Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2010
Case ReportsBronchoscopic lung volume reduction for pulmonary emphysema: preliminary experience with a new NOVATECH endobronchial silicone one-way valve.
Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction represents a new palliative technique for the treatment of severe emphysema. We report the case of a patient with severe pulmonary emphysema that was successfully treated by the placement of a new, removable, unidirectional endobronchial silicone valve.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2010
Early complications after pneumonectomy: retrospective study of 168 patients.
The purpose of this study was to assess the mortality and risk factors of complications after pneumonectomy for lung cancer. Between 1996 and 2001, we reviewed and analysed the demographic, clinical, functional, and surgical variables of 168 patients to identify risk factors of postoperative complications by univariate and multivariate analyses with Medlog software system. The mean age was 60+/-10 years, overall mortality and morbidity rates were 4.17% and 41.6%, respectively. ⋯ Complications after pneumonectomy are associated with high mortality. Careful attention must be paid to patients with advanced age and heart disease. Chest physiotherapy is paramount to have uneventful outcomes.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2010
Thimble type knot pusher: bioprosthesis stents no longer interfere with tying.
When a stented bioprosthetic valve is used for aortic valve replacement, the valve stents protruding to the aortic side can interfere with suture tying. To resolve this problem, we developed a novel knot pusher for use on the index finger. This device has a short push rod appropriate for replacing bioprosthetic aortic valve. Surgeons can complete the tying procedure without the help of an assistant.