ABSTRACT Purpose To develop and validate a chest cavity simulator for teaching video-assited thoracic surgery (VATS). Methods The first phase of the study consisted of developing a chest cavity simulator. A quasi-experimental study was performed in the second phase, and 25 surgeons and residents participated in a three-stage pulmonary suture experiment. The videos were recorded and timed. Generalized linear regression models for repeated measures were used to analyze the outcome change over time. Results The chest cavity simulator consists of a console simulating the left hemithorax. Among the participants, 96% rated the design, visual aspect, positioning ergonomics, and triangulation of the portals as very good or excellent (face validity). There was a decrease in suturing time in step 1 from 435.7 ± 105 to 355.6 ± 76.8 seconds compared to step 3 (p = 0.001). The evaluation of the simulation effectiveness and performance (content validity) was rated as very good or excellent by 96% ofparticipants. The most experienced surgeon showed significant reduction in procedure time (p = 0.021) (construct validity). Conclusions The thoracic cavity simulator is realistic, showing content and construct validity, and can be used in VATS training. The simulation model allowed skill gain in the endoscopic suture.

RESUMO Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever os resultados de ressecções pulmonares anatômicas por videotoracoscopia no Brasil. Métodos: Cirurgiões torácicos (membros da Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Torácica) foram convidados, por correio eletrônico, a participar do estudo. Dezoito cirurgiões participaram do projeto enviando seus bancos de dados retrospectivos referentes a ressecções anatômicas de pulmão por videotoracoscopia. Dados demográficos, cirúrgicos e pós-operatórios foram coletados em um instrumento padronizado e posteriormente compilados e analisados. Resultados: Dados referentes a 786 pacientes foram encaminhados (média de 43,6 ressecções por cirurgião), sendo 137 excluídos por informações incompletas. Logo, 649 pacientes constituíram nossa população estudada. A média de idade dos pacientes foi de 61,7 anos, 295 eram homens (45,5%), e a maioria - 521 (89,8%) - foi submetida à cirurgia por neoplasia, mais frequentemente classificada como estádio IA. A mediana do tempo de drenagem pleural foi de 3 dias, e a do tempo de internação, 4 dias. Dos 649 procedimentos realizados, 598 (91,2%) foram lobectomias. A taxa de conversão para toracotomia foi de 4,6% (30 casos). Complicações pós-operatórias ocorreram em 124 pacientes (19,1%), sendo pneumonia, escape aéreo prolongado e atelectasia as mais frequentes. A mortalidade em 30 dias foi de 2,0%, tendo como preditores idade avançada e diabetes. Conclusões: A casuística brasileira mostra que as ressecções pulmonares por cirurgia torácica videoassistida são factíveis e seguras, além de comparáveis àquelas de registros internacionais.

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the results of anatomic pulmonary resections performed by video-assisted thoracoscopy in Brazil. Methods: Thoracic surgeons (members of the Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery) were invited, via e-mail, to participate in the study. Eighteen surgeons participated in the project by providing us with retrospective databases containing information related to anatomic pulmonary resections performed by video-assisted thoracoscopy. Demographic, surgical, and postoperative data were collected with a standardized instrument, after which they were compiled and analyzed. Results: The surgeons provided data related to a collective total of 786 patients (mean number of resections per surgeon, 43.6). However, 137 patients were excluded because some data were missing. Therefore, the study sample comprised 649 patients. The mean age of the patients was 61.7 years. Of the 649 patients, 295 (45.5%) were male. The majority-521 (89.8%)-had undergone surgery for neoplasia, which was most often classified as stage IA. The median duration of pleural drainage was 3 days, and the median hospital stay was 4 days. Of the 649 procedures evaluated, 598 (91.2%) were lobectomies. Conversion to thoracotomy was necessary in 30 cases (4.6%). Postoperative complications occurred in 124 patients (19.1%), the most common complications being pneumonia, prolonged air leaks, and atelectasis. The 30-day mortality rate was 2.0%, advanced age and diabetes being found to be predictors of mortality. Conclusions: Our analysis of this representative sample of patients undergoing pulmonary resection by video-assisted thoracoscopy in Brazil showed that the procedure is practicable and safe, as well as being comparable to those performed in other countries.

RACIONAL: Transplante de fígado é inevitavelmente associado com períodos de isquemia completa. No entanto, o tempo de oclusão do pedículo hepático é limitado pelas conseqüências da injúria pós-isquêmica do fígado. OBJETIVO: Determinar as principais alterações metabólicas ocasionadas pela isquemia hepática e a provável ação hepatoprotetora da ciclosporina. MÉTODOS: Isquemia hepática normotérmica por 60 minutos foi induzida em ratos. Em seguida, as alterações com o tempo (0, 1, 6, 24 horas) das concentrações sangüíneas e hepáticas de lactato, piruvato, glicose, corpos cetônicos e razão acetoacetato/3-hidroxibutirato, bem como o estado redox citoplasmático e mitocondrial do tecido hepático foram determinados. Outro grupo de animais foi pré-tratado com ciclosporina (10 mg/kg), sendo estudadas as alterações metabólicas no tempo 1 hora após revascularização hepática. RESULTADOS: A isquemia hepática causou elevação da concentração de lactato no fígado, sugerindo que pronunciado grau de metabolismo anaeróbico ocorreu durante o período de isquemia. Isquemia hepática acarretou ainda queda da concentração e da razão dos corpos cetônicos (acetoacetato/3-hidroxibutirato) no sangue arterial no tempo de 1 hora após revascularização. Tal fato reflete que a injuria isquêmica do fígado interfere na cetogênese. CONCLUSÃO: O tratamento com ciclosporina causa elevação das concentrações dos corpos cetônicos e da razão acetoacetato/3-hidroxibutirato no sangue arterial após 1 hora de reperfusão hepática, sugerindo que esta droga acelera a cetogênese e, conseqüentemente, a recuperação da lesão isquêmica do fígado.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic transplantation is inevitably associated with periods of complete ischemia. However, the clamping of hepatic vascular pedicle is limited by the consequences of the post-ischemic injury to the liver. AIM: To determine the main metabolic alterations caused for the hepatic ischemia and the probable hepatoprotective effect cyclosporin. METHOD: Normothermic hepatic ischemia during 60 minutes was induced in the rats. The time-course (0, 1, 6, 24 hours) of changes in blood and in the hepatic concentrations of lactate, pyruvate, glucose, ketone bodies and in the ratio of acetoacetate/3-hydroxybutyrate, as well as the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial redox state of the liver cells were determined. A group of animals was daily pre-treated with cyclosporine (10 mg/kg) during 4 days until the induction of hepatic ischemia, then they studied 1 hour after hepatic revascularization. Hepatic ischemia caused elevation in the concentrations of lactate in the liver, suggesting that a pronounced level of anaerobic metabolism occurred during the ischemia period. Liver ischemia promoted yet a fall in the concentration and in the ratio of ketone bodies (acetoacetate/3-hydroxybutyrate) in the arterial blood in the studied period of one hour post-revascularization, perhaps reflecting impairment of ketogenesis as a result of the ischemic injury. CONCLUSION: The treatment with cyclosporine cause elevation in the concentration of ketone bodies and in the ratio of acetoacetate/3-hydroxybutyrate in the arterial blood 1 hour after reperfusion of the liver, suggesting that these drugs may accelerate the recovery of the ischemic hepatic lesion with reactivation of ketogenesis.

This is the report of a 46-year-old patient with the preoperative diagnosis of an atrial septal defect (ASD) of the ostium secudum type. After sternectomy, partial agenesis of the left pericardium was diagnosed. It is our opinion that, if the radiographic picture is suggestive of this entity, a clinical search for cardiopulmonary anomalies should be performed, because the majority of these associated anomalies can and should be surgically corrected.