Influence of the progression of pleural neoplasia on the outcome of pleurodesis in mice.

PURPOSE: Experimental study aimed at evaluating whether pleural neoplastic disease is associated with the degree of pleural fibrosis over time caused by talc pleurodesis. The study describes changes in levels of inflammatory mediators and determines whether the course of time involved in progression of neoplastic pleural disease is the factor that influences safety of talc pleurodesis usage in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Animals were randomized into two groups: Cancer group (CG) that received intrapleural injection of Lewis cells or Saline group (SG) that received saline injection. After, the animals were subdivided into Early (pleurodesis 3 days after pleural injection) and Late (pleurodesis 7 days after pleural injection) groups. Half of the animals in each group were euthanized 24 hours after pleurodesis (to obtain the inflammatory data); the remaining animals were killed after 8 days (to obtain the scores of pleural fibrosis). RESULTS: CGs had lower fibrosis scores than SGs comparing early phases to late phases. Inflammation scores were lower in CGs, particularly in Late group. In SGs the inflammation was intense in 100% of the animals. In Late CG group pleural adhesions had the lowest scores; we found intense fibrosis only in SGs. VEGF and LDH levels had increased in animals with cancer, particularly in Late group. Systemic distribution of talc occurred only in Late CG. CONCLUSIONS: The time for pleural neoplasia to evolve is inversely proportional to the degree of pleural fibrosis. Earlier pleurodesis yielded the best results related to fibrosis, with less systemic inflammation and is safer in mice.

Can total bronchopleural fistulas from complete stump dehiscence be endoscopically treated?

Objectives: Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is an uncommon complication following a lung resection to address various conditions. BPFs are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. This study evaluated the endoscopic treatment of 'total' BPFs using the Occlutech-Fígulla® cardiac device at a single centre. Methods: We selected nine patients with chronic and complete BPFs. Under direct bronchoscopic visualization, the BPFs were treated using the Occlutech-Fígulla device. The patients were followed up for 12 months to determine the treatment level and complications. Results: The procedure had a favourable outcome in three patients, resulting in complete fistula closure. Two patients had partial closure and showed improvements in their clinical conditions. In two other cases, closure of the bronchial stump was unsuccessful using this method. Two patients died from causes unrelated to the procedure or the device. During the follow-up period, no complications related to infection or device-related injuries were reported. Conclusions: In patients without clinical conditions that require surgical treatment, the Occlutech-Fígulla cardiac device can be a safe and effective method for the endoscopic treatment of large BPFs resulting from complete dehiscence of a bronchial stump. No severe events were reported.

Indicações de dispositivos mecânicos de suporte na insuficiência cardíaca refratár / Indications of mechanical support devices in refractory heart failur

A insuficiência cardíaca refratária e o choque cardiogênico estão relacionados aelevadas taxas de mortalidade e a baixa qualidade de vida. As estratégias de tratamento para esses pacientes foram limitadas, nos últimos anos, às terapias farmacológicas que pouco modificaram a evolução da doença. Entretanto, com o desenvolvimento tecnológico em dispositivos mecânicos de suporte circulatório, diversas modalidades terapêuticas utilizando diferentes tipos de tecnologia proporcionam melhor suporte hemodinâmico, diminuição e reversão de disfunções orgânicas causadas pela insuficiência cardíaca.Esses dispositivos quando indicados corretamente melhoram os desfechos clínicos de pacientes que aguardam transplante cardíaco e dos que não são candidatos a transplante. Atualmente, observam-se indicações cada vez mais precoces de dispositivos de suporte circulatório, tornando-os uma terapia essencial no manejo de pacientes cominsuficiência cardíaca refratária ou choque cardiogênico. Esta revisão abordará os principais tipos de dispositivos disponíveis em nosso país e suas indicações...

The refractory heart failure and cardiogenic shock are related to high rates of mortality and poor quality of life. Treatment strategies for these patients have been limited in the last yearsto pharmacological therapies that change only slightly the evolution of the disease. However, with technological advances in mechanical devices for circulatory assistance, various therapeutic modalities using different types of technology provide better hemodynamic support, reduction and reversal of organic dysfunction caused by heart failure. When properly indicated,these devices can provide better clinical outcomes of patients on heart transplantation waiting list and those who are not candidates for transplantation. Contemporarily, indications for mechanical support devices are occurring increasingly earlier, making them an essential therapy in the management of patients with refractory heart failure or cardiogenic shock.This review covers the different types of devices available in our country and its indications...

Hemangioma of the rib.

An asymptomatic 48-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a tumor of the rib incidentally diagnosed on a chest roentgenogram. The patient was investigated and underwent tumor resection of the chest wall. The pathologic study revealed that it was cavernous hemangioma. This tumor of the bone is a distinctly uncommon benign vascular tumor, generally occurring in the spine or skull. Hemangiomas involving the rib are even more rare, with only 22 cases described in the literature. However, we suggest that this tumor of the rib should be considered in the differential diagnosis, principally in asymptomatic patients.

Transplante pulmonar / Lung transplantation

Desde o primeiro transplante pulmonar bem sucedido na década de 80, essa se tornou uma terapia bem estabelecida para pacientes com pneumopatia crônica não-neoplásica em estágio terminal. São pacientes portadores de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica, fibrose pulmonar idiopática, fibrose cística e hipertensão pulmonar primária em um estágio no qual a terapia clínica não é mais efetiva. Atualmente, são cerca de 150 centros em todo o mundo realizando mais de 2500 transplantes de pulmão todo ano. O aprimoramento das técnicas cirúrgicas e anestésicas, bem como dos cuidados perioperatórios (terapia intensiva, imunossupressão, profilaxia de infecções) contribuíram para aumentar a sobrevida e a qualidade de vida dos pacientes transplantados. Nessa revisão, abordaremos os critérios de seleção de doadores e receptores, e as técnicas de preservação pulmonar atualmente utilizadas. Também discutiremos a técnica operatória adotada em nossa instituição para a extração e o implante dos órgãos. Por fim, citaremos as estatísticas mais recentes divulgadas pela International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation, incluindo todos os transplantes realizados até o primeiro semestre de 2008...

Since the first successful lung transplantation in the early 1980s, it has become the mainstay of therapy for patients with end-stage chronic non-neoplastic lung diseases. These are patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and primary pulmonary hypertension in an advanced stage with no effective response to medical therapy. Currently, there are about 150 centers around the world performing more than 2500 lung transplants each year. The improvement of surgical and anesthetic techniques, as well as perioperative care (intensive care, immunosuppression, infection prophylaxis) has contributed to increase survival and quality of life of lung recipients. In this review we will discuss the selection criteria of donors and recipients, and techniques of lung preservation...

Lista de espera para transplante pulmonar no Estado de São Paulo: características dos pacientes e preditores de mortalidade / Lung transplantation waiting list in State of São Paulo: patients'characteristics and predictors of death

Introdução: Atualmente, a alocação de pulmões no Brasil baseia-se, sobretudo, no tempo de espera em lista (li) para transplante pulmonar (TxP). Objetivos: (1) Determinar o perfil dos pacientes em Li, e (2) identificar preditores de mortalidade em lista (PMLi). Casuística e métodos: Analisamos os prontuários de 164 pacientes inscritos na Li por nosso serviço, de 2001 até 2008...

Introduction: Nowadays, lung allocation in Brazil is based mainly on waiting time while on list (Li) for lung transplantion (LTx). Objectives: (1) to determine the profile of the patients on Li; (2) To identify predictors of death on list (PDLi). Casuistic and methods: We analysed medical records of 164 patients inscribed on Li by our service, from 2001 to 2008...

Registry of Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo Medical School: first official solid organ and tissue transplantation report - 2008.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report a single center experience of organ and tissue transplantation INTRODUCTION: This is the first report of organ and tissue transplantation at the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of Sao Paulo Medical School. METHODS: We collected data from each type of organ transplantation from 2002 to 2007. The data collected were patient characteristics and actuarial survival Kaplan-Meier curves at 30 days, one year, and five years RESULTS: There were a total of 3,321 transplants at our institution and the 5-year survival curve ranged from 53% to 88%. CONCLUSION: This report shows that solid organ and tissue transplants are feasible within the institution and allow us to expect that the quality of transplantation will improve in the future.

Registry of Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo Medical School: first official solid organ and tissue transplantation report - 2008

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report a single center experience of organ and tissue transplantation INTRODUCTION: This is the first report of organ and tissue transplantation at the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of Sao Paulo Medical School. METHODS: We collected data from each type of organ transplantation from 2002 to 2007. The data collected were patient characteristics and actuarial survival Kaplan-Meier curves at 30 days, one year, and five years RESULTS: There were a total of 3,321 transplants at our institution and the 5-year survival curve ranged from 53 percent to 88 percent. CONCLUSION: This report shows that solid organ and tissue transplants are feasible within the institution and allow us to expect that the quality of transplantation will improve in the future.

[Lung donor profile in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2006]. / Perfil do doador de pulmão disponibilizado no estado de São Paulo, Brasil, em 2006.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the rate at which lungs available for transplantation in the State of São Paulo in 2006 were utilized and to determine the lung donor profile in the same period. METHODS: A retrospective study of 497 clinical charts of lung tissue donors from January to December of 2006. RESULTS: According to the clinical charts, lungs were not offered for transplant in 149 cases (30%), which were therefore excluded from the study. Among the 348 lung donors eligible for inclusion in the study, the mean age was 37.4 +/- 16.1 years, and 56.9% were males. The main causes of brain death among the donors were stroke (in 40.5%), skull-brain trauma (in 34.2%) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (in 10.9%). The great majority of these lung donors (90.5%) received vasoactive agents, and 13.5% presented cardiopulmonary arrest. The mean donor leukocyte count was 15,008 +/- 6,467 cells/mm(3), 67.8% of the donors received anti-bacterial agents, and 26.1% presented lung infection. Nearly 40% of the lung donors presented chest X-ray abnormalities. Only 4.9% of the lung donors were accepted, representing 28 lungs (allograft utilization rate of 4%). The causes for donor exclusion were gas exchange alterations (in 30.1%), infection (in 23.7%) and distance (in 10.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The lung utilization rate in the State of São Paulo is low when compared to mean rates worldwide. In addition, more than half of the donor pool was excluded due to altered gas exchange or pulmonary infection. The combination of better care of the potential donor and more flexible selection criteria could increase allograft utilization.

Perfil do doador de pulmão disponibilizado no estado de São Paulo, Brasil, em 2006 / Lung donor profile in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2006

OBJETIVO: Analisar a taxa de aproveitamento de pulmões disponibilizados em São Paulo no ano de 2006, bem como caracterizar o perfil dos doadores de pulmão deste período. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo de 497 prontuários de doadores de pulmão, no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2006. RESULTADOS: Não houve oferta de doação de pulmões para transplante em 149 (30 por cento) dos prontuários analisados, sendo excluídos do estudo. A idade média dos 348 doadores eleitos para o estudo foi de 37,4 ± 16,1 anos, e 56,9 por cento deles eram do sexo masculino. As principais causas da morte cerebral dos doadores foram: acidente vascular cerebral (40,5 por cento); trauma cranioencefálico (34,2 por cento); e hemorragia subaracnóidea (10,9 por cento). A grande maioria dos doadores recebia drogas vasoativas (90,5 por cento), sendo que 13,5 por cento haviam apresentado parada cárdio-respiratória. Do ponto de vista infeccioso, o leucograma médio foi de 15.008 ± 6.467 células/mm³, 67,8 por cento recebiam antibioticoterapia e 26,1 por cento apresentavam infecção pulmonar. Quase 40 por cento dos doadores apresentavam alterações radiográficas. Apenas 4,9 por cento dos doadores foram aceitos, representando 28 pulmões (taxa de aproveitamento de órgãos de 4 por cento). Os motivos de recusa foram: alteração gasométrica (30,1 por cento); infecção (23,7 por cento); e distância (10,9 por cento). CONCLUSÕES: A taxa de aproveitamento de pulmões em nosso meio é baixa quando comparada às taxas médias de aproveitamento mundial. Além disso, mais de 50 por cento das recusas deveram-se à gasometria arterial inadequada e infecção pulmonar. Aliar melhor cuidado ao potencial doador à menor rigidez nos critérios de seleção poderia aumentar a utilização dos órgãos doados.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the rate at which lungs available for transplantation in the state of São Paulo in 2006 were utilized and to determine the lung donor profile in the same period. METHODS: A retrospective study of 497 clinical charts of lung tissue donors from January to December of 2006. RESULTS: According to the clinical charts, lungs were not offered for transplant in 149 cases (30 percent), which were therefore excluded from the study. Among the 348 lung donors eligible for inclusion in the study, the mean age was 37.4 ± 16.1 years, and 56.9 percent were males. The main causes of brain death among the donors were stroke (in 40.5 percent), skull-brain trauma (in 34.2 percent) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (in 10.9 percent). The great majority of these lung donors (90.5 percent) received vasoactive agents, and 13.5 percent presented cardiopulmonary arrest. The mean donor leukocyte count was 15,008 ± 6,467 cells/mm³, 67.8 percent of the donors received anti-bacterial agents, and 26.1 percent presented lung infection. Nearly 40 percent of the lung donors presented chest X-ray abnormalities. Only 4.9 percent of the lung donors were accepted, representing 28 lungs (allograft utilization rate of 4 percent). The causes for donor exclusion were gas exchange alterations (in 30.1 percent), infection (in 23.7 percent) and distance (in 10.9 percent). CONCLUSIONS: The lung utilization rate in the state of São Paulo is low when compared to mean rates worldwide. In addition, more than half of the donor pool was excluded due to altered gas exchange or pulmonary infection. The combination of better care of the potential donor and more flexible selection criteria could increase allograft utilization.