Diagnosis and management of α-antitrypsin deficiency in Europe: an expert survey.

Despite recent improvements, α-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) remains a rarely diagnosed and treated condition. To assess the variability of AATD diagnosis/treatment in Europe, and to evaluate clinicians' views on methods to optimise management, specialist AATD clinicians were invited to complete a web-based survey. Surveys were completed by 15 physicians from 14 centres in 13 European countries.

[Transbronchial needle aspiration].

Transbronchial needle aspiration was initially invented in 1949 by Schieppati. After its adaptation to the flexible bronchoscope in 1983 by Wang this technique has gain firm indications in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer, in peripheral pulmonary nodules and masses; in the evaluation of endobronchial masses; in the disease of submucosal, in benign diseases, i.e.

[Idiophatic mediastinal fibrosis: a case report].

We herein report a case of a male patient, who presented a mediastinal mass that had a slow growth over the years. After surgery, that made the diagnosis of idiopathic mediastinal fibrosis, the growth stabilized. Four years latter it was observed a substantial increase which lead to the inevitable compression of vital structures which, in turn, led to pulmonary hypertension.