Fontan's operation: is aspirin enough? Is coumadin too much?

BACKGROUND: Thromboembolism after Fontan's operation is attributed to low flow states, stasis in venous pathways, right to left shunts, blind cul-de-sacs, prosthetic materials, atrial arrhythmias, and hypercoagulable states. We assessed the efficacy of a strategy to reduce thromboembolic events including aspirin anticoagulation. METHODS: From January 1996 through December 2000, 72 patients underwent Fontan procedures. Management included (1) avoidance of direct caval cannulation and central venous lines, (2) inotropic support for 48 to 72 hours to optimize cardiac output, (3) aortopulmonary anastomosis or suture closure of patent pulmonary valves, and (4) administration of aspirin (81 mg per day) beginning on postoperative day one. No other anticoagulation strategies were used. Surveillance included intraoperative and postoperative transesophageal echo, transthoracic echo at discharge, at first reevaluation, and at 6 month intervals, and catheterization 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: There were no early or late deaths. Follow-up was completed with 2,882 patient-months and a mean of 40 months. There were no documented thromboembolic events; however, all suspicious occurrences were investigated by echo and brain imaging. There were no hemorrhagic events or aspirin-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Low dose aspirin can be used safely in young patients with Fontan connections. At intermediate follow-up, the strategies described appear effective in preventing thromboembolic complications. Routine use of more aggressive anticoagulation regimens seems unwarranted.

Robot-assisted azygos lobectomy for adenocarcinoma arising in an azygos lobe.

The azygos lobe is a well-known and well-described anatomical variation of the right lung. Primary lung cancer arising from an azygos lobe, however, is exceedingly rare. Only a handful of cases have been previously reported in the literature. We report the first case with operative demonstration of a primary adenocarcinoma arising from an azygos lobe, which was treated with robot-assisted azygos lobectomy.

Intrathoracic splenosis presenting as persistent chest pain.

Thoracic splenosis is a rare entity resulting from splenic and diaphragmatic injury. Patients remain asymptomatic, and surgical intervention is not indicated in the majority of cases. We report a case of a 50-year-old male with a history of splenectomy due to a gunshot wound 30 years previously who presented with vague, progressively worsening chest pain. He was found to have a large intrathoracic splenosis. Unique features of our patient include the presence of symptoms, the significant interval growth of the splenic tissue, and the unprecedented size of the mass, which we believe to be the largest among those previously described.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for intralobar pulmonary sequestration.

INTRODUCTION: Intralobar pulmonary sequestration is a rare congenital abnormality of the lower respiratory system, which becomes symptomatic early in life. Standard treatment consists of wedge resection or lobectomy through a thoracotomy. CASE PRESENTATION: We report on an unusual case of a 36-year-old female patient with intralobar pulmonary sequestration on the right lower lobe, which was treated with video-assisted thoracic surgery. The case is presented along with literature review. CONCLUSION: VATS wedge resection is a great alternative to the traditional thoracotomy for the treatment of intralobar pulmonary sequestrations.