results the mean duration of esophagectomy was 70 minutes and the total operation 180 minutes. the mean amount of bleeding during surgery was 250 cc. conversion to open approach occurred only in one patient out of 15. no cases of anastomotic leakage or pneumonia was observed. also, no case of mortality was reported. patients and methods this is a prospective study of 15 selected patients who un...

We read with interest the article by MOFFETT et al. [1] that was recently published in the European Respiratory Journal. In this retrospective analysis, conducted using two databases of 1,460 pneumonia patients enrolled from one single centre, the investigators studied the parapneumonic pleural effusion (PPE) linear cut-off by chest computed tomography (CCT) that indicates the need for thoracen...

This technique for the drainage of simple pleural effusions is simple, safe and effective. It requires little more skill than the ability to perform a thoracentesis or central venous line placement. It appears ideal for both the bedridden patient who cannot sit for repetitive thoracentesis and for the ambulatory patient who need not be tied down with a chest tube and underwater seal system. We ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the safety of ultrasound-guided thoracentesis (UST) performed by critical care physicians on patients receiving mechanical ventilation. DESIGN Prospective and observational. SETTING ICUs in a teaching hospital. PATIENTS Two hundred eleven serial patients receiving mechanical ventilation with pleural effusion requiring diagnostic or therapeutic thoracentesis. INTER...

A 25-year-old woman had a car accident with chest wall trauma and was evaluated elsewhere. Chest x-ray showed rib fractures, but no pleural effusion, and the woman was subsequently discharged. After one month, she complained of dyspnea and chest pain and underwent thoracentesis elsewhere. Fifteen days later, she was admitted to our hospital on account of symptom recurrence. As a result of anoth...

BACKGROUND Thoracentesis and video-assisted thoracic surgery procedures can result in haemorrhage as a consequence of severing the collateral branches of the posterior intercostal artery. These branches have been shown to be most common in the 5th intercostal space (ICS). Tortuosity has been shown to be especially prevalent nearer to midline. A group of investigators have recommended the 4th an...

Pleuropulmonary involvement of salmonella infection is very rare and only two cases of salmonella empyema have been reported in Korea. We report the case of a 70-year-old female diabetic patient who presented with right flank pain and right lower chest pain. The chest radiographs revealed fibrostreaky and hazy density at right lower lung field and blunting of right costophrenic angle. Thoracent...

Air travel poses a risk to patients with a pneumothorax due to in-flight pressure changes and guidance is available providing advice on air travel in patients with a pneumothorax. Pneumothorax is a recongnised complication of pleural thoracentesis, however chest radiographs have been shown to have limited sensitivity in diagnosing pneumothoraces and small pneumothoraces may not be recognised. T...