Mediastinal infection is a feared complication observed after 0.4%-5% of cardiac operations. Even today the mortality remains as high as 20%-40%. We discuss the aetiology, mechanisms, prevention, diagnosis, and medical management. The staging system for mediastinal wound infections developed at a joint conference of German cardiac surgical centres is presented. The use of parenteral polyvalent immunoglobulins is also discussed.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11024159950188484 | DOI Listing |
JACC Case Rep
January 2025
Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Fibrosing mediastinitis is a rare chronic inflammatory condition characterized by excessive fibrotic process in the mediastinum. Although various infectious processes are more common causes, it can also be related to several malignancies. We report a case of a 28-year-old woman with fibrosing mediastinitis related to an aggressive primary gray-zone lymphoma causing complete occlusion of the superior vena cava (SVC) and the innominate veins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
January 2025
Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Military Hospital of Avicenne, Marrakech, MAR.
Infectious myocarditis (IM) and infective endocarditis (IE), sometimes associated with infection of the surrounding mediastinal tissue or embolic complications caused by residual implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) lead material embedded in the ventricle, present a significant challenge for cardiac surgeons due to the difficulty of precisely locating the old intracardiac pacing lead remnants because of the heart's continuous movement. We present the case of successful two-stage elective sternotomy extraction of two residual defibrillator leads, one trapped in the left innominate vein, easily removed after veinotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and the other embedded intramyocardially in the inferior wall of the right ventricle, successfully removed under CPB after fluoroscopic guidance. The patient was discharged four weeks post-operation without complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Arrhythm
February 2025
Department of Electrophysiology, Department of Cardiology AIG Institute of Cardiac Sciences and Research Hyderabad India.
Objectives: We present a case series of patients with granulomatous myocarditis presenting as atrial arrhythmias accompanied by lymphadenopathy.
Background: Atrial myocarditis (AM) may be the cause of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients without risk factors.
Methods: Patients with atrial fibrillation without risk factors underwent 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET).
Arch Gynecol Obstet
January 2025
Department of Congenital Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, 20097, San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Objectives: Congenital thoracic masses (CTMs) are suspected in presence of solid or cystic thoracic lesions at ultrasound. The common typical fetal CTMs encompass: hyperechogenic lung lesions such as congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM), broncopulmonary sequestration (PS) and congenital high airway obstruction syndrome (CHAOS); less common solid thoracic masses are mediastinal/pericardial tumors as rhabdomyoma and teratoma. The aim of our study is to gather the available evidence on cases of atypical CTMs of difficult classification, for which the diagnosis remains often uncertain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cardiothorac Surg
January 2025
Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Jonas Lies vei 65, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
Background: A broncho-esophageal fistula (BEF) is a medical and surgical disaster. Treatment of BEF is often limited to palliative stent treatment that may migrate or cause erosions and tissue necrosis. Surgical repair of BEF is the only established definite treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!