Total robotic-enhanced pericardiectomy for effusive pericarditis.

With the DaVinci Robot only recently in clinical use, limitations of video-assisted thoracoscopy could disappear due to Endo-Wrist features, tremor cancellation and three-dimensional view. This report describes the total endoscopic pericardiectomy successfully achieved with robotic assistance in a 50-year-old man suffering from effusive pericarditis.

Indications and impact of postoperative transesophageal echocardiography in cardiac surgical patients.

Objective: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has gained widespread acceptance among intensivists as a tool to facilitate decision-making in the management of critically ill patients. This observational study analyzes the indications and impact of TEE and the outcome in patients following cardiac surgery.

Design: Standardized reports containing indication, main diagnosis, and impact on patient management were completed during TEE.

Emergency repair of incidentally diagnosed ascending aortic aneurysm immediately after caesarean section.

A 36-yr-old pregnant woman with a history of hypertension presented at term for elective Caesarean section because of breech position. At preoperative examination, a diastolic murmur was found and transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) revealed a large, 8.1-cm diameter ascending aortic aneurysm with severe aortic regurgitation and moderate pericardial effusion.

Prone postioning and low-volume pressure-limited ventilation improve survival in patients with severe ARDS.

Study Objectives: Investigating the effect of low-volume pressure-limited ventilation and repeated prone positioning on the short-term course and outcome in patients with severe ARDS.

Setting: Level 1 trauma center of a university hospital.

Patients: Twenty-five patients suffering from ARDS with a lung injury score (LIS) > or = 2.

Different pattern of local and systemic release of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators in severely injured patients with chest trauma.

Background: Excessive release of proinflammatory cytokines has been involved in pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Design: Since injured patients with chest trauma reveal a high risk for posttraumatic acute respiratory distress syndrome, local and systemic release of proinflammatory cytokines and their naturally occurring inhibitors were determined in the early posttraumatic period.

Materials And Methods: Proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators were measured in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from 16 patients with multiple injuries including severe chest injury (Injury Severity Score of 34.