Clinical significance of the preoperative prognostic nutritional index in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter study.

Purpose: To validate the clinical impacts of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), an immune-nutritional blood marker, in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using multicenter cohort data.

Methods: The subjects of this retrospective multicenter study, involving 11 hospitals, were patients who underwent curative lung resection for pathological stage IA-IIIA NSCLC. We analyzed the relationship between the preoperative PNI and postoperative outcomes.

Hyponatremia unleashes neutrophil extracellular traps elevating life-threatening pulmonary embolism risk.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), essential for controlling infections, can induce various pathologies when dysregulated. Known triggers for infection-independent NETs release exist, yet a comprehensive understanding of the conditions prompting such responses is lacking. In this study, we identify hyponatremia as an independent inducer of NETs release, a common clinical condition that disrupts sodium/calcium exchange within neutrophils.

Living-donor lobar lung transplantation for pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis complicated by extensive thrombi in central pulmonary arteries.

Background: Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) is a rare disorder characterized by the proliferation of Langerhans cells along the small airways, which causes nodular and cystic changes in the lung parenchyma. Lung transplantation can be a life-saving option for patients with severe respiratory failure or pulmonary hypertension. Herein, we present a case of successful lung transplantation in a patient with PLCH who developed unusually large thrombi in the central pulmonary artery.

Pneumocephalus resulting from traumatic pneumothorax and brachial plexus avulsion.

Background: Traumatic pneumocephalus is commonly encountered after basal skull fractures and rarely associated with blunt chest trauma. Here, we report a case of pneumocephalus caused by traumatic pneumothorax and brachial plexus avulsion.

Case Presentation: A 20-year-old male was admitted to our hospital following a motorcycle accident with complete paralysis of the right upper limb.

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).

Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors as first-line treatment for postoperative recurrent EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma: a multi-institutional retrospective study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse the long-term survival outcomes and prognostic factors of patients receiving epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) as first-line treatment for postoperative recurrent EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Using a multi-institutional database, we performed a retrospective chart review to identify all patients who had undergone complete resection of stage I-III EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma at 11 acute care hospitals between 2009 and 2016 and had received first-line EGFR-TKI treatment for postoperative recurrence. Adverse events, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were investigated.

A novel technique for Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot placement for bronchopleural fistula: a traction method.

Empyema with bronchopleural fistula is a challenging condition that often requires open-window thoracostomy. Bronchial occlusion with Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot is an effective and less invasive procedure to close the fistula; however, delivering a spigot into the target bronchus requires high technical skills. Herein, we report a case of bronchopleural fistula occluded with a spigot using a new 'traction method' in which the spigot is tied as an anchor to a guidewire and pulled into the target bronchus.

Lymph node dissection in thymic carcinomas and neuroendocrine carcinomas.

Objectives: Although lymph node (LN) metastases are not uncommon in thymic carcinomas, preoperative LN evaluation, intraoperative lymph node dissection (LND) and postoperative outcomes remain unknown. The aim of this study was to elucidate the characteristics of and outcomes in patients with thymic carcinomas and thymic neuroendocrine carcinomas undergoing LND.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed using our multi-institutional database to identify patients who underwent resection and LND for thymic carcinoma or thymic neuroendocrine carcinoma between 1991 and 2018.

Solitary Pulmonary Hematoma Radiographically Indistinguishable from Mediastinal Tumor.

Solitary pulmonary hematoma is a rare consequence of blunt chest trauma. Moreover, there has been no reported case of solitary pulmonary hematoma radiographically diagnosed as a posterior mediastinal tumor. We present the case of a 63-year-old man who was referred for an oval-shaped opacity at the left paraspinal area on a chest X-ray.

Congenital partial pericardial defect confirmed based on spontaneous pneumothorax: A case report and literature review.

Introduction: Congenital pericardial defects are rare but can cause fatal complications. Most cases are asymptomatic and incidentally detected during a thoracic surgery or autopsy. We report a case of a partial pericardial defect confirmed based on spontaneous pneumothorax.

Solitary pulmonary capillary hemangioma presenting with a ground glass opacity: A case report & literature review.

Introduction: Solitary pulmonary capillary hemangioma (SPCH) is a rare benign lung tumor that clinically resembles early lung cancer and precancerous pulmonary lesions that present with similar imaging manifestations.

Presentation Of Case: The patient was a 54-year-old Japanese man who was referred to Nagara Medical Center with a ground glass opacity (GGO) lesion within the right upper lung that was incidentally detected on computed tomography. After 8 months of follow-up, video-assisted thoracoscopic segmental resection of the right upper lobe was performed with diagnostic and therapeutic intent.

Hemothorax resulting from an initially masked aortic perforation caused by penetration of the sharp edge of a fractured rib: A case report.

Introduction: There are multiple causes of hemothorax in blunt chest trauma. However, a traumatic hemothorax with an uncertain cause is potentially life-threatening without treatment, because an undetected and hidden great vessel injury can remain unknown. Delayed diagnosis can lead to death.

Association Between Formalin Fixation Time and Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Expression in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background/aim: The expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) may be associated with tissue formalin fixation time in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples. We investigated the association between the PD-L1 expression and formalin fixation time, and clarified the optimal duration of fixation for accurate PD-L1 evaluation.

Materials And Methods: We collected 55 tumor specimens from resected NSCLC patients.

Comparison of PD-L1 Assays in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: 22C3 pharmDx and SP263.

Background/aim: While the PD-L1 22C3 pharmDx assay is an FDA-approved diagnostic assay for pembrolizumab use, not every pathology laboratory has the Dako Autostainer to use this assay. Since Ventana BenchMark platforms are more common, the Ventana SP263 assay can be used to inform treatment decisions involving nivolumab and pembrolizumab in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, some studies have shown discordant results between the two assays.

Salvage Pulmonary Operations Following Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Small Primary and Metastatic Lung Tumors: Evaluation of the Operative Procedures.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy is an alternative treatment option for small-sized, primary lung cancers and pulmonary metastatic diseases. In the case of local relapse after stereotactic body radiotherapy, salvage pulmonary resection is considered cautiously. However, no study has described the difficulty of the salvage operations.