Fibrin-glue-coated collagen fleece in lung surgery--experimental comparison with infrared coagulation and clinical experience.

Diffuse parenchymal bleeding and major air leaks still present a challenge to the thoracic surgeon. This study was therefore designed to evaluate efficacy and handling of fibrin-glue-coated collagen fleece, to address these problems. In an experimental part defects were produced in lungs of troll pigs to compare the use of the fleece with infrared coagulation.

Accuracy of computed tomographic scan and surgical assessment for staging of bronchial carcinoma. A prospective study.

There is an increasing demand for accurate preoperative and intraoperative staging of bronchial carcinoma with respect to neoadjuvant therapy protocols and parenchyma-sparing operations. This study prospectively evaluated accuracy of computed tomographic scan and surgical assessment for staging of bronchial carcinoma in 108 consecutive patients. The stage of the primary tumor (T stage) was correctly determined in 85% of the patients, and surgical evaluation correctly determined the T stage in 92%.

[Thoracic actinomycosis versus bronchial cancer].

We report on 4 thoracic actinomycoses; in three of these four cases a bronchial carcinoma was suspected, and in case No. 2 this carcinoma had been considered to be in a very advanced and inoperable stage. A man of 51 years of age was in a generally run-down condition.

[The value of computerized tomography and of the surgical assessment for lymph node staging in bronchial carcinoma. A prospective study].

We evaluated the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) and of surgical assessment for lymph node staging prospectively in 108 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma. For CT/surgical assessment a sensitivity of 29/90%, a specificity of 93/63%, a positive predictive value of 49/39% and a negative predictive value of 85/96% were calculated on a node-by-node basis. Sensitivity and specificity of CT were highly influenced by the lymph node region studied and by typing of the tumor.

[Fibrin-coated collagen fleece in thoracic surgery. Initial clinical experience].

After resecting procedures to the parenchyma of the lung the resection site was sealed with a collagen vleece combined with fibrin glue in 26 patients. No patient exhibited rebleeding. An air leak was present up to the first postoperative day in 19 patients, up to the third postoperative day in 5 patients.