Medical thoracoscopy without pleural fluid: How I do it.

Thoracoscopy is a commonly used minimally invasive procedure in the field of interventional pulmonology. While medical thoracoscopy is the widely preferred modality, modifications to the technique and expansion in the scope of its utility have always challenged the conventional approach. We describe a modified technique of medical thoracoscopy in absence of pleural effusion also known as dry thoracoscopy under sedation and local anaesthesia.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Pleural Fluid Cytology, Carcinoembryonic Antigen and C-Reactive Protein Together in Patients With Pulmonary Metastases and Malignant Pleural Effusion.

Background/aim: Pleural effusion (PE) has a heterogeneous aetiology, and differential diagnosis between benign and malignant disease may require invasive procedures in up to 60% of cases. The sensitivity of pleural cytology is limited, and several strategies have been tested to reduce the need of invasive diagnostic approaches. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of pleural fluid cytology, compared to, and combined with, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), C reactive protein (CRP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay of pleural fluid (PF) in patients with a history of cancer, exudative non-purulent PE, and suspicion of malignant PE on imaging studies.

Outcome of laparoscopic gastric bypass in obese and diabetic patients: when surgery fails.

Background: The beneficial effects of bariatric surgery on diabetes and obesity have been widely demonstrated in the literature. The aim of our study was to evaluate the rate of failure of laparoscopic gastric bypass both in terms of weight loss and metabolic remission after one follow-up year.

Methods: A longitudinal, multicenter prospective study was carried out on 771 patients affected by pathological obesity.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Short-term Results in Elderly Patients Undergoing Elective Surgical Resection for Stage I-II Colon Cancer.

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of comorbidities and to compare the short-term results of elective surgical resection of stage I-II colon adenocarcinoma in elderly (≥65 years) versus younger patients.

Patients And Methods: Two groups of sex-matched younger and older patients were compared: Group A: N=36, median age 58 (range=43-65) years; and group B: N=67, median age 73 (range=66-86) years.

Results: Overall, 71 out of 103 (68.

Preoperative Predictive Factors of Successful Weight Loss and Glycaemic Control 1 Year After Gastric Bypass for Morbid Obesity.

Background: Gastric bypass (GBP) is one of the most effective surgical procedures to treat morbid obesity and the related comorbidities. This study aimed at identifying preoperative predictors of successful weight loss and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission 1 year after GBP.

Methods: Prospective longitudinal study of 771 patients who underwent GBP was performed at four Italian centres between November 2011 and May 2013 with 1-year follow-up.

Incidentally discovered asymptomatic splenic hamartoma with rapidly expansive growth: a case report.

Splenic hamartoma (SH) is a very rare benign vascular lesion, usually asymptomatic. Although infrequent, it must be differentiated from malignant lesions, such as lymphoma or metastases, or other vascular neoplasms of the spleen. We present the case of a solid lesion of the spleen discovered incidentally in a 42-year-ol women, characterized by an unusual rapid expansive growth during four-month follow-up.

Serum N-telopeptide of type I collagen and bone alkaline phosphatase and their relationship in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma and bone metastases. Preliminary results.

Lung cancer represents the most common malignancy in Western countries and the presence of bone metastasis (BMs) may significantly worsen the prognosis. Several urinary and serum markers are altered in patients with BMs from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of two serum markers of bone remodeling in patients with NSCLC and BMs.

Hypoxemia and hypoventilation syndrome improvement after laparoscopic bariatric surgery in patients with morbid obesity.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)), awake oxymetric saturation (SpO(2)), body mass index (BMI), and percentage of excess weight loss (EWL) in extremely severe obesity (BMI >50 kg m(-2)) and hypoxemia, before and after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Patients And Methods: A group of 11 obese patients aged 41.2 + or - 10.

Anesthetic management of morbidly obese and super-morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric operations: hospital course and outcomes.

Background: Although the implications for the anesthetic and perioperative care of severely obese patients undergoing weight loss operations are considerable, current anesthetic management of super-obese (SO) patients (BMI > or =50 kg/m(2)), including super-super-obese (BMI > or =60) derives from experience with morbidly obese (MO) patients (BMI 40-49.9 kg/m(2)). We compared anesthetic and perioperative data of SO patients and MO patients undergoing weight loss operations to evaluate if anesthetic management influenced outcome.