The management of the diaphragm during radical surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma [THORACIC]

CONCLUSIONS In our cohort, there was no evidence of diaphragmatic invasion in over 30% of patients, and we have also failed to find evidence that peritoneal disease progression affects overall survival following radical management. It may therefore theoretically be unnecessary to resect the diaphragm in all cases, and a pleurectomy–decortication could suffice. However, there is an unknown risk of R2 resection which would prejudice survival, and as such we would advocate resecting the diaphragm in all cases to avoid an R2 resection.

http://ejcts.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/50/2/311?rss=1

Source: European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery - July 19, 2016 Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Sharkey, A. J., Bilancia, R., Tenconi, S., Nakas, A., Waller, D. A. Tags: Congenital - acyanotic THORACIC Source Type: research