The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Sep 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyCarbon dioxide insufflation in open-chamber cardiac surgery: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial of neurocognitive effects.
The aims of this study were first to analyze neurocognitive outcomes of patients after open-chamber cardiac surgery to determine whether carbon dioxide pericardial insufflation reduces incidence of neurocognitive decline (primary end point) as measured 6 weeks postoperatively and second to assess the utility of carbon dioxide insufflation in cardiac chamber deairing as assessed by transesophageal echocardiography. ⋯ Carbon dioxide pericardial insufflation in open-chamber cardiac surgery does not affect postoperative neurocognitive decline. The most important factor is atheromatous vascular disease.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Sep 2012
Review Historical ArticleDeveloping intrathoracic sentinel lymph node mapping with near-infrared fluorescent imaging in non-small cell lung cancer.
With poor survival and high recurrence rates, early-stage lung cancer currently appears to be understaged or undertreated, or both. Although sentinel lymph node biopsy is standard for patients with breast cancer and melanoma, its success has been unreliable in non-small cell lung cancer. Sentinel lymph node biopsy might aid in the identification of lymph nodes at the greatest risk of metastasis and allow for more detailed analysis to select for patients who might benefit from adjuvant therapy. The early results in our recent clinical trial of patients with early-stage lung cancer have suggested that near-infrared imaging might offer a platform for reliable sentinel lymph node identification in these patients.