Air leak test using foaming surfactants for lung surgery

• Project/Area Number: 18K08781
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 55040:Respiratory surgery-related
• Research Institution: Shiga University of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: Ohshio Yasuhiko 滋賀医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (60731916)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000)
• Keywords: 空気漏れ / 肺手術 / 内視鏡手術 / 起泡性物質 / 気泡性物質 / 肺からの空気漏れ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have been developing a method using a surfactant as detecting air leakage from the lung after endoscopic lung resection. We have repeated experiments by applying several types of surfactants using air leak model under various conditions. However, satisfactory results have not been obtained with surfactants that are considered to be harmless to the human body. We would like to continue trial production of detection agents and aim to establish a method for detecting leaked parts as bubbles.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

内視鏡手術の定着により患者への負担は軽減し、これまで手術適応の無かった高齢者や合併症を有するリスクの高い患者にも手術が提供できるようになったが、一方で従来法である水封試験を内視鏡下に行うと、術中に空気漏れの有無や位置の同定が困難であることが多い。界面活性剤を肺表面に塗布し肺を加圧すれば、空気漏れの箇所に気泡が生じるため、空気漏れの有無および位置同定は容易となる。さらに、加圧作業中にワーキングスペースが消失した胸腔内に内視鏡を挿入し内部を観察する操作が不要となるため、術者の負担軽減にも大いに寄与するものと期待され、今後も本法の確率を目指して研究を継続してきたい。