[Descending Necrotising Mediastinitis: the Choice of Drainage].

Introduction: Descending necrotising mediastinitis (DNM) is a rare, but very severe, septic condition, caused by the spread of infection from the neck to the mediastinum. Delay in diagnosis and inadequate surgical procedures may lead to a life-threatening situation.

Material: We retrospectively evaluated a group of patients who suffered from DNM and were treated in our department by mediastinal drainage in the last 10 years (2010 - 2019).

Pleural empyema - single center experience.

Introduction: Retrospective analysis of a group of patients treated for pleural empyema in the Department of Surgery, University Hospital Pilsen, over the last ten years.

Method: We evaluated a group of patients treated for pleural empyema in the Department of Surgery, University Hospital in Pilsen, during the period 2007-2016. We focused on the demographic data of this group, the causes of empyema in these patients, surgical procedures performed in connection with empyema, the microbial species found in empyema, and, last but not least, on morbidity and lethality.

Can the One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification method of lymph nodes examination make the staging of pulmonary tumours more precise?

Introduction: The aim of this article is to compare the sensitivity of detecting micrometastases in hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in case of primary (non-small cell) and secondary (metastases of colorectal carcinoma) pulmonary tumours using standard histopathological examination with haematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry examination with Anti-Cytokeratin 19 antibody and examination based on the One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification method.

Method: During radical surgical treatment of primary non-small cell lung carcinoma and pulmonary metastases of colorectal carcinoma, hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes of 100 patients enrolled in the study in the period from 2015 to 2017 were extracted based on a standard classification. These lymph nodes were subsequently divided along the longitudinal axis into 4 identical parts where part one and three on the left were intended for examination based on the One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification method, whereas parts two and four were subjected to histopathological examination.

[Penetrating chest trauma - experience of the Pilsen University Hospital Trauma Centre].

Introduction: Retrospective analysis of a set of patients treated for penetrating chest trauma in the Trauma Centre at University Hospital Pilsen over seventeen years.

Method: Overall, 96 injured with penetrating chest trauma were treated in the study period 2000-2016. Basic demographics, the mechanism, type, location and extent of the penetrating chest trauma, Injury Severity Score, existence of associated injuries, diagnostic procedures, timing and method of the chest trauma treatment as well as any complications and reoperations were identified in the set.

[Traumatic pneumothorax - diagnosis and treatment of 322 cases over a five-year period].

Introduction: Retrospective analysis of a set of patients treated for traumatic pneumothorax in the Trauma Centre of Teaching Hospital in Pilsen over a period of five years.

Method: In total, 322 patients with traumatic pneumothorax were treated in the study period 20122016. The set included subjects whose injury fell within the definition of traumatic pneumothorax and who underwent either primary treatment or secondary transport to the Trauma Centre following basic treatment in another health facility on the day that the trauma occurred.