Pneumopericardium secondary to oesophageal cancer presenting as myocardial infarction: a case report.

The diagnosis of pneumopericardium can be challenging, as the symptoms are sometimes non-specific and can mimic those of other diseases. Especially, focal pneumopericardium presenting with regional ST-segment elevation on the electrocardiogram can be difficult to diagnose. Here, we present the case of a patient with pneumopericardium secondary to oesophageal cancer that was first diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia and subsequently classified with acute coronary syndrome after an episode of cardiac arrest.

Nonintubated thoracoscopic surgery using regional anesthesia and vagal block and targeted sedation.

Objective: Thoracoscopic surgery without endotracheal intubation is a novel technique for diagnosis and treatment of thoracic diseases. This study reported the experience of nonintubated thoracoscopic surgery in a tertiary medical center in Taiwan.

Methods: From August 2009 through August 2013, 446 consecutive patients with lung or pleural diseases were treated by nonintubated thoracoscopic surgery.

Nonintubated thoracoscopic lung resection: a 3-year experience with 285 cases in a single institution.

Objective: Tracheal intubation with one-lung ventilation is considered mandatory for thoracoscopic surgery. This study reported the experience of thoracoscopic lung resection without endotracheal intubation in a single institution.

Methods: From August 2009 through July 2012, 285 consecutive patients were treated by nonintubated thoracoscopic surgery using epidural anesthesia, intrathoracic vagal blockade, and sedation for lobectomy, segmentectomy, or wedge resection in a tertiary medical center.

Nonintubated needlescopic video-assisted thoracic surgery for management of peripheral lung nodules.

Background: Video-assisted thoracic operations are usually performed with 5-mm or 10-mm instruments under general anesthesia with single-lung ventilation. Management of peripheral lung nodules by a needlescopic video-assisted thoracoscopic operation, without endotracheal intubation, has rarely been attempted. We evaluated the feasibility and safety of this minimally invasive technique in managing peripheral lung nodules.

Nonintubated thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of thoracoscopic lobectomy without endotracheal intubation.

Summary Background Data: General anesthesia with single-lung ventilation is considered mandatory for thoracoscopic lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nonintubated thoracoscopic lobectomy has not been reported previously.