A case of unusual branching and aberrant course of the segmental vein (V2) in the upper lobe of the right lung

Two right pulmonary veins emptying into the left atrium is the normal state. We describe a case observed at operation in which three pulmonary veins were present on the right side and emptied into the left atrium; a third vein arised from the dorsal part of the upper lobe and followed an abnormal extrapulmonary course. Right lower lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection were carried out for a 73-year-old male with lung carcinoma. At operation, an aberrant branching vein arising from the upper lobe descended dorsally to the right main bronchus and emptied into the left atrium at the middle point between carina and inferior pulmonary vein. The intermediate bronchus lay between the anomalous vein and superior pulmonary vein. Conventional tomogram, CT scan and pulmonary angiogram showed that pulmonary arteries and bronchi were normal in their pattern of branching and distribution, and that the anomalous vein observed at operation was comprised of V2a and V2b according to the system of naming on Yamashita's. Infrequent variations of pulmonary veins are to be kept in mind to that operation may be performed in safety.     

Bronchial revascularization in double-lung transplantation: a series of 8 patients. Bordeaux Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant Group.

Donor airway ischemia is the main cause for defective tracheal or bronchial healing after double-lung transplantation. Anatomical studies and bronchial arteriograms have shown that the right intercostal bronchial artery is constant (95% of instances) and provides an important blood supply to the distal trachea, the carina, and the right bronchial tree as well as to the left side through a subcarinal and periadventitial anastomostic network. To maintain this important bilateral bronchial circulation, it is of capital importance not to mobilize the arteries individually and to avoid large dissections around the carina. Both bronchi can thus be revascularized by indirect aortic reimplantation using a bypass graft to a single aortic patch that includes the origin of the right intercostal bronchial artery. Furthermore, the origin of other vessels (a common trunk and left arteries) can be found within a short distance of the right intercostal bronchial artery and possibly be contained within the same aortic patch. From a series of 56 lung transplantations, 8 patients underwent restoration of the bronchial vascularization using a recipient saphenous vein graft between the donor bronchial arteries and the anterior aspect of the recipient's ascending aorta. A lower tracheal anastomosis was performed. Bronchial arterial blood supply was evaluated both by endoscopy and by arteriography at about the 15th postoperative day. The bronchial circulation was visualized at this time in five of seven arteriographies, and this was associated with excellent tracheal healing in all 8 patients.     

The anatomy of the heart

The normal heart is the size of the patient's closed fist. The venae cavae drain into the right atrium, which bears the fossa ovalis and receives the coronary sinus and the anterior cardiac vein. The atrium empties into the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve. Both ventricles have trabeculated walls (trabeculae carneae), and from some project the papillary muscles, bearing the chordae tendinae attached to the free borders of the tricuspid valve. The same arrangement is seen on the left side. The right ventricle leads to the pulmonary trunk, guarded by its three valve cusps. Oxygenated blood returns to the left atrium via the four pulmonary veins and passes to the left ventricle via the mitral valve. Exit is through the tricuspid aortic valve. The right and left coronary arteries arise above the valves, their orifices lying in the sinuses of Valsava. The right coronary artery lies in the right part of the atrioventricular groove and gives off the posterior interventricular artery. The left coronary arteries divide into the anterior (descending) interventricular branch and the circumflex branch. Major veins accompany the arteries, except for the anterior cardiac vein, which drains directly into the right atrium.     

Intralobal sequestration in children--a new concept from the form of bronchial tree in sequestrated lung]

Twenty cases of the intralobal sequestration of the lung in children have been experienced. The age of the patients were from eleven days to fifteen years. Intralobal sequestration was classified into two groups, (central type and peripheral type) by the way of reconstruction of the bronchial tree in the sequestrated lung. In 8 cases of central type, the site of lesion was variable. The bronchial trees of the sequestrated lung were running toward the hilus of the normal lung but the bronchi of the affected area in the normal lung were absent. The aberrant arteries were muscular in histology, and the drainage veins were pulmonary vein. In 12 cases of peripheral type, the lesion was in segment 10 area in every cases. The bronchial trees of the sequestrated lung were running toward the pulmonary ligament where an aberrant artery came from, and B10 of the normal lung were patent. The aberrant arteries were elastic in histology, and the drainage veins were pulmonary and/or azygos vein. It is conceivable that the peripheral type is the real intralobal sequestration and the central type is the mixture of some other diseases.     

The anatomy of the heart

The normal heart is the size of the patient’s closed fist. The venae cavae drain into the right atrium, which bears the fossa ovalis and receives the coronary sinus and the anterior cardiac vein. The atrium empties into the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve. Both ventricles have trabeculated walls (trabeculae carneae), and from some project the papillary muscles, bearing the chordae tendinae attached to the free borders of the tricuspid valve. The same arrangement is seen on the left side. The right ventricle leads to the pulmonary trunk, guarded by its three valve cusps. Oxygenated blood returns to the left atrium via the four pulmonary veins and passes to the left ventricle via the mitral valve. Exit is through the tricuspid aortic valve. The right and left coronary arteries arise above the valves, their orifices lying in the sinuses of Valsava. The right coronary artery lies in the right part of the atrioventricular groove and gives off the posterior interventricular artery. The left coronary arteries divide into the anterior (descending) interventricular branch and the circumflex branch. Major veins accompany the arteries, except for the anterior cardiac vein, which drains directly into the right atrium.     

The pleura,lobes and microstructure of the lungs

The pleura is a double-walled serous lined sac. The outer layer clothes the chest wall and diaphragm, the inner (visceral) layer adheres to the lung: the two meet at the hilum. Between these two layers is the potential space of the pleural cavity, moistened by a film of serous fluid. The mediastinum is the space between the two pleural sacs. The right lung is larger than the left and comprises the upper, middle and lower lobes. The left lung has an upper and lower lobe separated by the oblique fissure. On the right an additional transverse fissure separates the upper and middle lobes. The hilum of the lung contains, within its pleural sheath, the main bronchus, pulmonary artery and vein, bronchial vessels, hilar lymph nodes and lymphatics, and autonomic sympathetic and parasympathetic (vagal) fibres. The epithelium comprises columnar ciliated cells and mucus secreting goblet cells down to the finer bronchi, while the alveoli are free from goblet cells and the epithelium comprises a thin membrane. The alveoli also contain large vacuolated cells that produce the phospholipid component of surfactant. Below the mucosa, the bronchial wall is made up of a basement membrane, submucous elastic tissue, non-striated muscle, and an outer fibrous coat containing cartilage. At each bifurcation there is a saddle-shaped piece of cartilage, which reinforces the two branches at their division.     

肺叶、肺段淋巴结引流的解剖学特征

目的探讨肺叶、肺段淋巴结引流的解剖学特征。 方法对9具成人尸体采用解剖乳胶填充剂行胸部淋巴结灌注,然后游离标本的纵隔前、纵隔后及中纵隔淋巴结,同时游离并清扫右肺上、中、下肺叶和各个肺段,以及左肺上、下肺叶和各个肺段的肺内淋巴结、肺门淋巴结;观察淋巴结的分布、数目和淋巴回流状况。 结果在标本上共观察到212个纵隔淋巴结,平均每例23.5个;各区淋巴结的数目以隆突下淋巴结7区和右下气管旁4R最多,其次为右气管支气管旁(10R)、左支气管旁(10L)和主-肺动脉窗区(5区)淋巴结;纵隔各区以隆突下区(7区)淋巴结最大,其次是右气管支气管旁(10R)淋巴结,气管旁淋巴结自上而下直至隆突下淋巴结逐渐增大,并且右侧大于左侧,即下大于上,右大于左。左肺和右肺的肺内淋巴结一般按照亚段淋巴结→段淋巴结→叶淋巴结→叶间淋巴结/肺门淋巴结;右肺上叶、中叶及肺门淋巴结通常回流至上纵隔淋巴结及隆突下淋巴结,下叶回流至下纵隔淋巴结。而左肺上叶一般引流至主—肺动脉窗区淋巴结及隆突下淋巴结,下叶也引流至下纵隔淋巴结。 结论肺叶及纵隔淋巴回流具有一定的规律性,从而为肺叶特异性/系统性淋巴结清扫方式的选择提供了解剖学依据。     

机器人肺叶袖式切除成形及支气管成形术的可行性及质量控制

目的探讨机器人肺叶袖式切除成形及支气管成形术的可行性,并总结其质量控制及技术流程管理体会。方法2018年1~12月我院共完成机器人肺叶袖式切除成形及支气管成形手术5例,其中男3例、女2例,年龄56.6(39~75)岁。右肺上叶2例,右肺中叶1例,左肺下叶2例。手术入路同机器人肺叶切除术的手术切口。术中首先充分游离叶裂,清扫所有纵隔肿大淋巴结,解剖肺门,裸化肺动静脉血管和支气管,处理肺血管,显露主支气管后,在病变远端切断支气管,袖式切除病变所在肺叶(含病变),切除近远端支气管均送术中快速冰冻病理检查并证实支气管切缘阴性后,以3-0 Prolene线自后壁连续缝合吻合支气管,吻合结束后膨肺试验无漏气,吻合口不再做包裹。结果手术时间147.4(100~192)min,其中支气管吻合时间17.6(14~25)min,术中出血量60.0(20~100)mL,清扫淋巴结数量20(9~37)枚;病理类型:鳞癌3例,腺癌1例,神经内分泌肿瘤1例,所有患者术中支气管残端冰冻病理结果均为阴性。5例患者术后均恢复良好,未出现围术期并发症,吻合口通畅。术后住院时间为10.8(7~14)d。随访6~12个月,未出现吻合口狭窄及其他手术相关并发症。结论由于机器人系统为三维立体视野且具有7个自由度的活动关节的专用器械,机器人下行支气管缝合更加灵活、确切,所以机器人下行肺叶袖式切除成形及支气管成形手术是安全、可行的。     

Lymphatic drainage of the heart]

The study was carried out on 91 adult cadavers to point out clearly the lymphatic drainages of the heart into the blood circulation. 45 right and 63 left ventricles and 9 right and 5 left atria were injected by means of a green modified gerota medium. A right collecting trunk received its afferents from 29 right and 5 left ventricles, ran upwards in front of the ascending aorta, involved the left brachiocephalic nodes and opened into the left subclavicular veins but also in 1 case in 5 into thoracic duct. A left collecting trunk received its afferents from 59 left and 23 right ventricles, ascended along the pulmonary trunk, involved the right paratracheal nodes and opened into the right subclavicular veins. From the right paratracheal nodes were also injected the left tracheobronchial nodes in 14 cases, and then the left brachiocephalic nodes twice, the left paratracheal nodes in 3 cases until the thoracic duct once and directly the thoracic duct in the mediastinum in one case. Afferents from the right atria ran upwards the superior vena cava and involved the right brachiocephalic nodes but connected also with the right paratracheal nodes as did the afferents of the left atria too. The connections with the thoracic duct must be emphasized.     

Anatomical bases for bronchial arterial revascularization in double lung transplantation]

A study of the bronchial arterial blood supply was conducted to facilitate in surgical attempts of bronchial revascularization in double lung transplantation. This study consisted of 20 cadaveric anatomical dissections of the bronchial arterial blood supply as well as a retrospective review of 50 bronchial arteriograms. The right bronchial tree was supplied by an artery originating from the right intercostal bronchial arterial trunk in 76 to 95% of the cases. This artery also supplied the distal trachea and the carina in over 80% of cases as well as the proximal left bronchial tree via a network of small collaterals found in the subcarinal compartment and adventitial tissues located on the anterior surface of the descending aorta. A common arterial trunk for both the right and left bronchial trees was found in 12 of the 20 dissections (60%). Left bronchial arteries were much smaller and less consistent. Proximity of the bronchial arteries orifices was frequently observed: in 10 of the 20 dissections it allowed simultaneous reperfusion of more than one vessel. To maintain the vascular anastomotic network in between the right and left trees, extensive vascular dissection and carinal resections are prohibited. This will allow revascularization of the whole tracheal bronchial tree via the supply of the origin of the RICBA.     

Endobronchial ultrasonography for lung cancer

We assessed the usefulness of endobronchial ultrasonography in the diagnosis of lung cancer. We performed a needle-puncture experiment on 45 normal tissue specimens to determine the luminar structure of the tracheobronchial wall. In addition, we compared the ultrasonographic determination of tumor invasion in 24 lung cancer patients with the histopathological findings. The cartilaginous portions of the extrapulmonary bronchi and the intrapulmonary bronchi exhibited a five-layered structure. Starting on the lumen side, the first layer (hyperechoic) was a marginal echo, the second (hypoechoic) was the submucosal tissue, the third (hyperechoic) was the marginal echo on the inner side of the bronchial cartilage, the fourth (hypoechoic) was bronchial cartilage, and the fifth (hyperechoic) was the marginal echo on the outer side of the cartilage. In the membranous portions, the first layer (hyperechoic) was a marginal echo, the second (hypoechoic) was smooth muscle, and the third (hyperechoic) corresponded to the adventitia. Comparisons between the ultrasonograms and the histopathological findings in 24 lung cancer patients revealed that depth diagnosis was the same in 23 lesions (95.8%) and different in 1 lesion (4.2%). We describe the usefulness of endobronchial ultrasonography in the diagnosis of peribronchial lymph nodes and peripheral pulmonary lesions.     

经肺动脉与支气管动脉血管造影的CTA观察原发肺癌的血供

目的用支气管动脉(BA)和肺动脉(PA)造影CTA观察肺癌血供情况。方法前瞻性观察6例支气管肺癌患者,分别行体循环动脉和肺动脉数字减影血管造影(DSA)后,留置BA导管与PA导管行CTBA与CTPA,观察BA与PA对肺癌的血供。结果CTPA上,无体动脉与左心强化的图像上肿瘤未见强化,有体动脉或左心强化的图像上见肿瘤边缘强化,CT强化值为10.0~45.6 Hu。CTBA上肿瘤部分明显强化,CT强化值为150.3~320.7 Hu,可见杂乱无章的肿瘤血管影,3例见纵隔淋巴结强化。结论本组病例观察表明原发性肺癌由BA为主的多发体循环动脉供血,未发现PA参与供血。     

Bilateral bronchial anastomosis in double lung and heart-lung transplantations

During heart-lung or double lung transplantation, the airway anastomosis is usually made at the tracheal level. Healing of this anastomosis is one source of postoperative complications especially after double lung transplantation (DLT). In this series of 10 patients with cystic fibrosis undergoing DLT, the tracheas of donor and recipient were anastomosed with omental wrapping in 2 cases while the two main stem bronchi were joined without omental wrapping in 8. Endoscopy disclosed no sign of ischaemia in the patients with bilateral bronchial anastomoses. Three patients died on day 20, 21 and 35, respectively, after DLT. Two of these patients (one with a tracheal and the other with bronchial anastomoses) showed no complication at the level of the suture line. The third patient (with bronchial suture) suffered dehiscence of both anastomoses which was attributed to a misdosage of corticosteroids. Of the 6 patients alive after bronchial anastomosis, 3 recovered uneventfully and 3 who had required prolonged postoperative mechanical ventilation developed bronchomalacia. Bronchomalacia was treated by laser resection and stenting. Dehiscence did not occur in any of these six cases. This technique was based on the findings of 12 fresh cadaver dissections showing that collaterals between the bronchial arteries and the pulmonary arteries and veins extend up to the origin of the main stem bronchus. Bronchial suture without omental wrap may be used for double lung and heart-lung transplantation instead of tracheal suture.     

The Surgical Anatomy of Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia Rather than Pulmonary Stenosis

We examined the pertinent surgical features of the anatomy of 56 hearts having tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia instead of stenosis, or malformations with pulmonary atresia closely related to tetralogy. We took particular cognizance of the pulmonary arterial supply in 15 hearts in which this was derived through systemic-to-pulmonary collateral arteries, dissecting, as far as possible, the bronchopulmonary segmental distribution of the collateral arteries compared to the intrapericardial pulmonary arteries in 11 of these hearts. Two of the hearts had absence of intrapericardial pulmonary arteries, so that a solitary arterial trunk left the base of the heart. Evidence of an atretic subpulmonary infundibulum was found in 40 of the hearts, while such an infundibulum was lacking in the remainder. The pulmonary atresia was muscular in 43 hearts, valvar in 11, while the pulmonary trunk was absent in the other two hearts. In the hearts with collateral arteries, on average 2.6 collaterals were found in each case, varying from two to five per case. Only one of these arose from a brachiocephalic artery, the others all arising from the descending aorta. The distribution of collateral arteries in two cases was remarkably reminiscent of the arrangement of bronchial arteries. As far as could be judged, 16.5 bronchopulmonary segments on average were supplied in each heart, 5.1 exclusively by collateral arteries, 11.8 by intrapericardial pulmonary arteries and an average of 0.64 segments per case having a shared supply.     

Transplantation of the left lung into the right hemithorax to facilitate immediate reconstitution of bronchial artery flow.

Immediate bronchial artery reconstitution may be important in the prevention of bronchial anastomotic problems in lung transplantation. To facilitate this reconstitution in circumstances requiring allograft replacement of the right lung, we developed a method for transplanting the left lung together with its bronchial arterial supply into the right hemithorax. With this method, left lungs were allotransplanted into the right hemithorax of nine immunosuppressed dogs. Six recipients survived 1 to 4 weeks. Death resulted from pneumonia or rejection, and there were no bronchial anastomotic problems. Roentgenograms showed that the bronchial artery was patent and that the inverted transplanted left lungs could conform exactly to the thorax without space problems or radiographic abnormalities. Except for the unusual position of the large pulmonary arteries, angiographic patterns, function, and perfusion of the transplanted lungs were often normal and equivalent to those of the recipient's normal left lung. Thus it is possible to transplant a left lung into either hemithorax and immediately reconstitute its bronchial arterial circulation. Bronchial anastomotic problems may thereby be decreased.     

Synchronous tumors consisted of bronchial carcinoid and adenocarcinoma of the lung

We report a case of synchronous tumors consisted of bronchial carcinoid and adenocarcinoma of the lung. A 58-year-old female was referred to our hospital after screening, because an abnormal shadow was noted in the right lung on her computed tomography (CT) of the chest. CT scans showed a peripheral pulmonary mass in the right middle lobe and a nodule around the right lower lobe bronchus. The nodular lesion like swollen lymph node was diagnosed as bronchial carcinoid originated in B6 by bronchoscopy. The pulmonary mass was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma by using core needle biopsy during operation. Right middle and lower bilobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection were performed. Coincidence of a bronchial carcinoid and an adenocarcinoma of the same side of the lung is a rare occurrence.     

Experimental study of extracorporeal lung resection in dogs: ex situ sleeve resection and autotransplantation of the pulmonary lobe after extended pneumonectomy for central lung cancer

OBJECTIVE: Extracorporeal lung resection as an alternative to pneumonectomy for central lung cancer is a procedure in which the unilateral lung is extirpated, removing the pulmonary lobe with the cancers and replanting the residual pulmonary lobe. The aim of this study was to investigate whether extracorporeal lung resection for lung cancer can be performed safely. METHODS: Nineteen dogs were divided into the control and extracorporeal lung resection groups. The former (n = 5) underwent lung autotransplantion, and the latter was subdivided into ND1 (n = 7) and ND2 (n = 7) groups on the basis of the manner of lymph node dissection. By comparing the 3 groups, the adverse effects of lymph node dissection were examined. RESULTS: All dogs in the control group had no complications. Four dogs in the ND1 group survived for 90 to 630 days after the operation. In the ND2 group 5 dogs succumbed within 30 days after the operation, although the other 2 dogs survived for 391 and 573 days, respectively. Bronchopulmonary fistulas were seen in 1 of the ND1 dogs and 3 of the ND2 dogs. Two of the latter were free of thrombus formation in the pulmonary arteries and veins of the autografts. In the ND2 group, compared with the control and ND1 group, the tissue blood flow at the bronchial anastomotic site indicated reduction between the 3rd and 14th postoperative days. CONCLUSION: The extensive lymph node dissection had severe adverse effects on bronchial anastomotic healing in extracorporeal lung resection. Therefore extracorporeal lung resection can be applied to only a very limited number of patients with N0 or N1 disease.     

Direct lymphatic drainage of lung segments to the mediastinal nodes. An anatomic study on 260 adults

The subpleural lymphatics of 483 lung segments were injected in cadavers of 260 adult subjects. The injected lymph vessels corresponded to the pulmonary segmentation in 91% of the cases and remained close by in the other cases. Direct passages to the mediastinal nodes were observed in 54 of 243 right lung segments injected (22.2%) and 60 of 240 left lung segments (25%). Among a total of 114 direct passages observed, 99 remained superficial in the pleura, half of them composed of a single vessel. These passages have been observed more frequently in the segments of the upper lobes. Injections of basal segments in the right and left lower lobes showed fewer of these direct passages to the mediastinal lymph nodes and also demonstrated direct lymph vessels to lymph nodes located at the origin of the upper lobar bronchi. In two dissections of the right upper lobe, the drainage went directly to the right venous jugular-subclavian junction, and in three dissections from three right terminal basal segments the lymph vessel went directly to the thoracic duct in its mediastinal passage. Direct contralateral lymph pathways were observed five times, four of them from basal segments of lower lobes.     

Relationships Between Divisions of the Middle Bronchus and Vascularization Patterns in the Middle Lung Lobe

In 100 right human lungs the main bronchus, the pulmonary artery and the pulmonary vein were injected with 65% methyl methacrylate and then digested in sulphuric acid. The resulting specimens were studied to observe the divisions of the middle lobe bronchus and the types of arterial and venous vascularization of this lobe. The lobe was always entered by one lobar bronchus, which usually divided into two segmental bronchi. In 53% of the middle lobes with this bronchial pattern there was one artery. When the lobar bronchus divided into three branches, at least two arteries entered the lobe in almost all cases. Complete consistency between the pattern of bronchial division and that of arterial vascularization of the middle lobe was found in almost two-thirds of cases. Associations between patterns of bronchial division and of venous drainage from the middle lobe were found in slightly more than half of the cases.