Acute pulmonary embolism after pneumonectomy

[Consensus of Chinese Experts on Surgical Treatment of Lung Cancer in the Elderly (2022 Edition)]

Lung cancer ranked the highest incidence rate and mortality among people over 60 years old in China. With the increasing social population and incidence of lung cancer, the treatment of elderly lung cancer patients has become a major concern. Due to the improvement of surgical techniques and the application of enhanced recovery after surgery in thoracic surgery, more elderly patients could tolerate surgical treatment. At the same time, with the improvement of health awareness and the popularization of early diagnosis and screening, more lung cancer can be detected at the early stage. However, considering the organ dysfunction, various complications, physical weakness and other factors of elderly patients, it is important to provide individualized surgical treatment for the elderly. Therefore, based on the latest research progress worldwide, the experts in relevant fields have developed this consensus which contributes to guide the preoperative evaluation, surgical strategy, intraoperative anesthesia management, and postoperative management for elderly patients of lung cancer.
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Postoperative Acute Pulmonary Embolism Following Pulmonary Resections

Postoperative acute pulmonary embolism after pulmonary resections is highly fatal complication. Many literatures have documented cancer to be the highest risk factor for acute pulmonary embolism after pulmonary resections. Early diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism is highly recommended and computed tomographic pulmonary angiography is the gold standard in diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism. Anticoagulants and thrombolytic therapy have shown a great success in treatment of acute pulmonary embolism. Surgical therapies (embolectomy and inferior vena cava filter replacement) proved to be lifesaving but many literatures favored medical therapy as the first choice. Prophylaxis pre and post operation is highly recommended, because there were statistical significant results in different studies which supported the use of prophylaxis in prevention of acute pulmonary embolism. Having reviewed satisfactory number of literatures, it is suggested that thoroughly preoperative assessment of patient conditions, determining their risk factors complicating to pulmonary embolism and the use of appropriate prophylaxis measures are the key options to the successful minimization or eradication of acute pulmonary embolism after lung resections.

Successful removal of a giant pulmonary hamartoma coexisting with an anomalous common pulmonary venous trunk

We present an extremely rare case of a giant pulmonary hamartoma (PH) coexisting with an anomalous common pulmonary venous trunk (ACPVT). An asymptomatic 39-year-old man was referred for evaluation of a giant pulmonary lesion in his left thorax detected on chest X-ray during a routine medical examination. After clinical work-up, the patient underwent left exploratory thoracotomy. Since the extent of the tumor and coexistence of an ACPVT, a left pneumonectomy was performed. The specimen measured 28 cm × 18 cm × 17 cm and weighted for 2.1 kg. Histology revealed a blend of pieces of rounded cartilage separated by fibrous bands in which mature adipose tissue and cleft-like structures lined. The features were consistent with those of a chondromatous hamartoma. The patient made a satisfactory recovery and 10 months after the operation was asymptomatic.