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*

Blunt traumatic tracheobronchial injury is rare, but can be potentially life-threatening. It accounts for only 0.5%-2% of all trauma cases. Patients may present with non-specific signs and symptoms, requiring a high index of suspicion with accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment. A 26-year-old female was brought into the emergency department after sustained a blunt trauma to the chest from a high impact motor vehicle accident. She presented with signs of respiratory distress and extensive subcutaneous emphysema from the chest up to the neck. Her airway was secured and chest drain was inserted for right sided pneumothorax. CT of the neck and thorax revealed a collapsed right middle lung lobe with a massive pneumothorax, raising the suspicion of a right middle lobe bronchus injury. Diagnosis was confirmed by bronchoscopy. In view of the difficulty in maintaining her ventilation and persistent pneumothorax with a massive air leak, immediate right thoracotomy via posterolateral approach was performed. The right middle lobar bronchus tear was repaired. There were no intra- or post-operative complications. She made an uneventful recovery. She was asymptomatic at her first month follow-up. A repeated chest X-ray showed expanded lungs. Details of the case including clinical presentation, imaging and management were discussed with an emphasis on the early uses of bronchoscopy in case of suspected blunt traumatic tracheobronchial injury. A review of the current literature of tracheobronchial injury management was presented.
Humans ; Female ; Adult ; Pneumothorax/surgery* ; Bronchi/injuries* ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating/diagnosis* ; Bronchoscopy ; Trachea/injuries*

Arthroscopic superior capsular reconstruction is an innovative technique for the irreparable rotator cuff tears, but spontaneous pneumothorax after surgery is very rare. The present case was a 66-year-old female with irreparable rotator cuff tears of the right shoulder, treated with the arthroscopic shoulder superior capsular reconstruction. The general anesthesia and operation went smoothly, but the patient experienced stuffiness in the chest and shortness of breath after recovery from anesthesia. Thoracic CT scans showed spontaneous pneumothorax in the right side, which was successfully treated by the conservative treatments (oxygen therapy) according to multidisciplinary team. Prompt and accurate early-stage diagnosis is necessary in controlling postoperative complications and standardized treatment is the key to relieve the suffering. Spontaneous pneumothorax after arthroscopic shoulder surgery has been rarely reported in previous literatures.
Aged ; Arthroscopy/methods* ; Female ; Humans ; Pneumothorax/surgery* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rotator Cuff Injuries/surgery* ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Joint ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: The localization of pulmonary nodules is related to whether the lesions can be found and removed accurately and quickly. It is an important link for the success of minimally invasive video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). This study investigated the feasibility of medical glue localization under VATS video-assisted thoracoscopic computed tomography (CT) guidance for single pulmonary nodule and more than two pulmonary nodules, and compared with the accuracy and safety of single nodule localization. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of patients who underwent unilateral CT-guided medical glue localization before VATS from November 2018 to March 2021 were performed, the patients was divided into multiple pulmonary nodules group (localized nodules ≥2) and single pulmonary nodule group according to the number of localized nodules. The localization time, success rate and complication rate of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: There were 126 nodules in the two groups, including 62 in single pulmonary nodule group and 64 in multiple pulmonary nodules group. The average single nodule localization time was (13.23±4.5) min in single pulmonary nodule group and (10.52±2.8) min in multiple pulmonary nodules group, the difference between the two groups is statistically significant (P<0.05). The localization success rate of single pulmonary nodule group and multiple pulmonary nodules group were 100% and 98.4% separately, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). All VATS were successfully completed after localization. The incidence of pneumothorax was higher in multiple pulmonary nodules group than in single pulmonary nodule group (P=0.07). CONCLUSIONS Compared with localization of single lung nodule, unilateral CT-guided medical glue localization for multiple pulmonary nodules before VATS is also feasible and accuracy, it is worthy of clinical application. But the higher rate of pneumothorax should be paid attention to.
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/surgery* ; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules/surgery* ; Pneumothorax ; Retrospective Studies ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule/surgery* ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: At present, robotic surgery is widely used in thoracic surgery, which has higher maneuverability, precision, and stability, especially for small space complex operations and reconstructive surgery. The advantages of robotic lung segment resection under full orifice artificial pneumothorax are obvious. METHODS: Based on a large number of clinical practices, we established a set of surgical methods for 4-arm robotic lung segment resection under a port-only artificial pneumothorax. 98 cases of robotic lung segment resection were performed with this method from January 2019 to August 2022. The clinical experience was summarized. RESULTS: Robotic lung segment resection under port-only artificial pneumothorax has obvious advantages in the anatomy of lung segment vessels and bronchi. It is characterized by less bleeding, shorter operation time, adequate exposure, and flexible operation. CONCLUSIONS This surgical model we propose optimizes the operation mode and technique of lung segment resection, makes each step procedural, reduces collateral damage, and is easy to learn and master, which is believed to cure more lung cancer patients with less trauma.
Humans ; Pneumothorax, Artificial ; Robotic Surgical Procedures ; Pneumonectomy ; Lung Neoplasms/surgery* ; Robotics

Patients undergoing thoracic surgery show various lesions such as chronic obstructive lung diseases, pleural adhesion, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, atelectasis, pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, and pneumothorax throughout preoperative, operative, and recovery periods. Therefore, lung ultrasonography has potential for perioperative use in thoracic surgery. Benefits of lung ultrasonography over conventional chest X-ray are convincing. First, ultrasonography has higher sensitivity than X-ray in various lesions. Second, it can be performed at bed side to obtain diagnosis immediately. Third, it does not expose patients to radiologic hazard. If anesthesiologists can obtain necessary skills and perform lung ultrasonography as a routine evaluation process for patients, territory of anesthesia would become broader and patients would obtain more benefit.
Anesthesia ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Lung* ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumonia ; Pneumothorax ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Pulmonary Edema ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography*

BACKGROUND: A method of wound closure using knotless suture material in the chest tube site has been introduced at our center, and is now widely used as the primary method of closing chest tube wounds in video- assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) because it provides cosmetic benefits and causes less pain. METHODS: We included 109 patients who underwent VATS pulmonary resection at Samsung Medical Center from October 1 to October 31, 2016. Eighty-five patients underwent VATS pulmonary resection with chest drain wound closure utilizing knotless suture material, and 24 patients underwent VATS pulmonary resection with chest drain wound closure by the conventional method. Complications related to the chest drain wound were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: There were 2 cases of pneumothorax after chest tube removal in both groups (8.3% in the conventional group, 2.3% in the knotless suture group; p=0.172) and there was 1 case of wound discharge due to wound dehiscence in the knotless suture group (0% in the conventional group, 1.2% in the knotless suture group; p=0.453). There was no reported case of chest tube dislodgement in either group. The complication rates were non-significantly different between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: The results for the complication rates of this new chest drain wound closure method suggest that this method is not inferior to the conventional method. Chest drain wound closure using knotless suture material is feasible based on the short-term results of the complication rate.
Chest Tubes ; Humans ; Lung ; Methods* ; Pneumothorax ; Sutures* ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thorax* ; Wounds and Injuries*

BACKGROUND: The surgical treatment of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) can be complicated by fragile lung parenchyma. The preoperative prediction of air leakage could help prevent intraoperative lung injury during manipulation of the lung. Common sites of bulla development and ruptured bullae were investigated based on computed tomography (CT) and intraoperative findings. METHODS: The study enrolled 208 patients with SSP who underwent air leak control through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). We retrospectively reviewed the sites of bulla development on preoperative CT and the rupture sites during VATS. RESULTS: Of the 135 cases of right-sided SSP, the most common rupture site was the apical segment (31.9%), followed by the azygoesophageal recess (27.4%). Of the 75 cases on the left side, the most common rupture site was the apical segment (24.0%), followed by the anterior basal segment (17.3%). CONCLUSION: The azygoesophageal recess and parenchyma along the cardiac border were common sites of bulla development and rupture. Studies of respiratory lung motion to measure the pleural pressure at the lung surface could help to determine the relationship between cardiogenic and diaphragmatic movement and bulla formation or rupture.
Humans ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Pneumothorax* ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recently, minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques including robot-assisted operations have been widely applied in cardiac surgery. The thoracoscopic technique is a favorable MIS option for patients with atrial septal defects (ASDs). Accordingly, we report the mid-term results of thoracoscopic ASD closure without robotic assistance. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We included 66 patients who underwent thoracoscopic ASD closure between June 2006 and July 2014. Mean age was 27±9 years. The mean size of the ASD was 25.9±6.3 mm. Eleven patients (16.7%) had greater than mild tricuspid regurgitation (TR). The TR pressure gradient was 32.4±8.6 mmHg. RESULTS: Fifty-two (78.8%) patients underwent closure with a pericardial patch and 14 (21.2%) underwent direct suture closure. Concomitant procedures included tricuspid valve repair in 8 patients (12.1%), mitral valve repair in 4 patients (6.1%), and right isthmus block in 1 patient (1.5%). The mean length of the right thoracotomy incision was 4.5±0.9 cm. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 159±43 minutes, and the mean aortic cross clamp time was 79±29 minutes. The mean hospital stay lasted 6.1±2.6 days. There were no early deaths. There were 2 reoperations. One was due to ASD patch detachment and the other was due to residual mitral regurgitation after concomitant mitral valve repair. However, there have been no reoperations since July 2010. There were 2 pneumothoraxes requiring chest tube re-insertion. There was one wound dehiscence in an endoscopic port. The mean follow-up duration was 33±31 months. There were no deaths, residual shunts, or reoperations during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Thoracoscopic ASD closure without robotic assistance is feasible, suggesting that this method is a reliable MIS option for patients with ASDs.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Chest Tubes ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Methods ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Pneumothorax ; Sutures ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracoscopes ; Thoracotomy ; Tricuspid Valve ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND: The benefits of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) have been demonstrated over the past decades; as a result, VATS has become the gold-standard treatment for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). Due to improvements in surgical technique and equipment, single-port VATS (s-VATS) is emerging as an alternative approach to conventional three-port VATS (t-VATS). The aim of this study was to evaluate s-VATS as a treatment for PSP by comparing operative outcomes and recurrence rates for s-VATS versus t-VATS. METHODS: Between March 2013 and December 2015, VATS for PSP was performed in 146 patients in Kyungpook National University Hospital. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of these patients. RESULTS: The mean follow-up duration was 13.4±6.5 months in the s-VATS group and 28.7±3.9 months in the t-VATS group. Operative time (p<0.001), the number of staples used for the operation (p=0.001), duration of drainage (p=0.001), and duration of the postoperative stay (p<0.001) were significantly lower in the s-VATS group than in the t-VATS group. There was no difference in the overall recurrence-free survival rate between the s-VATS and t-VATS groups. CONCLUSION: No significant differences in operative outcomes and recurrence rates were found between s-VATS and t-VATS for PSP. Therefore, we cautiously suggest that s-VATS may be an appropriate alternative to t-VATS in the treatment of PSP.
Drainage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Operative Time ; Pneumothorax* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted*