Surgery today
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Acute esophageal necrosis, also called "black esophagus" because of its characteristic appearance on endoscopy, is a life-threatening disease; however, its temporal evolution on endoscopy is not well understood. We describe the serial changes in acute esophageal necrosis in two patients, who underwent four upper endoscopic examinations each. ⋯ The second patient died of esophageal perforation, as a complication of Sengstaken-Blakemore tube stent placement to control esophageal bleeding. We report these cases to demonstrate the importance of early detection and prompt surgical treatment of acute esophageal necrosis.
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A new diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is often made during the evaluation of patients requiring lung cancer surgery. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the clinical effects of inhaled tiotropium on the postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in patients with untreated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring lung cancer surgery. ⋯ Inhaled tiotropium treatment during the perioperative period had a prophylactic effect on postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in patients with newly diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring lung cancer surgery.
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Repair of giant incisional hernia is still associated with high postoperative morbidity and recurrence rates. We evaluated the effectiveness of placing the hernia sac between the viscera and the polypropylene mesh in the repair. ⋯ The hernia sac can be interposed in all patients undergoing giant incisional hernia repair if direct contact between the polypropylene mesh and intestine is unavoidable.
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The coexistence of Kommerell's diverticulum and an aberrant subclavian artery (ASCA) is a rare congenital variation of the vascular structure. We report our experience of treating aneurysms associated with these anomalies. ⋯ Aortic disease with an ASCA and Kommerell's diverticulum can be repaired safely under elective conditions.