STUDY
Long J, Petrov R, Haithcock B, Chambers D, Belanger A, Burks AC, Rivera MP, Ghosh S, MacRosty C, Delgado A, Akulian J, Electromagnetic Transthoracic Nodule Localization for Minimally Invasive Pulmonary Resection, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, November 2019 Volume 108, Issue 5, 1528 – 1534
OVERVIEW
- + Aimed to evaluate the feasibility of perioperative transthoracic percutaneous nodule localization utilizing Veran’s SPiN Perc® platform
- + Retrospective evaluation of 31 perioperative cases July 2016 and March 2018 at two hospitals (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC and Marietta Memorial Hospital, OH)
- + Mean nodule size: 13 mm
- + Mean nodule distance from viscera pleura: 10 mm
- + Localization method used the SPiN Perc® introducer needle and methylene blue, or a methylene blue and patient blood mixture
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- + 29 of 31 nodules were successfully localized (94%)
- + Median time from start of the patient registration to the end of nodule marking defined as withdrawal of the localization needle was 19 minutes
- + Nodule removal was successful in all patients
- + Minimally invasive resection was successful in 93% of patients; 7% required conversion to thoracotomy
- + No complications associated with nodule localization were noted prior to or at the time of surgical port placement/initial visualization of the chest cavity
- + Use of intraoperative electromagnetic transthoracic nodule localization prior to thoracoscopic resection of small and/or difficult to palpate lung nodules is safe and effective, potentially eliminating the need for direct nodule palpation
AUTHORS’ CONCLUSION
“This is the largest case series to date demonstrating that use of Veran preoperative localization is safe, feasible, and helps facilitate the resection of pulmonary nodules in minimally-invasive thoracic surgery.”
