Vancomycin penetration of uninfected pleural fluid exudate after continuous or intermittent infusion.

Blood and pleural exudate samples were obtained from 16 patients receiving intermittent or continuous infusions of vancomycin after lung surgery. The areas under the concentration-time curves for blood and pleural exudates were identical for both administration schedules, while continuous infusion allowed the concentrations in pleural exudates to be more sustained (mean concentration, 12 mg/liter).

[The thoracic surgery department].

The Department of Thoracic Surgery has been developed since 40 years, and particularly since 23 years at the Hôpital Erasme. The high rate of lung cancers did induce an important activity in surgical oncology, inside multidisciplinary teams. After a first attempt in 1969, lung transplantation is now successful.

Undiagnosed rupture of right hemidiaphragm--hepatothorax: a case report.

A case of late diagnosis of right diaphragmatic rupture due to blunt trauma is presented. Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture is an uncommon but severe problem in a patient with multiple injuries. One third of left-sided ruptures and half of right-sided ruptures have been undetected for several days.

Effects of lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema on diaphragm dimensions and configuration.

Part of the functional benefit provided by lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) may be related to improvement in respiratory muscle function resulting from changes in diaphragm dimension and configuration. To study these changes, we obtained 3D reconstructions of the muscle using spiral computed tomography in 11 patients with severe emphysema before and 3 mo after surgery, and in 11 normal subjects matched for sex, age, height, and weight. Bilateral LVRS was performed by thoracoscopy in eight patients and by sternotomy in three patients.

Two-lung and one-lung ventilation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the effects of position and F(IO)2.

Unlabelled: We compared the effects of position and fraction of inspired oxygen (F(IO)2) on oxygenation during thoracic surgery in 24 consenting patients randomly assigned to receive an F(IO)2 of 0.4 (eight patients, Group 0.4), 0.