[Post-intubation rupture of thoracic trachea in a patient with iatrogenic esophageal perforation and mediastinitis]. / Postintubatsionnyi razryv grudnogo otdela trakhei u bol'noi s perforatsiei pishchevoda pri fibroendoskopii i mediastinitom.

Iatrogenic injuries of the esophagus and trachea are rare. However, these are life-threatening events due to severe complications. The authors report iatrogenic perforation of cervical esophagus with a long false passage in posterior mediastinum in an 83-year-old patient undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for choledocholithiasis. Post-intubation rupture of thoracic trachea was diagnosed early after suturing the defect of esophagus and drainage of mediastinum. Treatment strategy was analyzed and conservative management of tracheal injury was substantiated.

[Peculiarities of diagnosis and emergency surgical care in aorto-oesophageal fistula]. / Osobennosti diagnostiki i neotlozhnoi khirurgicheskoi pomoshchi pri aorto-pishchevodnom svishche.

An aorto-oesophageal fistula is a rare but life-threatening pathological condition developing on the background of diseases of the aorta and oesophagus, as well as after surgical interventions on the aorta. The article deals with a clinical case report regarding management of a patient presenting with an aorto-oesophageal fistula resulting from a thoracic artery aneurysm. The main clinical manifestations of the diseases included dysphagia (due to oesophageal obstruction caused by thrombotic masses of the aneurysm) and the occurring gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Comprehensive instrumental diagnosis was performed using roentgen examination of the oesophagus, oesophagoscopy, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the chest. The obtained findings made it possible to objectively assess the patient's state, to carry out timely treatment in conditions of a surgical hospital, and to avoid severe complications.

[The effectiveness of the valve bronchial occlusion in case of bronchopleural fistulas].

The experience of endobronchial valve «Medlung" installation in 24 patients with bronchopleural fistula was summarized in the article. In 18 (75%) patients the cause of bronchopleural fistula was purulent - destructive processes in the lungs, including the associated trauma in 4 (22.2%) patients, pneumonia in 14 (77.8%) patients. In 3 (12.5%) cases the cause of the bronchopleural fistula was the lung tumors of different localization and in 3 (12.5%) cases - idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Reasonable use of endobronchial valve in patients with bronchopleural fistula provides a persistent separation of the fistula and lets to avoid extensive, traumatic operations.

[Treatment of septic complications of thoracic injuries].

Treatment results of 77 patients with suppurative lung complications after injuries (n=22) and closed thoracic trauma (n=55) were analyzed. It was registered, that purulent process in lung was typical for the cases with direct primary lung tissue injury: 72.7% of patients with penetrating thoracic injuries and 83.6% of patients with closed chest trauma. Complex conservative treatment with adequate bronchial and transthoracic drainage proved to be the most effective modalities during the acute suppurative phase. Gram-negative flora proved to be the cause of chronic forms of suppuration. The overall chronisation rate of the lung abscess was 4.5% after penetrating thoracic injuries and 10.9% of patients with closed chest trauma.

[Medical and social characteristics of patients with septic complications of the closed thoracic injury].

231 cases of septic complications after the closed thoracic injury were analyzed. All patients were divided into groups according to the injury mechanism and inhabitancy. Patients with medico-social deviations, as well as patients with hemocontact infections, mental insanity and social deviations were marked out. The leading mechanisms of the closed thoracic injury were: fall from a height (34.2%), assault and battery (24.7%) and automobile accident (16.4%). 51.1% of patients were reported to have any medico-social deviations. Among the patients with socially important infections, the distribution was as follows: persons with no fixed abode (50%), incomers from the near-abroad countries (36.4%), victims of assault (28.1%) and pedestrians (21.4%).

[Medico-social characteristics of patients with septic complications after penetrating thoracic wounds].

232 cases of septic complications after penetrating thoracic injury were analyzed. All patients were divided into groups according to the injury mechanism and inhabitancy. Patients with medico-social deviations, as well as patients with hemocontact infections, mental insanity and social deviations were marked out. 75% of patients were reported to have any medico-social deviations. Among them the distributing was as follows: persons with no fixed abode (100%), women (91%), patients over 50 years (86.2%) and patients after knife thoracic injury (77.4%). Among patients with hemocontact infection the majority were incomers from the near-abroad countries (37%), victims of assault (20%) and patients aged 31-40 years (18.4%).

[Postoperative complications of heart and pericardial injuries].

The 31-year experience of 839 cases of heart and pericardial injuries was analyzed. The complicated course was registered in 36%. Such factors as patient's age, blood loss, severity of injury and patient's condition on admission, defined the possibility of complications. No less important were the characteristics of postoperative treatment and early diagnostics of the injury. The thorough analysis of reasons of the complications' development allowed to work out some prophylactic measures and to decrease the frequency of postoperative lethality from 13.8 to 6.8%, whereas the complications rate was decreased from 43.8 to 32.3%.

[Endoscopic diagnosis, treatment and prevention of intubation related injuries of the larynx and trachea in neurosurgical patients].

The goal of the study was to assess of efficacy of endoscopic diagnosis, prevention and treatment of intubation related larynx and tracheal injuries in patients with acute neurosurgical pathology and prolonged mechanical ventilation. 199 patients with different neurosurgical pathology were enrolled in the study group. Mean age was 50 +/- 14. Control group consisted of 399 patient. Mean age was 43 +/- 12. Clinical state of patient from both group were similar. Endoscopic method in the study group included revision of airways via nasal route with tracheostomy tube inserted. Larynx and tracheal injuries by endoscopy were identified in 42 patients (33.6%) in the study group and in 12 patients (7.6) in the control group. Such injuries weren't mentioned in 83 patients in study group and in 146 patients of the control group. Tracheal stenosis was developed in the study group in 0,8% of patients, which is by 7,9 times lower than in the control group (6.3%). We consider that this result was achieved due to our approach to treatment and prevention of tracheal stenosis.

[The surgical treatment of the pleural empyem].

The treatment results of the 286 patients with pleural empyem after thoracic injuries (n=107) and closed trauma of the pleural cavity (n=179) were retrospectively analyzed. The frequency of pleural empyem was 1.39% by injuries and 1.34% by the closed thoracic trauma. 15 (14%) patients of the first group developed the bronchopleural fistula, whereas the complication was observed in 32 (17.9%) patients of the second group. The adequate pleural drainage with intrapleural enzyme therapy in acute inflammation period allowed recovery in 78% and 71.9% of patients, respectively. Early videothoracoscopic sanation of the pleural cavity shortened the recovery time in more then 1.5 times. The chronization of the empyem was more often observed after the closed thoracic trauma - 14.5% rather than 6.5% after the open thoracic injury. The lethality rate by pleural empyem was 14% after the open injuries and 15.6% after the closed trauma.

[The treatment of pulmonary bleedings and its' complicsations by the blunt thoracic trauma].

The experience of treatment of 224 patients with pulmonary bleeding after the blunt thoracic trauma were analyzed. All patients were diagnosed with lung contusion, of them 134 had traumatic cavities (hematomas) in the lung. The complete regression of contusion foci was observed within 13.7±4.2 days, whereas only 65.4% of patients demonstrated the regression of lung hematomas after 3 months of follow-up. 5.36% of pulmonary bleeding required the urgent thoracotomy on the reason of the continuous bleeding. The thorough analysis of etiology of posttraumatic infectious pulmonary complications after the blunt thoracic trauma is submitted. The drainage of septic foci allowed the fast recovery of the majority of patients. 7,4% of lung abscesses and pleural empyem required thoracotomy.

[The immune reactions by the esophagus injuries, complicated by mediastinitis].

The comparative analysis of 56 immunograms of patients with mediastinitis, caused by the esophagus trauma is represented. The mean values of 9 immunologic parameteres (the so called "norm of the pathology") were set for patients with noncomplicated mediastinitis. A novel method of the immune status evaluation for the patients with the acute surgical conditions and SIRS has been suggested. If early applied, the method allows substantive immunotherapy for such patients.

[Diagnostics and surgical treatment of the posttraumatic septic mediastinitis].

Treatment results of 38 cases of septic mediastinitis for the last 17 years were analyzed. The frequency of mediastinitis as a complication of the penetrating wound was 0.28%, and of the closed thoracic trauma - 0.1%. Reasons and risk factors of the mediastinitis development have been revealed. The enlargement of the mediastinum on the X-ray allowed the primary diagnostics of suspicion on the mediastinitis in 39.5% of cases. The spiral computed tomography provided information for the further treatment options. The mediastinum drainage was an effective method of treatment, providing the improvement in 69.6% patients after penetrating wound and in 73.3% after the closed thoracic trauma.

[Diagnostics and treatment of pulmonary hemorrhage by the closed thoracic trauma].

Results of diagnostic and treatment of 156 patients with pulmonary hemorrhage, caused by the closed thoracic trauma, were analyzed. All patients had lung bruise, 101 of them had lung rupture. 115 (73.7%) patients demonstrated hemopneumothorax, bleeding was diagnosed in 86 (55.1%) cases and mediastinal emphysema was diagnosed in 52 (33.3%). Pulmonary hemorrhage developed more often by polytrauma of the chest, rather then by solitary lesions. Spiral computed tomography proved to be the best diagnostic means of thoracic trauma. Surgical tactics was defined mainly by the severity of intrapleural or pulmonary bleeding. Conservative treatment allowed successful recovery in the majority of patients. Only 5.1% of patients required surgery. High level of septic complications of pulmonary hemorrhage was registered/ Pneumonia developed in 28.8% and lung abscess was diagnosed in 14.1% of patients. The lethality rate was 9.6%.

[Acute diseases and trauma of thorax and abdomen in patients with hemocontact viral infections].

Screening of hemocontact viral infections (HVI) (HIV, hepatitis B and C) was conducted among patients of the emergency thoraco-abdominal surgery unit. During the 8 years of the study the HVI detection had increased on 57.4%. Gender analysis showed greater HVI prevalence among men. Medico-social criteria of HVI risk-groups among patients of the emergency thoraco-abdominal surgery unit were stated.

[Spontaneous emphysema of the mediastinum].

Cases of 104 patients with the spontaneous emphysema of the mediastinum were thoroughly analyzed. The disease affects young men, aged less the 30 years, with asthma or chronic bronchitis. Differentiation should be made between iatrogenic esophageal or tracheobronchial rupture and spontaneous rupture of esophagus. Surgical treatment is indicated to less then 4% of patients with spontaneous mediastinal emphysema.

[Septic complications of penetrating thoracic injuries].

224 cases of septic complications after penetrating thoracic injuries were analyzed. Pleura empyem was observed in 105 of 7572 patients (overall number of the injured), lung abscess - in 22 cases, pericarditis was diagnosed in 108 patients, costal and sternal osteomyelitis - in 26 and mediastinitis - in 21 patients. Overall frequency of septic complication was 2,96%. Main reasons of septic complications were: massive blood loss, initial contamination, thoracotomy through the initially infected wound, long -lasting and coagulated hemothorax and late diagnosis and hospitalization. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent microbe detected - 29,4%. Lethality rate was 9,8% (22 patients). Adequate drainage of the wound allowed rehabilitation of the majority of patients. Cases with costal osteomyelitis required major surgical dissection in 73,1%.

[Posttraumatic pericarditis - the treatment and prophylaxis].

Results of treatment of 100 patients with posttraumatic pericarditis after stab (n=79) and blunt (n=21) thoracic trauma. Factors, leading to pericarditis onset, were primary infection, direct heart and pericardium injury (87,3%), inadequate pericardial cavity drainage (13,9%), insufficient medicamental pericarditis prophylaxis postoperatively (8,9%). Late medical recourse after blunt trauma of the thorax had led to pericarditis onset due to clotted hemothorax (23,8%), exudative pleurisy (19%) and pleural empyema (14,3%). Early diagnose and complex conservative treatment of posttraumatic pericarditis allowed recover in 78,5% (n=62) and 81% (n=17) of patients with stab and blunt thoracic trauma, respectively. Pericardial cavity drainage with intrapericardial streptokinase introduction proved to be an effective method of treatment of fibrinopurulent pericarditis.

[Diagnostics and treatment of posttraumatic septic costal osteomyelitis].

Results of treatment and diagnostics of 47 patients with posttraumatic septic costal osteomyelitis were analyzed. 26 patients had open and 21 - closed thoracic injuries. Major reasons of osteomyelitis tended to be the initial infection of the bony injury, pleural surgical revision through the initial wound and late medical help by the closed thoracic injuries. Osteomyelitis was diagnosed with the help of and X-ray examination in 14,9%, multispiral computed tomography was informative in 48,4% and scintigraphy demonstrated bone destruction and inflammation in 96,8% of cases. With no depandance from the type of an injury, the most frequent infectious agents were the Staphylococcus aureus (51,2%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (32,5%). Conservative treatment was successful in 26,9% after open injuries and in 42,9% of the blunt thoracic trauma. Wide costal resections were conducted in 73,1% and 52,4% of patients with open and closed injuries, respectively.