Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common digestive disease with characteristics of a multitude of pathogenesis, a variety of clinical manifestations and a strong negative impact on physical and mental health of the patients. GERD is classified into non-erosive reflux disease and reflux esophagitis in terms of absence or presence of mucosal damage at endoscopic findings. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are widely used in the treatment of GERD, especially for patients with non-erosive reflux disease or mild reflux esophagitis. However, PPI do not affect pathophysiologic mechanisms of GERD or reduce the number of reflux events. When PPI fails to adequately control the symptoms of GERD as a result of gastroesophagel junction structural defects, the antireflux surgical procedures are indicated to create a mechanical barrier to reflux. The laparoscopic fundoplication remains the most commonly performed and is the current "gold-standard" anti-reflux procedure. The outcomes of the antireflux surgical procedures are superior to medical therapy for GERD in light of subjective symptoms, objective examinations, quality of life and patient satisfaction. As of now, enough attention has not been paid to the traditional surgical procedures of GERD in China. It is controversial about which is optimal among the three major types of procedures, selection should be tailored to classification, mechanism, age, mental status and esophageal motility. GERD is a chronic disease and either medical or surgical therapy may put the patient at different risk, therefore the patient′s preferences should be considered adequately before choosing the treatment protocols.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common digestive disease with characteristics of a multitude of pathogenesis, a variety of clinical manifestations and a strong negative impact on physical and mental health of the patients. GERD is classified into non-erosive reflux disease and reflux esophagitis in terms of absence or presence of mucosal damage at endoscopic findings. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are widely used in the treatment of GERD, especially for patients with non-erosive reflux disease or mild reflux esophagitis. However, PPI do not affect pathophysiologic mechanisms of GERD or reduce the number of reflux events. When PPI fails to adequately control the symptoms of GERD as a result of gastroesophagel junction structural defects, the antireflux surgical procedures are indicated to create a mechanical barrier to reflux. The laparoscopic fundoplication remains the most commonly performed and is the current "gold-standard" anti-reflux procedure. The outcomes of the antireflux surgical procedures are superior to medical therapy for GERD in light of subjective symptoms, objective examinations, quality of life and patient satisfaction. As of now, enough attention has not been paid to the traditional surgical procedures of GERD in China. It is controversial about which is optimal among the three major types of procedures, selection should be tailored to classification, mechanism, age, mental status and esophageal motility. GERD is a chronic disease and either medical or surgical therapy may put the patient at different risk, therefore the patient′s preferences should be considered adequately before choosing the treatment protocols.

Objective    To evaluate the timing of chest tube removal after resection of lung or esophageal cancer. Methods    A prospective randomized controlled study was performed. From June 2014 to February 2016, 150 patients suspected as the cancer of lung or esophagus undergoing neoplasm resection and lymph node dissection in our single medical unit were classified into 3 groups according to the random number generated by SPSS17.0 with 50 patients in the each group. The drainage volume for chest tube removal was ≤100 mL/d in the group Ⅰ, 101–200 mL/d in the group Ⅱ, and 201–300 mL/d in the group Ⅲ. Chest radiography was performed 48 hours following chest tube removal. Results    The 127 patients (108 males and 19 females, with an average age of 59.0±8.7 years) eligible for analysis consisted of 45 patients in the group Ⅰ, 41 in the group Ⅱ, and 41 in the group Ⅲ respectively after the 23 patients were excluded from this study who were diagnosed as benign lesions through intraoperative frozen pathology (n=20) and postoperative complications (empyema in 2 patients and chylothorax in 1 patient). Age, sex, types of neoplasm, and comorbidities except procedures via video-assisted thoracic surgery (and laparoscopy) showed no significant difference among the three groups (P>0.05). No mortality was observed in this study. There were postoperative complications in 6 patients and its distribution had no statistical differences among the three groups (P>0.05). The mean postoperative duration of chest tube was 181.0±68.2 h, 111.0±63.1 h, 76.0±37.2 h, the mean drainage volume was 1 413.0±500.9 mL, 1 005.0±686.4 mL, 776.0±505.8 mL, and the mean hospital stay time following chest tube removal was 19.0±9.7 d, 14.0±8.0 d, 9.0±4.8 d in the group Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ,  respectively; there was a significant difference among the three groups (P=0.000). The 13 patients required reintervention after chest tube removal due to pleural effusion accumulation and it had no difference among the three groups (P>0.05). Chest pain relieved essentially after chest tube removal in all patients. Conclusion    A drainage volume of ≤300 mL/d as a threshold for chest tube removal after resection of lung or esophageal cancer can shorten postoperative hospital stay and accelerate early recovery of the patients.

Objective To explore the clinical significance regarding monitoring circulating tumor cells in early stage lung adenocarcinoma.Methods From November 2015 to January 2018,48 patients with stage Ⅰ lung adenocarcinoma were included in the study.BCAR1 expression in CTCs in peripheral blood were detected by using CanPatrolTM and RNA in situ hybridization detection.Results Among the 48 cases,CTCs and BCAR1 (+)-CTCs were detected in 41 cases(85.4％) and 30 cases(62.5％),respectively.Number of BCAR1 (+)-CTCs seemed to be significantly positively related to that of CTCs.BCAR1 (+)-CTCs were more likely to appear in the M-CTCS and E&M-CTCS.BCAR1 (+)-CTCs remarkably increased in three relapsed cases.Furthermore,there were 19 stable cases who had postoperative CTCs data:(1) in 12 patients,either CTCs or BCAR1 (+)-CTCs were significantly reduced or remained stable;(2) in 7 cases,CTCs increased,but BCAR1 (+)-CTCs remained stable in 2 cases,reduced in 1 case,and the other 4 cases underwent close follow-up.Conclusion Evaluation of BCAR1 (+)-CTCs possibly can be contributive to prediction of early lung adenocarcinoma recurrence or metastasis.

Objective To summarize the early experience of thymectomy by robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) with the da Vinci S Surgical System.Methods A total of 16 patients was underwent thymectomy from October 2016 to May 2017 by RATS.Among them,there were 10 cases of thymic hyperplasia,5 cases of thymoma and 1 case of thymic small cell carcinoma,including 11 cases of myasthenia gravis (MG).The Osserman types were as follows:type Ⅰ (5),type ⅡA (3),type ⅡB (2),and type Ⅲ (1).Clinical data were collected and analyzed.Results The operations were successfully accomplished by RATS in all the 16 patients without any conversion to open surgery and major complication.The docking time was 2-45 (11.69 ± 11.03) min.The operation time was 47-152 (84.06 ± 25.67) min.The blood loss was 0-150 (57.50 ± 37.32) ml.The diameter of thymus or tumor was 4-19.5 cm and (8.22 ± 3.64) cm.Fourteen cases were removed tracheal intubation in the operation day,and the other 2 cases taked off in 6th and 8th days.One case occurred myasthenia gravis crisis after surgery.All patients were followed up for 2-7 months after discharge without MG recurrence.Conclusions The da Vinci S Surgical System can be safely,accurately and stably used for thymectomy.

Objective To compare the clinical characteristics,and outcomes of patients with heart failure with different left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF).Methods A total of 1 182 hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF) were enrolled and retrospectively studied in the present study.The patients were stratified by LVEF as reduced (HFrEF,LVEF ＜ 40％,n =313),mid-range (HFmrEF,40％ ≤ LVEF ＜50％,n =287) and preserved (HFpEF,LVEF≥50％,n =582) ejection fraction groups.Among the 1 182 cases,941 of them (81.3％,84.9％,and 84.0％ inHFrEF,HFmrEF and HFpEF groups,respectively) were followed up for an median duration of 27.3 months.Results (1) Among the study patients,26.5％ were in HFrEF,24.3％ in HFmrEF,and 49.2％ in HFpEF groups.(2) Ischemic heart disease with HFmrEF was more frequent than that in patients with HFrEF.The average age,percentage of female subjects,systolic blood pressure,uric acid,N terminal B-type natriuretic peptide precursor (NT-proBNP),hemoglobin,and the incidence of hypertensive heart disease,anemia,atrial fibrillation in patients with HFmrEF were higher than those in patients with HFrEF,but lower than those in patients with HFpEF (all P ＜0.01).(3) The all-cause cumulative mortality was 10.8％ at 1 year,20.6％ at 2 years and 35.9％ at 5 years.No difference was observed in the all-cause cumulative mortality at 1 year,2 years,5 years among the three groups (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The HFmrEF patients,as a new and distinct group,were with many intermediate characteristics compared with HFrEF and HFpEF subjects.However,the all-cause mortality was not significantly differeut among HF patients with different LVEF.

Objective Summing up and analyzing outcome and influencing factors following thymectomy in patients with ocular myasthenia gravis tries to provide clinical evidence for an option of the treatment modalities.Methods From May 2007 to November 2014,thymectomy was performed in 129 patients with ocular myasthenia gravis consisting of 110 patients by Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS) and 19 by partial sternotomy.Follow-up information was obtained by outpatient visit and telephone contact.The outcome evaluation after thymectomy was classified into full remission,partial remission,unchanged and deteriorated.Statistical analysis was done using x2 test and Cox regression model.Results There was no perioperative death.Seven(5.4％) postoperative complications occurred and cured after treatment.Follow-up was complete in 123 patients(95.3％) and the mean duration of follow-up was 49(range 21-99) months.Surgical outcome revealed full remission in 40 patients,partial remission in 68,unchanged in 9 and deteriorated in 6 patients.Response(full remission and partial remission) rate was 87.8％ and no benefit(unchanged and deteriorated) rate was 12.2％.Four of 6 patients in deteriorated condition progressed into generalized myasthenia gravis(3.3％).The significant difference was noted in 24 months or less of preoperative clinical duration (P =0.004) and thymic hyperplasia (P =0.001) in postoperative pathology among the full remission,partial remission and no benefit group.On the other hand,there was no statistical difference in sex,age,symptoms,comorbidities,preoperative taking acetylcholinase inhibitor,corticosteroid,surgical approach,and associated thymona among the three groups.Multivariate Cox regression analysis also demonstrated that a preoperative duration of symptoms 24 months or less and postoperative histology being thymic hyperplasia favourably influenced the outcome.Conclusion The role of thymectomy in patients with ocular myasthenia gravis can relieve symptoms effectively and avert or decrease the potential development of generalized symptoms.Thymectomy,which has a low postoperative mortality and morbidity,may be a first-line option of the therapeutic armamentarium to treat ocular myasthenia gravis.Thymectomy via VATS has clinical advantages of minimal trauma,less pain,fast recovery,and the comparable clinical results over via the traditional sternotomy.Therefore,this procedure deserves to be advocated for ocular myasthenia gravis.

Objective: To explore the relationship between serum levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and calciifc aortic valve disease (CAVD) in relevant patients.
Methods: A total of 394 patients were enrolled in our study. Based on echocardiography presentation, the patients were divided into 2 groups: CAVD group,n=169 and Non-CAVD group,n=225. Serum levels of IgE were examined by chemiluminescence method. The IgE levels were compared between 2 groups and the relationship between serum IgE level and CAVD was analyzed.
Results: Serum levels of IgE in CAVD group was significantly higher than Non-CAVD group 113.30 IU/ml vs 63.76 IU/ml (P<0.05); multivariate logistic regression analysis conifrmed above difference (P<0.05) and it also indicated that the alteration of surum IgE level is obviously related to CAVD occurrence.
Conclusion: Serum IgE level is obviously increased in CAVD patients. IgE is an independent biochemical indicator of CAVD, it may play the important role in CAVD pathogenesis.

Objective To assess the value of fuorine-18-fluom deoxy glucose positron emission tomography /computer tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) in diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in the cases with non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) .Methods From March 2012 to March 2015,167 patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and contrast enhanced CT inspection within 10 days prior to the surgery and were pathologically diagnosed as non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) after surgery.With regard to estimation of the lymphatic metastasis,we com-pared the sensitivity,specificity,accuracy,positive and negative predictive value ,and Youden index between the PET/CT and contrast en-hanced CT.Results There were 731 lymph node stations from the 167 patients.Referred to the final pathological results ,PET/CT has screened 143 lymph node stations in true positive set ,26 lymph node stations in false positive set ,61 lymph node stations in false negative set , and 501 lymph node stations in true negative set .Furthermore,the sensitivity,specificity,the positive and negative forecast values ,and Youden index of PET/CT and CT was 70.10%vs.54.19%(P<0.05),95.07%vs.92.23%(P<0.05),88.10%vs.81.67%(P<0.05),84.62%vs.72.85%(P<0.05),89.15%vs.81.67%(P<0.05) and 0.65 vs.0.46 (P<0.05),respectively.Conclusion It is more effective to to precisely validate lymphatic metastasis of NSCLC by using PET /CT than using contrast enhanced CT inspection .Additionally,PET/CT can provide more information for the preoperative diagnosis , staging and the follow-up treatment of lung cancer .

Objective To assess the therapeutic efficacy of a recombined adenovirus expressing p53 (rAd-p53) via intrapleural injec-tion in the treatment of lung cancer with malignant pleural effusion. Methods Thirty-six cases with lung cancer and malignant pleural effu-sion were randomly divided into two groups,which were given intravenous injection of Nedaplatin with (observation group,n=20) or without (control group,n=16) intrapleural injection of rAd-p53,respectively. Between the two groups,the efficacy in treatment of pleural effusion, the amelioration of maximal ventilatory volume ( MVV) ,Kamofsky scoring ( KPS) and quality of life were compared. Results The efficacy in treatment of pleural effusion in observation group are significantly higher than that in control group(17/20 vs. 50%,P<0. 05). The cases with KPS≥80 in observation group were significantly increased following treatment (5/20 vs. 11/20,P <0. 05). However,there was no difference with the cases in control group. Conclusion Intrapleural injection of recombinant adenovirus expressing p53 (rAd-p53) is effec-tive to reduce the occurrence of malignant pleural effusion and increase the quality of life remarkably.