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Objective: Treatment of lung cancer patients is changing rapidly and new treatment options have emerged in recent years. In 2007, to guarantee the best treatment procedure for lung cancer patients being treated in our peripheral hospital, we decided to introduce an interdisciplinary tumour videoconference between the Haemato-Oncological Day Hospital in Merano and the Comprehensive Cancer Centre Innsbruck. This retrospective analysis aims to describe the feasibility of such a conference. Patients and Methods: Two hundred and three patients with lung cancer treated at the peripheral hospital of Merano between May 2003 until May 2011 were retrospectively analysed. After introduction of the tumour videoconference in 2007, 54% (n = 110) of the patients in this cohort were discussed in the conference. Results: One hundred and four videoconferences were performed. Videoconference was feasible for 110 patients. Radiotherapeutic treatments were prescribed more frequently in patients from the conference group. Overall, major and minor treatment changes were undertaken in 7% (n = 8) and 18% (n = 20), respectively. Conclusion: Interdisciplinary tumour videoconference is feasible between a peripheral hospital and a comprehensive cancer centre. Radiotherapeutic treatment was prescribed more frequently, suggesting that such a conference facilitates the access to cancer-centre-specific treatment modalities. Accordingly, tumour videoconference between a peripheral hospital and a cancer centre is to be recommend.

Management of bronchiectasis remains controversial and information on long-term results of surgical treatment is poor. Clinical records of 45 patients, who underwent surgery for bronchiectasis in an 8-year period, were retrospectively reviewed. Bronchiectasis focus was isolated in 24 cases, associated with a limited homolateral or controlateral focus in 9 and 11, respectively; two patients had bilateral evident foci. Bronchiectasis was responsible for lobe destruction in 23 cases. All patients had symptoms: haemoptysis (n=7), recurrent pneumonia (n=7), persistent bronchorrea with recurrent infection (n=15), hemoptysis and recurrent infection (n=16). A total of 23 lobectomies, 11 lobectomies+segmentectomies, 2 bi-lobectomies, 9 segmentectomies and 1 pneumonectomy were carried out. There were no perioperative deaths; complications occurred in 5 patients (postoperative pneumonia in 2, prolonged air-leak, residual air-space and bronchial infection 1 each). Symptoms disappeared in 32 patients, 10 patients experienced a significant improvement. Exercise tolerance remained stable or improved in 33 and 2 cases, respectively, a slight impairment was observed in 9. Out of 32 evaluable patients 11 had an unchanged FEV(1), 15 had a limited FEV(1) lowering (<15%), and 9 had a more important functional loss. Surgical treatment of bronchiectasis obtains satisfactory long-term results, with acceptable morbidity rates.