The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Apr 2012
Wedge bronchoplastic lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer as an alternative to sleeve lobectomy.
Sleeve lobectomy was introduced for patients with lung cancer whose pulmonary reserve was inadequate for pneumonectomy. However, the safety and survival benefits of wedge bronchoplastic lobectomy as an alternative to sleeve lobectomy have not been thoroughly studied. This study was performed to evaluate the safety and oncologic results of wedge bronchoplastic lobectomy for lung cancer. ⋯ Wedge bronchoplastic lobectomy for lung cancer is a safe and feasible procedure that does not compromise oncologic principles. It can be considered an appropriate alternative to sleeve lobectomy and pneumonectomy, regardless of nodal status.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Apr 2012
Do we increase the operative risk by adding the Cox Maze III procedure to aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass surgery?
Recent reports from Europe and the United States have suggested that patients presenting for open surgery with a significant history of atrial fibrillation (AF) have inferior early and late outcomes if AF is left untreated. On the other hand, there is reluctance among surgeons to treat AF surgically, especially when atriotomies may be required otherwise, which is the case with aortic valve replacement (AVR) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The objective of this study was to explore the potential impact of the addition of the Cox Maze III procedure on short- and long-term outcomes of patients when combined with AVR or CABG. ⋯ The addition of the Cox Maze III procedure to AVR or CABG did not convey an increase in major morbidity and perioperative risk. Patients who underwent the Cox Maze III procedure demonstrated similar survival over time with improvement in health-related quality of life. The Cox Maze III should not be denied to patients in whom the cardiac surgical procedure does not include atriotomies because of the perceived increased operative risk. The Cox Maze III may significantly improve their outcome.