Del Nido vs. Cold Blood Cardioplegia for High-Risk Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients with Reduced Ventricular Function.

Introduction: The evidence for using del Nido cardioplegia protocol in high-risk patients with reduced ejection fraction undergoing isolated coronary surgery is insufficient.

Methods: The institutional database was searched for isolated coronary bypass procedures. Patients with ejection fraction < 40% were selected.

Use of del Nido cardioplegia in acute coronary syndrome cases with decreased ejection fraction.

Background: There has been increasing interest in using del Nido cardioplegia in adult cardiac surgery. However, there is limited evidence for its efficacy in patients with acute coronary syndrome and reduced ejection fraction.

Methods: This study examined patients with decreased ejection fraction (EF < 40%) who were hospitalized due to acute coronary syndrome and received either del Nido (DN) or cold blood cardioplegia (CB).

HDR endobronchial brachytherapy (HDRBT) in the management of advanced lung cancer--comparison of two different dose schedules.

Purpose: The aim of this work is to compare the results of various treatment protocols used in palliative HDRBT with the view of analyzing differences in survival and diminishing breathing difficulties.

Material And Methods: A total of 648 patients with advanced lung cancer were divided into two groups according to their clinical stage and the Zubrod-ECOG-WHO score. 303 (46.

HDR brachytherapy (HDR-BT) combined with stent placement in palliative treatment of esophageal cancer.

Purpose: In the study we present the initial results of palliative treatment using combined methods of HDR-BT and stent insertion in patients with advanced esophagus cancer.

Material And Methods: Fifty patients were treated in the Great Poland Cancer Center using HDR-BT between June 2001 and December 2005 and they were enrolled into the study. All patients underwent endoscopic insertion of self-expanding, metal, endoesophageal stents owing to blockages in the lumen of the esophagus which excluded brachytherapy.

The use of high dose rate endobronchial brachytherapy to palliate symptomatic recurrence of previously irriadiated lung cancer.

Endobronchial obstruction associated with lung cancer represents a common and potentially life threatening complication of newly diagnosed or recurrent disease. The vast majority of patients with obstructive lesions are not curable so it is desirable to palliate these patients as quickly as possible without compromising quality of life. High dose rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) represents a therapeutic option with several advantages over external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), particularly in previous irradiated patients.

[Multifocal ischaemic stroke and myocardial infarction in a woman with occult lung cancer complicated with chronic DIC and thrombotic endocarditis].

Ischaemic stroke in thromboembolic mechanism may be a first sign of neoplastic disease, as in the presented case of a 56-year-old woman. Progressive trombocytopenia, anaemia with reticulocytosis and schistocytes in peripheral blood smear, elevated serum LDH activity as well as coexisting myocardial infarction initially suggested Moschcowitz syndrome. However, plasma exchange did not improve her neurological status and D-dimer values increase in subsequent evaluations indicated chronic DIC.

[Long-term results of treatment for chondrosarcoma].

A series of 24 patients treated for chondrosarcoma between 1974 and 1991 is presented and compared with findings on patients treated from 1947 to 1973. Eleven patients were treated surgically alone, 7 were submitted to combined therapy (surgery and chemotherapy), in 6 cases palliative treatment was used. The survival after surgery ranged from 6 months to 23 years.

Value of CA 125 as a marker of ovarian cancer.

Elevated CA 125 level was noted in 0.2-5.9% healthy women, 2.