Indwelling pleural catheters for non-malignant effusions: a multicentre review of practice.

Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are commonly used in the management of malignant pleural effusion (MPE). There is little data on their use in non-malignant conditions. All IPC insertions for non-malignant cases from five large UK centres were found using prospectively maintained databases.

Video-assisted approach combined with the open Brompton technique for intracavitary drainage of giant bullae.

The modified Monaldi procedure represents a nonexcisional treatment option for patients with giant bullous emphysema as an alternative to bullectomy. We want to highlight its role in the surgical treatment of emphysema and discuss changes made to the open-access Brompton approach through introduction of video-assisted thoracic surgical technique.

Classification and early recognition of gastric conduit failure after minimally invasive esophagectomy.

Background: Esophagectomy is a high-risk procedure, with significant morbidity resulting from gastric conduit failure. Early recognition and management of these complications is essential. This study aimed to investigate the clinical value of routine investigations after minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIO) and to propose a classification system for gastric conduit failure.

Management of malignant pleural effusion associated with trapped lung syndrome.

Management of recurrent malignant pleural effusion associated with trapped lung syndrome remains problematic. An alternative treatment using a pleural catheter has been advocated. Between August 1999 and August 2002, 127 patients underwent thoracoscopy for malignant pleural effusion.

Transgastric drainage of the oesophagus: managing difficult oesophageal injuries.

We describe a technique for maintaining patency of the injured or repaired oesophagus while providing vacuum drainage of the oesophageal lumen. A small midline laparotomy is performed. A lubricated 36F soft chest drain (pull-through end) is introduced into the oesophagus using a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) set, and pulled out through the stomach wall.

A phase II single-institution study of neoadjuvant stage IIIA/B chemotherapy and radiochemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: The relevance of a trimodal strategy in the treatment of lung cancer, consisting of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy followed by surgery, is a subject of ongoing clinical trials. We tested whether improvement of long-term survival can be achieved for patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer by this therapeutic approach.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of a single-institution phase II study.