Enhancing treatment approaches for postpneumonectomy empyema: exploring the role of video-assisted thoracic surgery.

Introduction: Postpneumonectomy empyema (PPE) poses a substantial postoperative risk, even in the absence of a bronchopleural fistula, often necessitating surgical intervention for resolution.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in managing PPE, supported by a comprehensive review of pertinent literature.

Material And Methods: Six studies were included in this analysis, encompassing 63 PPE cases treated with VATS.

Evaluation of treatment response with serial CT in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease.

Objectives: In patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD), the response to treatment is evaluated based on microbiological, clinical, and radiological data. However, little is known about the dynamics of CT findings. The aim of this study was to evaluate CT changes in NTM-PD in order to define radiological criteria for treatment success.

Novel Combinations of Immunotherapies or DNA Damage Repair Inhibitors in Platinum-Refractory Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer: The Phase II BALTIC Study.

Purpose: The phase II, multiarm, signal-searching BALTIC study (NCT02937818) assessed novel treatment combinations for platinum-refractory/resistant extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).

Patients And Methods: Patients with ES-SCLC with progressive disease during or within 90 days of completing first-line platinum-based chemotherapy received one of three regimens: durvalumab plus tremelimumab followed by durvalumab monotherapy (arm A), adavosertib plus carboplatin (arm B), or ceralasertib plus olaparib (arm C). The primary endpoint was the objective response rate.

Addressing recurrent hypoglycaemia through thoracic surgical intervention: understanding Doege-Potter syndrome, a rarity in syndromes.

Doege-Potter syndrome (DPS), a rare paraneoplastic phenomenon characterised by non-islet cell tumour hypoglycaemia (NICTH), presents clinicians with intricate diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This comprehensive review consolidates current understanding, clinical presentations, diagnostic modalities, therapeutic interventions, and emerging trends in managing DPS. The pathophysiology of DPS revolves around dysregulated insulin-like growth factors (IGF), particularly IGF-2, produced by mesenchymal tumours, notably solitary fibrous tumours (SFT).

Thoracic manifestations of tularaemia: a case series.

Background: Tularaemia is a zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis, a highly virulent bacterium that affects humans and small wild animals. It is transmitted through direct contact with infected animals or indirectly through contaminated soil, water or arthropod bites (e.g.

Segmentectomy versus lobectomy. Which factors are decisive for an optimal oncological outcome?

Low-dose computed tomography is being used for lung cancer screening in high-risk groups. Detecting lung cancer at an early stage improves the chance of optimal treatment and increases overall survival. This article compares segmentectomy vs.

Modified pericostal suture technique to reduce postoperative pain and provide optimum anatomic restoration after conversion of minimally invasive thoracic surgery to thoracotomy.

Minimally invasive thoracic techniques often need to be converted to open thoracotomy. Thoracotomy is associated with severe postoperative pain in 50% of the patients, and this situation can be maintained for a prolonged period. Many efforts have been made to avoid this complication.

Perioperative Application of Levosimendan Optimizes Postoperative Renal Function and Organ Perfusion in Patients with Severe Heart Failure.

Renal dysfunction and impaired organ perfusion are common concerns following cardiac surgery. Levosimendan, a calcium sensitizer inotropic drug, is investigated in this study for its potential to improve postoperative renal function and organ perfusion in patients with low preoperative ejection fraction and severe myocardial dysfunction after cardiac surgery. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 314 patients with preoperative heart failure who underwent cardiac surgery.

The proteasome regulator PSME4 modulates proteasome activity and antigen diversity to abrogate antitumor immunity in NSCLC.

Immunotherapy revolutionized treatment options in cancer, yet the mechanisms underlying resistance in many patients remain poorly understood. Cellular proteasomes have been implicated in modulating antitumor immunity by regulating antigen processing, antigen presentation, inflammatory signaling and immune cell activation. However, whether and how proteasome complex heterogeneity may affect tumor progression and the response to immunotherapy has not been systematically examined.

Intrathoracic migration of a breast implant seven years after thoracotomy. A case report.

A 52-year-old woman, who had previous bilateral subpectoral breast augmentation, underwent thoracotomy for a right upper lobe pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Seven years after her thoracic surgery, the patient noticed a reduction in her right breast volume, with shortness of breath and cough. A computed tomography study of the chest revealed intrathoracic migration of her right breast implant with no sing of capsule rupture.

Predicting the effectiveness of high-flow oxygen therapy in COVID-19 patients: a single-centre observational study.

Background: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy is a helpful tool in the treatment of hypoxaemic respiratory failure. However, the clinical parameters predicting the effectiveness of HFNC in coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) patients remain unclear.

Methods: Sixteen COVID-19 patients undergoing HFNC in the Asklepios Lung Clinic Munich-Gauting, Germany between 16 March and 3 June 2020 were retrospectively included into the study.

Tackling the Waves of COVID-19: A Planning Model for Intrahospital Resource Allocation.

The current pandemic requires hospitals to ensure care not only for the growing number of COVID-19 patients but also regular patients. Hospital resources must be allocated accordingly. To provide hospitals with a planning model to optimally allocate resources to intensive care units given a certain incidence of COVID-19 cases.

Rituximab Treatment of Hairy Cell Leukemia in a Patient with Mycobacterium kansasii Infection: A Case Report.

Introduction: Infectious complications represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hairy cell leukemia (HCL) patients. Due to the immunosuppressive nature of the disease, these patients are frequently affected by opportunistic infections and rare pathogens. Furthermore, cytotoxic chemotherapy might lead to poor or even fatal outcomes in the setting of an active infection.

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals ex vivo signatures of SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells through 'reverse phenotyping'.

The in vivo phenotypic profile of T cells reactive to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 antigens remains poorly understood. Conventional methods to detect antigen-reactive T cells require in vitro antigenic re-stimulation or highly individualized peptide-human leukocyte antigen (pHLA) multimers. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to identify and profile SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.

Prevention of COVID-19 in Thoracic Surgery Patients: Lessons Learned during the First Pandemic Wave.

Background:  The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the implementation of measures to prevent perioperative COVID-19 in thoracic surgery during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic 2020 allowing a continued surgical treatment of patients.

Methods:  The implemented preventive measures in patient management of the thoracic surgery department of the Asklepios Lung Clinic Munich-Gauting, Germany were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative COVID-19 incidence before and after implementation of preventive measures was investigated.

Automated quantitative thin slice volumetric low dose CT analysis predicts disease severity in COVID-19 patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify predictive (bio-)markers for COVID-19 severity derived from automated quantitative thin slice low dose volumetric CT analysis, clinical chemistry and lung function testing.

Methods: Seventy-four COVID-19 patients admitted between March 16th and June 3rd 2020 to the Asklepios Lung Clinic Munich-Gauting, Germany, were included in the study. Patients were categorized in a non-severe group including patients hospitalized on general wards only and in a severe group including patients requiring intensive care treatment.

Clinical Course of Three Postoperative Symptomatic COVID-19 Cases in Patients After Lung Lobectomy.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus. Its rapid spread and severe clinical presentation influence patient management in all specialties including thoracic surgery. We report 3 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 occurring in patients shortly after thoracotomy and thoracoscopy procedures, illustrating the imminent threat of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection for thoracic surgery patients.

Joint Statement of the German Radiological Society and the German Respiratory Society on a Quality-Assured Early Detection Program for Lung Cancer with Low-Dose CT.

Substantial new data on the early detection of lung cancer with low-dose CT has become available since the last joint statement of the German Radiological Society and the German Respiratory Society was published in 2011. The German S3 guideline on lung cancer was revised in 2018 and now contains a weak recommendation regarding the early detection of lung cancer with low-dose CT in a quality-assured early detection program. These new developments required a change in the position of the involved professional societies.

PF-06439535 (a Bevacizumab Biosimilar) Compared with Reference Bevacizumab (Avastin), Both Plus Paclitaxel and Carboplatin, as First-Line Treatment for Advanced Non-Squamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study.

Background: PF-06439535 is a bevacizumab biosimilar. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of PF-06439535 with that of reference bevacizumab (Avastin) sourced from the EU (bevacizumab-EU), each with paclitaxel and carboplatin, in the first-line treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: In this double-blind, parallel-group study, we recruited patients from 159 centers in 27 countries.