Isr Med Assoc J
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Guidelines recommend testing for multiple biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors. Blood-based liquid biopsy analyzing cell-free DNA (cfDNA) could be used in addition to tumor biopsy genotyping, especially if tissue/time are limiting. ⋯ These findings suggest that cfDNA analysis should be ordered by the pulmonologists early in the evaluation of patients with NSCLC, which might complement the tumor biopsy.
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Comparative Study
Computed Tomography-Guided Lung Biopsy: Does a Rural Hospital Do Better?
Lung percutaneous needle biopsy (PNB) is routinely used to diagnose lung cancer. The most prevalent complications of PNB are pneumothorax and bleeding. Differences in characteristics of medical procedures between rural and urban hospitals are well known. ⋯ CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsies are comparable between rural and urban hospitals regarding procedure characteristics and complication rates.
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Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare, distinct pulmonary vascular disease caused by chronic obstruction of major pulmonary arteries, which can be cured by pulmonary endarterectomy. However, many CTEPH patients are not surgical candidates. Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is an emerging technique used to treat inoperable CTEPH. ⋯ We successfully established BPA as a treatment for inoperable CTEPH in our center. BPA resulted in hemodynamic and clinical improvements that were sustained over time.
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Chronic lung diseases, especially emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis, are the third leading cause of mortality worldwide. Their treatment includes symptom alleviation, slowing of the disease progression, and ultimately organ transplant. Regenerative medicine represents an attractive alternative. ⋯ The catheter-injectable gelatin-alginate hydrogel represents a new concept, which combines tissue engineering with minimal invasive procedure. It is an inexpensive and convenient to use alternative to other types of suggested scaffolds for lung tissue engineering. This novel concept may be used for additional clinical applications in regenerative medicine.