Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
-
J R Coll Surg Edinb · Feb 1995
Case ReportsLigation of the thoracic duct without thoracotomy for the treatment of postoperative chylothorax: a newly designed surgical procedure.
A newly designed surgical procedure of ligation of the thoracic duct without thoracotomy for the treatment of postoperative chylothorax is presented. A case of chylothorax following resection of carcinoma of the oesophagus was treated successfully with ligation of the thoracic duct without thoracotomy. Its advantages were very prominent consisting of maintenance of the integrity of the thorax, less traumatization, no need of a drainage tube and shorter hospitalization, much easier to expose the thoracic duct than the conventional transthoracic approach. We can find no similar report in any published literature.
-
J R Coll Surg Edinb · Feb 1995
Clinical TrialVideo-thoracoscopic lung biopsy in diagnosis of interstitial lung disease.
Lung biopsy remains an important investigation in the diagnosis of diffuse interstitial lung disease despite improved diagnostic yield of high resolution computed tomography scanning. We describe 19 pulmonary wedge biopsies (13 men and 6 women) performed using videothoracoscopic technique. The median age of the patients was 56 years (range 32-72 years). ⋯ There were three complications: two air leaks and one effusion. Median postoperative hospital stay was 2 days (range 2-7 days). We conclude that videothoracoscopic wedge biopsy is a safe and effective procedure and should be recommended in patients who require a histological diagnosis of diffuse interstitial lung disease.