Thymectomy is the main treatment for thymoma and other thymic diseases. But the incidence of non-therapeutic thymectomy is high due to the difficulty in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinum lesions. Formerly, it was believed that the thymus gradually degraded and lost function with aging, and the preservation of the thymus was not valued. Recent studies have found that the removal of the thymus at all ages has adverse effects on overall health and leads to a significant increase in the risk of autoimmune diseases, malignancy, and all-cause mortality. Therefore, unnecessary thymectomy should be avoided. This article reviews the influence of thymectomy, including the changes of immunological indexes and clinical prognosis, and further discusses the current situation and avoidance methods of non-therapeutic thymectomy.
The announcement of the 9th edition of TNM staging system for thymic tumors was one of the highlights at the World Conference on Lung Cancer 2023. The revision, based on a larger and more detailed database, provides changes and confirmation from the last system. The 9th edition of TNM staging system aims to balance statistical significance and clinical feasibility. The birth of an improved TNM staging system heralds the changes that will follow in clinical practice and scientific research.
ObjectiveTo comparatively analyze the effect of one-stage nonstented tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (TIP) on operative pain and compl ication by comparing with urethral catheter and urethral stent drainages. MethodsBetween March 2010 and June 2013, 214 cases of distal and mid-shaft hypospadias underwent TIP, and the cl inical data were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on different urinary drainage techniques: indwell ing urethral catheter was used in 68 cases (group A), indwell ing urethral stent in 70 cases (group B), and nonstented drainage in 76 cases (group C). There was no significant difference in age, hypospadias type, and accompany malformation among 3 groups (P>0.05). At 2 days after operation, Wong-Banker facial scale (WBS) and Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) were used for pain and praxiology assessment. The complications after operation also were observed and compared among 3 groups. ResultsAll patients were followed up 6-25 months (median, 11.8 months). At 2 days after operation, the median WBS scores were 4.0 (0-10), 3.5 (0-10), and 3.0 (0-10) in groups A, B, and C, respectively; median CHEOPS pain scores were 6.0 (1-13), 6.0 (1-13), and 4.0 (1-11), respectively. The WBS pain score and CHEOPS pain score in group C were significantly lower than those in groups A and B (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between group A and group B (P>0.05). The postoperative complication occurred in 27 cases (39.7%) of group A, 29 cases (41.4%) of group B, and 13 cases (17.1%) of group C; two or more than two complications occurred in 14, 15, and 9 cases, respectively. There was significant difference in total incidence of postoperative complication among 3 groups (P<0.05). The incidences of postoperative overactive bladder, bladder spasms, urinary tract infection, and fistula in group C were significantly lower than those in groups A and B (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in incision infection, acute urinary retention, urinary extravasation, meatal stenosis, and urethral stricture among 3 groups (P>0.05). ConclusionOne-stage nonstented TIP is suitable for distal and mid-shaft hypospadias and could reduce postoperative pain and complications compared with the traditional postoperative indwell ing urethral catheter and indwell ing urethral stent.