Predictive and prognostic value of preoperative symptoms in the surgical treatment of pulmonary aspergilloma.

Background: Surgical resection is widely accepted as the treatment of choice for pulmonary aspergilloma (PA). However, the technique involved ranks among the most challenging in thoracic surgery and remains associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. To improve the outcomes, it is essential to establish clear recommendations for optimal timing of surgery and selection of patients.

Surgical treatment of mediastinal parathyroid adenoma: rationale for intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring.

Background: Recent publications have recommended parathyroidectomy guided solely by preoperative imaging. However, when the parathyroid adenoma is located deep in the mediastinum, the surgeon often encounters difficulties to localize and completely remove all hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissues. Thus, we hypothesized that patients with mediastinal adenoma differ substantially from cervical cases and require a specific strategy.

Surgery for pulmonary aspergilloma in immunocompetent patients: no benefit from adjuvant antifungal pharmacotherapy.

Background: The optimal treatment strategy for pulmonary aspergilloma (PA) remains controversial. Among a variety of options, surgical removal of the mycetoma is considered the most effective. However, it ranks among the most challenging procedures and is associated with considerable mortality and morbidity.

A rare case of solitary plasmacytoma mimicking a primary lung tumor.

Extramedullary plasmacytomas, especially located in the thorax, are very rare. We present a 31-year-old patient who was diagnosed with a solitary plasmacytoma located in the lung mimicking a primary lung tumor. After several weeks, this developed into multiple myeloma.

Dynamics of nasopharyngeal colonization by gram-negative rods in patients with resectable lung cancer during short-term hospitalization.

We determined the frequency of colonization of nasopharynx by Gram-negative rods in 63 patients with lung cancer undergoing thoracic surgery who routinely receive antimicrobial prophylaxis. Throat and nasal specimens were taken from each patient twice: on the day of hospital admission (examination I) followed by thoracic surgery and on the fourth day after thoracic surgery (examination II). The isolated strains were identified using API 20E or API 20NE microtests.

EDTA as a potential agent preventing formation of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm on polichloride vinyl biomaterials.

Polichloride vinyl (PCV) is a widely used thermoplastic polymer, also in the production of medical devices. In the present study we assess the influence of EDTA in vitro on the biofilm structure formed by Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates on PCV biomaterials (Nelaton and Thorax catheters). The 6 strains of S.

[Smoking among secondary school students in Stalowa Wola].

Smoking is recognized as major, the most prevalent, and at the same time the only removable factor of many diseases. The major causes of starting smoking are: stress, curiosity and staying among people who smoke tobacco. The research was conducted among students of secondary school in Stalowa Wola in the form of an anonymous poll.

[Active and passive smoking among students of Polish high schools].

The survey was conducted among 29540 students in different secondary schools. All interviewers were 17.42 +/- 1.

Saccular aneurysm of the superior vena cava detected by computed tomography and successfully treated with surgery.

Vascular lesions must be considered in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses. Systemic venous aneurysms are an extremely rare cause of dilatation of the mediastinal shadow on plain chest roentgenograms. We describe what we believe to be the 10th case in the literature of a saccular aneurysm of the superior vena cava, which was detected by computed tomography in a 59-year-old woman and was successfully treated with surgery.

Indices of immune activation after bronchial carcinoma surgery.

The aim of the study was to examine the levels of IL-2 and soluble receptor sIL-2R involved in the activation of TH1 lymphocytes, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA), whose synthesis is induced by IL-6 and IL-1, in the patients with bronchial carcinoma subjected to surgical procedures. The studies involved 35 patients operated on for bronchial carcinoma and 17 patients requiring thoracic surgery due to other reasons. The immune parameters were determined preoperatively and three, seven, 10 days after the operation.

[A rare case of gaseous gangrenous mediastinitis].

We report a case of a cervical phlegmone and mediastinitis descending from peridental abscess in 32-year old student. Emergency left thoracotomy was performed after CT evaluation in which multiple fluid levels and gas spaces were found. After 72 hours bacterial strains showed Clostridium perfringens in fluid taken from left pleural cavity and patient was sent to Hiberbaric Center in Gdynia, where he underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy.