Pleuropulmonary blastoma: A report of two cases.

Pleuropulmonary blastoma is a rare and aggressive childhood tumor of mesenchymal origin. It has a poor prognosis and mainly classified as cystic (type 1), mixed type (type 2), and solid (type 3). Herein, we present two cases of pleuropulmonary blastoma type 3 presenting with pneumothorax, a rare clinical presentation of pleuropulmonary blastoma, which was successfully treated with surgery.

A Rare Cause of Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum: Ecstasy Ingestion.

Ecstasy ingestion has life-threatening effects such as hyperpyrexia, rhabdomyolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, coma, and death. In the present report, we aimed to highlight ecstasy as a rare cause of spontaneous pneumomediastinum and its potential life-threatening effects. A 16-year-old female with dyspnea and chest pain presented to the emergency department.

Bilateral staged thoracotomy for multiple lung hydatidosis.

Background: Hydatid cyst disease is still a problem in many countries. Surgical removal is currently the generally accepted choice of treatment for lung hydatidosis. However, operating on bilateral widespread lung hydatidosis is still controversial.

Multiple pellets expectoration: bronchial repair by using a costal cartilage graft.

Foreign body expectoration resulting from penetrating thoracic injury is an extremely rare condition. It requires bronchoscopy for diagnosis, and if there is a bronchial wound with a large tissue defect, costal cartilage grafting covered with a vascularized muscle flap is suggested as a good alternative for the treatment.

Can serum inflammatory parameters estimate outcome of pleurodesis in mesothelioma?

Background: As pleurodesis causes systemic inflammation and is associated with considerable cost and morbidity during long-term follow up, the identification of patients who will experience an unsuccessful pleurodesis would be desirable. This study was aimed to investigate whether systemic inflammatory reaction induced by insuflation of talc into the pleura can predict the outcome of pleurodesis.

Methods: A total of 58 consecutive patients (26 men, 32 women) with malignant pleural mesothelioma underwent video-assisted thoracoscopy under general anaesthesia with monopulmonary ventilation between the years 2003 and 2006.

Complications of bronchoscopy for foreign body removal: experience in 1,035 cases.

Background: Tracheobronchial foreign body aspirations, which threaten lives in childhood, also carry potential risks during and after bronchoscopy. The aim of this study is to review complications and precautions that need to be taken against possible risks.

Methods: From 1987 to 2005, bronchoscopy was done in 1,035 children in our department on suspicion of foreign body aspiration.

Is lobectomy necessary in the treatment of pulmonary hydatid cysts?

Background: Hydatidosis is endemic in Turkey and many other areas of the world. The definitive treatment for pulmonary hydatidosis is surgical. The purpose of this study was the review of surgical therapy of our patients with pulmonary hydatid disease and the necessity of lobectomy.

Benefits of early aggressive management of empyema thoracis.

Background: The end-target of the management of thoracic empyema is to obtain early rehabilitation by re-expansion of the trapped lung resulting from intrapleural infected material. Our aim was to shorten the hospitalization time and to prevent a possible thoracotomy by using video-assisted thoracoscopy initially.

Methods: Seventy patients with parapneumonic empyema were prospectively studied between January 1997 and June 2004.

Tumour cell frequency in pleural lavage in cases with stage I epidermoid lung cancer with no visceral pleural involvement.

Background: The presence of tumour cells in the pleural lavage of lung cancer patients with no malignant pleural effusion is a negative prognosticator. In the present study we aimed to determine the lowest frequency of positive pleural lavage in lung cancer.

Methods: The study included 26 consecutive patients who underwent thoracotomy for curative resection for Stage I epidermoid lung cancer.

Videothoracoscopy versus intrapleural streptokinase for management of post traumatic retained haemothorax: a retrospective study of 65 cases.

Background: Post traumatic retained haemothorax (PRH) may cause pulmonary restrictions or septic pleural complications. Currently, minimally invasive procedures such as videothoracoscopy or intrapleural fibrinolysis have replaced open surgery in an effort to avoid these complications.

Objective: We have reviewed retrospectively our use of videothoracoscopy versus intrapleural streptokinase for the management of PRH over the last 10 years.

Is capitonnage unnecessary in the surgery of intact pulmonary hydatic cyst?

Background: Hydatid disease, a parasitosis, is still an important health problem in Turkey. Surgery is the choice of treatment for pulmonary hydatid cyst. In this study, cystotomy and capitonnage were compared to cystotomy.

Extrapleural regional versus systemic analgesia for relieving postthoracotomy pain: a clinical study of bupivacaine compared with metamizol.

Background: The effects of a local anesthetic delivered through a catheter inserted in the extrapleural region by a surgeon and an analgesic agent given systemically on pain after thoracotomy were assessed.

Methods: The patients in group I (n = 25) had a catheter inserted between the parietal pleura and the endothoracic fascia by a surgeon, and 0.5% bupivacaine was given through this catheter.