ObjectiveTo study the feasibility and safety of CT-guided preoperative Hookwire localization of pulmonary nodules in clinical application.MethodsClinical data of 102 patients who were scheduled to undergo surgical treatment for pulmonary nodules from June 2015 to April 2020 in the North Ward of Thoracic Surgery Department of Ruijin Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 38 males and 64 females, aged 23-82 (53.2±12.8) years.ResultsAll 102 patients with pulmonary nodules underwent CT-guided preoperative Hookwire localization successfully, with a localization success rate of 100.0%. The localization time was 27.0 (11-67) min; the number of times to adjust the angle during the positioning process was 6.9 (3-14); the needle depth of the positioning needle was 41.5 (16.3-69.1) mm. A total of 48 (47.1%) patients had a small amount of bleeding in the lung tissue in the positioning area after positioning; 53 (51.9%) patients had a small amount of pneumothorax after positioning; 16 (15.7%) patients were found that the positioning needle completely shedded from the lung tissue in the subsequent surgery. One patient was transferred to open thoracotomy because of extensive dense adhesion in the thorax, and the remaining 101 patients were operated on under thoracoscopy. Postoperative pathology showed that 5 (4.9%) patients were adenocarcinoma in situ, 28 (27.5%) were microinvasive adenocarcinoma, 36 (35.3%) patients were invasive carcinoma and 32 (31.3%) patients were benign lesions. No patients had complications or adverse events related to preoperative positioning.ConclusionPreoperative CT-guided localization of Hookwire intrapulmonary nodules is safe and effective, and can meet the intraoperative localization needs of thoracic surgeons in most clinical situations, and is not inferior to other preoperative localization methods currently used in clinics.
ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness and safety of electromagnetic navigation-guided localization and CT-guided percutaneous localization for pulmonary nodules.MethodsThe literature published from the inception to January 2021 about the comparison between electromagnetic navigation-guided localization and CT-guided percutaneous localization for pulmonary nodules in the PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMbase, Chinese Wanfang database and CNKI database was searched. RevMan (version 5.4) software was used for meta-analysis. Nonrandomized controlled trials were evaluated using methodological index for nonrandomized studies (MINORS).ResultsA total of six retrospective studies (567 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. MINORS scores of all studies were all 17 points and above. There were 317 patients in the CT-guided percutaneous localization group and 250 patients in the electromagnetic navigation-guided localization group. The complication rate of the CT-guided percutaneous localization group was significantly higher than that in the electromagnetic navigation-guided localization group (OR=11.08, 95%CI 3.35 to 36.65, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the success rate of localization (OR=0.48, 95%CI 0.16 to 1.48, P=0.20), localization time (MD=0.30, 95%CI –6.16 to 6.77, P=0.93) or nodule diameter (MD=–0.07, 95%CI –0.19 to 0.06, P=0.29) between the two groups.ConclusionElectromagnetic navigation can be used as an effective preoperative positioning method for pulmonary nodules, which has the advantage of lower complication rate compared with the traditional CT positioning method.
ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous versus electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB)-guided microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of pulmonary nodules. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of high-risk pulmonary nodule patients who underwent MWA at the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between 2022 and 2023. The pathological diagnosis rate, complications, and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were compared between the CT group and the ENB group. ResultsThere were 61 patients in the CT group, including 30 males and 31 females, with an average age of (67.22±9.13) years. There were 53 patients in the ENB group, including 29 males and 24 females, with an average age of (65.29±13.76) years. The pathological diagnosis rate in the CT group was slightly higher than that in the ENB group (88.52% vs. 71.69%, P=0.03). However, the ENB group exhibited a lower incidence of perioperative complications, including pneumothorax (16.39% vs. 3.77%, P=0.03), hemoptysis (19.67% vs. 5.66%, P=0.05), and pain (22.95% vs. 7.55%, P=0.03). There was no statistically significant difference in PFS rate between the two groups [HR=1.17, 95%CI (0.23, 5.81), P=0.85]. ConclusionBoth CT-guided and ENB-guided MWA are effective treatment modalities for high-risk pulmonary nodules.
In thoracoscopic pulmonary nodule resection surgery, precise preoperative planning is crucial. Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction technologies have shown great potential in this area. AI-assisted 3D reconstruction technologies can provide accurate, personalized models of the pulmonary vasculature and bronchial anatomy, assisting surgeons in detailed surgical planning and thus enhancing the precision and safety of surgeries. This article reviews the application progress of AI-assisted 3D reconstruction technologies in pulmonary nodule surgery, including their applications in preoperative diagnosis, surgical planning, and intraoperative navigation, as well as the advancements in AI-assisted 3D reconstruction technologies. It analyzes the technical features of all kinds of 3D reconstruction methods, their clinical applications, and the challenges they face.
ObjectiveTo explore the clinical utility and safety of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB)-guided microwave ablation (MWA) in the patients with inoperable high-risk pulmonary nodules.MethodsClinical data of patients who were diagnosed with inoperable pulmonary nodules highly suspected as malignant tumors and treated with ENB-guided MWA in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from December 2019 to September 2020 were retrospectively collected and analyzed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the procedure. There were 6 males and 3 females aged 72.0 (59.5-77.0) years.ResultsTotally ENB-guided MWA was performed in 9 patients with 12 lesions. All patients suffered from at least one chronic comorbidity. The inoperable reasons included poor pulmonary function (55.6%), comorbidities of other organs which made the surgery intolerable (33.3%), multiple lesions in different lobes or segments (22.2%), personal wills (22.2%) and advanced in age (11.1%). The median diameter of nodules was 13.5 (9.5-22.0) mm and the median distance from the edge of nodules to pleura was 5.3 (1.8-16.3) mm. Bronchoscope maneuver to the targeted lesions was manipulated according to navigation pathway under visual and X-ray guidance and confirmed with radial ultrasound probe. Rapid on-site evaluation also helped with primary pathological confirmation of biopsy specimen. Among all the lesions, 4 adenocarcinoma, 1 non-small cell lung cancer-not otherwise specified and 2 inflammatory lesions were reported in postoperative pathological diagnosis, while no malignant cells were found in 5 specimens. The ablation success rate was 83.3% (10/12). For the two off-targeted lesions, percutaneous ablations were performed as salvage treatment subsequently. The median hospitalization time was 3.0 (2.0-3.0) days and no short-term complications were reported in these patients.ConclusionENB-guided MWA is a safe and effective procedure for patients with high-risk pulmonary nodules when thoracic surgery cannot be tolerated.
The robotic bronchoscopy system is a new technology for lung lesion location, biopsy and interventional therapy. Its safety and effectiveness have been clinically proven. Based on many advanced technologies carried by the robotic bronchoscopy system, it is more intelligent, convenient and stable when clinicians perform bronchoscopy operations. It has higher accuracy and diagnostic rates, and less complications than bronchoscopy with the assistance of magnetic navigation and ordinary bronchoscopy. This article gave a review of the progress of robotic bronchoscopy systems, and a prospect of the combination with artificial intelligence.
ObjectiveTo compare the clinical application of empirical thoracoscopic segmentectomy and precise segmentectomy planned by artificial intelligence software, and to provide some reference for clinical segmentectomy. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on the patients who underwent thoracoscopic segmentectomy in our department from 2019 to 2022. The patients receiving empirical thoracoscopic segmentectomy from January 2019 to September 2021 were selected as a group A, and the patients receiving precise segmentectomy from October 2021 to December 2022 were selected as a group B. The number of preoperative Hookwire positioning needle, proportion of patients meeting oncology criteria, surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative chest drainage time, postoperative hospital stay, and number of patients converted to thoracotomy between the two groups were compared. Results A total of 322 patients were collected. There were 158 patients in the group A, including 56 males and 102 females with a mean age of 56.86±8.82 years, and 164 patients in the group B, including 55 males and 109 females with a mean age of 56.69±9.05 years. All patients successfully underwent thoracoscopic segmentectomy, and patients whose resection margin did not meet the oncology criteria were further treated with extended resection or even lobectomy. There was no perioperative death. The number of positioning needles used for segmentectomy in the group A was more than that in the group B [47 (29.7%) vs. 9 (5.5%), P<0.001]. There was no statistical difference in the number of positioning needles used for wedge resection between the two groups during the same period (P=0.572). In the group A, the nodule could not be found in the resection target segment in 3 patients, and the resection margin was insufficient in 10 patients. While in the group B, the nodule could not be found in 1 patient, and the resection margin was insufficient in 3 patients. There was a statistical difference between the two groups [13 (8.2%) vs. 4 (2.4%), P=0.020]. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, duration of postoperative thoracic drainage, postoperative hospital stay, or conversion to open chest surgery (P＞0.05). Conclusion Preoperative surgical planning performed with the help of artificial intelligence software can effectively guide the completion of thoracoscopic anatomical segmentectomy. It can effectively ensure the resection margin of pulmonary nodules meeting the oncological requirements and significantly reduce the number of positioning needles of pulmonary nodules.
ObjectiveTo explore the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the standardized training of thoracic surgery residents, specifically in enhancing clinical skills and anatomical understanding through AI-assisted lung nodule identification and lung segment anatomy teaching. MethodsThoracic surgery residents undergoing standardized training at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2023 to September 2024 were selected. They were randomly assigned to a trial group and a control group using a random number table. The trial group used AI-assisted three-dimensional reconstruction technology for lung nodule identification, while the control group used conventional chest CT images. After basic teaching and self-practice, the ability to identify lung nodules on the same patient CT images was evaluated, and feedback was collected through questionnaires. ResultsA total of 72 residents participated in the study, including 30 (41.7%) males and 42 (58.3%) females, with an average age of (24.0±3.0) years. The trial group showed significantly better overall diagnostic accuracy for lung nodules (91.9% vs. 73.3%) and lung segment identification (100.0% vs. 83.70%) compared to the control group, and the reading time was significantly shorter [ (118.5±10.5) s vs. (332.1±20.2) s, P<0.01]. Questionnaire results indicated that 94.4% of the residents had a positive attitude toward AI technology, and 91.7% believed that it improved diagnostic accuracy. ConclusionAI-assisted teaching significantly improves thoracic surgery residents’ ability to read images and clinical thinking, providing a new direction for the reform of standardized training.
Objective To explore the diagnostic and treatment value of computed tomography (CT)-guided embolization coil localization of pulmonary nodules accurately resected under the thoracoscope. Methods Between October 2015 and October 2016, 40 patients with undiagnosed nodules of 15 mm or less were randomly divided into a no localization group (n=20, 11 males and 9 females with an average age of 60.50±8.27 years) or preoperative coil localization group (n=20, 12 males and 8 females with an average age of 61.35±8.47 years). Coils were placed with the distal end deep to the nodule and the superficial end coiled on the visceral pleural surface with subsequent visualization by video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS). Nodules were removed by VATS wedge excision using endo staplers. The tissue was sent for rapid pathological examination, and the pulmonary nodules with definitive pathology found at the first time could be defined as the exact excision. Results The age, sex, forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration, nodule size/depth were similar between two groups. The coil group had a higher rate of accurate resection (100.00% vs. 70.00%, P=0.008), less operation time to nodule excision (35.65±3.38 minvs. 44.38±11.53 min,P=0.003), and reduced stapler firings (3.25±0.85vs. 4.44±1.26,P=0.002) with no difference in total costs. Conclusion Preoperative CT-guided coil localization increases the rate of accurate resection.
ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of using magnetic beads to locate small pulmonary nodules.MethodsTwelve rabbits were randomly divided into two groups, 6 in each group. One group underwent thoracotomy after anesthesia and the other group underwent percutaneous puncture under the guidance of X-ray. One and two cylindrical tracer magnets (magnetic beads) with a diameter of 1 mm and a height of 3 mm were injected adjacent to the imaginary pulmonary nodules in left lung in each group. The magnetic beads beside the imaginary nodules were attracted by a pursuit magnet with a diameter of 9 mm and a height of 19 mm. The effectiveness of localization by magnetic beads were determined by attraction between tracer and pursuit magnets.ResultsAll processes were uneven in 12 rabbits. There was micro hemorrhage and no hematoma in the lung tissue at the injection site of the magnetic beads. When tracked with the pursuit magnets, there was one bead divorce in cases that one bead was injected, but no migration or divorce of the magnetic beads in cases that two magnetic beads were simultaneously injected to localize the small pulmonary nodules.ConclusionThe feasibility of using magnetic beads to locate small pulmonary nodules has been preliminarily verified.