Feasibility, safety and outcomes of stereotactic radiotherapy for ultra-central thoracic oligometastatic disease guided by linear endobronchial ultrasound-inserted fiducials.

Background & Purpose: Local treatment of oligometastases has been found to improve survival and prognosis. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has emerged as a treatment option for oligometastases but its use in ultra-central (UC) areas can cause significant toxicity and mortality. Fiducial markers (FM) can be used to improve SBRT accuracy, and can be inserted in the central thorax using linear endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) bronchoscopy.

The role of the host-microbiome and metabolomics in sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a complex inflammatory fibrotic disease that affects multiple organ systems. It is characterized by the infiltration of lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes, which form non-caseating granulomas in affected organs. The lungs and intrathoracic lymph nodes are the most commonly affected organs.

Isolated unilateral absence of pulmonary artery (IUAPA) in adults: A case series and review of literature.

Unilateral Absence of Pulmonary Artery (UAPA) is a rare congenital malformation that is usually associated with cardiac anomalies. When there is no congenital cardiac abnormality it is rarer still and is termed isolated unilateral absence of pulmonary artery (IUAPA) (4). IUAPA may remain undetected until adulthood and frequently found incidentally on imaging for other indications.

Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as thoracic lymphadenopathy.

Metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can involve the lung parenchyma. However, predominant thoracic lymphadenopathy involvement is less described and there are multiple alternative malignant and non-malignant causes of a similar appearance. Accurate tissue diagnosis is important to determine appropriate management and prognostication.

A novel procedure of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration for pulmonary parenchymal lesions: The ZUTAM technique.

Convex probe-endobronchial ultrasound (CP-EBUS) has been proven to be safe and accurate for identifying malignancy and granulomatous disease affecting the mediastinum and hilum. CP-EBUS can be used for intraparenchymal lesions also and has been shown to be efficacious. A subset of lesions particularly suited for CP-EBUS are those completely surrounded by lung parenchyma, centrally located, and typically close to but without an airway leading directly to them.

Spontaneous fracture of indwelling pleural catheter.

Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are increasingly used for the management of symptomatic malignant pleural effusion worldwide. IPCs have been documented to reduce the number of hospital bed days in patients with malignant pleural effusion and thus are often used as the preferred mode of management in fit healthy patients with good performance status. Complications related to IPCs, mainly in the form of pleural infection and needle tract metastasis, are well reported in the literature.

Multi-focal, multi-centric granular cell tumours: a management dilemma.

Granular cell tumours (GCT) are uncommon, usually solitary tumours of neural/Schwann cell origin that occur at any site of the body, and typically run an indolent clinical course. Treatment by excision is recommended. Distant or nodal metastases are the only reliable signs of malignancy.

Plastic in patient study: Prospective audit of adherence to peripheral intravenous cannula monitoring and documentation guidelines, with the aim of reducing future rates of intravenous cannula-related complications.

Background: Peripheral intravenous cannula (PIVC) insertion is a universal intervention for inpatients and is associated with multiple complications. Effective, simple, reproducible interventions specific to PIVC complication prevention are few and often extrapolated from central venous catheter complication prevention strategies. The objective of this study is to improve compliance with documentation and monitoring PIVC guidelines in the medical ward of a secondary care center.