The Annals of thoracic surgery
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The efficacy of preoperative intraaortic balloon pump therapy in high-risk coronary patients has been demonstrated earlier. ⋯ Preoperative intraaortic balloon pump therapy in high risk coronary patients is significantly cost-beneficial, With an average saving of 24,000 Swiss francs ($16,000) on the total hospital cost, a 36% cost reduction.
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Postoperative mediastinal false aneurysm is associated with a substantial morbidity and mortality. Surgical treatment is mandatory, although the individual approach varies according to the type of pathologic process, infection status, and site of origin of the aneurysm. ⋯ Mediastinal false aneurysms are surgically taxing. Low-flow hypothermic perfusion with or without circulatory arrest allows safe reentry. Radical surgery provides a satisfactory outcome in infected patients. Local repair of suture dehiscence in pathologic tissues may predispose to recurrence. We suspect that excessive use of formalin in gelatin-resorcin-formol glue may predispose to tissue necrosis.
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Case Reports
Reexpansion pulmonary edema after VATS successfully treated with continuous positive airway pressure.
Reexpansion pulmonary edema is a well-described complication of treatment for pleural effusion and pneumothorax. It is very rarely described in association with anesthesia and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The etiology is unclear but several mechanisms have been proposed. We report a case of reexpansion pulmonary edema after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery treated successfully with continuous positive airway pressure.
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A variety of measures may affect bleeding and transfusion requirements in abciximab-treated patients. These measures include recognition of the risk factors for increased bleeding and transfusion requirements, use of proper transfusion practices, conservation or increasing of red cell mass, appropriate heparin dosing and protamine reversal, reversal of anticoagulation, awareness of factors that affect activated clotting time (ACT), and appropriate anticoagulation for cardiopulmonary bypass.
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Injuries to the major pulmonary vessels are uncommon and are extremely difficult to manage. We report a case of an isolated pulmonary vein injury following a road traffic accident that was repaired successfully.