Pneumothorax during pediatric laparoscopic surgery is a potentially fatal complication that may not be promptly recognized. It can occur due to congenital anatomical abnormalities, pre-existing pulmonary disease, or operative factors during laparoscopy. Clinical presentation may range from asymptomatic to acute respiratory distress, pleuritic chest pain, and even life-threatening circulatory collapse. Here, we report a case of sudden intraoperative pneumothorax accompanied by extensive subcutaneous emphysema of the neck and chest wall during laparoscopic high ligation of the hernial sac in a child. The child presented with a reducible left lower abdominal mass and mild pain 3 days prior but did not seek medical attention. Symptoms worsened 1 day prior to admission, with difficulty reducing the mass. On April 8, 2021, the patient was admitted to the Department of Anesthesiology, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine of Central South University, with a diagnosis of "left inguinal hernia." On the second day of hospitalization, laparoscopic high ligation of the left inguinal hernia sac was performed under general anesthesia. During the procedure, the patient developed a sudden increase in airway pressure, marked hemodynamic fluctuations, crepitus in the neck and right anterior chest regions, and significantly diminished breath sounds in the right lung. Emergent bedside chest X-ray confirmed a right-sided pneumothorax. Immediate intervention including thoracic needle decompression, closed thoracic drainage, the lung re-expansion was performed. The patient was discharged on the 7th postoperative day with full recovery. This case highlights the need for clinicians to remain vigilant for iatrogenic pneumothorax during pediatric laparoscopic surgery. Close intraoperative monitoring of vital signs is crucial for early detection, recognition, and timely management of pneumothorax to ensure patient safety during minimally invasive procedures.
Humans ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Pneumothorax/etiology* ; Ligation/methods* ; Hernia, Inguinal/surgery* ; Male ; Intraoperative Complications/etiology* ; Child ; Herniorrhaphy/methods* ; Female ; Subcutaneous Emphysema/etiology*

Placental transmogrification of the lung (PTL) is a very rare benign lung lesion. There are only about 40 cases reported in the literature. The imaging and histological features of PTL cases in the publication are various, most of which are cystic and a few of which are solid. Being extremely rare, the solid PTL is unknown to major pathologists and surgeons. We reported a case of solid PTL in the anterior mediastinum. The patient was a 52-year-old male with no history of smoking and without symptoms. During physical examination, chest CT revealed a circular low-density lesion with a maximum diameter of 2.9 cm beside the spine in the posterior basal segment of the left lower lobe of the lung. The wedge resection was performed by video-assisted thoracoscopy. Grossly, a round nodule was located underneath the visceral pleura. It was about 3.0 cm×3.0 cm×1.6 cm and the cut surface was grey-red, soft and spongy. Microscopically, the nodule was constituted of papillare, which resembled placental villi at low magnification. The axis of papillae was edema, in which some mild round cells with clear cytoplasm and CD10 positive staining aggregated and transitioned to immature adipocytes and amorphous pink materials deposited with a few of inflammatory cells infiltration. The surface of papillae was covered with disconti-nuous alveolar epithelium. Combined with the typical morphology and immunohistochemical characteristics of CD10 positive, the diagnosis was PTL. The patient was followed up for 1 year without recurrence and discomfort. So far, the pathogenesis of PTL is unclear. The major hypotheses include hamartoma, variant of emphysema and clonal hyperplasia of stromal cells. Based on the study of our case and publication, we speculate that the hyperplasia of stromal cells located in the alveolar septa might be the first step to form the solid PTL. With the progression of the disease, a typical unilateral cystic nodule develops as a result of secondary cystic degeneration due to the occlusive valve effect. Surgery is the only option for diagnosis and treatment of PTL. The clinician should make an individualized operation plan according to the clinical manifestations, location and scope of the lesion, and preserve the surrounding normal lung tissue as much as possible while completely removing the lesion. There is a favorable prognosis.
Male ; Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Middle Aged ; Hyperplasia/pathology* ; Placenta/pathology* ; Lung/pathology* ; Pulmonary Emphysema/surgery* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods*

Lung volume reduction loop uses bronchoscopic lung volume reduction(BLVR) technology to compress and collapse the necrotic emphysema tissue and exhaust the internal gas to achieve the purpose of lung volume reduction to treat emphysema. After the lung volume reduction loop is implanted into the human body, the compressed part of the lung tissue tends to expand with breathing, which makes the lung volume reduction loop expand into a linear trend periodically. Fatigue resistance is one of the most important performance indexes of the lung volume reduction loop. In the paper, Z-direction vibration fatigue machine was used to simulate the changes of human respiratory cycle movement to test the fatigue performance of lung volume reduction loop, which can provide some reference for the test method of in vitro fatigue performance of lung volume reduction related products in the future.
Bronchoscopy/methods* ; Emphysema/surgery* ; Humans ; Lung ; Pneumonectomy/methods* ; Pulmonary Emphysema/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome

Humans ; Pilot Projects ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Emphysema/surgery* ; Lung/surgery* ; Emphysema ; Perfusion ; Tomography, Emission-Computed ; Tomography ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Pneumonectomy ; Bronchoscopy/methods*

Subcutaneous emphysema is commonly associated with infection caused by gas-producing organisms. In this case report, we describe a rare instance of traumatic subcutaneous emphysema of the hand and forearm caused by a puncture injury to the first web space of the hand. Our objective is to increase awareness of the potential for seemingly minor trauma to cause entrapment of significant air in subcutaneous tissues, thereby decreasing the likelihood that a clinically benign-appearing patient will be started down an unnecessarily aggressive treatment pathway. A 16-year-old, otherwise healthy white female, presented to the pediatric emergency room with an impressive amount of subcutaneous emphysema that developed over a 12-h period after sustaining an accidental laceration to the first web space of her right hand. She appeared nontoxic and had a clinically benign presentation. A comprehensive work-up was performed. She was splinted by the orthopedic surgery resident on call, and was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for overnight monitoring. She received tetanus vaccination and broad-spectrum antibiotics. The patient was discharged 2 days after admittance, with a splint applied to her right hand and forearm. She undertook home-based physical and occupational therapy. She had a pain-free range-of-motion in the right wrist, elbow and shoulder. The swelling in the right hand subsided completely. Although initially alarming, traumatic subcutaneous emphysema in an otherwise healthy patient from minor wounds (as featured in this case) does not necessarily mean one ought to proceed down an aggressive treatment algorithm. Careful evaluation of the patient's history, clinical examination findings, and determination of the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis score can help guide physicians in the management of traumatic subcutaneous emphysema and potentially avoid unnecessary and costly interventions.
Humans ; Child ; Female ; Adolescent ; Forearm ; Subcutaneous Emphysema/diagnosis* ; Upper Extremity ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Wounds, Penetrating/surgery*

PURPOSE: Recently, transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy (TOET) is receiving attention because it is regarded as a true minimally invasive surgery in that it does not leave scars on any part of the body and the area of flap dissection is similar to that of open surgery. In this study, we present the surgical procedures and initial outcomes of TOET in the treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) patients. METHODS: The medical records of patients who underwent TOET for PTMC between July 2016 and February 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Indication of TOET was PTMC without capsular invasion or lymph node metastasis on preoperative imaging studies. RESULTS: Ten female patients were enrolled. Seven patients underwent thyroid lobectomy and three patients underwent isthmusectomy. The mean age and tumor size was 43.3 ± 11.5 years and 0.6 ± 0.2 cm, respectively. Operation time for lobectomy and isthmusectomy was 121.1 ± 30.7 (range, 65–148) and 90.0 ± 9.2 minutes (range, 82–100 minutes), respectively. The mean number of retrieved lymph nodes was 2.7 ± 1.7. Two patients had transient vocal cord palsy, which recovered in three months. There was no case with subcutaneous emphysema, surgical site infection, postoperative bleeding, or mental nerve injury. CONCLUSION: TOET was feasible and could be performed safely for PTMC. TOET might become a new treatment option for the patients who do not want to leave visible scars on the body.
Cicatrix ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Medical Records ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Subcutaneous Emphysema ; Surgical Wound Infection ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroidectomy* ; Vocal Cord Paralysis

Objective: To investigate the effect of laparoscopic extraperitoneal (LSEP) high ligation of the spermatic vein in the treatment of varicocele. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data about 80 cases of varieocele, 48 treated by LSEP and the other 32 by laparoscopic transabdominal retroperitoneal (LSTR) high ligation of the spermatic vein. We recorded the semen parameters before and at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery, intraoperative blood loss, operation time, postoperative complications, time of gastrointestinal function recovery and rate of pregnancy, followed by comparison of the data obtained between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Semen parameters were remarkably improved in both the LSEP and LSTR groups of patients postoperatively as compared with the baseline (P <0.05), but with no statistically significant difference at different postoperative months (P >0.05). The intraoperative blood loss was less in the LSEP than in the LSTR group (［8.3 ± 5.2］ vs ［9.1 ± 6.1］ ml, P >0.05), the operation time was shorter in the former than in the latter (［38.27 ± 9.23］ vs ［43.46 ± 11.72］ min, P >0.05), and so was the time of gastrointestinal function recovery (［1.27 ± 0.26］ vs ［2.43 ± 0.41］ d, P <0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups during the 6- to 18-month follow-up in the rates of postoperative subcutaneous hematoma, scrotal and subcutaneous emphysema, recurrence, or pregnancy (P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic extraperitoneal high ligation of the spermatic vein is safe and effective and has the advantage of quick recovery in the treatment of varicocele.
Blood Loss, Surgical ; Emphysema ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Ligation ; methods ; Male ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Pregnancy ; Recurrence ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Retrospective Studies ; Scrotum ; Spermatic Cord ; blood supply ; Treatment Outcome ; Varicocele ; surgery ; Veins ; surgery

ObjectiveTo compare the clinical effect of transumbilical single-port laparoscopy combined with improved double hernia needles with that of traditional open surgery in the treatment of hydrocele in children.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 35 cases (54 sides) of pediatric hydrocele treated by transumbilical single-port laparoscopy combined with improved double hernia needles (laparoscopy group). We recorded the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, scrotal edema, and postoperative complications and compared them with those of another 46 cases (58 sides) treated by traditional open surgery (open surgery group) during the same period.

RESULTSThe laparoscopy group showed a significantly shorter operation time, less intraoperative blood loss, milder scrotal edema, and fewer hospital days than the open surgery group (all P<0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was found in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (P>0.05). Subcutaneous emphysema developed in 2 patients in the laparoscopy group, which disappeared after 1－3 days of oxygen inhalation and other symptomatic treatment, while scrotal hematoma occurred in 1 and incision fat liquefaction in 2 patients in the open surgery group 3 days postoperatively, which healed after debridement suture and daily dressing, respectively. The patients were followed up for 3－6 months, which revealed no late complications in the laparoscopy group but 1 case of unilateral recurrence and 2 cases of offside recurrence in the open surgery group, all cured by laparoscopic internal ring ligation.

CONCLUSIONSTransumbilical single-port laparoscopy combined with improved double hernia needles is superior to traditional open surgery for the treatment of pediatric hydrocele and therefore deserves clinical generalization.

Blood Loss, Surgical ; Child ; Edema ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Length of Stay ; Ligation ; Male ; Needles ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Scrotum ; Subcutaneous Emphysema ; etiology ; Testicular Hydrocele ; surgery ; Umbilicus

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in the treatment of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP). METHODS: Twenty-four patients who were scheduled to undergo single-port VATS for SSP were studied. The medical records of the patients were retrospectively reviewed. The mean follow-up duration was 26.1+/-19.8 months. In order to evaluate the feasibility of single-port VATS for SSP, the postoperative results of single-port VATS (n=15) in patients with emphysema were compared with those of emphysematous patients who underwent three-port VATS (n=15) during the study period. RESULTS: Single-port VATS was feasible in 19 of 24 patients (79.2%), while an additional port was needed in five patients. In the single-port VATS patients, the median operation time, duration of chest tube drainage, and hospital stay were 84.0 minutes, one day, and two days, respectively. Postoperative complications included prolonged chest tube drainage for more than five days (n=1), wound infection (n=1), and vocal fold palsy (n=1). No recurrence of pneumothorax was observed during the follow-up period. The median operation time, duration of chest tube drainage, and hospital stay of the emphysematous patients who underwent single-port VATS were shorter than those who underwent three-port VATS group (p<0.05 for all parameters). CONCLUSION: Single-port VATS proved to be a feasible procedure in the treatment of patients with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax.
Chest Tubes ; Drainage ; Emphysema ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Pneumothorax* ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted* ; Vocal Cord Paralysis ; Wound Infection

Although many patients with severe emphysema have benefited from bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) worldwide, experience of BLVR in Asian emphysema patients is scarce. Between July 2012 and March 2013, seven patients with advanced heterogeneous emphysema underwent BLVR in the Asan Medical Center. They had severe dyspnea and poor lung function (Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale 3-4; median forced expiratory volume in 1 sec [FEV1], 0.59 L [19.0 % predicted]; median 6-min walk distance [6MWD], 195 m). Endobronchial valves were inserted into the target lobe which was most hyperinflated and least perfused, and had no collateral ventilation with other lobes. Six patients showed clinical improvement after 1 month. Of them, 2 patients improved to dyspnea scale 1 and 4 patients did to scale 2 (P = 0.026). The median FEV1 increased from 0.59 to 0.89 L (51%; P = 0.028) and the median 6MWD increased from 195 to 252 m (29.2%; P = 0.028). Two patients developed a pneumothorax (one requiring drainage) and one patient experienced slight hemoptysis; however, there were no other serious adverse events. BLVR is effective in Asian advanced emphysema patients, with noted clinical improvements in lung function and exercise capacity.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bronchoscopy/*methods ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Lung/pathology/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonectomy/*methods ; Pulmonary Emphysema/*surgery ; Severity of Illness Index ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome