The Role of Transbronchial Cryobiopsy in the Detection of Pulmonary Graft-versus-Host Disease.

Introduction: We investigated the incidence of chronic pulmonary complications in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients and analyzed the role of transbronchial cryobiopsy (cryoTBB) as a tool to determine the nature of pulmonary changes and to guide clinical decisions.

Methods: Patients who survived at least 6 months post HCT were included in the study. Pulmonary functional tests (PFTs) were performed in all patients as a screening tool.

Lung Transplant in a Patient With Multifocal Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis After Chemotherapy With Cladribine: A Case Report.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare inflammatory disorder of myeloid dendritic cells with mutations involving KRAS, BRAF and/or NRAS, and MAP2K1 genes. We describe the case of a 58-year-old female previous smoker with multifocal LCH involving the lungs, pituitary gland and mandibular bone. Initial treatment with 6 cycles of cladribine showed improvement in her extrapulmonary lesions, however, her lung disease progressed and after qualification and assessment tests she underwent uncomplicated double lung transplant surgery and was discharged home.

Health-related quality of life following transcatheter aortic valve implantation using transaortic, transfemoral approaches and surgical aortic valve replacement-a single-center study.

Objective: To evaluate short- and long-term changes in quality of life (QoL) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and to assess differences in patient QoL when using the TAVI transaortic (TAVI TAo) approach compared with the transfemoral approach (TAVI TF) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).

Methods: Ninety-seven patients were assessed. Thirty-two patients underwent TAVI TAo, 31 underwent TAVI TF and 34 patients underwent SAVR.

The use of intraoperative epiaortic ultrasonography in monitoring patients over 75 years old treated with aortic valve replacement.

Introduction: Epiaortic ultrasound scanning (EAS) extended the use of ultrasound to the intraoperative diagnosis of aortic pathology. Surgical palpation of the ascending aorta underestimates the presence and severity of atherosclerotic plaques. Epiaortic ultrasound scanning has been used as an adjunct to transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) or as a primary direct diagnostic tool for imaging the ascending aorta as well as the aortic arch, which gained prominence as part of a multipronged intraoperative strategy to reduce atherosclerotic emboli.

Pulmonary hypertension in advanced lung diseases: Echocardiography as an important part of patient evaluation for lung transplantation.

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is common complication in advanced lung disease. Echocardiography provides additional information and may be useful to assess PH probability.

Objectives: The usefulness of combination of well-known echocardiographic parameters in detecting PH in patients with advanced lung disease referred for lung transplantation was evaluated.

Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement - pros and cons of keyhole aortic surgery.

Over the last twenty years, minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (MIAVR) has evolved into a safe, well-tolerated and efficient surgical treatment option for aortic valve disease. It has been shown to reduce postoperative morbidity, providing faster recovery and rehabilitation, shorter hospital stay and better cosmetic results compared with conventional surgery. A variety of minimally invasive accesses have been developed and utilized to date.

Novel polymeric inhibitors of HCoV-NL63.

The human coronavirus NL63 is generally classified as a common cold pathogen, though the infection may also result in severe lower respiratory tract diseases, especially in children, patients with underlying disease, and elderly. It has been previously shown that HCoV-NL63 is also one of the most important causes of croup in children. In the current manuscript we developed a set of polymer-based compounds showing prominent anticoronaviral activity.

Use of sensitive, broad-spectrum molecular assays and human airway epithelium cultures for detection of respiratory pathogens.

Rapid and accurate detection and identification of viruses causing respiratory tract infections is important for patient care and disease control. Despite the fact that several assays are available, identification of an etiological agent is not possible in ~30% of patients suffering from respiratory tract diseases. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to develop a diagnostic set for the detection of respiratory viruses with sensitivity as low as 1-10 copies per reaction.