Kyobu geka. The Japanese journal of thoracic surgery最新文献

We report two cases of metastatic cardiac tumors managed surgically. Case 1 involved a 52-year-old man with colorectal cancer and pulmonary metastases who developed respiratory distress during chemoradiotherapy. Imaging revealed a right atrial mass extending into the right ventricle. Mass reduction of the intracardiac tumor was surgically performed to reduce embolic risk and to enable subsequent chemotherapy. Postoperative chemotherapy resulted in complete remission without recurrence. Case 2 involved a 50-year-old woman with cervical cancer who experienced worsening dyspnea during treatment. Positron emission tomography (PET) and echocardiography identified a tumor extending from the right atrium to the pulmonary artery. As complete resection was unfeasible, mass reduction with tricuspid valve replacement was performed, followed by chemotherapy. The patient remains alive. Pathology confirmed metastatic cardiac tumors in both cases. These tumors present variably depending on the primary cancer and metastatic pattern, making diagnosis and treatment challenging. In symptomatic cases, especially with heart failure or embolism, prompt surgical intervention is critical. Mass reduction can relieve symptoms and improve survival. A focused literature review is also included to support clinical decision-making.

We report a case of reoperation for pseudoaneurysm late after Bentall procedure. A 61-year-old man who had undergone Bentall procedure eight years previously was found to have fluid collection around the graft on routine computed tomography (CT) follow-up. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed extravasation of contrast medium, and he was diagnosed with a pseudoaneurysm of the aorta. During surgery, extracorporeal circulation was temporarily stopped prior to resternotomy to avoid massive hemorrhage. The pseudoaneurysm was due to dehiscence of 4/5 circumference of the proximal suture line. The previous composite graft was removed and replaced with a new graft. The patient recovered well and was discharged on postoperative day 12. This case illustrates the importance of regular imaging surveillance after aortic root replacement and careful surgical planning for reoperations to prevent catastrophic bleeding complications.

The patient is an 86-year-old woman. She had ascites and was being treated with diuretics, but developed dyspnea, so a chest computed tomography( CT) scan was performed which revealed right pleural effusion. After aspiration of pleural effusion, abdominal distention due to ascites decreased and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed on suspicion of pleuroperitoneal communication. The diaphragm was sutured using an automatic suture device because a hole was found in the diaphragm. Insufflation into the abdominal cavity technique was safety and useful for identifying pleuroperitoneal communication.

A 76-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with an abnormal shadow on a chest computed tomography (CT) scan. A chest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an anterior mediastinal cyst of 7 cm in diameter with an internal septal-like structure, leading to the differential diagnosis of mediastinal lymphangioma. After administering milk, we performed video-assisted thoracoscopic excision of the lesion. After excision of the cyst, no cloudy fluid leakage was observed from the excised margin. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the cells lining the cyst walls were stained positive for D2-40, therefore the lesion was diagnosed as a mediastinal lymphangioma. Mediastinal lymphangioma is rare, and postoperative lymphatic leakage is common in surgical cases. In this case, mediastinal lymphangioma was selected as the differential diagnosis based on the preoperative MRI findings, and complete resection was achieved without complications by administering milk before surgery.

An eight-day-old boy with the transposition of the great arteries (TGA) with posterior aorta underwent original Jatene procedure. He has been developing well. Cardiac catheterization revealed good coronary artery blood flow at five years of age. At the age of 13 years, he had a critical episode of fainting during excessive physical exertion in the junior high school club activities. Three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) revealed a slit-like stenosis of the left coronary artery orifice. Enlargement of the left coronary orifice was successfully performed. Stretching of the left coronary artery into the enlarged aorta may cause the coronary orifice stenosis. The patient is doing well two years after surgery.

The lupus anticoagulant is one of the antiphospholipid antibodies that inhibit the phospholipid-dependent coagulation pathway. Lupus anticoagulant-positive patients are often associated with abnormal blood coagulation, which cause thrombosis or miscarriage. We report two surgical cases of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease (M. avium) with the lupus anticoagulant. Both patients were women around 70 years of age with no past history, including thrombosis or miscarriage. Despite treatment, M. avium continued to be cultured from their sputum and eventually blood sputum appeared. They were performed surgical operations and the postoperative courses were uneventful without anticoagulation. Although the report of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease with the lupus anticoagulant is extremely rare, the involvement of infection in the pathogenesis of the lupus anticoagulant has been reported. The further research between lupus anticoagulant and pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial infection is necessary.

The patient is a 58-year-old male who underwent aortic valve replacement and ascending aortic grafting five years ago. Postoperatively, a temporary epicardial pacing wire( TEPW) could not be removed, and was subsequently cut at insertion to the skin and left in situ. Despite ongoing antibiotic therapy, the patient's C-reactive protein (CRP) level remained elevated. An endoscopic examination revealed that the TEPW had migrated and penetrated the esophagus, prompting its endoscopic removal. TEPW can cause fatal complications, so they should be removed whenever possible. In patients with TEPW left in the body, wires should be checked constantly by imaging studies.

A 72-year-old man underwent bronchoscopy for an abnormal shadow on chest imaging, but no definitive diagnosis was made. The lesion was followed for four years as atelectasis, during which time it gradually increased in size. A computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy suggested mucinous adenocarcinoma; however, a definitive diagnosis remained elusive. Surgical resection was ultimately performed for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, and the patient was diagnosed with invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma. Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma, characterized by abundant mucus components, may be difficult to diagnose through preoperative biopsy. Even when atelectasis is suspected, the possibility of invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma should be considered. Prompt re-evaluation is warranted when an enlarging shadow is observed. In some cases, surgical resection may be necessary as part of the diagnostic strategy.

The patient was a 71-year-old man with a history of hypertension and myocardial infarction. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a left ventricular ejection fraction of 26% and moderate mitral regurgitation. Computed tomography (CT) showed a wide-ranging aneurysm from the aortic arch to the abdomen. Maximum short diameter of the thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) was 54 mm. We planned a two-stage hybrid surgery to avoid a long aortic clamp time. During the first surgery, we performed mitral annuloplasty (MAP) and a total debranching procedure using a three-branch graft from the ascending aorta to the brachiocephalic artery, left common carotid artery, and left axillary artery under cardiopulmonary arrest. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was performed 20 days after the first surgery. No complications were encountered and the patient was discharged 31 days after the initial surgery. Hybrid surgery involving MAP and second-stage TEVAR after branch reconstruction was effective in this case of extensive TAA with low cardiac function.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with high recurrence risk even after curative surgery. Perioperative treatment, including neoadjuvant and adjuvant strategies, has historically relied on platinum-based chemotherapy, which modestly improved survival outcomes. Recent advances have introduced immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) as transformative options. Landmark trials, such as CheckMate 816, KEYNOTE-671, ADAURA, and ALINA, demonstrated significant improvements in pathological response, disease-free survival, and, in some cases, overall survival. ICIs have become a standard component for resectable stageⅡ-Ⅲ NSCLC, while osimertinib and alectinib established new standards for EGFR- and ALK-positive tumors, respectively. Remaining challenges include optimal patient selection, integration with surgery, and biomarker development. Future directions point to personalized strategies incorporating circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) monitoring and novel therapies to further enhance prognosis in resectable NSCLC.