Objective To evaluate the perioperative safety of lung surgery for patients with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of the patients recovered from COVID-19 infection and received lung surgery from December 2022 to February 2023 in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Beijing Hospital. Patients who received lung surgery and without COVID-19 at the same time were selected as a control group. Perioperative data between the two groups were compared. Results A total of 103 patients were included with 44 males and 49 females at an average age of (62.2±12.1) years. All surgeries were performed by uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Among patients who recovered from COVID-19, 53 (51.5%) received lobectomy, 30 (29.1%) received segmentectomy, and 20 (19.4%) received wedge resection. The interval between diagnosis of infection and lung surgery was ≤1 month in 32 (31.1%) patients, and >1 month in 71 (68.9%) patients. The results of virus nucleic acid test for all patients before surgery were negative. A total of 13 (12.6%) patients had positive IgM, and 100 (97.1%) patients had positive IgG. A total of 20 patients experienced perioperative complications (13 patients with pulmonary air leakage, 3 patients with chylothorax, 2 patients with atrial fibrillation, and 2 patients with severe pulmonary complications). There was one perioperative death. Comparing the patients who recovered from COVID-19 with those without COVID-19, we found no statistical difference in perioperative outcomes including surgical duration, postoperative drainage, duration of thoracic tube, and duration of postoperative stay (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in perioperative complications between the two groups (P>0.05). Multivariable logistical regression analysis demonstrated that positive IgM before surgery (OR=7.319, 95%CI 1.669 to 32.103, P=0.008), and longer duration of surgery (OR=1.016, 95%CI 1.003 to 1.028, P=0.013) were independent risk factors of perioperative complications for patients who recovered from COVID-19. Conclusion It is safe for patients recover from COVID-19 to receive lung surgery when symptoms disappear and the nucleic acid test turn negative. However, positive COVID-19 IgM is an independent risk factor for perioperative complications. We suggest that lung surgery could be performed when the nucleic acid test and COVID-19 IgM are both negative for patients recover from COVID-19 infection.

Animals ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Macaca mulatta ; COVID-19/prevention & control* ; Antibodies, Viral ; Vaccines

Objective:To evaluate the safety of thymic surgery in patients aged 65 years and over.Methods:A total of 696 patients who underwent thymectomy/thymoma resection in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Beijing Hospital from November 2011 to March 2022 were collected and divided into two groups according to the age of 65 years old.The preoperative course of disease, MG stage, dosage of pyridostigmine bromide, American College of Anesthesiologists(ASA)score, surgical method, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative drainage, postoperative complications, Clavien-dindo score(CDC), and myasthenic crisis were recorded and statistically analyzed.Results:A total of 696 patients were enrolled, including 364 males and 332 females, aged 15~86 years, with an average age of 49.1 years.There were 309 patients with thymoma, 565 patients with MG, and 178 patients with both.There were 124 cases in the elderly group(≥65 years old)and 572 cases in the non-elderly group(<65 years old). The incidence of thymoma was higher in the elderly group(54.8 % versus 42.1 %, χ2=6.664, P=0.010), while the incidence of MG was lower(67.7 % versus 84.1 %, χ2=17.827, P<0.001). The ASA score of the elderly group was higher than that of the non-elderly group( χ2=52.372, P=0.000), and the preoperative ventilation function FEV1 and FEV1/FVC were also significantly lower than those of the non-elderly group( z=8.187, 4.580, P=0.000 for all). The drainage volume in the first 3 days after operation and postoperative drainage tube time in the elderly group were significantly higher than those in the non-elderly group( P=0.018, P=0.003). The incidence of postoperative myasthenia crisis in the elderly group was higher than that in the non-elderly group( P=0.034). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups, but after Clavien-dindo classification, the score of the elderly group was higher than that of the non-elderly group( P=0.003). Although the ASA score and Clavien-dindo score of the elderly group were both higher than those of the non-elderly group, there was no correlation between the two. Conclusions:Although the preoperative ASA score and pulmonary function of elderly patients were poorer than those in the non-elderly group, while the incidence of postoperative myasthenia crisis was higher, and the incidence of postoperative complications was not higher, the Clavien-dindo classification, however, was higher in elderly patients than that of the non-elderly group.After careful preoperative evaluation and strengthening perioperative management, most elderly patients can receive thymus surgery safely with acceptable risks.

The clinical data of a 64-year-old patient with adrenocortical adenoma complicated with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus(IVCTT) were retrospectively analyzed. The patient was admitted becourse of intermittent dizziness for 4 months. CT examination revealed right adrenal tumor, and IVCTT was found in operation. Adrenal cortical adenoma needs to be distinguished from adrenal cortical carcinoma pathologically. Preoperative color Doppler ultrasonography, CT angiography or inferior vena cava angiography can confirm the diagnosis of IVCTT and tumor thrombus grade, and different surgical methods should be selected according to tumor thrombus grade.

Objective:To explore the promoting effects of slit guidance ligand 2 (Slit2) on the repair of corneal epithelium and nerve damage in diabetic mice and possible molecular mechanism.Methods:Sixty SPF C57BL/6 mice aged 5-6 weeks were divided into normal control group, diabetes model group and Slit2 injection group according to the random number table method, 20 for each group.Diabectic model was prepared by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin in the diabetes model group and Slit2 injection group.A mouse corneal epithelial injury repair model was established using electric epithelial scraper, and Slit2 recombinant protein was subconjunctivally injected immediately following modeling in the Slit2 injection group.The equal volume of phosphate buffer saline (PBS) was used in a same way in the diabetes model group.No intervention was performed in the normal control group.Corneal epithelial healing were examined at 24, 48 and 72 hours after corneal epithelial defect by corneal fluorescin staining.Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of Slit2 and its related receptors in the corneal epithelium of normal and diabetic model mice.Fluorescence staining of corneal wholemount with β-tubulin Ⅲ was used to observe the changes in corneal nerve morphology.Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression and distribution of Slit2 in mouse corneal epithelium in normal control group and diabetes model group, as well as the expression and distribution of Slit2, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), threonine protein kinase (AKT), β-catenin and Ki67 in the healing corneal epithelium of mice after corneal epithelium damage in different groups.The mouse corneal epithelial stem/progenitor cell line (TKE2) was divided into normal control group, high-glucose group and Slit2 treatment group.Western blot was performed to detect the expression of p-EGFR/EGFR and p-AKT/AKT in the TKE2 of the three groups.The expression of p-EGFR/EGFR and p-AKT/AKT in high glucose-cultured TKE2 with 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5 μg/ml Slit2 treatment for 10 minutes, and before and 10, 20, 30, 60, 120 minutes after 0.5 μg/ml Slit2 treatment was detected by Western blot.The effects of Slit2 on the axon regeneration of mouse trigeminal ganglion cells (TGs) were observed by immunofluorescence staining.The use and care of animals complied with the ARVO statement.This study protocol was approved by an Ethics Committee of Qingdao Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (No.[2020]57).Results:At 48 and 72 hours after corneal epithelial scraping, the speed of corneal epithelial repair was significantly slowed down in diabetes model group in comparison with the normal control group and Slit2 injection group.The relative expression levels of Slit2 and its receptors Robo1, Robo2 and Robo4 mRNA in the normal corneal epithelium in the diabetes model group were significantly higher than those of the normal control group (all at P<0.05). The fluorescence intensity of Slit2 in normal corneal epithelium in diabetes model group was similar to the normal control group, and the fluorescence intensity of Slit2 in damaged corneal epithelium in diabetic mice was significantly weaker than that in normal control group.Corneal nerve plexus was denser at 7 days after corneal epithelial injury and the nerve fibers were increased with more branches in Slit2 injection group compared with diabetic group.The fluorescence intensity of p-EGFR, p-ERK, β-catenin and Ki67 in damaged corneal epithelium in normal control group and Slit2 injection group was stronger than that of the diabetes model group.The relative expression levels of p-EGFR/EGFR, p-AKT/AKT, and β-catenin in TKE2 in high-glucose group were significantly lower than those in normal control group and Slit2 treatment group (all at P<0.05). The relative expression levels of p-EGFR/EGFR and p-AKT/AKT in high glucose-cultured TKE2 after Slit2 treatment were significantly increased in comparison with before Slit2 treatment (both at P<0.05), and the relative expression levels of p-EGFR/EGFR and p-AKT/AKT in TKE2 were elevated as the increase of Slit2 concentration.The activation effect of 0.5 μg/ml Slit2 on EGFR and AKT pathways was most obvious.The synapse length of TGs cultured by high glucose was (40.52±5.44) μm, which was significantly shortened than (72.14±9.48) μm in normal control group and (73.04±4.66) μm in Slit2 injection group (both at P<0.05). Conclusions:Slit2 can protect the corneal epithelium by activating EGFR signaling pathway and play a protective role to neurons by increasing the density of corneal subepithelial plexus and promoting the growth of TGs axons in diabetic mice.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical characteristics and the surgical safety in patients aged 65 years and over with thymic epithelial tumor, and analyze the prognosis of 3-10 years postoperative tumor and myasthenia gravy.Methods:A total of 228 patients diagnosed as thymic tumor and undergoing surgical surgery to remove the tumor in Beijing Hospital from Jan.2011 to Dec.2018 were retrospectively enrolled.Patients were divided into a young(≤ 65 yrs)and old(>65 yrs)groups.The operation time, intra-operative bleeding, drainage volume in the first 3 days after operation, days with drainage tube after operation, postoperative days of hospital stays, the diameter of the tumors, pathological classification, Tumor-Node-Metastasis(TNM)staging, Masaoka-Koga staging, whether or not complicated with myasthenia gravis and complications were compared between two groups.The patients were followed up by outpatient or telephone, and recurrence of thymoma, survival status and improvement of myasthenia gravis were tracked.Results:There were significant differences in pathological classification between the two groups( P=0.002). The postoperative days with drainage tube were longer in patients≥65 years old than in patients<65 years old[4(2-17)days and 3(1-9), Z=2.316, P=0.021]. Thymic atrophy was more common in patients ≥ 65 years old than in patients <65 years old(10.2% and 1.7%, χ2=5.937, P=0.015). Incidence of thymoma plus myasthenia gravis were higher in patients aged <65 years than those aged ≥65years(68.2% vs.40.8%, χ2=12.240, P<0.001), and incidence of thymic hyperplasia were higher in patients aged <65 years than those aged ≥65years(58.1% and 38.8%, χ2=2.316, P=0.016). The recurrence of thymoma was a poor prognostic factor affecting the survival of patients.Meanwhile, Masaoka-Koga stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ and TNM stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ were independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence of thymoma. Conclusions:Thymectomy is safe and effective in the patients aged 65 and over, and may have a better long-term prognosis.

Objective:To proceed a comparative study of characteristics and safety of video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy between artificial pneumothorax combining subxiphoid-costal margin approach versus right thoracic cavity approach.Methods:From January 2018 to December 2021, 251 patients(including myasthenia gravis with thymic hyperplasia or thymoma, thymic cysts and anterior mediastinal occupying lesions)undergoing thoracoscopic extended thymectomy in our department were retrospectively studied, and their clinical data were collected.The surgical methods were divided into artificial pneumothorax combining xiphoid costal margin approach(artificial pneumothorax group, n=165)and via right thoracic approach(right thoracic group, n=86). Clinical data such as preoperative information, operative duration, blood loss, postoperative drainage, drainage duration, and surgical complication were compared between two groups.Results:There were no statistical differences in age, gender and pathology between two groups(all P>0.05). Compared with the right thoracic group, operative duration[(108.6±45.2)min vs.(127.6±42.1)min, t=-3.628, P=0.000], intraoperative blood loss[(37.9±131.7)ml vs.(107.4±284.8)ml, t=-8.215, P=0.000], postoperative drainage volume[(379.0±285.5)ml vs.(646.6±373.3 ml), t=-6.277, P=0.000]and drainage duration[(2.2±1.0)d vs.(3.1±1.0)d, t=-7.275, P=0.000]were statistically significantly decreased in the artificial pneumothorax group.No significant difference was found(all P>0.05)in phrenic nerve injury(1/165 vs.0/86, P=1.000), myasthenia crisis(3/89 vs.2/66, χ2=0.014, P=0.906), and the conversion to thoracotomy(3/165 vs.2/86, P=1.000). Conclusions:VATS thymectomy by artificial pneumothorax combining subxiphoid-costal margin approach is a safer method, having a less trauma, less bleeding and less incidence rate of complication.Especially, it is more suitable for elderly female patients who cannot be intubated in double lumen, cannot tolerate one-lung ventilation, and have pulmonary insufficiency.

Objective:To compare the characteristics and therapeutic effects of video-assisted thoracoscopic(VATS)extended thymectomy by subxiphoid-costal margin approach versus right intercostal approach for the treatment of myasthenia gravis(MG).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 230 non-thymomatous MG patients undergone VATS extended thymectomy in our department from August 2015 to August 2019.According to the operation approach and method, patients were divided into two groups: the subxiphod-costal margin approach group(n=102)and the right intercostal approach group(n=128).Results:Intraoperative blood loss and the postoperative drainage were less in the subxiphod-costal margin approach group than in the right intercostal approach group[(30.3±25.2) ml vs. (45.1±30.6) ml, (178.6±90.5) ml vs.(205.4±87.6) ml, t=-3.935 and -2.27, P=0.003 and 0.024)]. Postoperative pain degree was lower in the subxiphod-costal margin approach group than in the right intercostal approach group [the Numerical Rating Scale(NSR)scores: 3.1±1.0 vs. 4.6±1.5, t=-8.677, P=0.001]. A difference in incidence rate of pore malunion also existed between the subxiphod-costal margin approach group and the right intercostal approach group, but it had no statistical significance(1/102 vs. 7/128, χ2=2.200, P=0.138). The complete remission rate and the overall effectiveness rate had no significant difference between the two groups(29.6% vs.32.4%, 85.7% vs. 84.7%, χ2=0.196 and 0.044, P=0.658 and 0.834). Conclusions:VATS extended thymectomy by subxiphoid-costal margin approach shows excellent safety and effectiveness in treating MG.It has advantages of low trauma and complications, and is particularly suited for elderly and female MG patients who are unable to receive double-lumen endotracheal intubation, are intolerant to one-lung ventilation or have pulmonary insufficiency.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a group of diffuse lung diseases that mainly involve the interstitial and alveolar cavities and result in loss of alveolar-capillary functional units, leading to restrictive ventilatory dysfunction and diffusion impairment. There was an increased incidence of lung cancer on the basis of ILD, and perioperative risk of patients with lung cancer combined with ILD (LC-ILD) was significantly increased. The aim of this study is to summarize the safety and experience of surgical treatment of LC-ILD. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 23 patients with LC-ILD who underwent pneumonectomy in Beijing Hospital from January 2012 to December 2019, and their clinical manifestations, image feature, pathology, surgical safety, perioperative complications and treatment experience were summarized. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients were included in this study, including 20 males (87.0%) with an average age of (69.1±7.8) years, and 19 cases (82.6%) were smokers. Of the ILD types, 14 cases (60.9%) were idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, 7 cases (30.4%) were idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, and 2 (8.7%) were interstitial lung disease associated with connective tissue diseases. The pathology of lung cancer included adenocarcinoma (30.4%, 7/23), small cell carcinoma (30.4%, 7/23), squamous cell carcinoma (26.1%, 6/23), small cell carcinoma mixed with squamous cell carcinoma (4.3%, 1/23) and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (8.7%, 2/23). Surgical approaches included video assisted thoracoscopy (69.6%, 16/23) and anterolateral thoracotomy (30.4%, 7/23), with lobectomy (52.2%, 12/23), double lobectomy (4.3%, 1/23), and sublobectomy (39.1%, 9/23). There were 11 cases (47.8%) of postoperative complications, including 8 cases (34.8%) of pulmonary complications, 4 cases (17.4%) of acute exacerbation of ILD (AE-ILD), 6 cases (26.1%) of atrial fibrillation, and 1 case (4.3%) of acute left ventricular dysfunction. The 90-day mortality is 8.7% (2/23) and the cause of death was acute exacerbation of ILD. CONCLUSIONS Most of LC-ILD were elderly patients with multiple comorbidities and decreased pulmonary function, leading to significantly increased surgical risk. The ILD should be fully evaluated and controlled before surgery, intraoperative trauma should be minimized, and special attention should be paid to pulmonary complications and AE-ILD after surgery. Postoperative AE-ILD has a poor prognosis and glucocorticoids may be effective. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to treatment of AE-ILD.

Objective:To compare the surgical effect of single-utility port and three port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS) for patients of thoracic esophageal cancer.Methods:Patients who underwent McKeown surgery with single-utility port and three port VATS in Department of Thoracic Surgery at Beijing Hospital from January 2013 to December 2018 were enrolled. During the thoracic procedure, patients were placed forwardly in left lateral decubitus position. The video port was made at the eighth mid-axillary intercostal space, and the single-utility port was at the fourth intercostal space between antero-axillary and mid-axillary line. For three port VATS, another incision was made at the eighth posto-axillary intercostal space. The posterior mediastinum was exposed by the "suture-drawing exposure" method, then the thoracic esophagus was carefully dissected and mediastinal lymphadenectomy was done. Information was collected including demographic, perioperative and pathological data. Patients were followed up by telephone or outpatient record.Results:A total of 62 patients of single-utility port VATS and 28 three port VATS were included. All cases were accomplished by VATS, and none of them were converted to thoracotomy or adding additional ports. Sex proportion and ages of the two groups were comparable( P>0.05). The surgery duration[(336.9±55.7) min vs.(319.7±66.3)min, P=0.205] and thoracic procedure duration[(112.5±36.7)min vs.(108.9±43.6)min, P=0.686] of two groups were also similar. There were no statistical differences in volume of drainage, postoperative stay, thoracic complications, number of lymph nodes dissected, and survival after surgery between two groups( P>0.05). Peripheral blood oxygen saturation in first 3 days after surgery of single-utility port VATS patients was significantly higher[ Day 1: (97.00±1.57)% vs.(96.10±1.23)%, P=0.009; Day 2: ( 96.60±1.84 )% vs.(95.70±1.19)%, P=0.020; Day 3: (97.40±1.56)% vs.(96.30±1.42)%, P=0.002] and respiratory rate was significantly lower[(19.70±1.48) times/min vs.(20.70±1.70) times/min, P=0.006]than three-port VATS patients. Conclusion:Single-utility port VATS for McKeown surgery is safe and feasible, which tends to reduce the surgical trauma and can be a routine surgical procedure for minimally invasive esophagectomy.