Therapeutic bronchoscopic interventions for malignant airway obstruction: A retrospective study from experience on 547 patients.

There is no definitive consensus about the factors affecting the choice of interventional bronchoscopy in the management of malignant airway obstruction. The present study defines the choice of the interventional bronchoscopic modality and analyzes the factors influencing survival in patients with malignant central airway obstruction. Totally, over 7 years, 802 interventional rigid bronchoscopic procedures were applied in 547 patients having malignant airway obstruction.

Placement of self-expandable bifurcated metallic stents without use of fluoroscopic and guidewire guidance to palliate central airway lesions.

Background: Self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) can be used to treat malignant obstructions and fistulas of the central airways. SEMS can be placed using different methods. Recently, a rigid bronchoscope has been used for stent placement without the need for fluoroscopy.

Bronchoscopic palliation to treat endobronchial metastasis of the tracheobronchial tree.

Background: Endobronchial metastases (EBM) are rarely observed, but they are caused by a number of different tumors. Bronchoscopy is the main approach for both differential diagnosis and to maintain endoluminal palliation. In this study, consecutive EBM cases that had been diagnosed and treated were evaluated in a retrospective cohort.

Bronchoscopic Treatment in the Management of Benign Tracheal Stenosis: Choices for Simple and Complex Tracheal Stenosis.

Background: Bronchoscopic treatment is 1 of the treatment choices for both palliative and definitive treatment of benign tracheal stenosis. There is no consensus on the management of these patients, however, especially patients having complex stenoses. The aim of the present study was to assess, in the largest group of patients with complex stenoses yet reported, which types of tracheal stenosis are amenable to optimal management by bronchoscopic treatment.

Endobronchial Treatment of Carcinoid Tumors of the Lung.

Background: Bronchial carcinoid tumors are known as low-grade malignancies. Surgery has been proposed as the best treatment of choice for lung carcinoids. However, less invasive treatment approaches may be considered due to low-grade malignancy potential of such tumors.

Is mean platelet volume really a severity marker for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome without comorbidities?

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common disorder that can lead to significant cardiovascular complications. Several studies have reported increased platelet activation and aggregation in patients with OSAS. In this study we aimed to show a correlation between mean platelet volume (MPV) and severity of OSAS in patients with OSAS without any overt cardiac disease or diabetes.

Tracheomalacia treatment using a large-diameter, custom-made airway stent in a case with mounier-kuhn syndrome.

Mounier-Kuhn Syndrome (MKS) is a rare congenital disease that presents with abnormal enlargement in the central airways. In MKS, tracheomegaly is accompanied by difficulty in expelling recurrent lung infections and bronchiectasia. We presented a patient with MKS where commercially made stents were inadequate for stabilization and a custom-made, self-expandable metallic stent with a diameter of 28 mm and length of 100 mm was used.

The management of near-fatal hemoptysis with left secondary carinal y stent.

Massive hemoptysis can be a life threatening condition and needs urgent treatment in lung cancer. In the fiberoptic bronchoscopy of a fifty-two-year-old who was admitted with hemoptysis, left upper lobe upper division orifice was seen totally obstructed with a submucosal infiltration. One hour after the mucosal biopsies, massive hemoptysis occurred.

Complete blood count alterations after six months of continuous positive airway pressure treatment in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Study Objectives: The cardiovascular complications caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) decrease after continuous positive airway pressure treatment (CPAP). Mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and red cell distribution width (RDW) are newly recognized tools for assessing cardiovascular risk.

Methods: From a selection of patients with symptoms of nocturnal snoring and/or excessive daytime sleepiness, 36 males with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 30/h and 22 age-matched normal male controls with AHI < 5/h were included.

Effect of hypoxia on glucose metabolism in nondiabetic patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Aim: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) may promote hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Our aim is to investigate the effect of OSAS on the fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and C reactive protein (CRP) in nondiabetic patients.

Material And Methods: Blood parameters of consecutive 90 non diabetic patients whom polysomnografic evaluations were done in our sleep laboratory was evaluated.

Neck circumference, metabolic syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome; evaluation of possible linkage.

Background: This study was performed to evaluate neck circumference (NC) and metabolic syndrome (MS) parameters in severe and non-severe (mild-moderate) obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients according to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI).

Material And Methods: We enrolled 44 patients diagnosed with OSAS based on overnight polysomnography. The diagnosis of OSAS was based on AHI.

Early tracheal stenosis causing extubation failure and prolonged ventilator dependency.

Postintubation stenosis is the most frequent cause of benign tracheal stenosis and may cause reintubation and delay in weaning of intensive care unit patients. This case study describes typical patients with tracheal stenosis and the management of these patients. Five patients requiring reintubation and mechanical ventilation due to early intubation-related stenosis are discussed.

Can red blood cell distribution width predict severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome?

Study Objectives: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a newly recognized risk marker for various diseases. We evaluated the value of RDW in predicting the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Methods: From retrospective analyses of 526 patients admitted to our sleep laboratory for polysomnography between January 2010 and July 2011, 108 patients with complete medical records and hemogram analyses were evaluated.

Endobronchial Watanabe spigot embolisation in the treatment of bronchopleural fistula due to tuberculous empyema in intensive care unit.

Tuberculosis may be complicated with empyema and fistula in patients with cellular immune deficiency. The case presented was a 39-year-old male patient with diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis developed hydropneumothorax while taking steroid and immunosuppressive treatment and examination of pleural fluid revealed acid-fast bacilli. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit due to respiratory failure and underwent bronchoscopic examination due to air leakage.

Evaluation of six patients with pulmonary carcinosarcoma with a literature review.

Background: Carcinosarcoma of the lung is a rare malignant neoplasm. We evaluated the diagnosis and treatment of six carcinosarcoma cases, including a synchronous tumour and a solitary pulmonary tumour, along with the clinical and histological features and survival times.

Methods: From a retrospective analysis of 1076 non-small-cell lung cancer resections performed between January 1996 and January 2011, six patients (0.

Heart rate variability analysis of single-channel electrocardiogram can help to differentiate high-risk patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome - a study on diagnostic accuracy.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of heart rate variability analysis (HRV) analysis from the long duration electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings as a screening test for the diagnosis of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Methods: Recordings from 87 patients who were admitted to sleep laboratory for polysomnographic study (PSG) were evaluated. Finally 30 cases with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)≥15/hour included in patient's group (male/female: 22/8; mean age: 49±10 years) and 21 cases with AHI<5 were included in control group (male/female: 10/11; mean age: 48±11 years).

A mismanaged case of hydatid disease of lung.

We report a 50 years old female who was admitted to our clinic for investigation of pneumonia. She had responded to antibiotics but full regresson was not observed. Chest x-rays demonstrated lobar consolidation.

[Total atalectasis of the left lung developing during the third month of treatment in a case of pulmonary tuberculosis].

Introduction: Pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cancer are still important public health problems and can occur simultaneously. In this article, we present the case of a 38-year-old patient treated for smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis.

Case Report: During the third month of treatment, the patient developed respiratory distress and was found to have total atelectasis of the left lung.

Diode laser in the endoscopic treatment of obstructive airway disease: two years experience in Istanbul.

Aim: Laser therapy is a well-known technique which has been safely used for almost thirty years to treat endobronchial obstruction. Nd : YAG and Nd : YAP lasers are commonly used lasers, whose safety and efficacy have been investigated in several large series. Diode laser is a new laser system which has been mainly used in urology, endovascular surgery, ENT, and dermatology.

Improving Heart rate variability in sleep apnea patients: differences in treatment with auto-titrating positive airway pressure (APAP) versus conventional CPAP.

The effect of positive airway pressure treatments in different modalities on the cardiovascular consequences of the disease in sleep apnea patients is still unclear. We aimed to compare auto-titrating positive airway pressure (APAP) and conventional continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in terms of improving heart rate variability (HRV) in obstructive sleep apnea patients. This was a prospective study done in a tertiary research hospital.

Value of endobronchial ultrasound in staging non-small cell lung cancer.

Endobronchial ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is an accurate, safe and minimally invasive technique for the analysis of mediastinal lymph nodes. The aim of our study was to assess the value of EBUS probe using single-channel bronchoscope. Twenty-two patients who undervent EBUS-TBNA with proven non-small cell lung cancer and enlarged (> 1 cm) mediastinal lymph node at chest computed tomography were retrospectively enrolled in the study.

[Two typical carcinoid cases treated by endobronchial approach].

Surgical treatment of typical bronchial carcinoid tumors varies from bronchoscopic excision to major resective procedures. Polypoid shaped typical carcinoid tumor detected in two female patients who were admitted to our clinic with the pre-diagnosis of asthma and lung cancer. In both cases, polypoid typical carcinoid tumors were excited by argon plasma coagulation using rigid bronchoscopy.

Resection of giant endobronchial hamartoma by electrocautery and cryotherapy via flexible bronchoscopy.

Endobronchial hamartoma is a rare tumor which is 3-10% of all hamartomas. We presented a case of endobronchial hamartoma that was resected and ablated with electrocautery and cryotherapy by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. A 71-year-old male, presented with progressive dyspnea on exertion, chest pain and hemoptysis.

Smoking habits among physicians in Istanbul and their attitudes regarding anti-smoking legislation.

The purpose of this study was to analyze smoking related beliefs, attitudes and knowledge on anti-smoking legislation among physicians practicing in Istanbul, Turkey. Questionnaires were sent to 18.000 physicians who were also members of Istanbul Chamber of Medicine.