Hyperspectral imaging enables the differentiation of differentially inflated and perfused pulmonary tissue: a proof-of-concept study in pulmonary lobectomies for intersegmental plane mapping

OBJECTIVES

The identification of the intersegmental plane is a major interoperative challenges during pulmonary segmentectomies. The objective of this pilot study is to test the feasibility of lung perfusion assessment by Hyperspectral Imaging for identification of the intersegmental plane.

METHODS

A pilot study (clinicaltrials.org: NCT04784884) was conducted in patients with lung cancer. Measuring tissue oxygenation (StO₂; upper tissue perfusion), organ hemoglobin index (OHI), near-infrared index (NIR; deeper tissue perfusion) and tissue water index (TWI), the Hyperspectral Imaging measurements were carried out in inflated (P_vent) and deflated pulmonary lobes (P_nV) as well as in deflated pulmonary lobes with divided circulation (P_nVC) before dissection of the lobar bronchus.

RESULTS

A total of 341 measuring points were evaluated during pulmonary lobectomies. Pulmonary lobes showed a reduced StO2 (P_vent: 84.56% ± 3.92 vs. P_nV: 63.62% ± 11.62 vs. P_nVC: 39.20% ± 23.57; p<0.05) and NIR-perfusion (P_vent: 50.55 ± 5.62 vs. P_nV: 47.55 ± 3.38 vs. P_nVC: 27.60 ± 9.33; p<0.05). There were no differences of OHI and TWI between the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot study demonstrates that HSI enables differentiation between different ventilated and perfused pulmonary tissue as a precondition for HSI segment mapping.

Very fast-progressive pulmonary opacities and high inflammatory factors levels are associated with decease of young Coronavirus Disease 2019 patients

We aimed to retrospectively analyze the clinical and computed tomography (CT) characteristics of young adults with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia who were critically ill and to identify the features associated with non-survival.Thirty-eight COVID-19 patients (20-45 years old, 28 men) who had been admitted in the intensive care unit were included, including 18 non-survivors (group 1) and 20 survivors (group 2). Their clinical characteristics and initial and follow-up CT were compared between groups.In group 1, the days from illness onset to death were 21.1 ± 10.3 days; 7 patients had underlying comorbidities. At admission, group 1 exhibited higher serum ferritin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels (1142.6 ± 242.4 mg/L and 33.8 ± 18.6 mmol/L) compared with group 2 (728.3 ± 150.9 mg/L and 15.2 ± 6.9 mmol/L, P < .01). Group 1 exhibited more rapidly progressive opacities and consolidation in follow-up CT (16.7 ± 3.1 scores, 15.7 ± 3.1 segments) than group 2 (11.4 ± 4.0 scores, 10.3 ± 4.6 segments, P < .01). The oxygenation index was lower (87.6 ± 19.2 vs 99.1 ± 20.4 mm Hg) and the mechanical ventilation duration was longer (14.7 ± 6.9 vs 9.7 ± 3.7 days) in group 1 compare with group 2 (P < .01).Compared with the survivors, the non-survivors showed higher serum ferritin and IL-6 levels, more rapidly progressive opacities in CT, lower oxygenation index, and longer mechanical ventilation durations. Special attention to ferritin/IL-6 levels and oxygenation index as well as early CT application and timely reexaminations are important to identify the individuals who may be at risk of becoming critically ill.

Spontaneous ventilation video-assisted thoracic surgery for mediastinal tumor resection in patients with pulmonary function deficiency

BACKGROUND

Whether non-intubated spontaneous ventilation video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (SV-VATS) is a safe procedure remains controversial for mediastinal tumor patients with impaired lung function. Herein, we assessed feasibility of SV-VATS in lung function deficiency patients underwent mediastinal tumor resection.

METHODS

From December 2015 to February 2020, 32 mediastinal tumor patients with impaired lung function (preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second <70% of the predicted value) were retrospectively collected. Patients were divided into two groups: SV-VATS group and mechanical ventilation VATS (MV-VATS) group. Intraoperative and postoperative variables were compared between two cohorts.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients (46.88%) underwent SV-VATS and 17 patients (53.12%) were performed with MV-VATS. The most common causes of lung function deficiency were smoking (81.25%) and COPD (71.88%). Patients in the SV-VATS group had similar blood loss (20.63 vs. 18.76 mL, P=0.417) with MV-VATS group. The anesthesia time (217.51 vs. 197.76 min; P=0.343) and surgery time (141.23 vs. 132.36 min; P=0.209) were also similar between groups. Five people suffered postoperative complications in each group, in which 1 patient underwent MV-VATS was transferred to intensive care unit (ICU) because of prolonged extubation owing to hypoxia. There was no difference on chest tube removal time (2.6 vs. 2.3 days; P=0.172) or hospital duration (5.03 vs. 4.74 days; P=0.297) in patients underwent SV-VATS and MV-VATS.

CONCLUSIONS

SV-VATS is safe and provides similar short-term results to MV-VATS for mediastinal tumor resection in patients with limited pulmonary function.