A retrograde y-stenting of the trachea for treatment of mediastinal fistula in an unusual situation

Wolfgang Hohenforst-Schmidt,1 Paul Zarogoulidis,2 Michael Steinheimer,1 Thomas Schneider,1 Naim Benhassen,1 Holger Rupprecht,3 Lutz Freitag4 1Medical Clinic I, “Fuerth” Hospital, University of Erlangen, Fuerth, Germany; 2Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, “G Papanikolaou” General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; 3Department of General, Vascular and Thoracical Surgery, “Fuerth” Hospital, University of Erlangen, Fuerth, 4Department of Interventional Pneumology, Ruhrlandklinik, University Hospital Essen, University of Essen-Duisburg, Essen, Germany Introduction: Stents have been used for quite some time for the treatment of benign and malignant airway stenosis. Silicon stents are preferred for benign situations, whereas metallic self-expanding stents are preferred for malignant comorbidities.Patient and methods: In general, stents can be placed in different approach directions, although in pulmonary medicine it is logical to apply only antegrade techniques – until now. A 63-year-old patient, 168 cm height and 53 kg weight on referral, suffered chronical diseases. The patient was diagnosed with a papillary thyroid carcinoma in 1989, which was treated by resection and radiotherapy. In the following years, she developed a stenosis of the esophagus. The decision to try endobronchial stenting was made upon the plan to close that fistula with a pedicled omentum majus replacement through the diaphragmal opening of the esophagus. This surgical plastic needed an abutment and a secured continuous airway replacement above the tracheostoma level. A Freitag stent (FS), 11 cm in length (110–25–40) and an inner diameter of 13 mm, was placed successfully retrograde into the trachea and completely bridged the big fistula. Unfortunately the patient passed away due to pulmonary infections after several weeks.Discussion: In this case report, a successful but unusual case of retrograde stent placement of a modified FS is presented. Keywords: stents, drug-eluting stents, cancer, benign stenosi

Inhaled chemotherapy in lung cancer: future concept of nanomedicine

Paul Zarogoulidis1, Ekaterini Chatzaki2, Konstantinos Porpodis1, Kalliopi Domvri1, Wolfgang Hohenforst-Schmidt3, Eugene P Goldberg4, Nikos Karamanos5, Konstantinos Zarogoulidis11Pulmonary Department, "G Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; 2Pharmacology Laboratory, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece; 3II Medical Clinic, Hospital Coburg, University of Wurzburg, Coburg, Germany; 4Biomaterials Science and Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, FL; 5Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Patra, GreeceAbstract: Regional chemotherapy was first used for lung cancer 30 years ago. Since then, new methods of drug delivery and pharmaceuticals have been investigated in vitro, and in animals and humans. An extensive review of drug delivery systems, pharmaceuticals, patient monitoring, methods of enhancing inhaled drug deposition, safety and efficacy, and also additional applications of inhaled chemotherapy and its advantages and disadvantages are presented. Regional chemotherapy to the lung parenchyma for lung cancer is feasible and efficient. Safety depends on the chemotherapy agent delivered to the lungs and is dose-dependent and time-dependent. Further evaluation is needed to provide data regarding early lung cancer stages, and whether regional chemotherapy can be used as neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment. Finally, inhaled chemotherapy could one day be administered at home with fewer systemic adverse effects.Keywords: inhaled chemotherapy, carriers, transducer

Second-line afatinib administration in an elderly patient with squamous cell carcinoma

Wolfgang Hohenforst-Schmidt,1 Paul Zarogoulidis,2 Michael Steinheimer,1 Naim Benhassen,3 Chrysanthi Sardeli,4 Nikos Stalikas,2 Melpomeni Toitou,2 Haidong Huang5 1Sana Clinic Group Franken, Department of Cardiology/Pulmonology/Intensive Care/Nephrology, “Hof” Clinics, University of Erlangen, Hof, Germany; 2Pulmonary Department – Oncology Unit, “G Papanikolaou” General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; 3Medical Clinic I, “Fuerth” Hospital, University of Erlangen, Fuerth, Germany; 4Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; 5Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Changhai Hospital/First Affiliated Hospital of the Secondary Military Medical University, Shanghai, China Introduction: The majority of cases of lung cancer are still diagnosed at a late stage. At this stage, palliative therapeutic options including nonspecific cytotoxic drugs, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy can be utilized. In 2016, immunotherapy was approved in Europe for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Moreover, afatinib was also approved as second-line therapy for squamous cell carcinoma. Case report: This article presents a case of a 76-year-old male with squamous cell carcinoma who received nab-paclitaxel as first-line therapy, and his treatment was switched to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor afatinib (40 mg) after disease progression with left lung atelectasis. After receiving afatinib for only 28 days, the atelectasis resolved. No adverse effects were observed from the afatinib therapy. Discussion: In this case, afatinib 40 mg proved to be an effective alternative treatment for an elderly patient. Treatment choice should be based on the performance status of the patient, cost-effectiveness, and drug treatment guidelines. Keywords: lung cancer, EGFR, afatini

Prospects of gene therapy for pulmonary diseases: Progress and limitations

Background: Despite the proof of principle that gene therapy can cure various monogenic diseases, limited clinical progress has been noted for gene therapy of the respiratory system. Certain anatomic features of the lungs, along with the suboptimal gene delivery vehicles utilized up to now, have significantly delayed successful clinical practice. Thus, the need for additional improvements towards safety and efficacy of the procedure is indispensable. Objective: The objective of this work was to review the progress and limitations of gene therapy in the treatment of lung disease with a focus on monogenic disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma and to present studies that provide a proof of principle that it works in different model systems and in patients. Method: A thorough search was performed on the aforementioned topic using Pubmed in order to identify relevant manuscripts. Several gene therapy studies for monogenic disorders affecting other organs or systems were also taken into consideration. Results: A hundred and thirty one papers were included. Inclusion criteria regarded novel gene transfer technologies of the past decade, as well as publications outlining the pitfalls that precluded earlier successful implementation of gene therapy for pulmonary diseases. Conclusion: Current gene transfer protocols and vector design require additional amelioration. The rapidly evolving and much promising technology of CRISPR/Cas9 might possibly overcome the hurdles posed to date for effective implementation of gene therapy and become the basis for the onset of new clinical trials. © 2017 Bentham Science Publishers

Progressive dyspnea due to pulmonary carcinoid tumorlets

This is a case description of a female patient, 77 years-old, who presented with progressive dyspnea and cough. She had a mild hypoxemia in the arterial blood gases (PaO2 72 mmHg) and normal spirometry. The chest computer tomography revealed diffuse “ground glass” opacities, segmental alveolitis, bronchiectasis, fibrotic lesions and numerous micronodules. A thoracoscopy was performed and the obtained biopsy showed carcinoid tumorlets, with positive CK8/18, CD56, TTF-1 and synaptophysin immunohistochemical markers. Pulmonary carcinoid tumorlets are rare, benign lesions and individuals with tumorlets are typically asymptomatic. Our report presents a symptomatic clinical case of carcinoid tumorlet. © 2017 The Author

A new mode of ventilation for interventional pulmonology. A case with EBUS-TBNA and debulking

Lung cancer is still underdiagnosed mainly due to lack of symptoms. Most patients are diagnosed in a late stage where unfortunately only systematic therapy can be applied. Fortunately in the last five years several novel therapies and combinations have emerged. However; in certain situations local therapeutics modalities have to be applied in order to solve emergency problems as in the case that we will present. Convex-EBUS probe was used along with a novel method of ventilation which keeps PCO2 concentration satisfyingly low. © 201

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia due to radiographic contrast administration: an orphan disease?

Wolfgang Hohenforst-Schmidt,1 Andreas Riedel,1 Paul Zarogoulidis,2,3 Christian Franke,4 Andreas Gschwendtner,5 Haidong Huang,6 Nikolaos Machairiotis,2 Vasiliki Dramba,2 Konstantinos Zarogoulidis,2 Johnannes Brachmann11II Medical Clinic, Coburg Clinic, University of Würzburg, Coburg, Germany; 2Pulmonary Department, G Papanikolaou General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; 3Pulmonary Department–Interventional Unit, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; 4Pulmonary Department, Sonneberg, Germany; 5Institute for Pathology, Coburg Clinic, University of Würzburg, Coburg, Germany; 6Department of Respiratory Diseases, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaAbstract: Pulmonary eosinophilia comprises a heterogeneous group of diseases that are defined by eosinophilia in pulmonary infiltrates or in tissue. Drugs can cause almost all histopathologic patterns of interstitial pneumonias, such as cellular and fibrotic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary infiltrates and eosinophilia, organizing pneumonia, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, a pulmonary granulomatosis-like reaction, and a usual interstitial pneumonia-like pattern. We present a very rare case of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia due to radiographic contrast infusion diagnosed with video-assisted thoracoscopy. The patient after 1 year is still under corticosteroid treatment with the disease stabilized.Keywords: interstitial lung disease, radiographic contrast, orphan diseas