[Surgical treatment of apical chest tumor in 27 patients].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the "hemi-clamshell" approach to the resection of the apical chest tumors, and to evaluate its advantages of operative safety and completeness.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective review of the records of 27 patients undergoing resection of the primary apical chest tumors from January 1995 to January 2001. Tumor type included NSCLC, sarcoma, neurofibromatosis, esophageal carcinoma. Data collected included clinical presentation, tumor type and involvement, type of resection, complication, and survival.


RESULTS
A clinical operation for gross-total resection of tumors and invaded structures was performed on six patients by means of a successful anterior approach. Among other 21 patients on whom a clinical operation was performed by posterior approach, only 13 patients obtained gross-total resection. There were significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The mean duration for follow-up was 29 months, and the overall median survival was 21 months. Median survival in patients undergoing gross-total resection was 29 months, and this is significantly better than in incomplete resection group (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The anterior "hemi-clamshell" approach is a successful technique for the exposure and resection of these tumors and invaded structures. Release of symptoms and long-term survival is acceptable if complete resection can be performed.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai 200030, China.
Jian-xin
JX
Shi
Cheng-xin
CX
Gao
De-kui
DK
Sun
Yuan
Y
Qin
Wen-hu
WH
Chen
Yun-zhong
YZ
Zhou
Song-chang
SC
Wu
Ou-lin
OL
Huang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013909:Thorax / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome