Occult lymph node metastases in clinical N0/N1 NSCLC; A single center in-depth analysis.

Adherence to the mediastinal staging guideline and unforeseen N2 disease in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer: Nationwide results from the Dutch Lung Cancer Audit - Surgery.

Rationale: Current guidelines for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mediastinal staging recommend starting invasive staging with endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). However, the indication to confirm a negative result of EBUS-TBNA by means of video-assisted mediastinoscopy (VAM) before resection differs in every guideline. Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate the current evidence regarding the added value of confirmatory VAM after a negative EBUS-TBNA result for mediastinal staging in patients with NSCLC. Methods: Systematic searches of studies on EBUS-TBNA for NSCLC mediastinal staging with or without confirmatory VAM but with surgical confirmation of negative results were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis statement in PubMed, SCOPUS, the Cochrane Library, and guidelines from 2005 through November 2021. In the meta-analysis, the sensitivity of confirmatory VAM after a negative EBUS-TBNA result, as well as the sensitivity and negative predictive value of the combination EBUS-TBNA plus confirmatory VAM, alongside the number of confirmatory VAMs required to detect additional N2/3 disease (number needed to treat [NNT]), in patients with a previous negative EBUS-TBNA result were estimated. Results: A total of 5,412 articles were found, of which 29 studies were included. Random effects meta-analysis showed a sensitivity of 66.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.8-77.1%) for confirmatory VAM, and 96.7% (95% CI, 95.1-98%) for the combination EBUS-TBNA plus confirmatory VAM. Negative predictive value in studies with confirmatory VAM increased of 79.2% (95% CI, 71.4-86.1%) for EBUS-TBNA alone to 91.8% (95% CI, 87.1-95.5%) for EBUS-TBNA plus confirmatory VAM. The NNT of confirmatory VAM in patients with a previous negative EBUS-TBNA result was 23.8 (95% CI, 19.3-31.2). Conclusions: Confirmatory VAM after negative EBUS-TBNA reduces the rate of unforeseen N2/3 disease, but with a high NNT, and it should be recommended only for certain cases yet to be defined. 

Confirmatory Mediastinoscopy after Negative Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration for Mediastinal Staging of Lung Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

International guidelines do not recommend surgery for the first episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), except in cases of persistent air leak, hemopneumothorax, bilateral pneumothorax, or occupations at risk. However, these recommendations have been challenged because of a significant reduction in the recurrence rate in emerging studies. We evaluated the rationale of recommendations by systematically reviewing RCTs and observational studies by using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) system. We searched articles in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases up to August 15, 2020. The primary outcomes were the recurrence rate and complication rate. The secondary outcomes were hospital stay and drainage duration. Nine eligible studies with 1121 patients were retrieved and analyzed. The recurrence rate was lower in the VATS than in conservative treatment with moderate evidence (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.19, P < 0.001, I2 = 0%). We did not find significant differences in complication rate (Peto OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.33 to 4.12, P = 0.80), hospital stay duration (MD − 0.48 days, 95% CI − 2.84 to 1.87, P = 0.69, very low evidence), and in drainage duration (MD − 3.99 days, 95% CI − 9.06 to 1.08, P = 0.12, very low evidence) between the two groups. Our results would suggest VATS treatment as a weak recommendation for patients with the first episode of PSP, based on our systematic review of the current evidence by using the GRADE system, indicating that different treatments will be appropriate for different patients and that patients’ values and preferences should be incorporated through shared decision making. Trial REGISTRY: PROSPERO; No.: CRD42020162267.

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Recommendation for management of patients with their first episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax, using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or conservative treatment.

Socioeconomic Impact of Recurrent Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax: Should Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Be Considered at First Episode of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax?

Guideline adherence of mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer: A multicentre retrospective analysis.

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax affects up to 28 patients per 100 000 population yearly and is commonly resolved by chest tube drainage. However, drainage is also known to be associated with ipsilateral recurrence rates ranging from 25% to 43%. Preventive video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) may be an effective alternative to diminish these recurrence rates and its associated morbidity. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of chest tube drainage and VATS as first line treatments of an initial episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and Clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched through 16 September 2018. Data regarding the ipsilateral recurrence rate and the length of hospitalization were extracted and submitted to meta-analysis using the random-effects model and the I2 test for heterogeneity. Two randomized controlled trials and 2 observational studies were included, enrolling a total of 479 patients. Pairwise analysis demonstrated significantly reduced ipsilateral recurrence rates [odds ratio 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07-0.33; P < 0.00001] and length of hospitalization (standardized mean difference -2.19, 95% CI -4.34 to -0.04; P = 0.046) in favour of VATS. However, a significant level of heterogeneity was detected for the length of hospitalization (I2 = 97%; P < 0.00001). Subgroup analysis that stratified study design found no statistical differences regarding recurrence rate. In conclusion, VATS can be an effective and attractive alternative to standard chest tube drainage, with reduced ipsilateral recurrence rates and length of hospitalization. However, given the low quality of the majority of included studies, more well-designed randomized controlled trials are necessary to strengthen the current evidence.

/pdf/chest-tube-drainage-versus-video-assisted-thoracoscopic-3v4axczpy1.pdf

Chest tube drainage versus video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for a first episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Y. Vissers

Papers

Guideline adherence of mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer: A multicentre retrospective analysis.

Chest tube drainage versus video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for a first episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax: a systematic review and meta-analysis