Applying a low-flow CO2 removal device in severe acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.

A novel and portable extracorporeal CO2-removal device was evaluated to provide additional gas transfer, auxiliary to standard therapy in severe acute hypercapnic respiratory failure. A dual-lumen catheter was inserted percutaneously in five subjects (mean age 55 ± 0.4 years) and, subsequently, connected to the CO2-removal device. The median duration on support was 45 hours (interquartile range 26-156), with a blood flow rate of approximately 500 mL/min. The mean PaCO2 decreased from 95.8 ± 21.9 mmHg to 63.9 ± 19.6 mmHg with the pH improving from 7.11 ± 0.1 to 7.26 ± 0.1 in the initial 4 hours of support. Three subjects were directly weaned from the CO2-removal device and mechanical ventilation, one subject was converted to ECMO and one subject died following withdrawal of support. No systemic bleeding or device complications were observed. Low-flow CO2 removal adjuvant to standard therapy was effective in steadily removing CO2, limiting the progression of acidosis in subjects with severe acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.

Effectiveness of managing suspected pulmonary embolism using an algorithm combining clinical probability, D-dimer testing, and computed tomography.

CONTEXT: Previous studies have evaluated the safety of relatively complex combinations of clinical decision rules and diagnostic tests in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical effectiveness of a simplified algorithm using a dichotomized clinical decision rule, D-dimer testing, and computed tomography (CT) in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Prospective cohort study of consecutive patients with clinically suspected acute pulmonary embolism, conducted in 12 centers in the Netherlands from November 2002 through December 2004. The study population of 3306 patients included 82% outpatients and 57% women. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were categorized as "pulmonary embolism unlikely" or "pulmonary embolism likely" using a dichotomized version of the Wells clinical decision rule. Patients classified as unlikely had D-dimer testing, and pulmonary embolism was considered excluded if the D-dimer test result was normal. All other patients underwent CT, and pulmonary embolism was considered present or excluded based on the results. Anticoagulants were withheld from patients classified as excluded, and all patients were followed up for 3 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Symptomatic or fatal venous thromboembolism (VTE) during 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: Pulmonary embolism was classified as unlikely in 2206 patients (66.7%). The combination of pulmonary embolism unlikely and a normal D-dimer test result occurred in 1057 patients (32.0%), of whom 1028 were not treated with anticoagulants; subsequent nonfatal VTE occurred in 5 patients (0.5% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.2%-1.1%]). Computed tomography showed pulmonary embolism in 674 patients (20.4%). Computed tomography excluded pulmonary embolism in 1505 patients, of whom 1436 patients were not treated with anticoagulants; in these patients the 3-month incidence of VTE was 1.3% (95% CI, 0.7%-2.0%). Pulmonary embolism was considered a possible cause of death in 7 patients after a negative CT scan (0.5% [95% CI, 0.2%-1.0%]). The algorithm was completed and allowed a management decision in 97.9% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnostic management strategy using a simple clinical decision rule, D-dimer testing, and CT is effective in the evaluation and management of patients with clinically suspected pulmonary embolism. Its use is associated with low risk for subsequent fatal and nonfatal VTE.

A phase I study of concurrent individualized, isotoxic accelerated radiotherapy and cisplatin-vinorelbine-cetuximab in patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: In this open-label phase I study, the maximum-tolerated dose of cetuximab with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT) in stage III non-small-cell lung cancer together with individualized, isotoxic accelerated radiotherapy (RT) was investigated. METHODS: Patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer, World Health Organization performance status 0-1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second more than 50%, carbon monoxide diffusing capacity more than 50%, weight loss less than 10%, and no severe comorbidity were enrolled. Patients without progression after one to two cycles of gemcitabine-carboplatin were included and treated with cetuximab 400 mg/kg d7 and 250 mg/kg weekly together with RT and cisplatin (50 mg/m d1, 8; 40 mg/m d22)-vinorelbine for 5 weeks. Vinorelbine was escalated in three steps; (1) 10 mg/m d1, 8 and 8 mg/m d22, 29; (2) 20 mg/m d1, 8 and 8 mg/m d22, 29; (3) 20 mg/m d1, 8; 15 mg/m d22, 29. An individualized prescribed RT dose based on normal tissue dose constraints was applied (e.g., mean lung dose 19 Gy). The primary endpoint was the maximum-tolerated dose 3 months after the end of C-CRT; secondary endpoints were toxicity and metabolic response as assessed by positron emission tomography. RESULTS: Between September 2007 and October 2010, 25 patients (12 men, 13 women, mean age 59 years) were included. The mean RT dose was 62 ± 6.6 Gy. The vinorelbine dose could be escalated to dose level 3. Twelve of 25 patients experienced greater than or equal to grade 3 toxicity (esophagitis 3, rash 1, diarrhea 1, cough 1, dyspnea 1, vomiting 1, and pulmonary embolism 1). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. One patient with a complete pathological response in dose level 3 developed a fatal hemoptysis 4 months after RT. Metabolic remissions were observed in 19 of 22 patients. CONCLUSION: C-CRT with cetuximab and cisplatin-vinorelbine is safe to deliver at full dose. The recommended phase II dose is therefore cetuximab 400 mg/m d7 and 250 mg/m weekly, cisplatin 50 mg/m d1, 8; 40 mg/m d22 and vinorelbine 20 mg/m d1, 8; 15 mg/m d22, 29 for 5 weeks together with RT.

Open window thoracostomy treatment of empyema is accelerated by vacuum-assisted closure.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent thoracic empyema in the presence of residual lung tissue can be treated with an open window thoracostomy (OWT). Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) of these large thoracic defects is a novel option. METHODS: Nineteen patients with residual lung tissue received an OWT for treatment of recurrent thoracic empyema. In this retrospective case series, 8 patients (aged 58 +/- 20 years, all male) were treated conventionally, and 11 patients (aged 53 +/- 17 years, 8 male) were treated with VAC. RESULTS: The application of the VAC system resulted in rapid debridement of the thoracic cavity and reexpansion of the residual lung tissue. The duration of OWT and VAC therapy was 39 +/- 17 and 31 +/- 19 days, respectively. All 11 patients were amenable for subsequent closure using pedicled muscular flaps. In 2 patients, VAC therapy alone resulted in complete closure of the OWT. The average duration of follow-up was 46 +/- 19 months. All patients, except 1, have recovered well. One patient died of nonpulmonary causes. In the non-VAC group (n = 8), the OWT was managed conventionally by application of saline-soaked gauzes. In 2 patients, the OWT was eventually closed using pedicled muscular flaps (after 75 and 440 days, respectively). Four patients died of OWT-related complications (1 bleeding, 3 recurrent infections) during follow-up; 1 patient died of a cause unrelated to OWT. The average duration of OWT was 933 +/- 1,422 days. CONCLUSIONS: When compared with conventional management of OWT, VAC therapy accelerates wound healing and improves reexpansion of residual lung tissue in patients with OWT after empyema, allowing rapid surgical closure.

The destroyed lung syndrome: report of a case after Harrington rod instrumentation and fusion for idiopathic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: A case report is described. OBJECTIVE: To describe the very rare complication of destroyed lung syndrome after scoliosis correction. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The destroyed lung syndrome has, to our knowledge, never been associated with scoliosis in the literature. Bronchial kinking and compression by the vertebral column have been described in severe scoliosis cases. METHODS: The patient, a 40-year-old woman was operated on in 1976 for a thoracic scoliosis and hypokyphosis using Harrington rod instrumentation and fusion with autologous bone graft. With a follow-up of 26 years, she has developed a very severe functional defect of the right lung, the so-called destroyed lung syndrome. RESULTS: After the index procedure, the patient developed various episodes of pneumonia and abscess formation in the right lung because of kinking and obstruction of the bronchial tree of the right lung. This seemed to be caused by a severe hypokyphosis and by residual scoliosis of the thoracic spine with direct compression of the right bronchus by the vertebral column. Eventually two stents were placed, but this prevented further deterioration only temporarily. CONCLUSIONS: After Harrington instrumentation and fusion for thoracic hypokyphotic idiopathic scoliosis, kinking and obstruction of a main bronchus are possible. In this patient, this complication gave rise to recurrent infections of the right lung, eventually progressing to destroyed lung syndrome.