Postpneumonectomy empyema treated with a combination of antibiotic irrigation followed by videothoracoscopic debridement.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Françoise Le Pimpec-Barthes.
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A quadriplegic patient experienced post-traumatic exteriorisation of the subcutaneous receiver of a phrenic pacemaker. In the absence of infection and stimulation dysfunction in the patient, the device was reimplanted with full success at 1 year. This strategy can, exceptionally, be considered if removal and subsequent implantation is impossible or refused.
BACKGROUND: Factors influencing survival of patients with a nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) invading the parietal pleura or the chest wall are still controversial. The aim of this study was to assess prognostic factors in completely resected pT3 chest wall NSCLC patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a three-center experience between 1984 and 2002 with 309 patients. RESULTS: There were 269 male and 40 female patients. Pulmonary resections consisted of 13 wedge resections or segmentectomies, 211 lobectomies, 6 bilobectomies, and 79 pneumonectomies. One hundred patients underwent extrapleural mobilization, and 209, en-bloc resection. Tumors were staged as stages IIB (n = 212) and IIIA (n = 97). Overall 5-year survival rates were 40% and 12% for stage IIB and IIIA, respectively (p < 10(4)). Multivariate analysis shows male sex and bigger tumor size as independent indicators of poor prognosis in stage IIB patients. In stage IIB patients with a chest wall invasion limited to the parietal pleura, en-bloc resections provided higher 5-year survival rates when compared with extrapleural resections (60.3% versus 39.1%; p = 0.03). In stage IIIA patients, multivariate analysis disclosed two independent prognostic factors: the number of resected ribs and adjuvant parietal and mediastinal radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of lymph node metastases has a disastrous impact on survival in this subset of patients. En-bloc resection is strongly suggested to be the standard of surgical care, and adjuvant radiotherapy does not seem to be necessary in N0 patients when a complete R0 resection has been achieved. For huge tumors (larger than 6 cm), this report suggests that the role of perioperative chemotherapy needs further evaluation.
This study was designed to screen occult cancer cells by CK19 mRNA detection using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in mediastinal lymph nodes stations (MLNS) in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). In 49 NSCLC patients free of mediastinal adenopathy on computed tomograph, 254 MLNS were evaluated by histopathology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and RT-PCR. Of 225 non-tumoral MLNS on histopathology, 32 (14.2%) were positive by RT-PCR. IHC did not provide significant additional results. Seventeen patients were without mediastinal tumoral extension on histopathology and RT-PCR (Group 1), 16 were upgraded by RT-PCR (Group 2) and 16 pN2 on histopathology (Group 3). The two-year cancer-related death survival in Groups 1 (100%) and 2 (64.5%) was significantly different (P=0.04). The relative risk of recurrence in Group 2 compared with Group 1, evaluated by the Cox model multivariate analysis, was 5.61 (P=0.02). In conclusion, CK19 mRNA detected by RT-PCR in MLNS was significantly associated with an increased risk of rapid recurrence.
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Splanchnicectomy has been known for years as a treatment for refractory pain in patients with pancreatic cancer or chronic pancreatitis. We report herein the performance of a videothoracoscopic left splanchnicectomy in a patient with a previous right pneumonectomy who suffered intractable pain from an irresectable left adrenal metastasis associated with metastatic retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Immediate pain relief was obtained, but abdominal pain of middle intensity recurred 6 weeks later. Although infrequently required, this procedure might be of value in some patients with refractory pain.
BACKGROUND: Chylothorax complicating pulmonary resection (CCPR) is infrequent and surgical treatment is for the most part avoided. The purpose of this study is to analyze the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of this complication. METHODS: From March 1981 to June 2001, 26 cases of CCPR (24 men and 2 women; mean age 57 years) were treated in two departments of thoracic surgery. Twenty-five cases complicated lung resection for lung cancer (lobectomy n = 14, bilobectomy n = 3, pneumonectomy n = 8) and 1 case followed lobectomy for a benign lesion. Medical history, location, and characteristics of the chylothorax, lymphography, and clinical evolution after medical or surgical therapy were studied. RESULTS: Medical history was never predictive of CCPR. Chylothorax was right sided in 18 cases and left sided in 8 cases. The total amount of chyle ranged from 1.9 L to 27.9 L per patient with a mean of 7.9 L (pneumonectomy 12.3 L and lobectomy 6.3 L). In 15 patients (pneumonectomy n = 2 and lobectomy n = 13) mean quantity of daily chyle was 0.3 L. All these patients recovered with conservative therapy except for 2 patients who underwent drainage and talc slurry (n = 1) and video-assisted lysis of adhesions (n = 1). In the remaining 11 patients (pneumonectomy n = 6 and lobectomy n = 5) mean quantity of daily chyle was 1 L. The chylous leak was seen at lymphography (n = 4), during reoperation (n = 2), or at lymphography and reoperation (n = 3). The location was clearly identified at the level of thoracic duct tributaries in all cases. In 4 postlobectomy cases (4 of 7), surgery was not performed because of the therapeutic usefulness of lymphography. Reoperation was necessary in 6 cases (postpneumonectomy n = 5, postlobectomy n = 1) and consisted of duct ligation (n = 2), leak/suture (n = 3), and fibrin glue (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS: CCPR is rare and appears to respond well to medical treatment owing to the fact that the thoracic duct is generally patent as the leak is due to injury of its tributaries. When surgery is considered, lymphography may help to select cases in which conservative medical therapy should be continued. However, in a small number of cases, usually after pneumonectomy, surgery remains mandatory.
The simultaneous occurrence of bronchopleural fistula (BPF) and esophagopleural fistula (EPF) after pneumonectomy is very rare. We describe a 60-year-old man who developed empyema associated with bronchopleural fistula as a complication of a right pneumonectomy. Initial chest tube drainage and antibiotic therapy were ineffective. Five months later ingested food particles appeared in the drainage fluid. Esophagoscopy revealed an esophageal fistula of 10 mm in diameter. After nutritional support by feeding jejunostomy both BPF and EPF were repaired by subscapular muscle myoplasty and extensive thoracoplasty through a right thoracotomy. Endoscopic examination performed 1 month after surgery showed complete closure of both fistulas and 9 months after surgery the patient was eating and gaining weight. The patient's death was due to aspiration pneumonia of another origin.