[A rare cause of hoarseness].

Background: Hoarseness caused by Ortner's syndrome is a rare diagnosis, first described in 1897 in a patient with an enlarged left atrium due to mitral valve stenosis. Due to mechanical compression on the left recurrent laryngeal nerve patients present with hoarseness.

Case Desciption: A 70 year old male presents with hoarseness and an inability to swallow.

Performance insights of endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) and mediastinoscopy for mediastinal lymph node staging in lung cancer.

Introduction: Endobronchial Ultrasonography (EBUS) and mediastinoscopy are used for mediastinal lymph node staging in patients with suspected non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). In our hospital, confirmatory mediastinoscopy has been largely abandoned, which may reduce the number of surgical interventions and health care costs. This study provides insight into EBUS and mediastinoscopy performance in patients with proven NSCLC from January 2007 until January 2019.

Editor's Choice - Nationwide Analysis of Patients Undergoing Iliac Artery Aneurysm Repair in the Netherlands.

Objective: The new 2019 guideline of the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) recommends consideration for elective iliac artery aneurysm (eIAA) repair when the iliac diameter exceeds 3.5 cm, as opposed to 3.0 cm previously.

[Thoracic endometriosis with aspecific manifestation].

Background: Endometriosis is a common disease, especially in subfertile women. The most common location is in the pelvis, but extragenital locations are also possible. This far less common condition has been described in almost all tissues in the body.

The efficacy of autologous femoropopliteal vein reconstruction for primary aortic and aortic graft infection.

Background: The objective of our study was to analyze the efficacy of autologous superficial femoropopliteal vein reconstruction for primary aortic or aortic graft infection.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 14 patients treated for an infected aortic prosthesis or primary infected aorta between 2012 and 2014. Three patients had a primary mycotic aneurysm caused by a Salmonella or Coxiella burnetti infection.

Wet and dry hands after video-assisted thoracoscopic pleurectomy.

Damage to the thoracic sympathic chain is a rare complication of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) pleurectomy. We report our experience with a patient who underwent parietal pleurectomy and bullectomy by VATS and postoperatively suffered from palmar anhydrosis and compensatory controlateral hyperhidrosis. The possible mechanisms of nerve damage and various techniques of performing pleurectomy are discussed.

Completeness of lung cancer surgery: is mediastinal dissection common practice?

Objectives: In patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, surgery offers the best chance of cure when a complete resection, including mediastinal lymph node dissection, is performed. A definition for complete resection and guidelines for intra-operative lymph node staging have been published, but it is unclear whether these guidelines are followed in daily practice. The goal of this study was to evaluate the extent of mediastinal lymph node dissection routinely performed during lung cancer surgery, and hereby the completeness of resection according to the guidelines of the European Society of Thoracic Surgery (ESTS) for intra-operative lymph node staging.

Chest tube management following pulmonary lobectomy: change of protocol results in fewer air leaks.

Much controversy exists regarding the management of chest tubes following pulmonary lobectomy. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of a new chest tube management protocol on clinical features, such as postoperative air leak, drain characteristics, 30-day postoperative complications and length of hospital stay. We retrospectively analysed 133 patients who underwent pulmonary lobectomy, from January 2005 to December 2008.

Epistemic action: a measure for cognitive support in tangible user interfaces?

The quality of user interfaces is often measured in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction. In the area of tangible user interfaces, epistemic--or exploratory--action has been suggested as a fourth measure of quality. In computer game studies (Kirsh & Maglio, 1992, 1994), players used epistemic actions to modify the environment, which helped them determine the correct position of blocks with less mental effort.

Video assisted thoracoscopic treatment of pleuropericardial cysts.

Question of the Study In this study, safety and feasibility of thoracoscopic fenestration of pleuropericardial cysts under local and general anaesthesia is evaluated. Besides, a rare case of a pleural cyst, causing a superior vena cava syndrome, is described.Materials, Patients and Methods In a retrospective study, the results of thoracoscopic treatment of pleuropericardial cysts in three patients are presented.

[Diagnostic image (359). A 13-year-old girl with intermittent claudication].

A 13-year-old girl suffered from intermittent claudication in the right calf caused by a type III popliteal artery entrapment syndrome due to an accessory muscle bundle of the medial gastrocnemius head.

Pulmonary resection of colorectal metastases in patients with or without a history of hepatic metastases.

Introduction: In selected patients with isolated colorectal lung or liver metastases resection can provide an increase in overall survival and even cure. Here, we evaluate whether also patients with combined or sequential metastatic disease to liver and lung may still be candidates for surgical resection.

Methods: From 1997 till 2006 39 patients underwent pulmonary metastasectomy.

Human umbilical vein versus heparin-bonded polyester for femoro-popliteal bypass: 5-year results of a prospective randomized multicentre trial.

Purpose: To compare long-term patency of Heparin-Bonded Dacron (HBD) and Human Umbilical Vein (HUV) vascular prostheses in above-knee femoro-popliteal bypass surgery.

Design: A prospective randomized multi-centre clinical trial.

Patients And Methods: Femoro-popliteal bypasses were performed in 129 patients between 1996 and 2001.

Soft-tissue artefact assessment during step-up using fluoroscopy and skin-mounted markers.

When measuring knee kinematics with skin-mounted markers, soft tissue and structures surrounding the knee hide the actual underlying segment kinematics. Soft-tissue artefacts can be reduced when plate-mounted markers or marker trees are used instead of individual unconstrained mounted markers. The purpose of this study was to accurately quantify the soft-tissue artefacts and to compare two marker cluster fixation methods by using fluoroscopy of knee motion after total knee arthroplasty during a step-up task.

Colonoscopic perforations: a review of 30,366 patients.

Background: Although the incidence of perforation after endoscopic procedures of the colon is low, the rising number of procedures could pose relevant health problems. Recognizing risk factors and optimizing treatment may reduce perforation incidence and the probability of (severe) complications. This study aimed to determine perforation frequency and the management of endoscopic colonoscopic perforation.

Developing a coding scheme for detecting usability and fun problems in computer games for young children.

This article describes the development and assessment of a coding scheme for finding both usability and fun problems through observations of young children playing computer games during user tests. The proposed coding scheme is based on an existing list of breakdown indication types of the detailed video analysis method (DEVAN). This method was developed to detect usability problems in task-based products for adults.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy performed under local anesthesia is feasible.

Background: A sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in breast cancer patients, performed under local anesthesia (LA), could have advantages such as more efficient use of operating room time and pathologist time. It also provides a histologic diagnosis before definitive breast surgery is undertaken. The aim of this study was to assess feasibility by comparing the results of SLN procedures performed under LA versus general anesthesia (GA).

Hyperhomocysteinemia as a cause of superior vena cava syndrome.

A case is presented in which superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome was caused by a stenosis of the SVC due to thrombosis. Hyperhomocysteinemia was diagnosed as a possible underlying mechanism. The role of hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for the development of recurrent venous thrombosis, its diagnosis, and treatment are discussed.

Lumbar sympathectomy in critical limb ischaemia: surgical, chemical or not at all?

The value of surgical and chemical lumbar sympathectomy was studied in patients with critical lower-limb ischaemia without the option of vascular reconstruction. Clinical success rates, defined as improvement of ischaemia stage, and limb salvage rates were recorded for 76 limbs of 70 consecutive patients. Chemical lumbar sympathectomy patients were older and had more concomitant diseases than surgical lumbar sympathectomy patients.

Migration of the guide-wire into the pleural cavity after needle localization of breast lesions.

The hook-wire is frequently used for pre-operative localization of non-palpable breast lesions. We describe a case where this hook-wire migrated into the pleural cavity, causing paralysis of the ipsilateral phrenic nerve. A thoracoscopic procedure resulted in successful removal of the wire from the chest.

Changes in venous hemodynamics after renal transplantation.

To explain an occasionally observed transient swelling of the ipsilateral leg in renal transplant recipients in the absence of deep vein thrombosis, we took serial measurements of venous outflow resistance and duplex examinations of both legs. Fourteen recipients of a living related donor kidney graft were submitted to strain gauge plethysmography and duplex examination before transplantation and 1 and 6 weeks thereafter. Venous outflow resistance and venous flow were measured and the veins were assessed for thrombosis.

Fate of renal allografts connected to vascular prostheses.

Objective: The outcome of renal transplantation with an arterial anastomosis to a vascular prosthesis in the aortofemoral tract is evaluated.

Patients And Methods: All 7 Dutch transplant centers were invited to review their experience. Among a total of 5791 cadaveric renal transplantations performed between 1978 and 1994, 13 cases (0.