Background: Pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) is an established treatment option for selected patients with stage IV solid tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of and survival rate in PM for elderly patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all of the patients who underwent PM with curative intention at our institution. The patients were categorized into two groups: the elderly group (≥70 years old) and the non-elderly group (<70 years old). Results: The elderly group consisted of 222 patients versus 538 patients in the non-elderly group. The median number of resected metastases was 2 ± 3 in the elderly group and 4 ± 5 in the non-elderly group (p < 0.01). No difference in the rate of postoperative complications was observed between the two groups (p = 0.3). The median length of hospital stay in each group was comparable (10 ± 5 vs. 10 ± 4.3 days, p = 0.3). The 5-year survival rate was 67% in the elderly group and 78% in the non-elderly group (p = 0.117). In the univariate analysis, COPD was associated with poor survival in the elderly group (p = 0.002). Conclusion: The resection of pulmonary metastases in elderly patients is safe, is not associated with increased risks of postoperative complication, and the survival benefit is not reduced in selected patients.

Background To date, many studies investigated results and prognostic factors of pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) in renal cell cancer (RCC). However, reports concerning repeated resection for patients with recurrent pulmonary metastases (RPM) are limited. In this study, we analyzed safety, efficacy, and prognostic factors for survival after PM focusing on RPM for RCC. Patients and Methods Clinical, operative, and follow-up data of patients who underwent PM or RPM for RCC in our institution were retrospectively collected and correlated with each other from January 2005 to December 2019. Results Altogether 154 oncological pulmonary resections in curative intention as PM or RPM were performed in 82 and 26 patients. Postoperative complications were similar in both groups (n = 22 [26.8%] vs. 4 [15.4%], p = 0.2). Zero mortality was documented up to the 30th postoperative day. RPM was not associated with decreased 5-year-survival compared with PM (66.2 vs. 57,9%, p = 0.5). Patients who underwent RPM for recurrent lung metastases had a better overall survival in comparison with the other treatments including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and best supportive care (p = 0.04). In the multivariate analysis, disease-free survival was identified as an independent prognostic factor for survival (hazard ratio: 0.969, 0.941–0.999, p = 0.04). Conclusion RPM is a safe and feasible procedure. The resection of recurrent lung metastases shows to prolong survival in comparison with the other therapeutic options for selected patients with RCC. Received: 27 April 2022 Accepted: 18 July 2022 Article published online: 20 August 2022 © 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

Original Article Should cardiovascular comorbidities be a contraindication for pulmonary metastasectomy? Konstantinos Grapatsas, Mohamed Hassan, Axel Semmelmann, Benjamin Ehle, Bernward Passlick, Severin Schmid, Uyen-Thao Le

Pulmonary coin lesion mimicking lung cancer reveals an unexpected finding: Dirofilaria immitis

Advances in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) have allowed safe performance of complex thoracic surgical procedures that were impossible before. Application of ECMO in general thoracic surgery is extremely rare, but allows life-saving procedures in patients in whom one-lung ventilation cannot be carried out safely. We present the case of a 66 year old man who underwent a challenging veno-venous ECMO assisted segmentectomy for a second primary lung cancer. One-lung ventilation was not feasible due to previous lobectomy on the contralateral side and consequent lack of respiratory function. After the surgical procedure was completed the ECMO was removed and under stable conditions followed the immediate tracheal extubation.