J Cardiovasc Surg
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Review Case Reports
The spontaneous aortocaval fistula: a complication of the abdominal aortic aneurysm. Case report and review of the literature.
An aortocaval fistula is a rare complication of the abdominal aortic aneurysm: early diagnosis and appropriate surgery improve survival. We report the case of a patient presenting with abdominal pain and oedema of both lower limbs secondary to an aortocaval fistula. CT-scan confirmed the diagnosis and successful surgery was performed in the emergency room. Immediate haemostasis on the inferior vena cava is easier when preoperative diagnosis of the fistula has been made.
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To investigate the incidence, severity, and duration of hoarseness after adult cardiac surgery and to examine movement of the endotracheal tube (ETT) during neck extension for sternotomy. ⋯ Hoarseness after cardiac surgery is common. Most hoarseness is transient and its severity is predicted by duration of intubation. Positioning for sternotomy displaces the ETT cuff away from the carina. This may cause persistent hoarseness because displaced cuff from trachea to larynx may damage the recurrent laryngeal nerve or vocal cords.
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Cardiac rupture due to blunt trauma is usually fatal. We recently cared for a patient of atrial rupture without hemopericardium after MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident) which was successfully repaired, and this experience prompted this report.
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The unknown but presumably poor preoperative cardiopulmonary function of U.S. Armed Forces veterans with bronchogenic cancer may dissuade surgeons performing necessary major lung resection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between preoperative cardiopulmonary risk and the outcome of veterans undergoing pulmonary resection for bronchogenic carcinoma. ⋯ Preoperative cardiopulmonary risk for veterans with bronchogenic cancer is acceptable and lung resection can be performed with good outcomes in this distinct patient population.