ObjectiveTo emphasize the important role of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in treatment of mediastinal bronchogenic cysts (MBCs).MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 112 patients (53 males and 59 females) of mediastinal bronchogenic cysts who underwent VATS in our institution between April 2001 and Aprial 2016. Median age was 4–75 (45.6±15.0) years. All patients underwent chest CT preoperatively. The patients were divided into two groups: an anterior mediastinum group, 47 patients; a middle and posterior mediastinum group, 65 patients including 35 patients in the middle mediastinum, 30 patients in the posterior mediastinum. The average diameter was 0.5–22.0 (3.50±2.33) cm. The average CT attenuation was 0–67 (35.5±15.3) Hu on unenhanced CT. We began each operation with the VATS technique.ResultsThe CT diagnostic accuracy for group middle and posterior mediastinum with CT value≤20 Hu was higher than others (61.5% vs. 13.1%, χ2=17.675, P<0.001). A total of 111 patients underwent VATS, only one patient converted to open thoracotomy. Cyst resection and thymectomy were conducted in 45 patients, cyst resection and extended thymectomy were conducted in 2 patients in the anterior mediastinum group. Simply cyst resection were performed in the middle and posterior mediastinum group (n=65). The average operative time was 40–360 (104.5±43.1) min. The average intraoperative blood loss was 5–600 (57.9±88.9) mL. The intraoperative complication rate was 3.6% and the incomplete resection rate was 6.3%. The main reason for these was severe adhesion between the cyst and mediastinal structure. No serious postoperative complication was found. Follow-up was done in 99 patients, and the mean follow-up time was 42 (12–191) months. There was no local recurrence.ConclusionVATS resection of MBCs is a safe and efficacious procedure, and minimally invasive and surgical resection should be performed as early as possible for MBCs.
Descending necrotizing mediastinitis （DNM）is a severe infection spreading from the cervical or odontoiatric region to the mediastinum through the anatomic cervical spaces. DNM is very rare but fatal. The course of the illness proceeds rapidly and the mortality rate is high. The pathogenic process is closely related to anatomical and physiological characteristic of cervix and mediastinum. The most valuable way for decreasing its high mortality rate is to give early diagnosis and treatments. Computed tomography(CT) scan is especially important method in early diagnosis.The early and enough use of broad spectrum antibiotics, individual surgical management based on neck and chest CT, such as clearing necrotic tissues,drainage and flushing are all effective methods to decrease mortality rate. Related management , such as department of stomatology, head and neck surgery, thoracic surgery,intensive care unit, and infectious department,should give cooperative therapy when necessary. At the same time, more attention should be paid to the patients who have some systemic disease such as diabetes mellitus and whose physical constitutions are very poor, which could lead to DNM and worsening. It can help to decrease the incidence rate of fatal complications and to increase cure rate.
IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory and fibrotic condition that can affect virtually any organ system. While some patients experience involvement of only a single organ, isolated IgG4-RD of the mediastinum is even rarer. This article reports a case of a 48-year-old male patient with isolated IgG4-RD of the middle mediastinum. After a biopsy failed to establish a definitive diagnosis, the patient underwent a right thoracotomy-assisted mediastinal tumor resection via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The tumor was completely resected during the procedure, which lasted 130 minutes, with an estimated blood loss of approximately 50 mL. The patient had a favorable postoperative course and satisfactory clinical outcome. No glucocorticoid or other medical treatment was administered postoperatively, and there was no recurrence during a 6-month follow-up period.
Esophageal carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumor, a serious threat to human health. In the early and middle esophageal carcinoma patients, surgery is the only expected treatment to cure esophageal carcinoma. Traditional surgery of esophageal cancer needs thoracotomy and laparotomy, which has great trauma and high incidence of complications. So surgeons are looking for a minimally invasive surgical methods alternative to traditional esophagectomy. Video-mediastinoscopy is used to free middle and upper esophagus, as a minimally invasive surgical method, it is used in radical resection of esophageal cancer gradually. This article reviews the recent progress and the related research results in the application of mediastinoscopy in the radical resection of esophageal cancer. It is found that mediastinoscopy assisted the radical resection of esophageal cancer is a safe and feasible operation. It provides a feasible treatment option for early and middle stage esophageal cancer patients with pulmonary insufficiency who can not be resected by thoracoscopy.
ObjectiveTo summarize surgical experience and explore the best treatment strategy for the management of complicated mediastinitis after cardiac surgery. MethodsClinical data of 18 patients who received vascularized muscle flap transposition combined with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT)for the treatment of complicated mediastinitis after cardiac surgery in one stage in the Department of Cardiac Surgery of Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University between June 2006 and December 2012 were retrospective analyzed. There were 12 male and 6 female patients with their average age of 65.5±8.2 years. The average interval between cardiac surgery and vascularized muscle flap reconstruction was 12.5±5.8 days. ResultsPostoperatively, 1 patient died of recurrent mediastinitis, sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Seventeen patients had an uneventful postoperative recovery and one-stage wound healing. Postoperative hospital stay was 18.6±7.2 days and wound healing time was 4.5±2.4 weeks. All the 17 patients were followed up for over 6 months, no recurrent mediastinitis was observed, and they had a good quality of life. ConclusionVascularized muscle flap transposition combined with NPWT is a simple and effective surgical strategy for the treatment of complicated mediastinitis after cardiac surgery in one-stage.