Journal of thoracic disease
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Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a commonly performed minimally invasive procedure that has led to lower levels of pain, as well as procedure-related mortality and morbidity. However, VATS requires analgesia that blocks both visceral and somatic nerve fibers for more effective pain control. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of erector spinae plane block (ESPB) in the postoperative analgesia management of patients undergoing VATS. ⋯ A single preoperative injection of ESPB with ropivacaine may improve acute postoperative analgesia and emergence agitation in patients undergoing VATS.
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Based on current evidence, vaccination is recommended against the influenza virus and pneumococcus to avoid serious acute exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the rate of their vaccination coverage is still suboptimal. To determine the prevalence and effectiveness of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in COPD patients, and to prove its hypothetical association with the decreasing number of acute exacerbations. ⋯ We found association between influenza and pneumococcal vaccination and the reduced risk of hospitalization due to exacerbations in the ensuing year. The prevalence of vaccination is significantly below the optimal level.
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We previously reported that we developed a compact and portable isolation hood that covers the top half of a patient sitting or lying in bed. The negative pressure inside the hood is generated by a fan-filter-unit (FFU) through which infectious aerosols from a patient are filtered. The outside area is kept clean which decreases the risk of nosocomial infections in hospital wards. We tried new applications of the hood. ⋯ The proposed new applications will broaden the range of the hood's usage. The isolation hood could be useful in many settings to protect people outside the hood from a patient inside, or to protect an individual inside from air particles outside the hood, such as airborne pathogens, allergens, or hazardous particulate matter like PM2.5.
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Adequate respiratory support can improve clinical outcomes in patients who are ready for weaning from a ventilator. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of respiratory methods in adults undergoing planned extubation using a Bayesian network meta-analysis. ⋯ NIV reduces the reintubation rate in adult patients undergoing planned extubation compared with COT and HFNC.