Evaluation of safety and efficacy of regional anesthesia compared with general anesthesia in thoracoscopic lung biopsy procedure on patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background: Interstitial lung diseases are diseases that need histology diagnosis or obtaining a lung biopsy to establish the diagnosis. Surgical biopsies are performed usually using the thoracoscopy technique under general anesthesia (GA) although this procedure is still associated with morbidity rate. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness and safety of regional anesthesia (RA) compared with GA in thoracoscopic lung biopsy procedures done on patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Subjects and Methods: This is a retrospective qualitative study based on adult cases of video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT) lung biopsy on patients with IPF admitted in the division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, KSA. We included 67 patients with IPF, 26 with RA, and 41 with GA, who underwent this procedure from January 2008 to December 2015. Procedures performed under RA were done using three different approaches, intercostal nerve blocks, extrapleural infusion, and paravertebral block while GA was performed using double-lumen endotracheal tube placement. For statistical analysis, SPSS program, version 21.0. Software used to analyze the obtained data. The statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. Results: Sixty-seven patients underwent the procedure of thoracoscopic lung biopsy. Twenty-six of them (38.8%) underwent the procedure under RA and 41 (61.2%) under GA. The cross tabulation of the intercostal chest tube duration showed that it was significantly longer in GA group (6.23 ± 5.1 days) compared to RA group (3.12 ± 1.5 days), P = 0.004. Furthermore, for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay, it was significantly longer in GA group (3.38 ± 2.1 days) compared to RA group (1.09 ± 0.7 days), P = 0.019. Regarding the relation between the number of biopsies taken and type of anesthesia performed, the probability values for GA group as well as RA group come out to be >0.05 (statistically independent) and the results of risk estimate also show that there was no significant association found between them. The cross tabulation of the representation of biopsies taken by the two methods showed that all biopsies taken under both settings were representative of the disease. Of 41 procedures done under GA, 16 of the total showed a number of complications. Likewise, of 26 procedures under RA, five cases showed complications. The significant (two-sided) value was (P = 0.110), there was no statistical significance between the risks of complications and the two types of anesthesia. Conclusion: There was a significant decrease in chest tube duration and ICU stay in RA group compared to the GA group. There was no statistical difference between both types of anesthesia in the number of biopsy, representation, and postoperative complications although the rate of these complications was much less in the RA group. Based on this outcome, we can conclude that VAT lung biopsy procedure on patients with IPF under RA is safe, representative, and effective operation. In addition, high-risk patients for GA can go through this procedure under RA as an alternative and safe option with no added complications

Estudo do metabolismo da glicose na tuberculose pulmonar ativa utilizando a tomografia por emissão de pósitrons (18F-FDG PET) Evaluation of glucose metabolism in active lung tuberculosis by positron-emission tomography (18F-FDG PET)

Os métodos de imagem utilizados na avaliação da tuberculose pulmonar incluem a radiografia e a tomografia computadorizada do tórax. As imagens obtidas pelos métodos de medicina nuclear permitem estudos funcionais e metabólicos dos órgãos de interesse, através do uso de radiofármacos específicos. Alterações do metabolismo da glicose podem ser detectadas pela tomografia por emissão de pósitrons (PET) utilizando-se o 18F-fluorodesoxiglicose (18F-FDG). Essas alterações estão presentes nas doenças neoplásicas, inflamatórias e infecciosas. A tuberculose é uma doença granulomatosa causada pelo Mycobacterium tuberculosis, que se utiliza de glicose como fonte de energia. Objetivo: O estudo do metabolismo da glicose na tuberculose pulmonar através da PET e sua comparação com a tomografia computadorizada de tórax. Material e métodos: Foram avaliados 20 pacientes portadores de tuberculose pulmonar. Todos foram submetidos à PET e à tomografia computadorizada de tórax, em até 30 dias após o início do tratamento. Resultados: Todos os pacientes apresentaram captação positiva do 18F-FDG na PET. Na tomografia computadorizada do tórax, todos os pacientes apresentaram sinais compatíveis com atividade de tuberculose. A sensibilidade dos dois métodos foi de 100%. Houve concordância entre os achados do 18F-FDG PET e da tomografia computadorizada (K = 0,27 e p < 0,001). Conclusões: Concluiu-se, através do 18F-FDG PET, que o metabolismo da glicose está alterado na tuberculose pulmonar e que há concordância com as alterações anatômicas observadas pela tomografia computadorizada do tórax.<br>Current methods to evaluate lung tuberculosis include chest radiography and computed tomography. Nuclear medicine imaging techniques are performed after administration of specific radiopharmaceuticals that accumulate in the organs of interest. Alterations of glucose metabolism can be observed by positron-emission tomography, using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG PET). These findings are present in the neoplasms, but also in inflammatory and infectious diseases. Tuberculosis is a granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis , that uses glucose as an energy source. Purpose: The study of glucose metabolism in lung tuberculosis by PET and the comparison of this results to CT scan findings. Material and methods: Twenty patients with active lung tuberculosis were evaluated. The 18F-FDG PET and computed tomography were performed in all patients, after the diagnosis and until 30 days of treatment. Results of both methods were compared. Results: All patients showed 18F-FDG positive uptake. On the computed tomography, all patients showed signs compatible with tuberculosis. The sensitivity of both methods was of 100%. There was significant concordance between the two methods (K = 0.27). Conclusions: The study concludes that glucose metabolism is modified in lung tuberculosis. There was concordance in the anatomic changes observed on computed tomography