The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Dec 1982
Unexplained diaphragmatic paralysis: a harbinger of malignant disease?
The records of 103 male and 39 female patients with unexplained diaphragmatic paralysis were reviewed. A probable cause of the paralysis was not revealed by the initial history, physical examination, or review of plain chest roentgenograms. Paralysis occurred on the left in 82 patients (58%), on the right in 58 (41%), and bilaterally in two (1%). ⋯ Intrathoracic malignant lesions with phrenic nerve involvement were subsequently diagnosed in five patients (3.5%) and progressive neurogenic atrophy in one (0.7%). Roentgenographic follow-up showed return of normal diaphragmatic position in only 12 instances (9.2%). Patients with unexplained diaphragmatic paralysis are unlikely to have an underlying occult malignant or neurologic process, but recovery of diaphragmatic function is also unlikely and subsidence of related symptoms is variable.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Dec 1982
The third manpower study of thoracic surgery: 1980 report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Manpower of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
An ad hoc committee was appointed by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) in 1977 in order to determine the available manpower and workload of thoracic surgeons in 1976. This committee conducted a survey of the professional activities and geographic location of all known surgeons certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) at that time. A summary of this study indicated the available and projected thoracic surgery manpower. ⋯ The material was sent to the Academic Computer Services at George Washington University Medical Center for tabulation and data processing. This report summarizes the results of this survey. It also compares these data with those obtained in the 1976 study and, based on this information, attempts to project the thoracic surgery manpower needs in the next decade by using several hypothetical models.