The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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The records of 165 patients with diaphragmatic injuries seen at Detroit Receiving Hospital from July 1980 through June 1985 were reviewed. Causes included gunshot wounds in 89 patients, stab wounds in 65, and blunt trauma in 11. Mortality rates were 18%, 5%, and 27%, respectively, deaths being caused primarily by bleeding from associated injuries. ⋯ However, even in these high-risk patients, if resuscitation raised the initial operating room blood pressure to more than 70 mm Hg, reduced the shock time to less than 30 minutes, and kept blood loss below 10 units, the mortality was only 8% (1/12). In contrast, if none of these conditions could be met, the mortality in this high-risk group was 100% (16/16). Thus more aggressive resuscitative efforts and earlier control of bleeding seem to provide the best chance for improved survival.
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Between 1953 and 1984, 53 patients (40 male and 13 female) underwent thoracotomy for treatment of pulmonary aspergilloma. The median age was 58 years (range 4 to 86 years). Either underlying lung disease or immunologic risk factors were present in 49 patients (92%). ⋯ Although operative mortality in patients with complex aspergilloma was high, 67% of the survivors had a good long-term result in terms of absence of symptoms, but they frequently died of underlying disease. In contrast, operation in patients with simple aspergilloma was done with low risk, and approximately 90% of survivors had a good late result. Late appearance of contralateral disease did occur and argues for rigorous postoperative surveillance.