European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2009
The impact of the lung allocation scoring system at the single national Veterans Affairs Hospital lung transplantation program.
The lung allocation score (LAS) has changed the distribution of donor lungs for transplantation. This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of the LAS on a unique patient population undergoing lung transplantation (LTX) at the single national Veterans Affairs (VA) LT center. ⋯ The LAS appears to be achieving its objectives by reducing waitlist time and altering the distribution of lung disease being transplanted on the basis of medical necessity in the U.S. VA population. In addition, the LAS does not appear to have adversely affected short-term post-transplant outcomes in our recipient cohort.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2009
ReviewPreoperative intrathoracic lymph node staging in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer: accuracy of integrated positron emission tomography and computed tomography.
To evaluate the accuracy of integrated positron emission tomography with 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and computed tomography (PET/CT) in preoperative intrathoracic lymph node staging in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to ascertain the role of invasive staging in verifying positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) results. ⋯ Our data show that integrated PET/CT provides high specificity but low sensitivity and accuracy in intrathoracic nodal staging of NSCLC patients and underscore the continued need for surgical staging.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2009
The value of mediastinal staging with endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in patients with lung cancer.
To evaluate the diagnostic yield, the learning curve and the safety of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle biopsy (EBUS-TBNA) in mediastinal staging of patients with lung cancer. ⋯ The results of this study suggest that staging of the mediastinum with EBUS-TBNA is safe and easy to learn--even without previous experience with ultrasound. The diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA is in accordance with the yield of standard cervical mediastinoscopy reported in the literature. We do not find any indications in the present study of the recommended necessity for mediastinoscopy in all EBUS-TBNA-negative patients.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2009
Evaluation of continuous veno-venous hemofiltration for the treatment of cardiogenic shock in conjunction with acute renal failure after cardiac surgery.
Cardiogenic dysfunction with acute renal failure (ARF) and diuretic drug resistance increases mortality after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in adults. Until few years ago, intermittent renal replacement therapy (IRRT) was the only therapeutical strategy proposed to such patients. Few data are available in the literature regarding the use of continuous veno-venous haemofiltration (CVVH) in this clinical context. The aim of our observational study was to evaluate the impact of CVVH strategy on ARF in conjunction with cardiogenic shock after cardiac surgery and on its well-known associated poor outcome. ⋯ In patients with ARF in conjunction with cardiogenic shock after cardiac surgery, renal replacement therapeutic strategy based on long-lasting CVVH could improve patients' outcome. The identification of risk factors associated with a poor outcome would help to better manage such patients in the ICU. Low total duration of CVVH within the first 72 h was one criteria related to poor outcome. This suggests that CVVH must be initiated as soon as possible when ARF with diuretic resistance occurs in patients after cardiac surgery and continued as long as possible for the first 3 days.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2009
Evaluation of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy requiring emergency conversion to thoracotomy.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy has been employed for the treatment of lung cancer. Many investigators have reported that the outcomes of VATS lobectomy for lung cancer are comparable to those of thoracotomy; however, several controversial issues remain. One of the critical concerns is the safety. VATS lobectomy often requires an emergency conversion to thoracotomy, for example, in the event of massive bleeding. In this study, cases in which VATS lobectomy for lung cancer was converted to thoracotomy intra-operatively (converted VATS lobectomy) were identified. The safety of the converted VATS lobectomy was evaluated. ⋯ The safety of the conversion was acceptable. Our findings suggest that VATS lobectomy for lung cancer is feasible from the viewpoint of safety, even after taking into account the potential need for conversion to thoracotomy in some patients.