The prevalence of coronary artery disease in end-stage pulmonary disease: is pulmonary fibrosis a risk factor?

Background: It has been suggested that coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common complicating condition in pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective: To establish and compare the incidence of coronary artery disease in lung-transplantation candidates with emphysema and lung fibrosis

Method: All adult patients (age>40 years old) with emphysema or lung fibrosis, candidates for lung transplantation between January 1997 and December 2003, were included. All patients underwent pretransplant coronary angiography.

Endobronchial stent for malignant airway obstructions.

Background: Endobronchial stents are used to treat symptomatic patients with benign or malignant airway obstructions.

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and outcome of airway stent insertion for the treatment of malignant tracheobronchial narrowing.

Methods: The files of all patients with malignant disease who underwent airway stent insertion in our outpatient clinic from June 1995 to August 2004 were reviewed for background data, type of disease, symptoms, treatment, complications and outcome.

Lung transplantation in patients with cystic fibrosis: the Israeli experience.

Background: Lung transplantation is a well-established therapeutic option for end-stage lung disease in cystic fibrosis. Although it confers a clear survival advantage, outcome differs among centers according to local experience, patient selection, transplantation procedure, and postoperative care.

Objectives: To evaluate the national Israeli experience with lung transplantation in patients with CF.

Is routine chest radiography after transbronchial biopsy necessary?: A prospective study of 350 cases.

Background And Study Objective: Pneumothorax following flexible bronchoscopy (FB) with transbronchial biopsy (TBB) occurs in 1 to 6% of cases. Routine chest radiography (CXR) following TBB is therefore requested by most pulmonologists in an attempt to detect complications, particularly pneumothorax. The objective of this study was to determine if routine CXR after bronchoscopy and TBB is necessary.

Recurrence of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease after heart-lung transplantation.

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, a rare cause of pulmonary hypertension, is characterized by extensive and diffuse occlusion of pulmonary veins by fibrous tissue. Although the diagnosis can be suspected by the presence of the classic clinical triad of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension, radiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension and edema, and normal pulmonary artery occlusion pressure, the definitive diagnosis is histopathologic. The prognosis of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease is poor with most described patients dying within 2 years of diagnosis.