Intraosseous lipoma of the rib.

A 54-year-old male patient admitted to our hospital with right- sided chest pain. Chest X-ray revealed a large expansive lesion arising from the eighth rib. On his computed tomography, paravertebral localized well-defined expansive lytic 4x3 cm diameter mass was described. Wide en bloc excision of seventh and eighth rib was performed. In this article, we report a case of intraosseous lipoma involved in the eighth rib under the review of the literature.

Role of the nitric oxide pathway in ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated perfused guinea pig lungs.

We examined the role of the nitric oxide (NO) pathway on ischemia-reperfusion injury via the use of isolated perfused guinea pig lungs. We administered both L-Arginine and N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) to the lungs in or after 3 h of ischemia. We observed pulmonary artery pressures as well as tissue and perfusate malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels. We observed that L-NAME significantly increased both tissue and perfusate GSH levels and pulmonary artery pressures, but it decreased both tissue and perfusate MDA levels. On the other hand, L-arginine significantly decreased pulmonary artery pressure and both tissue and perfusate glutathione levels, but it increased both tissue and perfusate MDA levels. Electron microscopic evaluation supported our findings by indicating the preservation of lamellar bodies of type II pneumocytes. We concluded that L-NAME administration during reperfusion improves lung recovery from ischemic injury.

The effects of pentoxifylline on the myocardial inflammation and ischemia-reperfusion injury during cardiopulmonary bypass.

BACKGROUND: Pentoxifylline (Ptx) decreases necessity of cell energy and inflammatory reactions via inhibition of 5'-nucleotidase (5'-NT). The aim of this study is to investigate whether the addition of Ptx into the cardioplegic solutions avoids myocardial inflammatory reactions and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury during extracorpereal circulation. METHODS: Between December 1999 and February 2002, we operated 75 patients with the diagnoses of atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), valve disease, and coronary disease. The average age of patients was 42.4 and male-female ratio was 1: 1.5. The patients were divided into two groups, which were the study group (n = 40) and the control group (n = 35). We used cold blood cardioplegia mixed with St. Thomas' Hospital II cardioplegic solution for both of the groups. Ptx was added into the cardioplegic solution (500 mg/L) in the study group. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrotisis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in coronary sinus blood samples during cross-clamp time (X-clamp) and after releasing of it and tissue TNF-alpha in the right atrial appendix biopsy material that was taken after X-clamp were studied to compare the both groups. RESULTS: After releasing X-clamp, results of blood TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 of both groups were statistically significant (p < 0.005). At the pathological examination, we also observed that the amount of tissue TNF-alpha in the control group (66 +/- 17.1) was much higher than the study group (16.6 +/- 5.9, p <0.005). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that Ptx may be added into cardioplegic solution to avoid the myocardial inflammation and I/R injury during open heart surgery.

Surgical treatment of pulmonary hydatid cysts in pediatric patients.

Hydatid cyst is a zoonotic infection that is caused by Echinococcus granulosus and alveolaris, and that can result in endemics in rural regions. Infections caused by Echinococcus granulosus are more commonly seen in our country. In this retrospective study, we aimed at discussing the experience we have accumulated on pediatric pulmonary hydatid cyst cases over the last 6 years. Between 1995-2001, in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Gaziantep University, 38 cases underwent 39 operations due to pulmonary and hepatic hydatid cysts. Of these, 24 were males and 14 were females, with an age range of 2-16 years. Operations were frequently performed via thoracotomy. Nineteen cysts were intact, and 26 were perforated. One case had sternotomy, another had sequential thoracotomy, and the rest of the cases underwent thoracotomy, which resulted in cystotomy-capitonnage. In the postoperative period, 2 patients had sustained air leakage, and 2 other cases developed skin infections. Average hospital stay was 5 days. After the operation, the patients received chemotherapy (albendazole 10 mg/kg/day) for 1.5 months. Early or late deaths or recurrences were not observed. We conclude that cystotomy-capitonnage is a successful treatment for pediatric pulmonary hydatid cysts, as it preserves the parenchyma. Chemotherapy in the postoperative period is beneficial in preventing the recurrences.

The role of tissue reperfusion in the reexpansion injury of the lungs.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to discuss the balance between free radical damage and body defense mechanisms that occurred in reexpansed pulmonary tissue and to evaluate the relationship between the changes in the pulmonary circulation and the mentioned balance. METHODS: Twenty male Wistar Albino rats were used for these study results. Pneumothorax was created in the left hemithorax by percutaneous route in all the rats. After 7 days, the first group (n = 10) had a sternotomy under ketamine anesthesia. Following invasive measurement of pulmonary artery pressure, tissue samples were obtained from the lower lobes of the right and left lungs before reexpansion occurred. Tracheotomies were opened in the second group (n = 10) with a 16 gauge cannula. Following sternotomy, invasive mean pulmonary artery pressure measurements were obtained by the support of non-invasive cardiac monitorization. The lungs were aerated with 4 cmH(2)O oxygen and fixed volume support and 1 h of reexpansion was obtained. Invasive mean pulmonary artery pressure measurements were repeated after reexpansion and tissue samples were obtained from the lower lobes of left and right lungs. Nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were measured in tissue samples, surfactant staining and light microscopic evaluations were performed. RESULTS: At the end of the reexpansion, there was a decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure (P < 0.01), MDA (P < 0.01) and SOD (P < 0.05) levels and an increase in NO (P < 0.05) levels. Under the light microscopic examination, in the samples that were provided with reexpansion, the alveolo-capillary membrane was thickened due to increasing edema, increase in the number of lymphocytes and return of the neutrophil leukocytes to the area. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of surfactant staining. CONCLUSION: The tissue reperfusion that is achieved with the restoration of blood flow during the reexpansion of collapsed lungs, can be the initial pathology in the chain of events that result in reexpansion injury.

Cardiac hydatid cyst: report of two cases.

Cardiac hydatid cyst is life threatening but rare. It is usually asymptomatic and has potentially lethal complications, so early diagnosis with definitive treatment is life-saving. In the present article, we report two cases. The first is a 30-year-old woman with a primary large multivesicular hydatid cyst in the left ventricle. The second is a 17-year-old woman who had multivisceral involvement with a cardiac hydatid cyst, a congenital cardiac anomaly that was an atrial septal defect complicated by pulmonary hypertension. 2-D echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis. Surgical treatment was performed using extracorporeal circulation and adjunctive albendazol therapy.