ObjectiveTo summarize the surgical management of complicated mediastinal tumor involving the heart or great vessels. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 38 patients with complicated mediastinal tumor invading the heart and large blood vessels underwent extended thymectomy in our hospital between February 1997 and May 2014. There were 26 males and 12 females at age of 41.3± 13.6 years ranking from 4 to 68 years. Multiple personalized procedures were applied within the 38 patients and some patients underwent more than one procedure. Besides the resection of mediastinal tumor, 3 patients underwent partial right atrial resection. Sixteen patients underwent resection, plasty or grafting vessels. Ten patients took partial excision and repair of pericardium. Eight patients underwent pulmonary wedge resection. Two patients underwent lobectomy. Two patients required cardiopulmonary bypass. ResultAll operations were completed successfully. There was no perioperative mortality. The operating time was 105-282 min and blood loss was 200-1 500 ml. The postoperative complications rate was 23.7%. The incidence of ICU admission was 47.4% with an average ICU stay of 1.8 days. The average length of post-operative hospital stay was 11.2 days. The five-year survival rate was 57.0%. ConclusionSurgical resection of mediastinal tumor invading the heart or great vessels is complicated and highly risky. However, desirable clinical outcome can be achieved with comprehensive perioperative assessment and appropriate surgical procedures.
ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) sympathectomy under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) and local anesthesia (LA) without endotracheal intubation as a new fast track recovery surgical strategy for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis. MethodsA total of 124 patients with intermediate or severe hyperhidrosis who were admitted to Guangdong General Hospital were enrolled in this study. With SPSS18 random number generator, all the patients were divided into MAC+LA group and general anesthesia (GA) group with 62 patients in each group. There were 43 males and 19 females in MAC+LA group with their age of 22.25±6.22 years, and 42 males and 20 females in GA group with their age of 23.98±6.67 years. During the surgery, MAC+LA group patients received MAC and oxygen via nasal tube or face mask instead of endotracheal intubation, and GA group patients received GA, endotracheal intubation and controlled ventilation. Clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. ResultsAll the patients received their operations safely. None of MAC+LA group patients received conversion to GA and controlled ventilation. There was statistical difference in operation time (47.18±12.06 minutes vs. 39.33±13.21 minutes, P=0.002) and length of theatre stay 84.52±22.56 minutes vs. 134.68±26.12 minutes, P=0.000) between MAC+LA and GA group patients. There was no statistical difference in blood loss, incidence of intraoperative SpO2 lower than 95% (2 patients vs. 0 patient), postoperative hospital stay, incidence of postoperative compensatory sweating (86.5% vs. 89.0%) and patient satisfaction rate (94.59% vs.95.12%) between the 2 groups. No intraoperative pain, postoperative complication or symptom recurrence was observed in either group. There was statistical difference in anesthetic preparation time (20.52±10.55 minutes vs. 36.47±12.16 minutes), duration between operation finish and returning to ward (11.26±7.09 minutes vs. 59.39±19.89) minutes and hospitalization cost (RMB 6 376.86±746.00 yuan vs. RMB 8 812.04±867.93 yuan) between the 2 groups. The incidence of postoperative sore throat (0% vs. 100%), monitor time (4 hours vs. 12 hours) and time to resume oral intake (2 hours vs. 6 hours) of MAC+LA group were significantly lower or shorter than those of GA group. ConclusionVATS sympathectomy under MAC and LA can avoid complications of GA and endotracheal intubation, and provide a safe, feasible, effective and more minimally invasive fast track alternative for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis.