Diagnostic role of video-assisted thoracoscopy in the management of indeterminate pleural effusion.

Background: The management of pleural effusion usually involves the drainage of the effusion, identification, and treatment of the underlying cause (s). Studies have shown that the initial diagnostic techniques do not give conclusive diagnosis in some cases of pleural effusion. This group of patients described as patients with indeterminate or undiagnosed pleural effusion constitutes a significant proportion of patients with pleural effusion in clinical practice.

Predictors of outcome of chest tube drainage of nonpurulent exudative pleural effusions.

Background: Although chest tube drainage is the primary management method for many pleural effusions, it has a failure rate of 9.4-48%. In this study, we examined the factors that predict the outcome of management of nonpurulent exudative effusions.

Management of tension gastrothorax: experience from sub-Saharan Africa.

Tension gastrothorax is a form of obstructive shock resulting from increased intrathoracic pressure due to a distended herniated stomach. The clinical features of tension gastrothorax are similar to the clinical features of the more common tension pneumothorax. Clinical recognition of this trauma has remained difficult especially in the tropics where most responders are not specialists.

Invasive Pulmonary Cryptococcal Infection Masquerading as Lung Cancer with Brain Metastases: A Case Report.

Cryptococcosis, a global disease problem, seen frequently in the immuno-suppressed, also affects patients without apparent immuno-suppression. Pulmonary cryptococcosis patients often present as cryptococcal pneumonia, whereas intracranial cryptococcosis presents with meningitis. We present a 33-year-old immunocompetent man, diagnosed with invasive pulmonary cryptococcal disease with spread to the brain.

Incidence of leaving against medical advice (LAMA) among patients admitted at the accident and emergency unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.

Background: The causes and incidence of the commonly observed phenomenon of leaving against medical advice (LAMA) in our hospitals have not been studied. This retrospective study was aimed at evaluating its incidence and pattern in order to suggest possible solutions.

Methodology: The case files of patients who left against medical advice at the Casualty unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital between July 2002 and December 2003 were retrieved from the Medical Records Department and information regarding age, sex, education/occupation, religion, diagnosis, reason(s) for leaving and duration of stay in casualty were extracted.