Computed tomography -defined sarcopenia is associated with long-term survival among patients undergoing open thoracic aortic reconstruction.

Background And Objective: As markers of sarcopenia, psoas muscle areas and indexes measured from computed tomography images have been found to predict long-term mortality in cardiothoracic as well as other surgical cohorts. Our objective was to investigate the association between psoas muscle status, taking into account muscle density in addition to area, and survival among patients undergoing open thoracic aortic reconstruction.

Methods: This was a retrospective registry study of a total of 451 patients treated with open surgery for thoracic aortic pathology.

Treatment of right-sided aortic arch aneurysms with aberrant left subclavian artery with Kommerell's diverticulum using the frozen elephant trunk technique.

Objectives: The ideal treatment for aneuryms of aberrant left subclavian arteries with Kommerell's diverticulum arising from right aortic arches remains open.

Methods: Between January 2015 and December 2020, 5 patients with aneurysms from a right-sided aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery and Kommerell's diverticulum underwent repair by using the frozen elephant trunk technique in 3 aortic centres. Patients' characteristics were retrospectively reviewed and the surgical procedure and outcomes are presented.

Early and midterm results of frozen elephant trunk operation with Evita open stent-graft in patients with Marfan syndrome: results of a multicentre study.

Background: Endovascular treatment of patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) is not recommended. Hybrid procedures such as frozen elephant trunk (FET), which combines stent-graft deployment with an integrated non-stented fabric graft for proximal grafting and suturing, have not been previously evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and feasibility of FET operation in patients with MFS.

Gorham-Stout disease with life-threatening pleural effusion treated with a pleuro-peritoneal shunt: a case report.

Summary: Gorham-Stout disease (GSD) is a rare bone disease characterized by massive osteolysis and lymphatic proliferation. The origin of the condition is unknown, and no established treatment protocol exists. Massive pleural effusion is a frequent complication of GSD in the thoracic region.

A randomized trial comparing inspiratory training and positive pressure training in immediate lung recovery after minor pleuro-pulmonary surgery.

Background: Two respiratory physiotherapy modalities were compared in a randomized controlled trial on patients undergoing minor pleuro-pulmonary surgery.

Methods: Forty-five patients were randomly allocated into positive expiratory pressure (PEP) therapy (n=23) and inspiratory muscle training (IMT) groups (n=22). Individualized group specific physiotherapeutic guidance was administered preoperatively, and once a day postoperatively.

Inspiratory training and immediate lung recovery after resective pulmonary surgery: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Prompt and uneventful recovery after resective pulmonary surgery benefits patients by decreasing length and total costs of hospital stay. Postoperative physiotherapy has been shown to be advantageous for patient recovery in several studies and lately inspiratory muscle training (IMT) physiotherapy has been used also in thoracic patients. This randomized controlled trial intended to evaluate whether IMT is an efficient and feasible method of physiotherapy compared to water bottle positive expiratory physiotherapy (PEP) immediately after lung resections.

Results of frozen elephant trunk from the international E-vita Open registry.

Background: Over the years, frozen elephant trunk (FET) has become the treatment of choice for multisegmental thoracic aortic disease. This multicenter study presents the evolution of FET results using the E-vita Open hybrid graft with respect to institutional experience and time.

Methods: The data of International E-vita Open registry were studied according to the institutional experience of the participating centers (high- versus low-volume centers) and according to the evolution of FET treatment during time (1 period, 2005-2011 versus 2 period, 2012-2018).

Aortic diameter remodelling after the frozen elephant trunk technique in aortic dissection: results from an international multicentre registry.

Objectives: The frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique allows one-stage hybrid repair approach in aortic dissection (AoD). Even if the effect of the FET technique on promoting false lumen (FL) thrombosis has been proved in the past, the relative importance of FL thrombosis on aortic remodelling at different levels of the distal aorta and the magnitude of this effect is not well known. The aim of the study was to evaluate aortic remodelling following a FET technique for AoD.

Talin and vinculin are downregulated in atherosclerotic plaque; Tampere Vascular Study.

Background And Aims: Focal adhesions (FA) play an important role in the tissue remodeling and in the maintenance of tissue integrity and homeostasis. Talin and vinculin proteins are among the major constituents of FAs contributing to cellular well-being and intercellular communication.

Methods: Microarray analysis (MA) and qRT-PCR low-density array were implemented to analyze talin-1, talin-2, meta-vinculin and vinculin gene expression in circulating blood and arterial plaque.

Kindlin 3 (FERMT3) is associated with unstable atherosclerotic plaques, anti-inflammatory type II macrophages and upregulation of beta-2 integrins in all major arterial beds.

Background: Kindlins (FERMT) are cytoplasmic proteins required for integrin (ITG) activation, leukocyte transmigration, platelet aggregation and thrombosis. Characterization of kindlins and their association with atherosclerotic plaques in human(s) is lacking.

Methods And Results: Exploratory microarray (MA) was first performed followed by selective quantitative validation of robustly expressed genes with qRT-PCR low-density array (LDA).

Impact of clinical factors and surgical techniques on early outcome of patients treated with frozen elephant trunk technique by using EVITA open stent-graft: results of a multicentre study.

Objectives: The treatment of patients with extensive thoracic aortic disease involving the arch and descending aorta is often performed, using the frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique. We retrospectively analysed early outcomes with this technique, using a prospective database.

Methods: A total of 509 patients (mean age: 61 ± 11 years) were registered between January 2005 and January 2014 in a multicentre database after FET surgery.

Aiming at one-stage corrective surgery for extended thoracic aortic dilatation.

Definitive treatment of extended thoracic aortic dilatation is a major surgical challenge. Histopathology of resected thoracic aortic wall may reveal undiagnosed aortitis affecting outcome. We sought to investigate the benefit of thorough histopathology after one-stage corrective surgery for the treatment of extended thoracic aortic dilatation.

The frozen elephant trunk technique for the treatment of complicated type B aortic dissection with involvement of the aortic arch: multicentre early experience.

Objectives: Providing effective treatment for complicated type B aortic dissection (AD) with concomitant pathologies of the aortic arch or ascending aorta is challenging, especially if the aortic anatomy is contraindicated for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). We present the early results of a multicentre study using the frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique for type B AD.

Methods: From January 2005 to March 2013, data from 465 patients who had undergone treatment with the FET technique were collected in the database of the International E-vita Open Registry.

Association of neuroimmune guidance cue netrin-1 and its chemorepulsive receptor UNC5B with atherosclerotic plaque expression signatures and stability in human(s): Tampere Vascular Study (TVS).

Background: Macrophage (MΦ) infiltration and smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation are hallmarks of atherosclerosis and unstable plaques. Neuroimmune guidance cue 1 (netrin-1 [NTN1]) plays a critical role controlling MΦ trafficking and SMC activation. Characterization of expression of NTN1 and its receptors and their association with plaque stability in human(s) is lacking.

Detection of smell print differences between nonmalignant and malignant prostate cells with an electronic nose.

Aim: To determine whether an electronic nose can differentiate cultured nonmalignant and malignant prostatic cells from each other and whether the smell print is secreted to the surrounding medium.

Materials & Methods: Prostatic nonmalignant (EP-156T and controls) and malignant (LNCaP) cell lines, as well as conditioned and unconditioned media, were collected. The smell prints of the samples were analyzed by a ChemPro(®) 100 electronic nose device.

Multiple pulmonary arteriovenous malformations presenting as an acute myocardial infarction.

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations are rare, mostly asymptomatic vascular anomalies. These malformations cause direct right to left shunting of unoxygenated blood, resulting chronically in cyanosis, dyspnea, and exercise intolerance. The serious complications reported earlier have mainly been neurologic, for example, cerebrovascular accidents and brain abscesses and are most likely caused by paradoxical embolism.

Effect of surgical volume and hospital type on outcome in non-small cell lung cancer surgery: a Finnish population-based study.

Objective: Hospital mortality and long-term survival in major cancer surgery seems to be affected by hospital related factors. We evaluated the effect of university versus non-university hospital type, and surgical volume (0-4, 5-10, 11-20, and >20 average of cases/year) on the immediate and long-term survival of surgical non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Patients And Methods: Between 1988 and 2002, the number of NSCLC resections with curative intent in Finland was 5339.

Clinical outcomes after separate and composite replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta.

Objectives: We sought to compare the clinical profile and outcomes of operations for aortic valve disease and ascending aortic aneurysm in patients treated with aortic valve replacement and supracoronary replacement of the ascending aorta or composite replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta (Bentall operation).

Methods: From 1990 through 2001, 133 patients had aortic valve replacement and supracoronary replacement of the ascending aorta, and 452 patients had Bentall operations. Aortic valve replacement and supracoronary replacement of the ascending aorta was performed in patients who had aortic valve disease and dilation of the ascending aorta, whereas the Bentall operation was performed in patients with aortic root abnormality and ascending aortic aneurysm.

Caveolins as tumour markers in lung cancer detected by combined use of cDNA and tissue microarrays.

To identify new potential diagnostic markers for lung cancer, the expression profiles of 37 lung tumours were analysed using cDNA arrays. Seven samples were from small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), two from large-cell neuroendocrine tumours (LCNEC), and 28 from other non-small-cell lung cancers (mainly squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma). Principal component analysis and the permutation test were used to detect differences in the gene expression profiles and a set of genes was found that distinguished high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas (SCLC and LCNEC) from other lung cancers.

Comparison of computed tomography and systematic lymph node dissection in determining TNM and stage in non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: To compare computed tomography (CT)-based clinical TNM and staging to surgical-pathological staging with systematic lymph node dissection in primary non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: The study included 49 non-small cell lung cancer patients that underwent lung resection and systematic lymph node dissection between 1997 and 2001. Preoperative clinical and CT findings were compared with surgical-pathological findings.

Reduced Fhit protein expression and loss of heterozygosity at FHIT gene in tumours from smoking and asbestos-exposed lung cancer patients.

The FHIT gene, at 3p14.2, has been suggested to form a molecular target to damage induced by human lung carcinogens. We examined aberrant expression of the Fhit protein and allele loss at the FHIT gene in a series of lung cancer cases, mainly of non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC) histology.