Beta-HCG Secretion by a Pulmonary Choriocarcinoma in a Male Patient.

Background: Paraneoplastic secretion of beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (-HCG) in pulmonary carcinoma is rare. . A 65-year-old man presented with bilateral gynaecomastia with abnormally high levels of -hCG and elevated oestradiol, progesterone, and testosterone levels on April 7, 2023.

Lung epithelial and myeloid innate immunity in influenza-associated or COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis: an observational study.

Background: Influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) and COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) affect about 15% of critically ill patients with influenza or COVID-19, respectively. These viral-fungal coinfections are difficult to diagnose and are associated with increased mortality, but data on their pathophysiology are scarce. We aimed to explore the role of lung epithelial and myeloid innate immunity in patients with IAPA or CAPA.

Mesothelioma With a Large Prevascular Lymph Node: N1 Involvement or Something Different?

A 64-year-old man presented with a large amount of right-sided pleural fluid on imaging, together with calcified pleural plaques and an enlarged nodular structure in the prevascular mediastinum, presumably an enlarged lymph node. Pleural biopsies were obtained during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery to exclude malignancy. Histopathology showed an epithelial malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Surgical treatment of early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer.

Surgical resection remains the standard of care for functionally operable early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and resectable stage IIIA disease. The role of invasive staging and restaging techniques is currently being debated, but they provide the largest biopsy samples which allow for precise mediastinal staging. Different types of operative procedures are currently available to the thoracic surgeon, and some of these interventions can be performed by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) with the same oncological results as those by open thoracotomy.

Chronic venous insufficiency in patients with absence of the inferior vena cava.

Objective: Up until now, knowledge of absence of the inferior vena cava (AIVC) is limited to case reports and small case series, usually reported shortly after diagnosis. To characterize long-term evolution of outcomes of patients with AIVC, we performed a survey of current practice in Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Benelux).

Methods: Vascular surgeons and phlebologists in the Benelux area were asked to complete a questionnaire on medical history and treatment of each patient in follow-up at their practice with a diagnosis of AIVC.

Spontaneous ilio-iliac arteriovenous fistula due to an iliac artery aneurysm: a case-report.

A spontaneous arterio-venous ilioiliac fistula (AVF) caused by an iliac artery aneurysm (IAA) is a rare complication. We present the case of a 75-year-old man with previous aortic surgery 11 years before who was admitted at the Emergency Department for acute gluteal pain. He was suspected for a hip problem because of cup loosening on X-ray.

Debulking of stage IVA thymoma.

We present a debulking procedure for the removal of a stage IVA thymoma in a patient with myasthenia gravis (MG). This included thymectomy to remove the primary thymoma, resection of an anterior paracardial mass, a posterior pleural mass, partial pleurectomy, resection of phrenic nerve and wedge excisions of the right upper, middle and lower lobes.

Subtotal pleurectomy by video-assisted thoracic surgery for metastatic pleuritis.

Metastatic pleuritis can be a severely disabling condition. Recurrent pleural effusion often leads to severe shortness of breath. Treatment should consist of removal of the fluid as well as prevention of the re-accumulation of the pleural effusion.

Current surgical treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer.

When considering surgical treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a distinction is made between early-stage disease (stages IA/B and IIA/B), locoregionally advanced disease (stages IIIA/B) and metastatic disease (stage IV). Complete surgical resection of NSCLC can provide good long-term outcome. Surgery is considered the treatment of choice in patients with early-stage NSCLC or patients with T3N1 disease.

Restaging the mediastinum in non-small cell lung cancer after induction therapy: non-invasive versus invasive procedures.

Objective: Nodal status after induction therapy in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an independent prognostic factor for survival. Prognosis is poor in patients with persisting mediastinal lymph node involvement.

Methods: From February 2000 to September 2007, restaging for NSCLC was performed in 25 patients (23 men, 2 women) by computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) as well as repeat mediastinoscopy.

Emergency endovascular aneurysm repair for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms: an institutional experience.

Objectives: Emergency endovascular aneurysm repair (eEVAR) for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA) is still under investigation. Since installation of an urgent eEVAR kit in our hospital, all patients with a rAAA or urgent thoracic aortic aneurysm are candidates for eEVAR or eTEVAR (emergency thoracic EVAR), respectively. For this study, we analyzed all rAAA patients treated with eEVAR.

Filters placed in the superficial femoral arteries for limb salvage in a high-surgical-risk patient with atheroembolism: results at 2 years.

Purpose: To report the off-label use of Emboshield filters as a treatment for bilateral atheroembolism (trash foot) in an inoperable patient.

Case Report: A 64-year-old man with a juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (jAAA) presented with necrotic wounds of the forefoot and toes of both feet. Doppler imaging showed triphasic signals.

Intrathoracic hibernoma: report of two cases.

Hibernomas are uncommon benign soft tissue tumours mimicking brown fat. The most common anatomic locations include the neck, axilla, mediastinum, periaortic and perirenal zones. Intrathoracic and in particular pleural locations are exceptional.