Thoracoscopic Surgery (thoracoscopic + surgery)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences


Selected Abstracts


Costs of Treating Children With Complicated Pneumonia: A Comparison of Primary Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery and Chest Tube Placement,

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
MSCE, Samir S. Shah MD
Abstract Objectives To describe charges associated with primary video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and primary chest tube placement in a multicenter cohort of children with empyema and to determine whether pleural fluid drainage by primary VATS was associated with cost-savings compared with primary chest tube placement. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants Administrative database containing inpatient resource utilization data from 27 tertiary care children's hospitals. Patients between 12 months and 18 years of age diagnosed with complicated pneumonia were eligible if they were discharged between 2001 and 2005 and underwent early (within 2 days of index hospitalization) pleural fluid drainage. Main Exposure Method of pleural fluid drainage, categorized as VATS or chest tube placement. Results Pleural drainage in the 764 patients was performed by VATS (n,=,50) or chest tube placement (n,=,714). There were 521 (54%) males. Median hospital charges were $36,320 [interquartile range (IQR), $24,814,$62,269]. The median pharmacy and radiologic imaging charges were $5,884 (IQR, $3,142,$11,357) and $2,875 (IQR, $1,703,$4,950), respectively. Adjusting for propensity score matching, patients undergoing primary VATS did not have higher charges than patients undergoing primary chest tube placement. Conclusions In this multicenter study, we found that the charges incurred in caring for children with empyema were substantial. However, primary VATS was not associated with higher total or pharmacy charges than primary chest tube placement, suggesting that the additional costs of performing VATS are offset by reductions in length of stay (LOS) and requirement for additional procedures. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010; 45:71,77. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Fluoroscopic guidance of Arndt endobronchial blocker placement for single-lung ventilation in small children

ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 7 2008
B. MARCINIAK
Background: Thoracoscopic surgery may require single-lung ventilation (SLV) in infants and small children. A variety of balloon-tipped endobronchial blockers exist but the placement is technically challenging if the size of the tracheal tube does not allow the simultaneous passage of the fibreoptic scope and the endobronchial blocker. This report describes a technique for endobronchial blocker insertion using fluoroscopic guidance in children undergoing SLV. Methods: After approval from the local Medical Ethics Committee and parental consent, 18 patients aged 2 years or younger scheduled for thoracic surgery requiring SLV were prospectively included. Following induction of anesthesia, a 5 Fr endobronchial blocker (Cook® Arndt endobronchial blocker) was inserted first into the trachea under direct laryngoscopy. Correct placement in the main bronchus was assessed by fluoroscopy and tracheal intubation next to the endobronchial blocker. Optimal position and balloon inflation was verified using a fibreoptic scope. The duration and number of insertion attempts as well as age, weight and size of the tracheal tube were recorded. Results: Eighteen patients were studied. Median (range) age and weight were 12 (0.2,24) months and 11.2 (4,15) kg, respectively. SLV was successfully achieved in all patients using a 5 Fr endobronchial blocker outside a 3.5,4.5 mm ID tracheal tube within 11.2 (±2.2) min. No side effects were observed during the procedure. Conclusion: Fluoroscopic-guided insertion of extraluminal endobronchial blocker is an effective and reliable tool to place Arndt endobronchial blockers in small children. [source]


Thoracoscopic cell sheet transplantation with a novel device

JOURNAL OF TISSUE ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009
Masanori Maeda
Abstract Regenerative medicine with transplantable cell sheets fabricated on temperature-responsive culture surfaces has been successfully achieved in clinical applications, including skin and cornea treatment. Previously, we reported that transplantation of fibroblast cell sheets to wounded lung had big advantages for sealing intraoperative air leaks compared with conventional materials. Here, we report a novel device for minimally invasive transplantation of cell sheets in endoscopic surgery, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The novel device was designed with a computer-aided design (CAD) system, and the three-dimensional (3D) data were transferred to a 3D printer. With this rapid prototyping system, the cell sheet transplantation device was fabricated using a commercially available photopolymer approved for clinical use. Square cell sheets (24 × 24 mm) were successfully transplanted onto wound sites of porcine lung placed in a human body model, with the device inserted through a 12 mm port. Such a device would enable less invasive transplantation of cell sheets onto a wide variety of internal organs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Bronchial blocker compared to double-lumen tube for one-lung ventilation during thoracoscopy

ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2001
C. Bauer
Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) requires one-lung ventilation with a properly collapsed lung. This study compared the Broncho-Cath double-lumen endotracheal tube with the Wiruthan bronchial blocker to determine the advantages of one device over the other during anaesthesia with one-lung ventilation for thoracoscopy. Methods: Thirty-five patients undergoing VATS were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Sixteen patients received a left-sided double-lumen tube (DLT) and nineteen a Wiruthan bronchial blocker (BB). The BB group was subdivided in two: BB in the right mainstem bronchus (BBR) for right-sided VATS (9 patients), BB in the left mainstem bronchus (BBL) for left-sided VATS (10 patients). The position of the devices was checked using a fibreoptic bronchoscope. The following variables were measured: 1) number of unsuccessful placement attempts; 2) number of malpositions of the devices; 3) time required to place the device in the correct position; 4) number of secondary dislodgements of the devices after turning the patient into the lateral decubitus position. The quality of lung deflation was evaluated by the surgeons who were blinded to the type of tube being used. Results: The number of unsuccessful placement attempts was one in the DLT group (1/16), three in the BBL group (3/10) and none in the BBR group (0/9). The number of malpositions was significantly greater in the BBL group (10/10) compared to the DLT group (2/16) and to the BBR group (1/9) (P<0.001). The time (mean±SD) required to place a BBL was 4.21 min±1.28, significantly longer than the time required to place a DLT (2.26 min±0.55, P<0.0006) or a BBR (2.41 min±0.53, P<0.008). The difference in placement time between DLT and BBR was not significant. The number of secondary dislodgements was one in the DLT group, one in the BBR group and none in the BBL group (NS). The quality of lung deflation was judged excellent or fair in all patients in the DLT and the BBL groups and poor in 44% of the patients in the BBR group. Conclusion: It took significantly longer to place a left BB than a DLT (P<0.0006) or a right BB (P<0.008). The number of initial malpositionings of the left BB was significantly greater than in the other groups (P<0.001). The quality of lung deflation was better in the BBL and in the DLT groups than in the BBR group. We conclude that for routine use during left-sided VATS, the use of a DLT is preferable to a left BB because of its greater ease of placement. For right-sided VATS, DLT and right BB showed the same facility of placement but the DLT provided a better quality of lung deflation. [source]


Single lung ventilation in children using a new paediatric bronchial blocker

PEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA, Issue 1 2002
GREGORY B HAMMER MD
As video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has become more common in paediatric patients, the use of single lung ventilation in children has also increased. Single lung ventilation in young children is performed by either advancing a tracheal tube into the mainstem bronchus opposite the side of surgery or by positioning a bronchial blocker into the mainstem bronchus on the operative side. Techniques for placing a variety of bronchial blockers outside the tracheal tube have been described. We describe a technique for placement of a new bronchial blocker through an indwelling tracheal tube using a multiport adaptor and a fibreoptic bronchoscope. [source]


Costs of Treating Children With Complicated Pneumonia: A Comparison of Primary Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery and Chest Tube Placement,

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
MSCE, Samir S. Shah MD
Abstract Objectives To describe charges associated with primary video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and primary chest tube placement in a multicenter cohort of children with empyema and to determine whether pleural fluid drainage by primary VATS was associated with cost-savings compared with primary chest tube placement. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants Administrative database containing inpatient resource utilization data from 27 tertiary care children's hospitals. Patients between 12 months and 18 years of age diagnosed with complicated pneumonia were eligible if they were discharged between 2001 and 2005 and underwent early (within 2 days of index hospitalization) pleural fluid drainage. Main Exposure Method of pleural fluid drainage, categorized as VATS or chest tube placement. Results Pleural drainage in the 764 patients was performed by VATS (n,=,50) or chest tube placement (n,=,714). There were 521 (54%) males. Median hospital charges were $36,320 [interquartile range (IQR), $24,814,$62,269]. The median pharmacy and radiologic imaging charges were $5,884 (IQR, $3,142,$11,357) and $2,875 (IQR, $1,703,$4,950), respectively. Adjusting for propensity score matching, patients undergoing primary VATS did not have higher charges than patients undergoing primary chest tube placement. Conclusions In this multicenter study, we found that the charges incurred in caring for children with empyema were substantial. However, primary VATS was not associated with higher total or pharmacy charges than primary chest tube placement, suggesting that the additional costs of performing VATS are offset by reductions in length of stay (LOS) and requirement for additional procedures. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010; 45:71,77. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Hand-assisted laparoscopic lymphadenectomy: a novel approach to a difficult area

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 9 2003
Andrew Sutherland
Background: Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) is an emerging technique that is gaining acceptance for a wide range of abdominal procedures. We drew upon our growing experience with hand-assisted laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery to manage a case that was felt to require a major thoracoabdominal incision if it were to be completed by conventional open surgery. Methods: A technique is described that combines the advantages of both laparoscopic and open surgery in the form of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery to permit safe dissection of a retrocrural mass extending into the chest. Results: We used this technique successfully to completely resect a nodal deposit of metastatic embryonal carcinoma previously thought to be inaccessible to surgical resection. Conclusion: The use of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery improves tactile and visual feedback for the operator. This allows complex procedures involving delicate dissection to be completed safely and with less morbidity than open surgery. [source]


Thoracoscopic resection for intrathoracic neurogenic tumors

ASIAN JOURNAL OF ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY, Issue 3 2010
M Odaka
Abstract Introduction: The thoracoscopic approach is becoming the standard for intrathoracic neurogenic tumors, though certain technical issues still need to be resolved. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of thoracoscopic surgery for intrathoracic neurogenic tumors. Methods: We evaluated short-term outcomes of 14 consecutive patients who underwent resection of intrathoracic neurogenic tumors between July 2005 and June 2009. Among them, three patients had tumors located at the thoracic apex, and one had a tumor with an intraspinal extension (dumbbell-type tumor). Results: A complete thoracoscopic resection was achieved in all patients with no postoperative mortality. The dumbbell-type tumor was resected with a combined neurosurgical,thoracoscopic approach. The postoperative course was uneventful in all patients. Conclusion: Our thoracoscopic approach was able to obtain satisfactory visualization of the field and enabled safe surgery for intrathoracic neurogenic tumors. This approach is minimally invasive and is indicated even for tumors located at the thoracic apex or those with intraspinal extensions. [source]


Local treatment of empyema in children: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 10 2010
Katarzyna Krenke
Abstract The aim of the study is to systematically evaluate data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the efficacy of using intrapleural fibrinolytic agents in the treatment of complicated parapneumonic effusions or empyema in children. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched in July 2009. Four RCTs, involving 194 children, were included. In two RCTs, intrapleural fibrinolytic treatment was compared with normal saline. One of these RCTs showed a significantly reduced hospital stay in those treated with urokinase compared with those treated with normal saline. Otherwise, no fibrinolytic agent had an effect on any other outcome. Two RCTs that compared fibrinolytic treatment with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) revealed no benefit of VATS. Conclusion:, There is little evidence that intrapleural fibrinolysis is more effective than normal saline in the local treatment of complicated parapneumonic effusions or empyema in children. There is no evidence that VATS is more effective than fibrinolytic treatment. Only a limited number of trials were available for analysis, so some caution must be exercised in interpreting the strength of the evidence presented. [source]