Pulmonary cyst newly formed after lobectomy in various underlying lung conditions.

Background: It has been recently recognized that pulmonary cyst may develop after pulmonary resection, causing various symptoms. Most previously reported cases were after upper lobectomy in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD).

Case Presentation: Case 1 was a man in his 70 s with interstitial pneumonia (IP).

The effect of polyglycolic acid sheet in preventing postoperative recurrent pneumothorax: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax occasionally relapses, even after bullectomy; therefore, coverage of the bullectomy staple line for pleural reinforcement is common in Japan. However, the appropriate covering materials have not yet been determined.

Methods: This was a longitudinal prospective cohort study.

Improved visualization of virtual-assisted lung mapping by indocyanine green.

Objectives: Virtual-assisted lung mapping (VAL-MAP) is a bronchoscopic marking method of dye application on the surface of the lungs before resecting nonpalpable nodules. However, in some cases, it can be difficult to identify the markings of VAL-MAP on computed tomography and intraoperative thoracoscopy. We developed and assessed the feasibility of indocyanine green VAL-MAP (ICG-VAL-MAP).

Multicentre, prospective, observational study investigating the most appropriate surgical option that can prevent the recurrence of primary spontaneous pneumothorax after surgery: the PATCH study, protocol.

Introduction: Thoracoscopic surgery is performed for refractory or recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). To reduce postoperative recurrence, additional treatment is occasionally adopted during surgery after bulla resection. However, the most effective method has not been fully elucidated.

Single-lobe transplantation with contralateral pneumonectomy: Long-term survival.

We report two cases of long-term survival after single living-donor lobar lung transplantation with contralateral pneumonectomy. An 8-year-old female with pulmonary graft-versus-host disease after cord-blood transplantation underwent single living-donor lobar lung transplantation with simultaneous contralateral pneumonectomy due to an oversized graft. She has been performing daily life activities for ≥11 years with limited physical development.

Clinicopathological significance of staple line coverage with an oxidized regenerated cellulose sheet after bullectomy for primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

Background: Oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC) sheet, in surgery of primary spontaneous pneumothorax, is used to reinforce the visceral pleura around the staple line coverage aiming to prevent a postoperative recurrence. We evaluated the effect of ORC on recurrence within 2 years after surgery.

Methods: A total of 201 patients aged < 40 years who underwent bullectomy for primary spontaneous pneumothorax at our institution were retrospectively reviewed.

Analysis of Optimal Health-Related Quality of Life Measures in Patients Waitlisted for Lung Transplantation.

Background: Improving health-related quality of life (HRQL) is an important goal of lung transplantation, and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) is frequently used for assessing HRQL in patients waitlisted for lung transplantation. We hypothesized that chronic respiratory failure (CRF)-specific HRQL measures would be more suitable than the SGRQ, considering the underlying disease and its severity in these patients.

Backtable bronchoplasty for donor tracheal bronchus in lung transplantation.

The management of a tracheal bronchus in lung transplantation is poorly studied and ill-defined. We report a case of lung transplantation performed using a donor right lung graft with an apical tracheal bronchus and propose a novel anastomosis technique for this procedure. The neo-upper lobe bronchus created by suturing the apical tracheal bronchus and the upper lobe bronchus of the donor was anastomosed to the upper lobe bronchus of the recipient in a double-barrel fashion.

Efficacy and safety of surgery for spontaneous pneumothorax in elderly patients.

Objectives: There is no clear consensus on the surgical indications for spontaneous pneumothorax in elderly patients. In this study, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of surgical treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax in patients aged ≥70 years. We also sought to identify the risk factors for postoperative prolonged air leaks and complications in such patients.

Diameter of the dilated main pulmonary artery in patients with pulmonary hypertension decreases after lung transplantation.

Purpose: The pulmonary artery (PA) in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) becomes dilated. We analyzed the postoperative changes of the main PA after lung transplantation (LuTx).

Methods: The subjects of this retrospective study were 68 LuTx recipients, divided into a PH group (n = 36) and a non-PH group (n = 32), based on preoperative right heart catheterization findings.

Use of a Three-Dimensional Model in Lung Transplantation for a Patient With Giant Pulmonary Aneurysm.

Management of a giant pulmonary trunk aneurysm in lung transplantation is a challenge. Herein, we present a patient undergoing replacement of the giant pulmonary artery aneurysm with a donor's aorta in bilateral lung transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. A plastic three-dimensional model of the pulmonary artery aneurysm created accurately based on computed tomography data allowed us to simulate the procedure on the back table.

Trametinib Attenuates Delayed Rejection and Preserves Thymic Function in Rat Lung Transplantation.

Delayed immunological rejection after human lung transplantation causes chronic lung allograft dysfunction, which is associated with high mortality. Delayed rejection may be attributable to indirect alloantigen presentation by host antigen-presenting cells; however, its pathophysiology is not fully understood. The mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway is activated in T cells upon stimulation, and we previously showed that the MEK inhibitor, trametinib, suppresses graft-versus-host disease after murine bone marrow transplantation.

Variant scimitar syndrome with intralobar pulmonary sequestration containing adenocarcinoma.

Scimitar syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly in which the right lung is hypoplastic and a scimitar vein is draining into the inferior vena cava. It is known to be sometimes complicated with pulmonary sequestration. However, a right single pulmonary vein draining normally into the left atrium is rare.

Unilateral Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction Assessed by Biphasic Computed Tomographic Volumetry in Bilateral Living-donor Lobar Lung Transplantation.

Background: Early diagnosis of unilateral chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is difficult because the unaffected contralateral lung functions as a reservoir in bilateral living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT). We previously reported the usefulness of Xe ventilation scintigraphy for detection of unilateral change, but the supply of Xe has been stopped globally. The present study aimed to examine the usefulness of inspiratory and expiratory computed tomography (I/E CT) volumetry for detection of unilateral change in CLAD patients.

Long agonal period deteriorates cardiac death donor lung function in a rat EVLP model.

Purpose: We investigated the impact of the duration of agonal period on donor lung function after reperfusion in an ex vivo rat lung perfusion model.

Methods: Three mechanical hypoventilation conditions were used for three agonal periods, which were defined as the interval between the start of hypoventilation and the time when systolic arterial blood pressure reached < 50 mmHg, i.e.

Survival outcomes after minimally invasive thymectomy for early-stage thymic carcinoma.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has occasionally been used for selected patients with thymoma, but there is little information on the MIS approach for thymic carcinoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate survival outcomes after MIS for early-stage (Masaoka stage I-II) thymic carcinoma and thymic neuroendocrine carcinoma. A retrospective chart review of the cases recorded in our multi-institutional database was performed to identify patients who underwent resection for thymic carcinoma between 1995 and 2017.

Native upper lobe-sparing living-donor lobar lung transplantation maximizes respiratory function of the donor graft.

Background: We have developed a novel method for native upper lobe-sparing living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT) to overcome a small-for-size graft in standard LDLLT with acceptable results. We hypothesized that grafts implanted with this procedure might work more efficiently than those in standard lobe transplantation.

Methods: Bilateral LDLLT was performed in 31 patients with a functional graft matching of less than 60% at our institution between August 2008 and December 2015.

Multifocal thymic cysts with cholesterol granuloma.

A 56-year-old female presented to our department with chest discomfort. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a cyst and nodule in the anterior mediastinum; positron emission tomography-CT showed an increased uptake in the nodule. Total thymectomy was performed to obtain a definitive diagnosis and treatment.

Clinical significance of radiological pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis pattern in interstitial lung disease patients registered for lung transplantation: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Radiological pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE) lesion is characterized by pleural thickening with associated signs of subpleural fibrosis on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). This study evaluated the clinical significance of radiological PPFE as an isolated finding or associated with other interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) in patients having fibrotic ILDs and registered for cadaveric lung transplantation (LT).

Methods: This retrospective study included 118 fibrotic ILD patients registered for LT.

Low incidence of and mortality from a second malignancy after resection of thymic carcinoma†.

Objectives: Previous studies have suggested that a second malignancy often develops after resection of thymoma; however, it remains unknown whether this is applicable to thymic carcinoma.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed based on our multi-institutional database of resected thymic epithelial tumours between 1991 and 2016. A second malignancy was defined as newly diagnosed after thymic tumour resection.

Diagnostic yield of electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy: results of initial 35 cases in a Japanese institute.

Background: Electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (ENB) is a new bronchoscopic technique for navigational transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) that guides the sheath to the target lesion in real time. Herein, we report our experience with this navigational system, its diagnostic yields, and associated complications.

Methods: A single-center, single-operator retrospective chart review was performed.

Impact of flat chest on cadaveric lung transplantation: postoperative pulmonary function and survival.

Objectives: Thoracic cage flatness, the so-called flat chest, is a chest wall deformity associated with end-stage lung disease requiring lung transplantation. There is little information on the impact of flat chest on lung transplantation. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether flat chest directly influences respiratory function and survival after cadaveric lung transplantation.

Effect of early tracheostomy on clinical outcomes in critically ill lung transplant recipients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of early tracheostomy in patients following lung transplantation and to determine its optimal timing and influence on clinical outcomes.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of 96 adult patients who underwent lung transplantation at our institution between August 2008 and January 2016. Time-to-tracheostomy was defined based on timing of the procedure: "early" if less than 3 days or "late" if 3 or more days after lung transplantation.

Surgical management of bronchial stumps in lobar lung transplantation.

Background: The validity of lobar lung transplantation (LT) has been established in both living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT) and cadaveric-donor lung transplantation (CLT). However, bronchial stump management in lobar LT has not been precisely documented. Thus, we retrospectively analyzed our strategies for bronchial stump management in lobar LT.