Impact of a Thoracic Multidisciplinary Conference on Lung Cancer Outcomes.

Background: With the complexity of cancer treatment rising, the role of multidisciplinary conferences (MDCs) in making diagnostic and treatment decisions has become critical. This study evaluated the impact of a thoracic MDC (T-MDC) on lung cancer care quality and survival.

Methods: Lung cancer cases over 7 years were identified from the Roswell Park cancer registry system.

Prior Treatment for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Is Associated With Improved Survival in Patients who Undergo Definitive Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for a Subsequent Lung Malignancy: A Retrospective Multivariate and Matched Pair Analysis.

Background: Despite occurring commonly, the prognoses of second early-stage non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) are not well known.

Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the charts of inoperable patients who underwent thoracic stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) from February 2007 to April 2019. Those with previous small cell lung cancers or SBRT treatments for tumors other than NSCLC were excluded.

Detection of an embolized central venous catheter fragment with endobronchial ultrasound.

An 84-year-old woman underwent Convex-probe Endobronchial Ultrasound (CP-EBUS) for F-fluorodeoxyglucose avid subcarinal lymphadenopathy on Positron Emission Tomogram (PET) scan. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration of the subcarinal lymph node revealed squamous cell lung carcinoma. A small hyperechoic rounded density was noted inside the lumen of the azygous vein.

Thoracoscopic pneumonectomy: an 11-year experience.

Background: It is unclear whether thoracoscopic (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery [VATS]) pneumonectomy improves outcomes compared with open approaches.

Methods: One hundred seven consecutive pneumonectomies performed at an experienced center from January 2002 to December 2012 were studied retrospectively. Forty cases were open, and 50 successful VATS and 17 conversions were combined (intent-to-treat [ITT] analysis).

Thoracoscopic maneuvers for chest wall resection and reconstruction.

Objective: The aim of this report is to describe technical maneuvers used to complete minimally invasive resections of the chest wall successfully.

Methods: Case videos of advanced thoracoscopic chest wall resections performed at a comprehensive cancer center were reviewed, as were published reports. These were analyzed for similarities and also categorized to summarize alternative approaches.

Whole blood cardioplegia (minicardioplegia) reduces myocardial edema after ischemic injury and cardiopulmonary bypass.

While blood:crystalloid cardioplegia is the clinical standard for patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), it has been postulated that whole blood minicardioplegia may benefit the severely injured heart by reducing cardioplegic volume, thereby reducing myocardial edema. To test this hypothesis, we compared the cardioprotection of a popular 4:1 blood:crystalloid cardioplegia to whole blood minicardioplegia (WB) in a porcine model of acute myocardial ischemia. Yorkshire pigs (n = 20) were placed on atriofemoral bypass and subjected to 30 minutes of global normothermic ischemia.