Lung abscess: the non-conservative management: a narrative review.

Background And Objective: Systemic antibiotics are the best treatment options for lung abscesses. However, up to 37% of lung abscesses do not respond to antibiotics and may require additional interventions. Percutaneous transthoracic tube drainage (PTTD), endoscopic catheter drainage (ECD) and surgical resection are additional options available when first line therapy with systemic antibiotics are unsuccessful.

Interventional Pulmonology Productivity, Compensation, and Practice Benchmarks: The AABIP 2022 Report.

Background: Interventional pulmonology (IP) is a growing field that has not yet been recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties or incorporated into national benchmark organizations. As a result, there is a lack of data on IP practice patterns, physicians' compensation and productivity targets.

Methods: We sent an anonymous survey to 647 current or past physician members of the AABIP.

Safety and Feasibility of Photodynamic Therapy for Ablation of Peripheral Lung Tumors.

Background: Newer navigational bronchoscopy technologies render peripheral lung lesions accessible for biopsy and potential treatment. We investigated whether photodynamic therapy (PDT) delivered via navigational bronchoscopy is feasible and safe for ablation of peripheral lung tumors.

Methods: Two studies evaluated PDT in patients with solid peripheral lung tumors followed by clinical follow-up (nonresection study, N=5) or lobectomy (resection study, N=10).

Endobronchial lipoma.

Endobronchial lipomas are rare benign lung tumors that can cause bronchial obstruction and parenchymal damage. While an uncommon etiology, they are often misdiagnosed due to a clinical presentation similar to obstructive pulmonary pathologies such as COPD and asthma. Upon review of English-language literature, under 50 cases of endobronchial lipomas were documented in the prior 10 years (2011-2021).

Low utilisation of bronchoscopy to assess COVID-19 respiratory infection: a multicenter experience.

Objective: For the diagnosis of COVID-19, the yield of nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs is unclear, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is obtained to confirm the diagnosis. We assessed the utilisation of bronchoscopy for COVID-19 diagnosis in a multicenter study and compared the diagnostic yield of BAL versus NP swabs.

Methods: This retrospective study included all patients who were admitted with clinical presentation concerning for COVID-19 and underwent BAL from 1 March to 31 July 2020 at four tertiary care centres in North America.

Anesthetic Considerations for Automated High-Frequency Jet Ventilation During Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy.

Newly advanced diagnostic bronchoscopic procedures, such as electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy using navigation system technology (superDimension, Medtronic), provides computed tomography referenced and computerized 3-dimensional imaging. To increase accuracy and higher diagnostic biopsy yield, electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy necessitates special anesthetic and ventilation techniques providing the interventional pulmonologist minimal respiratory lung motion. This anesthetic meets 2 important goals by limiting almost all interference from diaphragmatic and lung movement while allowing the anesthesia provider to achieve hands-free management.

Jet Ventilation Decreases Target Motion and Increases Yield of ENB Especially in Lesions With Negative Bronchus Sign.

Background: Electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (ENB) is used to obtain peripheral lung tissue samples for evaluation and staging of central and peripheral lung lesions. Jet ventilation delivers and maintains a sustained airway pressure at high frequency, chest wall and diaphragmatic movement is drastically reduced compared with traditional ventilation. The current study looks to examine the effectiveness of tissue sampling (diagnostic yield) while using jet ventilation on target-lesion movement when compared with traditional ventilation.

Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy for Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions: One-Year Results of the Prospective, Multicenter NAVIGATE Study.

Introduction: Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) is a minimally invasive technology that guides endoscopic tools to pulmonary lesions. ENB has been evaluated primarily in small, single-center studies; thus, the diagnostic yield in a generalizable setting is unknown.

Methods: NAVIGATE is a prospective, multicenter, cohort study that evaluated ENB using the superDimension navigation system (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota).

Effect of Routine Clopidogrel Use on Bleeding Complications After Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Fine Needle Aspiration.

Background: Endobronchial ultrasonography has proven to be highly sensitive and specific in the diagnoses of patients with mediastinal and hilar adenopathy. Many of these patients are on a combination of clopidogrel (a compound that inhibits adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation) and aspirin due to neurological and/or cardiac-related comorbidities, and stopping anticoagulation may place these patients at high risk for potential complications. Our group has previously showed that thoracentesis with an 8-french catheter is safe in patients receiving clopidogrel and aspirin with low risk of complications.

Emerging Perspectives on mTOR Inhibitor-Associated Pneumonitis in Breast Cancer.

Unlabelled: Substantial improvements in the early detection and treatment of breast cancer have led to improvements in survival, but breast cancer remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in women. In 2012, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor everolimus was approved by the U.S.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Intensive Care Unit.

Spreading beyond the realm of tertiary academic medical centers, point-of-care ultrasound in the intensive care unit is an important diagnostic tool. The real-time feedback garnered can lead to critical and clinically relevant changes in management and decrease potential complications. Bedside ultrasound evaluation in the intensive care setting with a small, portable equipment is well-suited for placement of central lines, lumbar puncture, thoracentesis or other bedside ICU procedures and in the evaluation of cardiac activity, pleural and abdominal cavity and the overall fluid volume.

Randomized Trial of Pleural Fluid Drainage Frequency in Patients with Malignant Pleural Effusions. The ASAP Trial.

Rationale: Patients with malignant pleural effusions have significant dyspnea and shortened life expectancy. Indwelling pleural catheters allow patients to drain pleural fluid at home and can lead to autopleurodesis. The optimal drainage frequency to achieve autopleurodesis and freedom from catheter has not been determined.

Patient-derived xenografts faithfully replicated clinical outcome in a phase II co-clinical trial of arsenic trioxide in relapsed small cell lung cancer.

Background: SCLC has limited treatment options and inadequate preclinical models. Promising activity of arsenic trioxide (ASO) recorded in conventional preclinical models of SCLC supported the clinical evaluation of ASO in patients. We assessed the efficacy of ASO in relapsed SCLC patients and in corresponding patient-derived xenografts (PDX).

A Translational, Pharmacodynamic, and Pharmacokinetic Phase IB Clinical Study of Everolimus in Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: The altered PI3K/mTOR pathway is implicated in lung cancer, but mTOR inhibitors have failed to demonstrate efficacy in advanced lung cancer. We studied the pharmacodynamic effects of everolimus in resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to inform further development of these agents in lung cancer.

Experimental Design: We enrolled 33 patients and obtained baseline tumor biopsy and 2[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) imaging followed by everolimus treatment (5 or 10 mg daily, up to 28 days), or without intervening treatment for controls.

Mediastinal and Hilar Lymph Node Measurements. Comparison of Multidetector-Row Computed Tomography and Endobronchial Ultrasound.

Rationale: Multidetector-row chest computed tomography scan is a common initial imaging modality and endobronchial ultrasound is a minimally invasive diagnostic tool used to evaluate enlarged lymph nodes, but comparisons of imaging results are lacking.

Objectives: To determine the size of thoracic lymph nodes and the strength of agreement between each measurement from coronal plane computed tomography and static endobronchial ultrasound images.

Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration of their lymph nodes because of clinical suspicion of benign or malignant thoracic disease.

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction.

The management of obstructive lung disease, particularly emphysematous lung disease, is aggressively being pursued. The patient populations that will experience the greatest benefit with lung volume reduction are those that are the worst candidates for surgical intervention. Identifying a bronchoscopic approach that has a true impact on this patient population will be a major accomplishment in the management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Validation of an interventional pulmonary examination.

Background: Interventional pulmonology (IP) is an emerging subspecialty with a dedicated 12 months of additional training after traditional pulmonary and critical care fellowships with fellowships across the country. A multiple-choice question (MCQ) examination was developed to measure didactic knowledge acquired in IP fellowships.

Methods: Interventional pulmonologists from 10 academic centers developed a MCQ-based examination on a proposed curriculum for IP fellowships.

Effect of routine clopidogrel use on bleeding complications after ultrasound-guided thoracentesis.

Background: Thoracentesis is one of the most commonly performed medical procedures with an excellent safety profile. Clopidogrel (a compound that inhibits adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation) is often prescribed for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and has been associated with bleeding complications in patients undergoing surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety of ultrasound (US)-guided thoracentesis in patients receiving clopidogrel therapy.

Comparative cost analysis of endobronchial ultrasound-guided and blind TBNA in the evaluation of hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

Background: The superior accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) averts many diagnostic surgical procedures. This likely leads to significant cost savings despite an increased per procedure cost. We sought to compare the true costs of endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) compared with "blind" fiberoptic bronchoscopy-transbronchial needle aspiration (FB-TBNA) factoring in the impact of diagnostic surgical procedures in the diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

Dyspnea in a patient with Mounier-Kuhn syndrome.

Poorly differentiated non-small cell lung carcinoma with a component of sarcoma-like (spindle and/or giant cells) or sarcoma (malignant bone, cartilage, or skeletal muscle) cells are called pleomorphic carcinoma. These carcinoma represent one of the 5 subtypes of rare pulmonary malignancies collectively classified as sarcomatoid carcinoma by the World Health Organization histologic classification of lung tumors. The pathogenesis of sarcomatoid carcinoma remains unclear, and treatment of this malignant tumor is less defined.

Safety of pacemakers and defibrillators in electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy.

Background: Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy (ENB) (InReach iLogic system; superDimension Inc) is a relatively new discipline, with promising diagnostic and therapeutic applications in patients with lung lesions. Navigation is performed in a magnetic field and, therefore, has been considered relatively contraindicated in patients with pacemakers and automated implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (AICDs). Potential risks include altering the function and shutting off the device, device damage, lead displacement, and potential overheating.

Central intranodal vessels to predict cytology during endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration.

Background: : There has been recent interest in identifying the endoscopic ultrasonographic characteristics of lymph nodes (LNs) that predict the presence or absence of malignant involvement. Normal LN anatomy includes the presence of a central intranodal blood vessel (CIV) that can be obliterated with invasion of malignant cells. We sought to determine whether examining LNs for the presence or absence of a CIV during endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) could predict benign or malignant cytology of the samples obtained.

Pyogenic granuloma of the distal trachea: a case report.

Pyogenic granuloma (PG), also known as lobular capillary hemangioma, is a common, acquired, non-neoplastic, vascular lesion that is often found on the skin and oral mucosa. The term "pyogenic granuloma" is a misnomer, as the lesion does not contain purulent material and is not a granuloma. Lesions have also been reported in the gastrointestinal tract and during pregnancy.

Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy.

In 2009, lung cancer was estimated to be the second most common form of cancer diagnosed in men, after prostate, and the second, after breast cancer, in women. It is estimated that it caused 159,390 deaths more than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined. While age-adjusted death rates for this cancer have been declining since 2000, they remain high.

A rare nonmalignant mass of the pancreas: case report and review of pancreatic sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology affecting patients from all genetic backgrounds. Pancreatic involvement is rare; the first case was described on autopsy in 1937. We present a case of pancreatic sarcoidosis without a history of the disease presenting as biliary obstruction mimicking pancreatic malignancy.