Intracavitary cisplatin-fibrin followed by irradiation improved tumor control compared to the single treatments in a mesothelioma rat model.

Objective: To test the safety and efficacy of combination treatment for pleural mesothelioma (PM) with intracavitary cisplatin-fibrin (cis-fib) plus hemithoracic irradiation (IR) applied after lung-sparing surgery in an orthotopic immunocompetent rat model.

Methods: We randomized male F344 rats into 5 groups: cis-fib (n = 9), 10 Gy IR (n = 6), 20 Gy IR (n = 9), cis-fib+10 Gy IR (n = 6), and cis-fib+20 Gy IR (n = 9). Subpleural tumor implantation was performed on day 0 with 1 million syngeneic rat mesothelioma cells (IL45-luciferase).

Extended resection for potentially operable patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer after induction treatment.

Objective: Surgical treatment of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer including single or multilevel N2 remains a matter of debate. Several trials demonstrate that selected patients benefit from surgery if R0 resection is achieved. We aimed to assess resectability and outcome of patients with locally advanced clinical T3/T4 (American Joint Committee on Cancer 8 edition) tumors after induction treatment followed by surgery in a pooled analysis of 3 prospective multicenter trials.

Surgical management of lung cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic - a narrative review and single-centre report.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a severe impact on oncological and thoracic surgical practice worldwide. In many hospitals, the care of COVID-19 patients required a reduction of elective surgery, to avoid viral transmission within the hospital, and to save and preserve personnel and material resources. Cancer patients are more susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and are at an increased risk of a severe course of disease.

Two centres experience of lung cancer resection in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer upon treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors: safety and clinical outcomes.

Objectives: Recent trials have begun to explore immune checkpoint inhibitors for non-small cell lung cancer in the neoadjuvant setting, but data on tumour response and surgical outcome remain limited.

Methods: Retrospective evaluation of clinical data from patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors followed by lung resection was performed at 2 large volume institutions (1 North American, 1 European). Data were analysed using Chi-squared, Fisher's and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests where appropriate.

Preoperative Identification of Benefit from Surgery for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

In the absence of standardized treatment algorithms for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, one of the main difficulties remains patient allocation to therapies with potential benefit. This article discusses clinical, radiologic, pathologic, and molecular prognostic factors as well as genetic background leading to preoperative identification of benefit from surgery, which have been investigated over the past years to simplify and at the same time specify patient selection for surgical treatment.

Diffuse lymphatic leakage after continuous vacuum-assisted closure therapy for thoracic wound infection after rib stabilization.

Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy is a useful tool in the management of a wide spectrum of complex wounds in cardiothoracic surgery. It promotes healing through the application of a controlled and localized negative pressure on porous polyurethane absorbent foams. Known advantages of the VAC therapy are the acceleration of wound healing, stimulation of granulation tissue and reduced tissue edema.

An unexpected cause for cavitary pneumonia and empyema.

Tularemia is an emerging zoonotic disease mainly of the Northern Hemisphere caused by the Gram-negative coccobacillus Francisella tularensis. It is affecting a wide range of animals and causes human disease after insect and tick bites, skin contact, ingestion and inhalation. A 66-year-old man presented to our clinic with cavitary pneumonia and distinct pleural effusion.

Serotonin reverts age-related capillarization and failure of regeneration in the liver through a VEGF-dependent pathway.

The function of the liver is well-preserved during the aging process, although some evidence suggests that liver regeneration might be impaired with advanced age. We observed a decreased ability of the liver to restore normal volume after partial hepatectomy in elderly mice, and we identified a pathway that rescued regeneration and was triggered by serotonin. 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI), a serotonin receptor agonist, reversed the age-related pseudocapillarization of old liver and improved hepatosinusoidal blood flow.

Activation of serotonin receptor-2B rescues small-for-size liver graft failure in mice.

Unlabelled: The implantation of grafts below 30% of the normal liver volume is associated with a high risk of failure known as small-for-size (SFS) syndrome. Strategies to rescue small grafts may have a dramatic impact on organ shortage. Serotonin is a potent growth factor for the liver.

Selective portal vein embolization and ligation trigger different regenerative responses in the rat liver.

Unlabelled: Two strategies are clinically available to induce selective hypertrophy of the liver: portal vein embolization (PVE) and portal vein ligation (PVL). The aim of this study was to compare the impact of PVE and PVL on liver regeneration. Rats were subjected to 70% PVL, 70% PVE, 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) (positive control), or sham operation (negative control).

Hepatic steatosis is a risk factor for postoperative complications after major hepatectomy: a matched case-control study.

Objective: To assess the impact of microsteatosis (MiS) and macrosteatosis (MaS) on major hepatectomy.

Summary Background Data: While steatosis of a liver graft is an established risk factor in transplantation, its impact on major hepatectomy remains unclear.

Methods: Fifty-eight steatotic patients who underwent major hepatectomy were matched 1:1 with patients with normal liver according to age, gender, ASA score, diagnosis, extent of hepatectomy, and need of hepaticojejunostomy.

Improving outcome in patients undergoing liver surgery.

Liver surgery is associated with many factors, which may affect outcome. Preoperative assessment of patient's general condition, resectability, and liver reserve are paramount for success. The Child-Pugh score and other scoring systems only partially enables to assess the risk associated with liver surgery.

Novel short-term hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (HOPE) system prevents injury in rat liver graft from non-heart beating donor.

Objective: To assess a machine perfusion system in rescuing liver grafts from non-heart-beating donors (NHBD).

Summary Background Data: The introduction of extracorporeal liver perfusion systems in the clinical routine depends on feasibility. Conceivably, perfusion could be performed during recipient preparation.

Right living donor hepatectomy in the presence of celiac artery stenosis.

Background: Incidental celiac artery stenosis has been cited as an exclusion criterion for adult donor right hepatectomy.

Methods: We report our experience involving right donor hepatectomy performed in the presence of isolated high-grade (greater than 80%) celiac trunk stenosis in two young healthy and asymptomatic adult living liver donors.

Results: The immediate postoperative course was complicated by a superficial wound infection in one patient and a transient median nerve palsy caused by intraoperative positioning, which spontaneously resolved, in the second patient.