ObjectiveTo explore the technical feasibility, safety, and short- and long-term efficacy of totally portal minimally invasive thoracoscopic diaphragmatic folding assisted by a stapler for the treatment of symptomatic diaphragmatic eventration in adults. MethodsAretrospective study was conducted on patients with symptomatic diaphragmatic eventration who underwent totally portal minimally invasive thoracoscopic stapler-assisted diaphragmatic folding from August 2021 to February 2025. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, length of hospital stay, and complications were recorded. One month postoperatively, diaphragmatic position, lung function [forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) ], and symptom relief were assessed, with extended follow-up to 36 months to monitor long-term efficacy. ResultsA total of 7 patients were included, comprising 3 (42.9%) males and 4 (57.1%) females, with an age range of 34 to 66 years and a mean age of (56.4±12.5) years. All surgeries were successfully completed without conversion to open thoracotomy or intraoperative complications. The average surgical time was (44.29±11.47) minutes, intraoperative blood loss was (25.71±33.09) mL, and the postoperative length of stay was (2.00±0.58) days. One-month follow-up showed that the diaphragmatic position returned to normal anatomical levels, FEV1 improved from preoperative (1.93±0.33) L to (2.36±0.47) L, and the effective rate of clinical symptom relief reached 100.0%. Long-term follow-up (36 months) showed: (1) Pain scores decreased from (1.14±0.38) points at one month postoperatively to (0.14±0.38) points at three months postoperatively, remaining at 0 points at six months and thereafter; (2) All patients had stable diaphragmatic positions with no recurrence; (3) FEV1/FVC was ≥80% at three months postoperatively, with three assessable patients at six months maintaining ≥80%; (4) SpO2 remained ≥95% throughout, with no hypoxic events. ConclusionTotally portal minimally invasive thoracoscopic stapler-assisted diaphragmatic folding is a minimally invasive procedure with rapid recovery, significantly improving lung function and stabilizing diaphragmatic anatomical position. Follow-up at 36 months showed complete pain relief, no recurrence, and long-term stability of lung function, making it a safe and effective surgical option for treating symptomatic diaphragmatic eventration in adults. Long-term efficacy still requires validation with a larger sample size.
Objective To investigate the safety and feasibility of day surgery for patients with palmar hyperhidrosis based on the principles of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic thoracic sympathicotomy (ETS) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from March 2020 to December 2021. Patients were divided into a day surgery group and a conventional group according to their perioperative management methods. The patients in the day surgery group underwent an optimized perioperative procedure under the guidance of ERAS, and were ventilated with a laryngeal or face mask during the operation. The patients in the conventional group completed the preoperative examination, operation and postoperative observation according to the conventional procedures, and were intubated with a single-lumen endotracheal tube. The demographic characteristics, operation time, hospital stay, postoperative complications, and hospitalization cost were compared between the two groups. Results Finally 172 patients were collected, including 90 males and 82 females, with an average age of 25.97±7.43 years. There were 86 patients in each group. All patients ceased suffering from palmar sweating after surgery. No patient experienced massive bleeding or conversion to thoracotomy. There was no statistical difference in operation time between the two groups (P=0.534). Patients in the day surgery group were discharged within 24 hours. The average hospital stay in the conventional group was 2.09±0.41 days. Incidence of postoperative respiratory complications, and the hospitalization cost of the day surgery group were significantly lower than those of the conventional group (P<0.001). The satisfaction rate in both groups was greater than 95%. Conclusion Day surgery for patients with palmar hyperhidrosis based on the principles of ERAS is safe and feasible, which can reduce postoperative complications, shorten the length of hospital stay and save the cost of hospitalization.