Breakdown of the pancreaticoenterostomy is responsible for a number of complications and for the high mortality associated with pancreaticoduodenectomy. Although in recent years the postoperative mortality has dropped to less than 10% and in some to less than 5%, pancreatic fistula remains the most common and troublesome complication. Various procedures, such as duct ligation or occlusion, rese...

In 10 out of 295 patients (3.4%), followed-up after radical resection for non-small cell bronchial carcinoma in the period from 1980 until 1986, bronchial stump recurrence developed. A good relationship was found between relapse time (4-52 months) and distance between the primary tumour and bronchial resection line (1-7 cm) (i.e. 5-8 months.cm-1) in 8 of the patients (p less than 0.01). The mea...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate in a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) whether pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) of pancreatic stump decreases the incidence of pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy (DP) compared with stapler closure. BACKGROUND Several studies reported that PJ of pancreatic stump reduces the incidence of pancreatic fistula after DP. However, no...

To assess whether there is any difference in postoperative morbidity and mortality after pneumonectomy between patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections. Between January 2000 and December 2007, 61 patients with MDR-TB and 60 patients with NTM infections underwent 66 and 64 pulmonary resections, respectively. Of these...

Objective: Prospective non-randomised comparison of full-thickness pedicled diaphragm flap with intercostal muscle flap in terms of morbidity and efficiency for bronchial stump coverage after induction therapy followed by pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Between 1996 and 1998, a consecutive series of 26 patients underwent pneumonectomy following induction therapy. ...

BACKGROUND The incidence of a bronchopleural fistula (BPF) as a major complication after non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) surgery has decreased in recent years, due to new surgical refinements and a better understanding of the bronchial healing process. We reviewed our most recent experience with BPFs and tried to determine methods which may effectively reduce its occurrence. METHODS Dat...

pneumonectomy and co-factors. The manual closure seems to be the more preferable method in high-risk patients. An additive support suture following stapling on the bronchial stump did not decrease the risk of BPF. Deschamps et al. [7] analysed factors affecting the incidence of empyema and BPF after pneumonectomy in 713 patients who underwent pneumonectomy for different conditions. Univariate a...

A coronary-bronchial artery fistula is a very rare congenital anomaly of the coronary artery whose etiology and pathogenesis have not yet been clarified. Most patients with coronary-bronchial fistulas are asymptomatic; however, some patients present with congestive heart failure, infective endocarditis, myocardial ischemia induced by a coronary steal phenomenon, or rupture of an aneurysmal fist...