Is There a Relationship Between Paratracheal Air Cysts and Upper Lobe Fibrosis?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of paratracheal air cysts (PACs) and their relationship with upper lobe pulmonary fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The routine thoracic computed tomography scans of 3549 patients carried out between January 2014 and April 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. The presence, location, structural characteristics (uniloculated or multiloculated), number of cysts, and anterior-posterior and transverse dimensions of the PAC and its communication with the tracheal lumen were evaluated. The presence of upper lobe fibrosis, emphysema, and bronchiectasis was also evaluated. The relationship between upper lobe fibrosis, emphysema, bronchiectasis, and the presence of paratracheal cysts was evaluated in all patients. An equal number of randomized patients with no paratracheal cysts were selected as a control group. RESULTS: A total of 190 PAC cases were diagnosed, with a prevalence rate of 5.35%: 146 (76.8%) of the cases were men, 44 (23.2%) were female, and the mean (SD) age was 53.79 (16.64) years (range, 12-89 years). The control group included 105 men (57.4%) and 78 women (42.6%), and the mean (SD) age was 53.87 (16.65) years (range, 13-87 years). The groups were similar in terms of age (P = 0.876), whereas the proportion of men in the PAC group was significantly higher (P < 0.001). Most of the PACs were located on the right side (n = 188, 98.9%). The incidence of fibrosis in the paratracheal cyst group was 45.8% (n = 87) compared with 19.5% (n = 37) in the control group; this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The prevalence rates of emphysema in the cyst group and the control group were 29.5% (n = 56) and 11.6% (n = 22), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). When the groups were compared regarding bronchiectasis (scar and non-scar related), the rate of bronchiectasis in the paratracheal cyst group was 17.9% (n = 34), compared with 3.7% (n = 7) in the control group; this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Paratracheal air cysts are relatively common, but the etiology is still unclear. We detected increased rates of cyst formation that may result from the traction effect on the tracheal wall in the presence of upper lobe fibrosis.

An unusual cause of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax: the Mounier-Kuhn syndrome.

We present a case of 63-year-old man who was referred to the emergency department with a right-sided pneumothorax. He had a history of spontaneous pneumothorax for 2 times. The chest computed tomographic scan showed tracheobronchomegaly with an increase in the diameter of the trachea and right and left main bronchus. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed enlarged trachea and both main bronchus with diverticulas. These findings are consistent with a diagnosis of Mounier-Kuhn syndrome. Mounier-Kuhn syndrome is a rare clinical and radiologic condition. It is characterized by a tracheal and bronchial dilation. Diagnosis is made by computed tomography and bronchoscopy. Mounier-Kuhn syndrome should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax.

The effect of cold application on pain in patients with chest tubes before deep breathing and coughing exercises: A randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Pain control is very important to ensure the comfort of patients and increase their quality of life. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effects of cold therapy in patients with chest tube before deep breathing and coughing exercises. METHODS: The study participants were patients with chest tubes, who were treated at a training and research hospital in Turkey between May 2, 2017, and October 24, 2019. Seventy patients participated in the study in accordance with the inclusion criteria. The intervention group, patient identification form, and visual analogue scale were used to collect data. Cold therapy was applied for the intervention group before deep breathing and coughing exercises, and not for the control group. RESULTS: The pain rates of the intervention group participants were lower (3.31) after the deep breathing and coughing exercises, than the rates (4.24) before the exercises (p<0.01). The pain rate (5.29) among the control group participants after the deep breathing and coughing exercises was significantly higher than those before (3.47) the exercises (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed that cold therapy before deep breathing and coughing exercises effectively relieves pain in patients with chest tubes.

Doppler ultrasound findings in kidney transplant recipients with and without of new onset diabetes mellitus beyond 5 years after transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: Renal Doppler Ultrasound (RDU) indices: resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) are frequently applied as a noninvasive method that measured possible causes of allograft dysfunction in kidney transplant patients. We aimed to compare long-term prognosis and associated risk factors including the RDU markers in recipients with and without new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) beyond 5 years after kidney transplantation. METHODS: A prospectively maintained database of 137 kidney allograft recipients, transplanted in a single center, maintained on reduced tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive regimen and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) was retrospectively analyzed. The assessment including incidence of NODAT and associated risk factors including RI and PI was compared between 12 recipients with and 125 recipients without NODAT median 77.5 months and 74 months, respectively, after kidney transplantation. RESULTS: NODAT was detected in 12 (9.6%) of the 137 kidney transplant recipients, without gender predilection. In univariate regression analysis recipient age (P < 0.001), recipients weight at the time of NODAT ≥ 65 kg (P < 0.001), as well as proteinuria (P = 0.026), tacrolimus trough levels (P = 0.005), PI (P = 0.023) were associated with the long-term risk of NODAT and multivariate regression analysis also revealed that recipients weight at the time of NODAT ≥ 65 kg (P = 0.004) was independent long- term risk factor for NODAT. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that beyond 5 years after kidney transplantation the RDU indices: RI and PI are not long-term risk factors for NODAT and the correction of recipient's body weight, the treatment with ARB and maintained reduced TAC doses lowered the incidence of NODAT.

Late-Onset BK Viruria in Renal Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Most cases of BK virus (BKV) infections emerge within the 1st years of kidney transplantation. We aimed to determine the prevalence of late-onset BKV infection and whether there are any differences between risk factors in early and late BKV infections. METHODS: In this single-center retrospective study, we reviewed 300 kidney transplant recipients that were under regular follow-up and selected recipients with BKV infection and recorded associated risk factors, connection with immunosuppression, and responses to modification of treatment. RESULTS: BKV was detected within the 1st 5 years after transplantation in 20 patients (6.6%, group 1) and after 5 years in 15 patients (5.0%, group 2). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding age, sex, sex mismatches, donor type, BKV elimination time, serum creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate at the times of BKV detection and last follow-up visit. In group 1, 2 recipients had biopsy-proven BKV-associated nephropathy (BKVAN), 3 recipients had BK viruria and viremia without BKVAN (biopsy proven), and 15 recipients (75%) had only BK viruria. In group 2, all of the patients had only BK viruria. In this group, on detection of BK viruria and immediate modification of immunosuppressive regimens prevented BK viremia. CONCLUSIONS: Routine screening of renal transplant recipients for BKV was indicated not only during the 1st 5 years, but also for the full follow-up period after transplantation.

HLA-identical sibling renal transplantation: influence of donor and recipient gender mismatch on long-term outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Long-term function of living-related kidney allograft depends on multiple variables. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of donor and recipient gender mismatch on the short and long-term outcomes in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling renal transplants (SRTs) receiving induction therapy and different immunosuppressive regimens. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-nine recipients who were grafted from their HLA-identical siblings between 1994 and 2008 were divided into 2 groups (same and mismatched) according to gender of donor and recipient. The analyzed variables were age, gender, cholesterol, triglyceride, proteinuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate, weight, body mass index, and serum creatinine at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months, and median follow-up. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models (when appropriate) were used to evaluate the effects of variables on allograft survival. RESULTS: The number of male donors (P = .001) and recipient age (P = .019) was significantly higher in the same gender group than in mismatched gender group; there were no relationships between remainder analyzed parameters. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that after median follow-up period of 84 months (range, 60-232) the most important potential factors to significantly influence long-term outcomes were male donor (P = .002), recipient age (P < .001), and donor age (P = .021). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that male donor, and donor and recipient age affected long-term survival of HLA-identical SRTs, supported with antibody induction therapy and lifetime immunosuppression.

Giant aortic pseudoaneurysm with stanford type a aortic dissection after aortic valve replacement.

Giant pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta is a rare but dreadful complication occurring several months or years after aortic surgery. Thoracic aortic aneurysms tend to be asymptomatic and were previously often diagnosed only after a complication such as dissection or rupture. We present a rare case of giant ascending aneurysm with Stanford type A aortic dissection occurring 6 years after aortic valve replacement and also illustrate the potential dimensions the ascending aorta may reach by a pseudoaneurysm and dissection after AVR.

Benign pneumoperitoneum after colonoscopy.

Pneumoperitoneum frequently indicates a perforated abdominal viscus that requires emergent surgical management. However; pneumoperitoneum, on rare occasion, can occur without perforation. In these cases, it is defined as benign pneumoperitoneum. Benign pneumoperitoneum means asymptomatic free intra-abdominal air or pneumoperitoneum without peritonitis and can occur occasionally with colonoscopy. In this paper, we present a rare case of benign pneumoperitoneum that developed after diagnostic colonoscopy and review it in conjunction with the current literature.