Clinical trials

Prolonged or persistent air leak (PAL) is one of the most common complications in patients after surgery on the lung parenchyma. Air leaks typically originate from alveolar-pleural fistulas, which can result from surgical manipulation of the lung parenchyma or the bronchial stump after procedures such as lobectomy. Key risk factors for PAL include extensive lung resections such as lobectomy, presence of pleural adhesions, incomplete interlobar fissures, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, emphysema, advanced age, and reduced preoperative lung function, particularly low preoperative FEV1 values. PAL necessitates extended pleural drainage, leading to significant patient discomfort, pain, and substantial limitations in early postoperative rehabilitation. In patients with pre-existing pulmonary conditions like bronchial asthma or COPD, PAL can markedly worsen clinical status, resulting in severe complications such as infections, pneumonia, pleural empyema, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and even mortality. In extreme cases, PAL may contraindicate chemotherapy, causing significant delays in adjuvant therapy post-surgery. Effective management of PAL can significantly enhance patient quality of life, facilitating a quicker return to normal activities and continuation of systemic treatment. Moreover, PAL is a leading cause of extended hospitalization, invariably increasing treatment costs. Therefore, the necessity for safe and effective treatment of PAL is justified not only medically but also economically. Current standards for PAL treatment encompass both surgical and non-surgical methods. The available literature describes various conservative treatments, among which pleurodesis is commonly employed. Non-surgical pleurodesis techniques include the intrapleural administration of the patient's autologous blood or chemical agents such as medical talc, povidone-iodine, or doxycycline. Intrapleural administration of autologous blood, known as autologous blood patch pleurodesis (ABPP), is widely utilized for the conservative treatment of PAL. This method involves injecting the patient's own blood into the pleural space through an existing chest tube, promoting clot formation and sealing of the air leak. Studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of ABPP, with success rates exceeding 80% in sealing air leaks within 48 hours and a low incidence of complications such as fever or empyema. Another method highlighted in limited scientific literature is the intrapleural administration of a 50% glucose solution. This technique has been primarily reported by authors from Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea, and is not widely adopted in Western centers. Available studies emphasize its effectiveness, with success rates exceeding 80%, and report a lack of complications in patients undergoing pleurodesis with concentrated glucose solutions. The aim of our study is to compare the effectiveness of a 40% glucose solution with the ABPP. The selection of a 40% glucose solution is due to the unavailability of a 50% glucose solution in the Polish pharmaceutical market. Potential benefits of effective PAL treatment include improved patient quality of life, reduced hospitalization duration, decreased risk of complications, and lower treatment costs. Prolonged hospitalization and treatment associated with PAL generate significant expenses for the healthcare system. Our study may contribute to significant improvements in treatment outcomes, patient quality of life, and the cost-effectiveness of thoracic surgical procedures. In the long term, this research may also influence the development of new treatment standards and clinical protocols.

Environmental pollution from plastics has become a significant global issue, with microplastics-tiny particles resulting from plastic degradation-being increasingly detected in various environments, including aquatic ecosystems, soil, and air. These particles can enter the human body through ingestion or inhalation. Despite growing concerns, little is known about the prevalence and types of microplastics in human lungs. Some studies suggest that microplastics may negatively impact respiratory function and lead to lung diseases. Hypothetically, they could cause inflammation, metabolic disorders, and contribute to lung cancer development. However, research is still in its early stages, and conclusive evidence about the mechanisms linking microplastics to negative health effects is lacking. This study aims to quantify and characterize microplastics in the lung parenchyma and lymph nodes of patients with lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. Tissue samples will be collected during surgeries, and microplastic particles will be detected using FTIR microspectroscopy. The research may contribute to a better understanding of the role of microplastics in the development of respiratory diseases.

Respiratory complications are the largest group of complications following anatomical lung resections. Most of these complications result from a disrupted evacuation of respiratory secretions. At present, prevention of such complications involve: aspirating of secretions with a catheter during surgery through an intubation tube, active postoperative rehabilitation, mucolytic treatment and effective postoperative pain management. Suctioning of secretions by a catheter through an intubation tube does not, however, allow for removal of secretions from entire bronchial tree. Bronchofiberoscopy with a small-diameter flexible bronchoscope and thorough, systematic aspiration of secretions from respiratory tract immediately after surgery could presumably result in more effective bronchial cleansing and reduce risk of respiratory complications after surgery. Although the British Thoracic Society guidelines do not recommend routine bronchoscopy as a standard postoperative management after lung resections, they are based on a single, randomized, study analyzing a small group of patients. Bronchoscopy with systematic aspiration of secretions done with a thin flexible scope is a safe procedure, without risk of complications. It does not cause any additional discomfort to the patients and allows for much more accurate aspiration of the bronchial secretions than with a catheter inserted blindly through an intubation tube. It also gives an opportunity to directly evaluate segmental and subsegmental bronchial patency. This is particularly important in patients with COPD who tend to accumulate large amounts of mucus secretion in the bronchial tree.