The Annals of thoracic surgery
-
Bronchopleural fistulas are a life-threatening complication of pulmonary resection. A 21-year-old woman developed a large bronchopleural fistula after undergoing a pneumonectomy for carcinoid tumor. ⋯ Using either rigid bronchoscopy or thoracoscopy, these fistulas were evaluated and sealed with an albumin-glutaraldehyde tissue adhesive that may have improved strength and biocompatibility compared with other tissue sealants. This approach may be an effective alternative in the treatment of bronchopleural fistulas.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Intermittent infusion of 0.25% bupivacaine through an intrapleural catheter for post-thoracotomy pain relief.
The present study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of intrapleural 0.25% bupivacaine delivered by intermittent infusions for post-thoracotomy pain relief. ⋯ The easy placement of an intrapleural catheter and better pain relief observed in the present study suggest that intermittent pleural infusion of 0.25% bupivacaine has proven to be a safe and effective method for relief of post-thoracotomy pain.
-
Multicenter Study
Routine mechanical ventricular assist following the Norwood procedure--improved neurologic outcome and excellent hospital survival.
Although excellent survival following the Norwood procedure for palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is being achieved by some, most centers, especially the ones with small surgical volume and limited experience, continue to struggle with initial results. Survivors often showed evidence of significant neurologic injury. The early postoperative care is labor-intensive as attempts are made to balance the systemic and pulmonary circulation for these infants. We report our experience with routine use of mechanical circulatory assist to support the increased cardiac output requirements present following Norwood procedure. ⋯ Routine postoperative use of VAD can support the increased cardiac output demands of infants following Norwood operation and results in a stable postoperative convalescence that does not require aggressive ventilator or inotrope manipulation. Although not a panacea, this strategy can simplify postoperative management, lead to excellent hospital survival, and possibly augment cerebral oxygen delivery, resulting in improved neurologic outcomes for this challenging group of patients.
-
Recent reports indicate that age is not a contraindication to pulmonary resection for octogenarians with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but other data are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine outcomes in these patients, particularly short- and long-term survival with stage I disease. ⋯ The 5-year survival, particularly in patients with stage Ia tumors with favorable ASA and FEV(1), supports the notion that health status and tumor stage outweigh chronologic age in determining surgical candidates.
-
The objective of this study was to assess the role of a symptom-limited stair climbing test in predicting postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in elderly candidates for lung resection. ⋯ A symptom-limited stair climbing test was a safe and simple instrument capable of predicting cardiopulmonary complications in the elderly after lung resection.