Chest
-
To evaluate the ability of preoperative variables to identify patients at increased risk for complications after lung resection and the usefulness of predicted postoperative FEV1 as a marker of risk for adverse outcomes. ⋯ A low predicted postoperative FEV1 appears to be the best indicator of patients at high risk for complications, and it was the only significant correlate of complications when the effect of other potential risk factors was controlled for in a multivariate analysis. Pulmonary resection should not be denied on the basis of traditionally cited preoperative pulmonary variables, and a prediction of postoperative pulmonary function by a technique of simple calculation may be useful to identify patients at increased risk for medical complications.
-
To evaluate the success and complications of pulmonary artery catheterization via the femoral vein without the use of fluoroscopy, in the medical ICU. ⋯ Femoral vein pulmonary artery catheterization without the use of fluoroscopy is safe and effective.
-
Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is an infiltrative disease of eosinophils affecting multiple organs, including the lung. Hypereosinophilic syndrome differs from acute and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia clinically and usually necessitates treatment with alkylating agents and/or corticosteroids. ⋯ One of our patients developed the adult respiratory distress syndrome thought to be a complication of the HES. Aggressive treatment of HES in both cases combined with intensive support in the patient with ARDS resulted in prolonged survival.