Endovascular versus open repair for blunt thoracic aortic injury: short-term results.

Background: Endovascular stent grafting has been increasingly used as an alternative treatment modality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the immediate and short-term results of endovascular stent grafting repair after blunt thoracic aortic injury due to trauma.

Methods: A review of a tertiary trauma center registry identified all patients who suffered blunt thoracic aortic injury from 2002 to 2006.

Endovascular stenting for primary aortobronchial fistula in association with massive hemoptysis.

Aortobronchial fistula is a potentially lethal complication secondary to the repair of a descending thoracic aneurysm or the placement of a prosthetic graft. Few cases have been reported. Very rarely, primary aortobronchial fistula occurs in a patient who has no history of cardiac surgical intervention.

Postoperative residual pleural spaces: characteristics and natural history.

This study was conducted in order to re-define the incidence and natural history of postresectional residual pleural spaces (PRS). From 1997 to 2005, 966 patients who were subjected to less than entire lung resections, were followed and any cases of PRS were recorded. The records of these patients were retrospectively analyzed for age, gender, type of resection, side, apical or basal location, size, PRS wall thickness, empyema as well as for bronchopleural fistula occurence, management, and outcome.

Early use of intrapleural fibrinolytics in the management of postpneumonic empyema. A prospective study.

Objective: A prospective randomized study was conducted in order to analyze the role of fibrinolytics in the treatment of complicated parapneumonic effusion.

Methods: From 2001 to 2004, 127 consecutive patients were managed for thoracic empyema. In all cases the cause was bacterial pneumonia.

Thoracic actinomycosis as a cause of superior vena cava syndrome: report of a case.

We report an unusual case of superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) caused by thoracic actinomycosis in a 35-year-old man. The patient presented with a mediastinal mass and the diagnosis was confirmed by a right exploratory thoracotomy. Treatment with penicillin for a 15-month period resulted in a reduction in the size of the mediastinal mass and improvement of his clinical symptoms.

Involvement of lymphatic metastatic spread in non-small cell lung cancer accordingly to the primary cancer location.

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to investigate the contribution of lymphatic spread in operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in relation to the cancer location.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 557 consecutive patients [514 males and 43 females, mean age 62.5 +/- 9.

Is the reduction of forced expiratory lung volumes proportional to the lung parenchyma resection, 6 months after pneumonectomy?

Objectives: To preoperatively estimate the degree of first-second forced expired volume (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) reduction 6 months after pneumonectomy, according to the preoperative performed spirometry and bronchoscopy, and to estimate if the expected postoperative values of FEV1 and FVC are in accordance with the actual values.

Methods: Thirty-five patients, who underwent pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer between 1996 and 1999, were included in the perspective study. All patients had total or near total bronchial obstruction at preoperative bronchoscopy.