Chest
-
A 24-year-old woman, a baby-sitter with no known comorbidities, presented to the outpatient department with complaints of modified Medical Research Council grade IV breathlessness for 3 months, chest pain, and dry cough for 2 weeks. There was no known disease history, including respiratory, flu-like illness, or connective tissue disorder. ⋯ A review of systems was negative for fever, arthralgia, myalgia, Raynaud phenomenon, skin thickening, rash, or leg swelling. The patient had no family history suggestive of a genetic syndrome.
-
Most patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) seek treatment with malignant pleural effusion (MPE). In vitro evidence suggests that MPE may not be a simple bystander of malignancy, but rather potentially has biological properties that improve cancer cell survival and promote cancer progression. If this is the case, MPE management may need to shift from current symptomatic strategies to aggressive fluid removal to impact survival. ⋯ Pleurodesis success seems to be associated with improved survival; however, it is unclear whether duration of MPM exposure to pleural fluid is associated with survival within the limitations of this retrospective study. Future prospective studies are required to assess this potentially important mechanism.
-
Observational Study
Achieving Safe Liberation During Weaning from VV-ECMO in Patients with Severe ARDS: The role of Tidal Volume and Inspiratory Effort.
Weaning from venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) has not been not well studied. VV-ECMO can be discontinued when patients tolerate noninjurious mechanical ventilation (MV) during a sweep gas-off trial (SGOT). However, predictors of safe liberation are unknown. ⋯ Patients with higher tidal volume, heart rate, ventilatory ratio, and esophageal pressures swings during SGOT were less likely to achieve safe liberation from VV-ECMO.
-
An 8-month-old previously healthy, full-term girl presented with altered mental status after falling approximately 3 feet from a bed, landing on her head. In the ED, she had a CT scan of her head (Fig 1) and was intubated for airway protection. While in the PICU, initial chest radiography showed bilateral infiltrates that were consistent with ARDS, which subsequently resolved. ⋯ Lumbar puncture results were obtained, which were unremarkable. Extubation was attempted again on hospital days 15 and 22 with subsequent hypercapnia that required reintubation. She was able to gradually lengthen her CPAP trials but continued to have periods of hypercapnia and bradypnea.
-
Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), or blastomycosis in South America, is a systemic granulomatous mycosis related to activities associated with soil management, especially agriculture. PCM restricted to tracheobronchial tree region has not yet been reported.