Annals of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery : official journal of the Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Asia
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Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Aug 2006
Review Case ReportsSurgically removed thoracolithiasis: report of two cases.
Thoracolithiasis is a rare condition with only 12 cases of surgically removed nodules reported in the literature. We report 2 additional cases. Case 1: A 19-year-old male admitted with an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray. ⋯ Exploratory thoracoscopy incidentally revealed some pearly material, 0.4 cm in diameter, in the thoracic cavity. They were extirpated during left upper lobectomy for lung cancer; all of them demonstrated concentric hyalinized fibrous tissue. Thoracic surgeons should consider this condition in the differential diagnosis of a peripheral pulmonary nodule.
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Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Aug 2006
Case ReportsObstructive subglottic granuloma after removal of a minitracheostomy tube.
We report herein a patient with subglottic granuloma after removal of a minitracheostomy tube (Minitrach II, SIMS Portex Inc., Hythe, Kent, UK). The patient underwent pulmonary resection for lung cancer followed by insertion of the minitracheostomy tube for prevention of sputum retention. The tube was removed 4 days after insertion. ⋯ The granuloma was removed by coring out using a conventional tracheal tube, followed by local injection of methylprednisolone acetate. The patient is now asymptomatic without regrowth of the granulation tissue 12 weeks after the treatment. With complication in mind, attention should be paid to patients suffering dyspnea or stridor after removal of a minitracheostomy tube.
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Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Aug 2006
Review Case ReportsChronic contained rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm with vertebral erosion: report of a case.
A 73-year-old man had lumbago of unknown cause for several months prior to presentation. At examination prior to surgery for gastric cancer, an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) of 6 cm in maximum diameter, retroperitoneal hematoma and vertebral erosion were found on abdominal computed tomography (CT). Hematological examination revealed mild anemia and stable hemodynamics. ⋯ After surgery, the lumbago was alleviated. The patient was transferred to the Department of Surgery and a gastrectomy was performed. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful.
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Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Aug 2006
Comparative StudyThe use of a water seal to manage air leaks after a pulmonary lobectomy: a retrospective study.
The methods for managing chest drainage tubes during the postoperative period differ among thoracic surgeons and, as a result, the optimal method remains controversial. ⋯ These observations suggest that applying chest tubes on water seal seems to be an effective method for preventing postoperative air leak in clinical practice. However, a prospective randomized trial using a larger series of patients is warranted for this subject.