Erratum to nodal management and upstaging of disease. Initial results from the Italian VATS Lobectomy Registry

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2017.06.12.]

Extralobar Pulmonary Sequestration Presenting with Recurring Massive Pleural Effusion in a Young Woman: A Challenging Case

We report a case of extralobar pulmonary sequestration (ELS) in a young woman, presenting with right recurring massive pleural effusion. The patient initially underwent a diagnostic Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) for a suspected diffuse malignancy. After the aspiration of the pleural effusion we observed a highly vascularised cystic mass, with its origin from the right lower lobe. As we tried to retract the right lower lobe, the mass broke with massive bleeding requiring emergency right lateral thoracotomy. The mass was succesfully excised, resembling an extra-lobar pulmonary sequestration. The patient was discharged on post-operative day 5

L'insegnamento di Gabetti & Isola

L'articolo è un'intervista a cura di Giovanni Leoni agli architetti Bruna e Mellano / Baietto Battiato Bianco / Drocco sull'insegnamento di Gabetti e Isola e sul fare architettura ogg

Port Placement Strategies for Robotic Pulmonary Lobectomy: A Narrative Review

Background: Despite the use of robotics becoming increasingly popular among thoracic surgeons worldwide, there remains debate over the best robotic approach for lung resections. In this paper, we delineated the main port placement strategies and discussed their advantages and disadvantages. Methods: A PubMed literature review was performed using key phrases such as "robotic lobectomy technique", "RATS lobectomy", and "port placement robotic lobectomy". After the final review, 22 articles were included as references, of which 10 described common robotic port mapping techniques. Results: Several port strategies for robot-assisted pulmonary lobectomies have been proposed and described in the literature, each showing its own limitations and advantages. Conclusions: New robotic surgeons may choose their port strategy according to personal preference and previous surgical experience, especially regarding open or VATS resections. Robust data comparing different port placements in robotic surgery are lacking. Further research should be directed toward comparisons of clinical outcomes with different robotic approaches

The Redax\uae Coaxial Drain in pulmonary lobectomy: a study of efficacy

Pleural drainage is required after pulmonary lobectomy to evacuate air-leak and fluid. We compared the performance of the new Redax\uae Coaxial Drain (CD) (Redax, Mirandola, Italy) with a standard chest tube (CT) in terms of fluid and air-leak evacuation

Persistent lung expansion after pleural talc poudrage in non-surgically resected malignant pleural mesothelioma

Background. To investigate the prognostic effect of persistent lung expansion after pleural talcage and other variables in non-surgically resected malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients. Methods. All consecutive patients submitted to videoassisted thoracoscopic (VAT) pleurodesis by talc poudrage for MPM between 2006 and 2011 were studied. The following parameters were prospectively recorded: age; sex; smoking history; asbestos exposure; C-reactive protein (CRP) levels; platelet (PLT) count; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS); histologic subtype; clinical stage (cStage); chemotherapy; pleural fluid volume; and persistence of lung expansion at 3 months follow-up. Survival was assessed in June 2013. Results. A total of 172 patients were considered; 146 of 172 patients demonstrated a complete lung expansion at discharge, whereas only 85 of 172 patients had persistent expanded lung on the affected side at the 3-month followup chest x-ray. Median survival was 11.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 10% to 14%) and 2-year diseasespecific survival was 13% (95% CI, 7% to 24%) for the entire cohort. Multivariate analysis showed that nonepithelioid histology (hazard ratio [HR], 2.81; 95% CI, 1.82% to 5.09%), pleural fluid recurrence (HR 2.54; 95% CI, 1.73% to 4.40%), cStage greater than II (HR 2.36; 95% CI, 1.50% to 4.32%), ECOG PS greater than 1 (HR 2.19; 95% CI, 1.26% to 4.23%), CRP greater than 5 mg/L (HR 2.01; 95% CI, 1.18% to 4.12%), and PLT count greater than 400,000 (HR 1.76; 95% CI 1.14% to 3.92%) were independent predictors of poor prognosis. Conclusions. Persistent lung expansion after pleural talc poudrage and absence of fluid recurrence is demonstrated to be a stronger factor in predicting survival rather than clinical stage and other clinical variables in not surgically resected MPM patients