[Evaluation of thoracography for secondary pneumothorax in elderly people].

The thoracoscopic surgery for patient with pneumothorax has been considered to be safe and easy. In recent years, there is a growing number of secondary pneumothorax due to advanced pulmonary emphysema in elderly patients. To confirm the existence of adhesion and the site of air leakage are important prior to surgery. In our institution, thoracography was performed before surgery in 9 cases of emphysema and secondary pneumothorax over 60 years old patients. The mean age was 72.2 years old and all patients were male. Air leakage and its site could be identified in 6 cases by thoracography. In the remaining 3 cases, adhesion sites were identified. There were no complications in all cases. The operation time was 117 minutes, and blood loss was 9.9 ml in average. The mean postoperative drainage period was 1.6 days and total hospital stay was 5.9 days. We conclude that the thoracoscopic surgery can be performed more safely by obtaining information of thoracic cavity using thoracography before surgery.

Prevention of surgical site infection by antibiotic spraying in the operative field during cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the many procedures introduced to prevent surgical site infection during cardiothoracic surgery, serious infections still occur. We attempted to reduce surgical site infection by spraying antibiotic solution in the operative field--a procedure since introduced at 4 other Japanese institutions. METHODS: In the latter half of 1990, we began spraying an antibiotic solution of cefazolin (1g) and gentamicin (40 mg)/40 ml of saline placed in a 50 ml syringe and dispensed through an 18 G needle bent at 60 to 80 degrees to clean the wound during surgery. RESULT: No deep surgical site infections or deaths due to infection have occurred among the 502 patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass at our hospital. This method was used in over 2,100 cases of similar procedures at 4 other institutions. There were 3 deaths due to severe surgical site infection (0.11%). At one institution treating over 1,000 cases a year, the incidence of death due to surgical site infection decreased significantly after this method was introduced. CONCLUSION: These preliminary experiences show that spraying antibiotic solution in the operative field reduces the risk of surgical site infection in cardiothoracic surgery.

[A clinical study for improving the survival rate of pN2 lung cancer through our case of 53 patients].

BACKGROUND: In management of non-small cell lung cancer, the evaluation and treatment of N2 disease has a lot of controversy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1983 and 1998, 53 patients of pN2 non-small cell lung cancer were operated by standard lymph node dissection method (R2) using CUSA system. We studied the sensitivity of the diagnosis of preoperative N factor, survival rate, and analysed the relationship between the postoperative mediastinal lymph node metastasis and the site of recurrence. RESULTS: Three-year and five-year survival rates for 53 cases were 46.8% and 33.4% respectivery. Preoperative sensitivity of CT scan for N factors were only 45% in squamous cell carcinoma and 24.2% in adenocarcinoma. Even with intraoperative findings, the sensitivity was not better. In a follow up survey, ipsilateral mediastinal lymph node recurrence was not detected, contralateral mediastinal lymph node recurrences were rare and the distant metastases were common cause of death. CONCLUSION: It is more important to accomplish the standard lymph node dissection completely in all cN cases than to evaluate the preoperative node stage aggressively using invasive methods.

[Fenestration of diaphragm for management of persistent postoperative pleural effusion: clinical experience and experiment in rabbits].

UNLABELLED: The management of persistent postoperative pleural effusion is still considered difficult. We report here our experience with such a case, successfully managed with fenestration of the diaphragm-the first of it's kind. Clinical Experience: A two-year-old boy with double outlet right ventricle, underwent right heart bypass procedure. Due to low output and high venous pressure, he was on ventilator until the 26th postoperative day. The pericardial and right pleural effusion persisted till the 60th postoperative day. Right phrenic nerve palsy and atelectasis of right lower lobe were suspected to contribute to it. We performed a plication of the right diaphragm and fenestration of the pericardium and right diaphragm. A T-shaped incision was made on the right diaphragm and the edges were trimmed and strengthened with non-absorbable suture into a circular shaped defect of 1.5 cm diameter. The defect was closed with a Dacron mesh allowing passage of fluid across. Pleural effusion decreased immediately and he was discharged a month after the procedure. Experimental Study: The above procedure was experimented in rabbits in whom a contrast medium injected into the pleural cavity could easily drain into the peritoneum through the fenestation, proved by fluoroscopy. CONCLUSION: Fenestration of the diaphragm is an effective procedure to manage persistent pleural effusion.

[A case of operation for acute postinfarction mitral insufficiency due to papillary muscle rupture].

A 75-year-old man was brought to hospital with complaining of chest pain. He was diagnosed acute myocardial infarction and treated medically using thrombolytic drugs. Without chest pain relieved, cardiac catheterization revealed three coronary vessel disease and severe mitral insufficiency (MR). MR was diagnosed due to papillary muscle rupture by echocardiography. After being transferred to our hospital, the patient developed in shock and underwent emergency operation with IABP inserted. Triple CABGs (to LAD, PD and 4PL) and mitral valve replacement were performed using saphenous vein grafts and a mechanical valve (Carbomedicus 25 M). The patient recovered gradually and discharged one and a half month after operation.

[Surgical treatment of acute Stanford Type-A aortic dissection].

Twelve cases of Stanford Type-A aortic dissection were operated in an acute phase. The male vs female ratio was 3:9, and their ages ranged from 47 to 79 (mean 61.3) years old. Most of them complained of chest and/or back pain, and four of them complained of syncope. Eight patients had the history of hypertension. As to the complications of aortic dissection, cardiac tamponade was seen in two cases, myocardial infarction in one, and transient hemiplegia and paraplegia in one case each. In five cases, moderate to severe aortic regurgitation was also noted. All but one case were operated within twenty-four hours after admission. The replacement of the ascending aorta with a tube graft was performed in all cases including the two cases whose entries were located in the aortic arch. CABG was done concomitantly in three cases, and aortic valve replacement and CABG in one case. The open distal anastomosis was carried out under the systemic circulatory arrest combined with the retrograde cerebral perfusion. The systemic perfusion was reinstituted after the distal anastomosis was completed. In cases whose dissecting pseudo-lumen of the distal aorta was not thrombosed, the arterial cannulation site was shifted from the femoral artery to the tube graft. All but two cases were discharged from the hospital in good condition. One case, who had been transferred to the operating room under cardiac massage due to myocardial infarction, was lost by severe LOS three weeks postoperatively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)