European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Aug 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialImpact of pleural effusion pH on the efficacy of thoracoscopic mechanical pleurodesis in patients with breast carcinoma.
A prospective randomised study was conducted to compare the efficacy of treating malignant pleural effusions (MPE) in patients with breast carcinoma by thoracoscopic mechanical pleurodesis (TMP) as a new palliative treatment and talc pleurodesis (TP) at various pleural fluid pH levels and to determine whether at low pH values, when the success of TP is reduced, TMP is more successful. ⋯ TMP is a safe palliative treatment for MPE in breast carcinoma, with a minimal number of complications and a short hospital stay; it is more successful than TP in patients with pH of MPE below 7.3.
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Thoracic injuries are uncommon in children and few report present on blunt ones. ⋯ Associated injury is the most important mortality factor. Thoracic operations can be performed with minimal morbidity and without mortality in children with blunt thoracic trauma.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Aug 2004
Effects of the patent false lumen on the long-term outcome of type B acute aortic dissection.
To determine the most effective treatment, we performed a detailed comparative study of the clinical course of patients with type B aortic dissection with a patent or thrombosed false lumen who did not undergo surgery in the acute period. We examined the effect of patency of the false lumen on outcome. ⋯ Patency of the false lumen is a strong independent prognostic factor for type B aortic dissection. Location of the most dilated aortic segment at the distal arch is a significant risk factor in the patients with a patent false lumen.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Aug 2004
Emergency thoracotomy in the pre-hospital setting: a procedure requiring clarification.
The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of Emergency Thoracotomy (ET) on mortality in a group of patients suffering from severe thoracic trauma requiring Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) transfer to hospital. This is not clearly defined especially when thoracotomy takes place in the pre-hospital setting. ⋯ Our study has shown that when confounding variables are accounted for, ET is not a predictor of mortality following severe chest trauma. This implies that in a well-selected group of patients it may be a significant and life-saving procedure.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Aug 2004
Safety for preoperative use of steroids for transsternal thymectomy in myasthenia gravis.
Effects of preoperative steroids on morbidity and mortality after transsternal thymectomy are analyzed. ⋯ Preoperative use of steroids for transsternal thymectomy in patients with myasthenia gravis had no negative impact on morbidity and mortality, conversely, the results in patients taking steroids were better, with significant difference of results regarding the overall complication rates and the overall complication rates of wound healing.