The Relationship between Nocturnal Hypoxemia and Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Congestive Heart Failure Patients.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. Among patients with heart failure, sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a common problem. Current evidence suggests that SDB, particularly central SDB, is more prevalent in patients with CHF than in the general population, but it is underdiagnosed as SDB symptoms that are less prevalent in CHF.

Video assisted rigid thoracoscopy in the diagnosis of unexplained exudative pleural effusion.

Introduction: An undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion is often a difficult diagnostic dilemma that needs further histological study for a definitive etiological diagnosis. Video assisted rigid thoracoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure with a minor morbidity and mortality risk that could resolve this problem.

Methods: Between January 2010 and December 2011, we performed thoracoscopy in 26 patients for diagnosis of undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion.