Endoscopic Occlusion of Tracheoesophageal Fistula in Ventilated Patients Using an Amplatzer Septal Occluder.

Acquired tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a challenging, life threatening condition. It most commonly appears in critically ill patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation, who cannot withstand open neck or chest surgery. An endoscopic technique could be better tolerated by these patients.

Morbidity and mortality after major pulmonary resections in patients with locally advanced stage IIIA non-small cell lung carcinoma who underwent induction therapy.

Background: The optimal treatment for patients with locally advanced stage IIIA non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) remains controversial, but induction therapy is increasingly used. The aim of this study was to evaluate mortality, morbidity, hospital stay and frequency of postoperative complications in stage IIIA NSCLC patients that underwent major pulmonary resections after neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent major pulmonary resections after induction therapy for locally advanced NSCLC from October 2009 to February 2014.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy versus lobectomy by thoracotomy for lung cancer: pilot study.

Objective: Video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy (VATS-L) has become accepted as a safe and effective procedure to treat early-stage non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However, the advantages of VATS-L compared with lobectomy by thoracotomy (TL) remain controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of patients who underwent VATS-L with those who underwent TL.

Endobronchial closure of recurrent bronchopleural and tracheopleural fistulae by two amplatzer devices.

We present a case of right pneumonectomy after induction chemotherapy complicated by a large bronchopleural fistula and empyema two weeks after surgery. The patient was treated surgically by transsternal transpericardial bronchopleural fistula closure and open window thoracoplasty. Thereafter, two new fistulae developed, one in the right main bronchial stump and one in the accessory tracheal bronchus.

Hydrogen peroxide in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) vs eosinophil count in induced sputum (IS) in parenchymal vs airways lung diseases.

We compared exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and induced sputum (IS) for assessing inflammation in pulmonary diseases in patients with obstructive lung disease (n = 20), persistent cough >6 months (n = 20), interstitial lung disease (n = 25) and controls (n = 10). EBC was collected by suspending a Teflon perfluoroalkoxy tube installed in an ice-filled container and connected to a polypropylene test tube. IS was recovered after 20' inhalation of 3% saline with an ultrasonic nebulizer, and 300 cells were differentially counted in cytospin Giemsa-stained slides.

The role of induced sputum in amiodarone-associated interstitial lung diseases.

Amiodarone, a highly effective medication for suppressing cardiac rhythm disturbances, may cause pulmonary injury, such as chronic interstitial lung diseases, in 5-15% of the patients who take it. We applied induced sputum (IS), a non-invasive technique, for diagnosing amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity. Four patients with interstitial lung disease who were treated by amiodarone for ischemic heart diseases were evaluated by a conventional clinical workup.

Combined CD4/CD8 ratio in induced sputum and pulmonary function testing for non-invasive identification of sarcoidosis.

Unlabelled: Induced sputum is a useful noninvasive method for assessing parenchymal diseases. This retrospective study investigated its potential application in combination with functional parameters to differentiate sarcoidosis from non-sarcoid interstitial lung disease (NSA-ILD), especially when bronchoscopy is clinically contraindicated. All 120 study patients (67 sarcoidosis and 53 NSA-ILD) underwent both bronchoalveolar lavage (flexible fiberoptic video bronchoscope; Pentax, Japan) and induced sputum testing (3% NaCl, selecting plugs method, 300 cells differentially counted in Giemsa stained cytopreps).

Nebulized 3% hypertonic saline solution treatment in hospitalized infants with viral bronchiolitis.

Objective: To determine the utility of inhaled hypertonic saline solution to treat infants hospitalized with viral bronchiolitis.

Design: Randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Fifty-two hospitalized infants (mean +/- SD age, 2.