch-up growth. METHODS: A total of 309 patients undergoing TCPC at 4 years old or less between 1994 and 2021 were included. Weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) and height-for-age-z-score (HAZ) at TCPC and at postoperative time between 1 to 3 years were calculated. Factors influencing somatic growth were analyzed...