The Difference in Bronchial Patency Between the Sweet and Modified Overfolt Methods at a Deep Site: Current Strategies Are Based on Previous Knowledge

Abstract

The use of bronchial stapling with automatic stapling devices has become widespread in chest surgery with the growth of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Thus, hand suturing for the bronchus occurs less commonly. Therefore, modern surgeons have fewer opportunities to perform hand suturing, and, as a consequence, there exists lack understanding of this technique compared to earlier generations. We, therefore, examined the difference in bronchial patency between the Sweet and modified Overfolt methods of suturing performed on sacrificed pigs, as shown by bronchoscopy. Bronchoscopy showed stenosis in the residual bronchus using the Sweet method. However, bronchoscopy revealed a favorable patency in the residual bronchus using the modified Overfolt method. We also found similar results in deeper sites. Our findings suggest that the results of the modified Overfolt technique lead to a favorable patency while based on previous knowledge.

Keywords: Bronchial suture; animal study; lung cancer; surgery.