Chest
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Hydatid disease (human echinococcosis) is a zoonotic infection caused by larval forms (metacestodes) of the genus Echinococcus. Although pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to hydatid disease has been described, it is quite rare. We report a patient with chronic echinococcal embolic PH in whom treatment with novel PH therapies permitted successful resection of the hepatic cyst with a good outcome.
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RBC transfusion has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in a variety of clinical settings. We assessed the effect of RBC transfusion on in-hospital mortality in patients with acute lung injury (ALI). ⋯ Transfusion of RBCs in patients with ALI was associated with increased in-hospital mortality. This risk occurred with RBC transfusion after the onset of ALI, and was greater for nonleukoreduced than for leukoreduced RBCs. Aggressive transfusion strategies in patients with established ALI should be questioned, pending further study.
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Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a common disease in young adults. With advances in its surgical treatment, ipsilateral recurrence is < 5%. However, contralateral recurrence remains a significant problem. The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify the factors associated with contralateral recurrence of PSP. ⋯ Contralateral recurrence of PSP is significantly more common in patients with underweight and blebs/bullae in the contralateral lung. Single-stage bilateral surgery may be considered for these patients to circumvent the need for subsequent anesthetic and operative procedures, and additional hospitalization.