Scandinavian cardiovascular journal : SCJ
-
The surgical management of pleural empyema and post-traumatic clotted haemothorax is described. The study included 15 cases of post-thoracotomy empyema, 23 of empyema of other aetiology and five of post-traumatic haemothorax. Chest-tube drainage was the first measure in most cases. ⋯ One patient with VATS debridement subsequently required thoracotomy and lobectomy for lung abscess. All the others with VATS or decortication recovered without complications. During follow-up there was no mortality or recurrence of empyema.
-
Scand. Cardiovasc. J. · Jan 1999
Clinical TrialPulmonary function in chronic heart failure. Changes after heart transplantation.
To investigate the impact of chronic heart failure on pulmonary function in heart transplant recipients, pulmonary function was evaluated in 41 consecutive patients (mean age 43 years, range 15-57 years) before and 6 months after successful heart transplantation. The pulmonary function tests included measurements of forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in 1.s [FEV1], FEV1/FVC ratio, total lung capacity [TLC], and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide [TLCO] and KCO [TLCO per l alveolar volume]. Compared to pretransplant values, spirometry after transplantation revealed modest improvements in FVC (from 77 +/- 16 to 88 +/- 21% of predicted [%pred]; p < 0.001) and FEV1 (from 75 +/- 16 to 85 +/- 22%pred; p < 0.001), whereas the FEV1/FVC ratio was unchanged (81% +/- 11 and 80% +/- 10; p = NS). ⋯ Multiple regression analysis revealed that high pretransplant TLCO %pred (p = 0.02) and FVC %pred (p = 0.04) were associated with a less favorable outcome concerning posttransplant TLCO %pred. Although normalization of FEV1, FVC and TLC can be anticipated after correction of severe chronic left ventricular failure by heart transplantation, the pronounced concomitant decline in diffusion capacity observed in this study may be explained by underlying pulmonary disease caused by factors other than long-standing heart failure. Our findings support the notion that pulmonary function abnormalities attributable to chronic heart failure should not preclude consideration for heart transplantation.
-
Scand. Cardiovasc. J. · Jan 1999
Case ReportsCardiac arrest during exercise: anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary trunk.
Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary trunk is associated with high mortality in infancy but in rare cases the condition is diagnosed in adults. The present report describes three adult cases of this anomaly. ⋯ In all patients, coronary arteriography revealed a large right coronary artery with collateral filling of the left coronary artery, which originated from the pulmonary trunk. A successful surgical correction of the anomalous coronary artery was performed in two of the patients.