The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Review Case Reports
A Rare Case of Plastic Bronchitis in an Adult Patient After Cardiopulmonary Bypass.
Plastic bronchitis is a rare life-threatening complication observed after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We describe a case of a 54-year-old man in whom a fulminant case of plastic bronchitis developed after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and mitral valve repair. A brief review of the literature is also presented.
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Multicenter Study
Survival in Patients With Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Undergoing Trimodality Therapy Is Independent of Regional Lymph Node Location.
The American Joint Committee on Cancer Cancer Staging Manual 7th Edition esophageal cancer staging was derived from outcomes of patients undergoing esophagectomy alone and eliminated nodal location from its schema. A limitation of this staging system is that it has not been validated in the setting of multimodality therapy for esophageal cancer. In addition, nodal location continues to influence treatment decisions. The aim of our study was to evaluate outcomes of patients with distal esophageal or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma undergoing trimodality therapy and assess the effect of nodal location on survival. ⋯ The location of cN+ regional node disease in patients with distal esophageal or GEJ adenocarcinoma was not predictive of survival after trimodality therapy. Age, sex, pathologic tumor depth, and the number of involved nodes were independent predictors of survival. Patients with cN+ cancers should not be deprived of potentially curative surgical resection based solely on the location of regional nodal disease.
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Review Case Reports
Tamponade Relief by Active Clearance of Chest Tubes.
Chest tubes are used in every case of cardiac surgery to evacuate shed blood from around the heart and lungs. Chest tubes can become partially or totally occluded, leading to tamponade. The purpose of this article is to discuss a novel method of maintaining chest tube patency in the early recovery after cardiothoracic surgery. ⋯ The present study reports the case of a patient with massive postoperative pericardial effusion with tamponade, successfully managed by active clearance chest tube. Further studies will help define the role for this technology in routine cardiac surgery.
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Multicenter Study
Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Fulminant Myocarditis in Adult Patients: A 5-Year Multi-Institutional Experience.
Acute fulminant myocarditis (AFM) may represent a life-threatening event, characterized by rapidly progressive cardiac compromise that ultimately leads to refractory cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) provides effective cardiocirculatory support in this circumstance, but few clinical series are available about early and long-term results. Data from a multicenter study group are reported which analyzed subjects affected by AFM and treated with VA-ECMO during a 5-year period. ⋯ Cardiopulmonary support with VA-ECMO provides an invaluable tool in the treatment of AFM, although major complications may characterize the hospital course. Long-term outcome appears favorable with rare episodes of recurrent myocarditis or cardiac-related events.
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Comparative Study
Outcomes With Open and Minimally Invasive Ivor Lewis Esophagectomy After Neoadjuvant Therapy.
Neoadjuvant therapy is integral in the treatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer. Despite increasing acceptance of minimally invasive approaches to esophagectomy, there remain concerns about the safety and oncologic soundness after neoadjuvant therapy. We examined outcomes in patients undergoing open and minimally invasive (MIE) Ivor Lewis esophagectomy after neoadjuvant therapy. ⋯ MIE proves its safety after neoadjuvant therapy because it leads to faster progression during the early postoperative period while reducing pulmonary complications. Open and MIE approaches appear equivalent with regards to perioperative oncologic outcomes after neoadjuvant therapy. Long-term outcomes need further validation.