Cognitive Load in Electromagnetic Navigational and Robotic Bronchoscopy for Pulmonary Nodules.

Electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (ENB) and robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RB) require a high degree of decision-making and psychomotor skill. Cognitive load theory is the overall effort expended by individuals in response to a task and is closely related to the usability of devices for medical procedures. High cognitive workload leads to poor surgical outcomes and represents a bottleneck for learning that affects performance.

A Prospective Randomized Comparative Study of Three Guided Bronchoscopic Approaches for Investigating Pulmonary Nodules: The PRECISION-1 Study.

Background: The capability of bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary nodules (PPNs) remains limited. Despite decades of effort, evidence suggests that the diagnostic accuracy for electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (EMN) and radial endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) approach only 50%. New developments in robotic bronchoscopy (RB) may offer improvements in the assessment of PPNs.

The Utility of Ultrasound to Diagnose Tunnel-Tract Infection Related to Indwelling Pleural Catheters.

Indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) infections lead to increased morbidity and treatment failure in patients with chronic recurrent pleural effusions. Ultrasonography is a readily available diagnostic tool used by pulmonologists on a daily basis. Ultrasonography has been used to identify the etiology of indwelling peritoneal catheter obstruction, including infection of the exit site and tunnel tract.

Safety of peripheral intravenous administration of vasoactive medication.

Background: Central venous access is commonly performed to administer vasoactive medication. The administration of vasoactive medication via peripheral intravenous access is a potential method of reducing the need for central venous access. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of vasoactive medication administered through peripheral intravenous access.

Update in primary pulmonary lymphomas.

Purpose Of Review: Despite the fact that primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL) is a rare lung tumour, significant advances addressing clinical features, histological diagnosis, prognostic criteria and therapeutic management of this disease have been made within the past decade.

Recent Findings: Monoclonality and phenotyping of alveolar lymphocytes are suggestive of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). Detection of MALT-1 gene rearrangements in bronchoalveolar fluid cells using fluorescence in-situ hybridization techniques helps to confirm the diagnosis of MALT PPL.

Bedside ultrasonography for the intensivist.

Critical care ultrasonography is a bedside technique performed by the frontline clinician at the point of care. Point-of-care ultrasonography is conceptually related to physical examination. The intensivist uses visual assessment, auscultation, and palpation on an ongoing basis to monitor the patient.

Effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on Fatigue Severity Scale in patients with lung disease.

Introduction: Fatigue is a known symptom of advanced lung disease and impacts quality of life and psychological health. Many of these patients undergo pulmonary rehabilitation as part of their therapy. Understanding the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on fatigue in these patients is important, as one may be able to design more focused rehabilitation programs.

The effect of point-of-care ultrasonography on imaging studies in the medical ICU: a comparative study.

Background: Point-of-care ultrasonography performed by frontline intensivists offers the possibility of reducing the use of traditional imaging in the medical ICU (MICU). We compared the use of traditional radiographic studies between two MICUs: one where point-of-care ultrasonography is used as a primary imaging modality, the other where it is used only for procedure guidance.

Methods: This study was a retrospective 3-month chart review comparing the use of chest radiographs, CT scans (chest and abdomen/pelvis), transthoracic echocardiography performed by the cardiology service, and DVT ultrasonography studies performed by the radiology service between two MICUs of similar size and acuity and staffing levels.

Depression in pulmonary arterial hypertension and interstitial lung diseases.

Advanced lung diseases such as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are chronic diseases that cause significantly high morbidity and mortality. As a result, patients can undergo some psychological changes leading to a poor quality of life and depression. Diagnosis of depression is often obscured because fatigue and apathy, two common symptoms of depression, frequently overlap with PAH and ILD.

Bronchial leiomyoma, a case report and review of literature.

A 44 year old male former smoker from Ecuador presented with productive cough for 3 weeks, positive tuberculin skin test, 40 lbs weight loss and right lower lobe collapse. He denied wheezing or hemoptysis. He was treated with antibiotics and ruled out for tuberculosis with negative sputum smear.

Wegener's granulomatosis in a middle-aged woman presenting with dyspnea, rash, hemoptysis and recurrent eye complaints: a case report.

Introduction: Wegener's granulomatosis presenting as diffuse alveolar hemorrhage is uncommon. However, the recognition of multisystem disease involving joints, kidney, eye and lung is critical for diagnosing Wegener's vasculitis. This is not the first report of this kind in the literature.