European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
Perspectives in surgical and anaesthetic management of lung cancer in the era of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Early in 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly spread globally, giving rise to a pandemic. In this critical scenario, patients with lung cancer need to continue to receive optimal care and at the same be shielded from infection with the potentially severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Upgrades to the prevention and control of infection have become paramount in order to lower the risk of hospital contagion. ⋯ Therefore, in the current pandemic, providing a fast-track algorithm for scientifically standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment recommendations for patients with lung cancer is urgent. Suggestions for improving existing contagion control guidelines are needed, even in the case of non-symptomatic patients who possibly are responsible for virus spread. A COVID-19-specific intraoperative management strategy designed to reduce risk of infection in both health care workers and patients is also required.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
Case ReportsSpontaneous pneumothorax and subpleural bullae in a patient with COVID-19: a 92-day observation.
This report describes a patient with COVID-19 who developed spontaneous pneumothorax and subpleural bullae during the course of the infection. Consecutive chest computed tomography images indicated that COVID-19-associated pneumonia had damaged the subpleural alveoli and distal bronchus. Coughing might have induced a sudden increase in intra-alveolar pressure, leading to the rupture of the subpleural alveoli and distal bronchus and resulting in spontaneous pneumothorax and subpleural bullae. At the 92-day follow-up, the pneumothorax and subpleural bullae had completely resolved, which indicated that these complications had self-limiting features.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
Observational StudyClinical features and outcomes of thoracic surgery patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The goal of this study was to describe the clinical features and outcomes of thoracic surgery patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. ⋯ Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 represents a tremendous limitation for thoracic surgical practice. Preoperative practices to exclude asymptomatic cases infected with the virus allowed us to perform thoracic surgical procedures.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
Safety and efficacy of tracheotomy for critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan: a case series of 14 patients.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic. Critically ill patients often require prolonged intubation for mechanical ventilation to support breathing; thus, the artificial airway must be managed by tracheotomy. Therefore, studies exploring appropriate and safe methods for tracheotomy that minimize the risks of nosocomial transmission are important. ⋯ Tracheotomy in critically ill patients with COVID-19 who meet the indications for tracheotomy potentially represents a safer approach to manage the airway and help improve the treatment outcomes. A tracheotomy performed in the late phase of the disease has a relatively low risk of infection. Adherence to key steps in the tracheotomy procedure and donning adequate personal protection will help medical staff avoid infection.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
The rapid transformation of cardiac surgery practice in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: insights and clinical strategies from a centre at the epicentre.
The onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced our cardiac surgery programme and hospital to enact drastic measures that has forced us to change how we care for cardiac surgery patients, assist with COVID-19 care and enable support for the hospital in terms of physical resources, providers and resident training. ⋯ We recognize that individual programmes around the world will eventually face COVID-19 with varying levels of infection burden and different resources, and we hope this document can assist programmes to plan for the future.