Objective To introduce the procedure of thoracic outlet tumors removal through posterior thoracotomy and its efficacy. Methods Ten patients with thoracic outlet tumors underwent surgical treatment via posterior approach from June 2004 to June 2007. Five patients suffered from neurogenic tumors, 4 patients apical lung carcinomas, and 1 patient apicoposterior lung tumor. The skin incision was started superiorly lateral to the transverse process of 6th cervical vertebrae, carried downward a way between the medial border of the scapula and the posterior midline and was extended in a gentle arc below the inferior angle of the scapula to the posterior axillary line. The chest was entered and the tumor is removed through resecting the rib(2nd or 3rd rib) located at the lower edge of the tumor after the scapula had been pushed forward. Results There was no death in this group. Tumors in 9 patients were resected completely. Thoracotomy only was done in another patients as a result of tumor invading neighboring major organs. Shoulder and back pain in 3 of 4 patients was remitted postoperatively. Two patients with “dumbell” neurogenic tumors improved strength of lower limbs. Pain and abdominal wall reflex resumed in one patient and muscle strength of lower limbs increased to 4th grade from 2nd grade in another one. Two patients required thoracentesis because of complicating with pleural effusion. The mean followup period was 18 months (range 336). Seven of 10 patients still lead a normal life. Conclusion Posterior thoracotomy can provide an excellent approach to remove the thoracic outlet tumors safely and completely.
Objective To summarize experiences of surgical treatment and long-term results of myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods Two hundred thirty-six patients underwent thymectomy for MG in our department from Jan.1978 to Dec. 2002. The perioperative management, relative factors of postoperative crisis and long-term results were analysed. Results In 236 patients postoperative crisis took place in 44 cases accounted for 18.6%. The occurrence of postoperative crisis was related to preoperative management, modified Osserman clinical classification and combination with thymoma. Three cases died in the postoperative periods. Among them, one died of acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by aspiration and the other died of crisis. The effective rate in 1, 3, 5 years was 84.6%, 91.0% and 89.0% respectively. Conclusions Thymectomy for MG is safe and effective. Delayed extubation could decrease the needs of tracheotomy in patients with high risk factors for postoperative crisis. The partial sternotomy approach is less traumatic but the long-term effects of surgery are identical to those reported by the most authors.
Objective To explore the early diagnostic value of single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT), thoracic computed tomography(CT),and chest X-ray for closed chest trauma. Methods To establish the animal model of unilateral chest impact trauma,to adopt SPECT, thoracic CT, and chest X-ray for early diagnosis of closed chest trauma,and to compare these findings with postmortem examination. Results Thirty minutes after blunt chest trauma, the region of interesting (ROI) between traumatized lung and the heart (ROI2/ROI1) immediately increased to the peak six hours after trauma; on the contralateral lung, the ratio (ROI3/ROI1) increased slowly and reached the peak after six hours, these ratio was still smaller than that of the traumatized lung. These differences were significant (Plt;0.01). Conclusions Chest X-ray is still the most fundamental diagnostic method of chest trauma,but it was thought that the patients of severe chest trauma and multiple injuries should be examined early by thoracic CT. Radionuclide imaging have more diagnostic value than chest X-ray on pulmonary contusion. The diagnostic sensibility to pulmonary contusion of thoracic CT is superior to conventional radiograph,but thoracic CT is inferior to SPECT on exploring exudation and edema of pulmonary contusion. Thoracic CT is superior to conventional radiograph on diagnosis of chest trauma,therefore patients of severe chest trauma and multiple injuries should be adopted to thoracic CT examination at emergency room in order to be diagnosed as soon as possible.
Objective To analyse postoperative complications and cause of death for carcinoma of esophagus. Methods A retrospective study was undertaken for data of 2 085 patients with esophageal carcinoma from 1963 to 2003, the patients were divided into group A (332 cases,1963-1983), group B(727 cases,1984-1993) and group C (1 026 cases,1994-2003) by time. The postoperative complications and cause of death were analysed. Results Resectability rate, incidence rate of postoperative complications and hospital mortality were 90.84%(1 894/2 085), 11.61% (242/2 085) and 1.82% (38/2 085) respectively. Main complications were pulmonary complications (3.93%,82/2 085),anastomotic leak (3.12%,59/1 894), and cardiovascular disease (1.29%,27/2 085). Resectability rate of group B and group C were higher than that of group A, incidence rate of postoperative complications and hospital mortality of group B and group C were lower than that of group A. Resectability rate of group C were higher than that of group B, incidence rate of postoperative complications except pulmonary complications and hospital mortality of group C were lower than those of group B. Conclusions Pulmonary complications and anastomotic leak are main postoperative complications and cause of hospital death for carcinoma of esophagus, they are decreasing in recent years because of the progress of anesthetic,surgical technique and perioperative management.