Preoperative workup and postoperative surveillance for patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy.
The workup of patients suspected of having pulmonary metastases is complicated by the fact that a high percentage of pulmonary metastases are 6mm or less at presentation. Helical CT scans and high-resolution CT scans currently miss many of the lesions eventually detected at thoracotomy and many of the lesions detected are benign. The follow-up of patients after pulmonary metastasectomy is a controversial topic because of the lack of evidence-based practice guidelines. Though it is unlikely that current follow-up recommendations will ever be tested in randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses of existing retrospective data could improve the quality of the existing literature.
Virgo
Katherine S
KS
Department of Surgery, Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center, 3635 Vista Avenue, P.O. Box 15250, Saint Louis, MO 63110-0250, USA. virgoks@slu.edu
Naunheim
Keith S
KS
Johnson
Frank E
FE
D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D019990:Perioperative Care; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'