Kyobu geka. The Japanese journal of thoracic surgery
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Post-thoracotomy wound pain in 11 patients who underwent thoracic operation was controlled by intercostal nerve block with alcohol and thoracic epidural anesthesia. The intercostal nerve block was performed just before the closure of the thoracotomy wound. ⋯ In late post operative periods after discharge, intercostal nerve block could maintain excellent analgesia in 9 of 11 patients, only 2 patients required analgesic drugs or re-block of the intercostal nerve. Thus, intercostal nerve block with alcohol is an effective and simple option to control recalcitrant post-thoracotomy wound pain in thoracic surgery.
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Three cases of catamenial pneumothorax were presented. A 42-year-old woman with intrapelvic endometriosis had recurrent right-sided pneumothorax with menstruation more than six times. At the operation only a bleb was noted at the apex of the right lung. ⋯ Though the operation was performed during her menstrual period, neither air leakage nor any lesions were found. In all cases each lesion was resected and did not prove endometriosis, and partial parietal pleurectomy was performed for pleurodesis. No pneumothorax has recurred.