Objective: To examine the short-term curative effect with minimally invasive right infra-axillary thoracotomy for transaortic modified Morrow procedure. Methods: The clinical data of 60 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic transaortic modified Morrow procedure from August 2021 to August 2022 at Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 31 males and 29 females, with the age (M (IQR)) of 54.0(22.3) years (range: 15 to 71 years). The echocardiography confirmed the diagnosis of moderate mitral regurgitation in 30 patients, and severe mitral regurgitation in 13 patients. Systolic anterior motion (SAM) was present preoperatively in 54 patients. All 60 patients underwent transaortic modified Morrow procedure through a right infra-axillary thoracotomy using femorofemoral cardiopulmonary bypass. Surgical procedures mainly included transverse aortic incision, exposure of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), septal myectomy, and correction of the abnormal mitral valve and subvalvular structures. Results: All 60 patients underwent the programmatic procedures successfully without conversion to full sternotomy. The cardiopulmonary bypass time was (142.0±32.1) minutes (range: 89 to 240 minutes), while the cross-clamp time was (95.0±23.5) minutes (range: 50 to 162 minutes). The patients had a postoperative peak LVOT gradient of 7.0 (5.0) mmHg (range: 0 to 38 mmHg) (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). A total of 57 patients were extubated on the operating table. The drainage volume in the first 24 h was (175.9±57.0) ml (range: 60 to 327 ml). The length of intensive care unit stay was 21.0 (5.8)h (range: 8 to 120 h) and postoperative hospital stay was 8 (5) days (range: 5 to 19 days). The postoperative septal thickness was 11 (2) mm (range: 8 to 14 mm). All patients had no iatrogenic ventricular septal perforation or postoperative residual SAM. The patients were followed up for 4 (9) months (range: 1 to 15 months), and none of them needed cardiac surgery again due to valve dysfunction or increased peak LVOT gradient during follow-up. Conclusion: Using a video-assisted thoracoscopic transaortic modified Morrow procedure through a right infra-axillary minithoracotomy can provide good visualization of the LVOT and hypertrophic ventricular septum, ensure optimal exposure of the mitral valve in the presence of complex mitral subvalvular structures, so that allows satisfactory short-term surgical results.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency/surgery* ; Thoracotomy ; Retrospective Studies ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic/surgery* ; Ventricular Septum/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures/methods*

PURPOSE: To develop animal models of penetrating thoracic injuries and to observe the effects of the animal model-based training on improving the trainees' performance for emergent and urgent thoracic surgeries. METHODS: With a homemade machine, animal models of lung injuries and penetrating heart injuries were produced in porcine and used for training of chest tube drainage, urgent sternotomy, and emergent thoracotomy. Coefficient of variation of abbreviated injury scale and blood loss was calculated to judge the reproducibility of animal models. Five operation teams from basic-level hospitals (group A) and five operation teams from level III hospitals (group B) were included to be trained and tested. Testing standards for the operations were established after thorough literature review, and expert questionnaires were employed to evaluate the scientificity and feasibility of the testing standards. Tests were carried out after the training. Pre- and post-training performances were compared. Post-training survey using 7-point Likert scale was taken to evaluate the feelings of the trainees to these training approaches. RESULTS: Animal models of the three kinds of penetrating chest injuries were successfully established and the coefficient of variation of abbreviated injury scale and blood loss were all less than 25%. After literature review, testing standards were established, and expert questionnaire results showed that the scientific score was 7.30 ± 1.49, and the feasibility score was 7.50 ± 0.89. Post-training performance was significantly higher in both group A and group B than pre-training performance. Post-training survey showed that all the trainees felt confident in applying the operations and were generally agreed that the training procedure were very helpful in improving operation skills for thoracic penetrating injury. CONCLUSIONS Animal model-based simulation training established in the current study could improve the trainees' performance for emergent and urgent thoracic surgeries, especially of the surgical teams from basic-level hospitals.
Animals ; Swine ; Reproducibility of Results ; Wounds, Penetrating/surgery* ; Thoracotomy ; Thoracic Injuries/surgery* ; Hemorrhage ; Models, Animal

Objective: To examine the safety and feasibility of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) decortication in patients presenting with stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema. Methods: From August 2017 to July 2020, 158 patients of stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema underwent uniportal VATS decortication with partial rib resection and customized periosteal stripper in Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. There were 127 males and 31 females, aged (M(IQR)) 32(28) years (range:14 to 78 years). Follow-up was performed in the outpatient clinic or via social communication applications, at monthly thereafter. If there was no air leak and chest tube drainage was less than 50 ml/day, a chest CT was performed. If the lung was fully re-expanded, chest tubes were removed. All patients received a follow-up chest CT 3 to 6 months following their initial operations which was compared to their preoperative imaging. Results: There was one conversion to open thoracotomy. The operative time was 2.75 (2.50) hours (range: 1.5 to 7.0 hours), and median blood loss was 100 (500) ml (range: 50 to 2 000 ml). There were no perioperative mortalities. There were no major complications except 1 case of redo-VATS for hemostasis due to excessive drainage and 1 case of incision infection, The incidence of prolonged air leaks (>5 days) was 80.3%(126/157). The postoperative hospital stay was 5.00 (2.25) days (range: 2 to 15 days). All patients were discharged with 2 chest tubes, and the median duration drainage was 21.00 (22.50) days (range: 3 to 77 days). Follow-up was completed in all patients over a duration of 20 (14) months (range: 12 to 44 months). At follow-up, 149 patients(94.9%) recovered to grade Ⅰ level, 7 patients to grade Ⅱ level, and 1 patient to grade Ⅲ level. Conclusion: Uniportal VATS decortication involving partial rib resection and a customized periosteal stripper is safe and effective for patients with stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema.
Aged ; China ; Empyema, Tuberculous/surgery* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracotomy

BACKGROUND: Immunoneoadjuvant therapy opens a new prospect for local advanced lung cancer. The aim of our study was to explore the safety and feasibility of robotic-assisted bronchial sleeve resection in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. METHODS: Data of 13 patients with locally advanced NSCLC that underwent bronchial sleeve resection after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy during August 2020 and February 2021 were retrospectively included. According to the surgical methods, patients were divided into thoracotomy bronchial sleeve resection (TBSR) group and robot-assisted bronchial sleeve resection (RABSR) group. Oncology, intraoperative, and postoperative data in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The two groups of patients operated smoothly, the postoperative pathology confirmed that all the tumor lesions achieved R0 resection, and RABSR group no patient was transferred to thoracotomy during surgery. Partial remission (PR) rate and major pathological remissions (MPR) rate of patients in the TBSR group were 71.43% and 42.86%, respectively. Complete pathological response (pCR) was 28.57%. They were 66.67%, 50.00% and 33.33% in RABSR group, respectively. There were no significant differences in operative duration, number of lymph nodes dissected, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage time and postoperative hospital stay between the two groups, but the bronchial anastomosis time of RABSR group was relatively short. Both groups of patients had a good prognosis. Successfully discharged from the hospital and post-operative 90-d mortality rate was 0. CONCLUSIONS In patients with locally advanced central NSCLC after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy can achieve the tumor reduction, tumor stage decline and increase the R0 resection rate, bronchial sleeve resection is safe and feasible. Under the premise of following the two principles of surgical safety and realizing the tumor R0 resection, robot-assisted bronchial sleeve resection can be preferred.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/surgery* ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/surgery* ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Pneumonectomy/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Robotics ; Thoracotomy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To compare the mid- and long-term outcomes of patients receiving mitral valve replacement through robotically assisted and conventional median sternotomy approach. METHODS: The data of 47 patients who underwent da Vinci robotic mitral valve replacement in our hospital between January, 2007 and December, 2015 were collected retrospectively (robotic group). From a total of 286 patients undergoing mitral valve replacement through the median thoracotomy approach between March, 2002 and June, 2014, 47 patients were selected as the median sternotomy group for matching with the robotic group at a 1:1 ratio. The perioperative data and follow-up data of the patients were collected, and the quality of life (QOL) of the patients at 30 days and 6 months was evaluated using the Quality of Life Short Form Survey (SF-12). The time of returning to work postoperatively and the patients' satisfaction with the surgical incision were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: All the patients in both groups completed mitral valve replacement successfully, and no death occurred during the operation. In the robotic group, only one patient experienced postoperative complication (pleural effusion); in median sternotomy group, one patient received a secondary thoracotomy for management of bleeding resulting from excessive postoperative drainage, and one patient died of septic shock after the operation. The volume of postoperative drainage, postoperative monitoring time, ventilation time, and postoperative hospital stay were significantly smaller or shorter in the robotic group than in the thoracotomy group ( CONCLUSIONS Robotically assisted mitral valve replacement is safe and reliable. Compared with the median sternotomy approach, the robotic approach is less invasive and promotes faster postoperative recovery of the patients, who have better satisfaction with the quality of life and wound recovery.
COVID-19/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Mitral Valve/surgery* ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Robotic Surgical Procedures ; Sternotomy ; Thoracotomy ; Treatment Outcome

Thoracic splenosis is the autotransplantation of splenic tissue in the left thoracic cavity as a result of a splenic injury. This rare pathology is usually asymptomatic and may be discovered on incidental imaging, but the diagnosis often requires invasive procedures such as surgery in order to eliminate a neoplasic origin. We report a rare symptomatic case of a 39-year-old man presenting with chest pain and multiple nodules revealed on a computed tomography scan. The patient underwent a surgical exploration and the pathological studies concluded to a thoracic splenosis. Indeed, the previous medical history of the patient revealed a left thoraco-abdominal traumatism during childhood. The aim of this paper is to emphasize that the diagnosis can now be performed using only imaging techniques such as technetium-99 sulfur colloid or labelled heat-denatured red blood cell scintigraphy to avoid unnecessary invasive procedures including thoracotomy.
Abdominal Injuries ; complications ; Adult ; Asymptomatic Diseases ; Humans ; Male ; Spleen ; injuries ; Splenectomy ; Splenosis ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Thoracic Diseases ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Thoracic Injuries ; complications ; Thoracotomy ; Unnecessary Procedures

Objective: To investigate the long-term incidence of coronary events and related factors in patients undergoing cardiac thoracotomy without preoperative coronary angiography (CAG). Methods: This was a retrospective study. The clinical data of patients, aged between 40 and 49 years old, who underwent cardiothoracic surgery, including heart valve surgery, congenital heart disease surgery, cardio great vessels surgery and other non-coronary artery disease (CAD) surgery, in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from December 2009 to May 2017, were enrolled. Patients with suspected CAD, or patients with coronary CTA defined calcified coronary arteries received CAG examination prior operation, and the rest patients did not receive routine CAG examinations. The patients who did not receive routine CAG examinations were followed up by telephone. The primary endpoints include death related to coronary arteries, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The secondary endpoints include the new onset angina, clinically diagnosed CAD or receiving the first and second prevention for CAD. The other outcome events included cardiac death and all-cause mortality. The primary and secondary endpoints were all regarded as coronary events. The patients without preoperative CAG were divided into two groups: the positive group and the negative group, according to the incidence of coronary events during follow-up. Clinical data were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 952 patients were included. The age was (45.2±2.7) years old, 406(42.65%) patients were male. Preoperative CAG was performed in 73 patients, among whom 9 (12.32%) patients underwent simultaneous CABG. Among the 879 cases who did not undergo coronary angiography before the operation, 18(2.05%) died during perioperative period (hospitalization and within 30 days after discharge). The patients were followed up for (61.6±25.8) months, and 28(3.25%) patients were lost to follow up. During long-term follow up, there were no fatal cases due to severe coronary events and no cases of CABG or PCI. Only 4.41% (38/861) patients had the secondary endpoints, namely the occasional onset of atypical angina. The incidence rate of the long-term coronary events, all-cause mortality and cardiac death were 4.41% (38/861), 1.16% (10/861), 0.46% (4/861) during long-term follow-up. The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in positive group than negative group (34.21% (13/38) vs. 20.89% (164/785), P=0.045). Conclusions: It is feasible not to perform preoperative CAG examination for non-CAD patients aged 40-49 years who will undergo cardiac thoracotomy. However, we need to be aware the risk of coronary events in the patients complicating with risk factors of CAD, such as hypertension.
Adult ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease/surgery* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracotomy ; Treatment Outcome

Interfascial plane block is a quick,safe and simple technique that offers effective analgesia for video-assisted thoracotomy.However,the currently described methods still have certain limitations.We explored the application of a novel interfascial plane block method-iliocostal plane block in video-assisted thoracotomy,along with the use of stained cadaveric anatomy,with an attempt to shed new light on the analgesia for video-assisted thoracotomy.
Analgesia ; Humans ; Thoracotomy

Regional anesthesia, including central and plane blocks (serratus anterior plane block and erector spinae block), are used for post-thoracotomy pain. The rhomboid intercostal block (RIB) is mainly performed by injection to the upper intercostal muscle plane below the rhomboid muscle. It has been reported to provide analgesia at the T3–T9 levels. The RIB was performed on 5 patients who had been scheduled for thoracotomy. The catheter was advanced in the area under the rhomboid muscle between the intercostal muscles. Postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores were observed and each patient’s resting VAS score remained below 3 for 48 hours. The RIB has been observed to be a convenient plane block for post-thoracotomy analgesia. We believe that further information from detailed studies is required.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia, Conduction ; Catheters ; Fascia ; Humans ; Intercostal Muscles ; Pain Management ; Pain Measurement ; Pain, Postoperative ; Ribs ; Thoracotomy ; Visual Analog Scale

BACKGROUND: Severe pain always develops after thoracotomy; intrapleural regional analgesia is used as a simple, safe technique to control it. This study was performed to evaluate whether a small dose of naloxone with local anesthetics prolongs sensory blockade. METHODS: A prospective, randomized double-blinded controlled study was conducted on 60 patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists statuses I and II, aged 18 to 60 years, scheduled for unilateral thoracotomy surgery. After surgery, patients were randomly divided into two groups: through the intrapleural catheter, group B received 30 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine, while group N received 30 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine with 100 ng of naloxone. Postoperative pain was assessed using the visual analog pain scale (VAS). Time for the first request for rescue analgesia, total amount consumed, and incidence of postoperative complications were also recorded. RESULTS: The VAS score significantly decreased in group N, at 6 h and 8 h after operation (P < 0.001 for both). At 12 h after injection, the VAS score increased significantly in group N (P < 0.001). The time for the first request of rescue analgesia was significantly longer in group N compared to group B (P < 0.001). The total amount of morphine consumed was significantly lower in group N than in the bupivacaine group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Addition of a small dose of naloxone to bupivacaine in intrapleural regional analgesia significantly prolonged pain relief after thoracotomy and delayed the first request for rescue analgesia, without significant adverse effects.
Analgesia ; Anesthetics, Local ; Bupivacaine ; Catheters ; Humans ; Incidence ; Interpleural Analgesia ; Morphine ; Naloxone ; Pain Measurement ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Complications ; Prospective Studies ; Thoracotomy