Epicardial left ventricular lead implantation in cardiac resynchronization therapy patients via a video-assisted thoracoscopic technique: Long-term outcome.

Background: Epicardial placement of the left ventricular (LV) lead via a video-assisted thoracoscopic (VAT) approach is an alternative to the standard transvenous technique.

Hypothesis: Long-term safety and efficacy of VAT and transvenous LV lead implantation are comparable. To test it, we reviewed our experience and we compared the outcomes of patients who underwent implantation with the two techniques.

Cost analysis of pulmonary lobectomy procedure: comparison of stapler versus precision dissection and sealant.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the direct costs of pulmonary lobectomy hospitalization, comparing surgical techniques for the division of interlobar fissures: stapler (ST) versus electrocautery and hemostatic sealant patch (ES).

Methods: The cost comparison analysis was based on the clinical pathway and drawn up by collecting the information available from the Thoracic Surgery Division medical team at Mantova Hospital. Direct resource consumption was derived from a previous randomized controlled trial including 40 patients.

Pleurodesis with Thulium Cyber Laser versus talc poudrage: a comparative experimental study.

Sclerosing fluids to achieve pleurodesis could be hardly replaced for bed-side procedures, but other devices may be successfully applied during thoracoscopy. Thulium Cyber Laser was experimented for this purpose and compared to talc poudrage. Twenty pigs underwent operative videothoracoscopy (VATS).

Minimally invasive thoracoscopic technique for cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Outcome of surgical left ventricular (LV) lead placement is not well defined in patients with failed percutaneous cardiac resynchronization therapy. An extended experience with epicardial LV lead placement is here reported, describing the minimally invasive procedure performed at our institution using a thoracoscopic surgical approach.

Disc coablation and epidural injection of steroids: a comparison of strategies in the treatment of mechanical spinal discogenic pain.

In this study two strategies in the treatment of Mechanical Spinal Discogenic Pain have been compared: Disc Coablation and Epidural Injection of Steroids. In 2003 50 patients treated with one or two epidural injections have been selected "ad random" and 50 patients treated with disc coablation. Comparison of the data indicated an improvement of average VAS when relaxed for both groups (p < 0.