Osteo-cartilaginous pain syndromes at the chest wall: results of costal cartilage excision.

Background: Various pathologies of the lower ribs may lead to potentially severe pain in a heterogenous group of patients. Costal cartilage excision (CCE) has been shown to result in durable pain relief in some patients. Even though literature is scarce, we reviewed our experience with surgically treated osteo-cartilaginous pain syndromes (OCPSs) of the chest wall.

The GermAn Laser Lead Extraction RegistrY: GALLERY.

Aims: The GermAn Laser Lead Extraction RegistrY: GALLERY is a retrospective, national multicentre registry, investigating the safety and efficacy of laser lead extraction procedures in Germany.

Methods And Results: Twenty-four German centres that are performing laser lead extraction have participated in the registry. All patients, treated with a laser lead extraction procedure between January 2013 and March 2017, were consecutively enrolled.

Monitoring excimer laser-guided cardiac lead extractions by uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy: A single center experience.

Background: Though laser guided extractions of cardiac implantable electronic devices leads have become a routine procedure, the severe complications are associated with a high mortality. Here, we report our single center experience using uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy for laser lead extraction and compare it to stand-alone laser lead extraction.

Methods: The intraoperative data and postoperative clinical outcomes of patients undergoing laser lead extraction with concomitant thoracoscopy ( = 28) or without ( = 43) in our institution were analyzed retrospectively.

[The Patient with Chest Trauma: Surgical Management].

Even though isolated cases of penetrating chest wounds are exceptionally rare in Germany, chest trauma accounts for major morbidity and mortality in over 18 0000 multitrauma patients encountered every year. Injuries range from immediately fatal cardiac wounds and major vessel lacerations to intercostal bleeding, parenchymal damage, chronic haematothorax and secondary empyema. Placement of large-bore chest tubes constitutes a sufficient treatment for most of these pathologies.

A Novel Video-Assisted Approach to Excimer Laser-Guided Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices Lead Extraction.

Objective: Even though roughly 90% of all implanted cardiac implantable electronic devices leads can be removed through conventional techniques, presence of large vegetations or thrombi, fractured leads, previous failed extraction, or long duration from implantation often impede classical transvenous extraction. In these cases, laser-assisted procedures represent a highly successful alternative and have a low procedural complication rate with major adverse events in less than 2% of cases. Unfortunately, most encountered complications are potentially fatal, which prompted us to develop a novel approach that adds additional safety measures by allowing for real-time intrathoracic visualization and intervention.

Chest tube management: state of the art.

Purpose Of Review: Chest tube protocols are still largely dictated by personal preferences and experience. A general lack of published evidence encourages individual decision-making and hinders the development of clear-cut guidelines. The aim of this review is to establish standardized procedures with recommendations for size and number of inserted tubes, ideal suction levels and duration of thoracostomy.

Pacing of Bachmann's bundle after coronary artery bypass grafting.

The purpose of this randomized, prospective trial was to determine if Bachmann's bundle pacing reduces the incidence of AF after CABG. The study included 161 patients with no history of AF who were randomized to three groups. Group 1 included 50 patients as controls.