Slide tracheoplasty for congenital tracheal stenosis with involvement of the carina and bronchi: a case report.

A female newborn presented with respiratory distress at birth and was diagnosed with congenital tracheal stenosis. The stenosis was positioned at the distal trachea and compromised the carina and the right and left bronchi. She underwent surgical treatment using circulatory life support with veno-arterial peripheral extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and the airway was reconstructed using the slide tracheoplasty technique to build a neocarina.

Lung transplantation.

Lung transplantation is a globally accepted treatment for some advanced lung diseases, giving the recipients longer survival and better quality of life. Since the first transplant successfully performed in 1983, more than 40 thousand transplants have been performed worldwide. Of these, about seven hundred were in Brazil.

Experimental model of isolated lung perfusion in rats: technique and application in lung preservation studies.

Small animal models are particularly suitable for lung preservation studies, because they are simple and cost-effective. This brief communication focuses on the technical description of an ex vivo lung perfusion model in rats by means of a commercially available apparatus, which was the first to be installed in a thoracic surgery research laboratory in Brazil. The model and its preparation, together with its applications for lung preservation studies, are described in detail.

Videothoracoscopic-guided management of a central vein perforation during hemodialysis catheter placement.

We present a case of the successful repair of an iatrogenic central vein lesion using a videothoracoscopic approach. The confluence of the right innominate vein and the superior vena cava was perforated during the placement of a right internal jugular vein long-term dialysis catheter. The misplacement of the tips of the catheter in the right pleural space was promptly observed.

Ex vivo lung perfusion: initial Brazilian experience.

In the last 20 years, lung transplantation has become the standard treatment for patients with end-stage lung disease. However, less than 20% of the donor lungs available for transplant are actually usable. This disparity between the growing number of recipients and the small number of donors has resulted in increased mortality among lung transplant candidates on waiting lists.

Impact of open lung biopsy on refractory acute respiratory failure.

Objective: To determine the impact that open lung biopsy findings have on decisions regarding changes in the treatment strategies employed for critically ill patients presenting diffuse pulmonary infiltrates and suffering from refractory acute respiratory failure, as well as on their clinical improvement.

Methods: This study involved 12 mechanically ventilated patients with acute respiratory failure who were subjected to open lung biopsy (by thoracotomy) after not presenting a clinical response to standard treatment.

Results: The single most common cause of the acute respiratory failure was viral infection, which was identified in 5 patients (40%).

Quality of life, before and after thoracic sympathectomy: report on 378 operated patients.

Background: Thoracic sympathectomy is indicated to treat primary hyperhidrosis. The objective is to analyze the results and complications of thoracic sympathectomy and propose a questionnaire to assess the quality of life of patients.

Methods: Between October 1995 and March 2002, 378 patients were evaluated.