The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 posed an historic challenge to healthcare systems around the world. Besides mounting a massive response to the viral outbreak, healthcare systems needed to consider provision of clinical services to other patients in need. Surgical services for patients with thoracic disease were maintained to different degrees across various regions of Asia, ranging from significant reductions to near-normal service. Key determinants of robust thoracic surgery service provision included: preexisting plans for an epidemic response, aggressive early action to "flatten the curve", ability to dedicate resources separately to COVID-19 and routine clinical services, prioritization of thoracic surgery, and the volume of COVID-19 cases in that region. The lessons learned can apply to other regions during this pandemic, and to the world, in preparation for the next one.

Objectives Healthcare resources have been mobilized to combat the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. The Thoracic Domain of the Asian Society for Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery reports a consensus statement on the provision of thoracic cancer surgery during this pandemic. Methods A Thoracic Experts Panel was convened by the Society. A consensus on the provision, safety, and setting of thoracic cancer surgery during the pandemic was obtained through a Delphi process. Results Responses were received from 26 panel members (96% response rate) from 10 regions across Asia. The Society recommended that elective thoracic cancer surgery services may need to be reduced or postponed if medical resources were needed for COVID-19 patients, especially intensive care unit beds and ventilators. However, thoracic cancer surgery should proceed as normal for all solid tumors, without restrictions based on disease stage, availability of non-surgical treatment options, or patient condition (unless there is a high likelihood of postoperative intensive care unit stay). Aerosol-forming procedures should be avoided intra- and perioperatively. The surgical approach does not make a difference in terms of safety. Services for thoracic cancer patients should be offered only in hospitals that maintain isolation wards for patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. Conclusions Services for patients with thoracic cancer should be maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic. The position of the Society is that thoracic surgeons have a responsibility to perform good surgical management of thoracic cancer during the pandemic, to advocate for patients’ rights to receive it, and to safeguard patients and staff from infection.

Instillation of autologous blood into the pleural drain in the early postoperative period can lead to immediate sealing of the air leak and allow for earlier drain removal and timely patient discharge. It is a safe bed-side procedure and can be done with relative ease and at minimal cost.

Our early experience indicates that the combination of the MatrixRib system and Permacol patch for chest wall reconstruction is safe and feasible with promising results in terms of anatomical restoration of the chest wall mechanics, infection and pain.

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation is a rare condition with abnormal communication of the pulmonary artery with the pulmonary vein. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality when patients develop complications. Patients with symptomatic pulmonary arteriovenous malformation should be considered for intervention. We describe the case of a 54-year-old woman with a large right pulmonary arteriovenous malformation who presented with right chest pain due to hemothorax. She underwent successful embolotherapy with an Amplatzer plug.

Chest wall reconstruction with customized 3D printed rib implants. CENTRAL MESSAGEChest wall reconstruction with customized 3D printed rib implants offers an individualized approach for each patient and is likely to shape the future of thoracic surgery.See Commentary on page XXX.

Background There is a continuous debate on the appropriate diagnostic approach and surgical management of mycobacterial empyema, with widely varied diagnostic practices and surgical outcomes. The aim of this study is to highlight the diagnostic approach and clinical features of patients who required surgical intervention for mycobacterial empyema. Methods We performed a 5-year retrospective cohort study of all patients with mycobacterial empyema requiring surgery in a single institution from November 2009 to November 2014. Results Eighteen patients (15 males and 3 females, median age 48.5 years) required surgery. Seventeen patients required decortication via posterolateral thoracotomy and one patient underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery drainage and pleural debridement. Prolonged air leak was the commonest surgical complication (50%, n = 9). 94.4% (n = 17) had necrotizing granulomatous inflammation on histological examination. The sensitivity of mycobacterium smear and culture ranged between 12.5% and 75% for pleural tissue, sputum, and pleural fluid individually. The combination of all 3 samples increased the diagnostic yield to 100%. Conclusion With the implementation of pleural tissue culture at surgery, the novel combination of sputum, pleural fluid, and pleural tissue culture provides excellent diagnostic yield.

The fat-forming variant of solitary fibrous tumor is rare. It occurs predominantly in the deep soft tissues of the retroperitoneum and thigh. We describe a case of fat-forming solitary fibrous tumor arising from the pleura, which was successfully treated using a video-assisted thoracoscopic approach. The patient remained free of recurrence 2 years after surgery and continues to be under long-term follow-up.