Systematic review of spontaneous pneumomediastinum: a survey of 22 years' data.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and clarify management protocols in relation to spontaneous pneumomediastinum, and try to integrate criteria on this subject. BACKGROUND: Thoracic physicians are faced with patients who present with gas in the mediastinum, frequently without an obvious etiologic factor. Published material contains heterogeneous information from which different conclusions can be drawn. METHODS: In a Medline search from 1990 to 2012, we collected data on mortality, morbidity, signs, symptoms, etiologic factors, and diagnostic methods. Standardized mean differences were calculated. RESULTS: We identified 600 patients in 27 papers with series of >5 patients without precipitating or etiologic factors previous to the clinical presentation, but athletic activity, drug abuse, and history of asthma played an apparent role in the disease process. Most patients complained of thoracic pain and dyspnea, with subcutaneous emphysema and Hamman's sign. The most common complication was tension pneumothorax. Morbidity was seen in 2.8%; no mortality has been reported so far. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare disease with a benign course, which should be treated conservatively unless a complication mandates an invasive procedure. An algorithm for diagnosis and treatment is offered, based on the available evidence.

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis below the tracheal carina.

BACKGROUND: Descending necrotizing mediastinitis is a dreadful disease with a high mortality rate, particularly when below the tracheal carina. This study describes the epidemiologic, clinical, and paraclinical features of patients treated for this condition. METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective descriptive review of 60 patients with descending necrotizing mediastinitis below the tracheal carina, who were treated during a 7-year period, the largest study in the last 50 years. Demographic, clinical, paraclinical, and therapeutic variables were analyzed. RESULTS: 43 (71.7%) patients were male. The mean age was 41.2 ± 14.7 years. Mean hospital length of stay was 25.0 ± 19.8 days. Comorbidities were present in 46.7% of patients, diabetes mellitus being the most common. Odontogenic infections (45%) were the most frequent source of descending necrotizing mediastinitis. Cultures showed Gram-negative bacilli in 68.3%, Gram-positive cocci in 38.3%, and fungi in 6.7%. Mortality was 35% (21 patients); risk factors for mortality were age (>35 years), diabetes mellitus among other comorbidities, and associated complications. CONCLUSIONS: In this low socioeconomic status patient population, descending necrotizing mediastinitis below the carina causes high morbidity and mortality, the latter particularly associated with age, complications, diabetes mellitus and other comorbidities.

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis and sternoclavicular joint osteomyelitis.

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis is usually associated with cervical or odontogenic infections. We describe a patient with blunt trauma to the chest 2 years earlier, and a slowly developing chest wall hematoma 18 months prior to admission, complicated by chronic sternoclavicular joint osteomyelitis, eventually leading to descending mediastinitis. Thoracotomy with drainage of the mediastinal spaces and multiple procedures for the sternoclavicular joint infection were successful. The rarity of this association and undefined optimal management prompted this report.

[Considerations on employment of the laser Nd:YAG in pneumology]. / Consideraciones sobre el uso del láser Nd:YAG en neumología.

Employment of the laser in medicine has demonstrated its effectiveness. Laser Nd:YAG renders good results for treatment of obstructive malignant and benign airway lesions. There are no statistical differences in frequency of these two kind of lesions and immediate results of laser therapy. Proper case selection and knowledge of their limitations and their advantages are important. Results of a series of 112 patients are presented here.

[Human rights and informed consent]. / Derechos humanos y consentimiento informado.

The right to information is a right that all human beings have; it is unrenounceable and confers to the human being the Rights to the Political Constitution of the United States of Mexico, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Declaration of Geneva, and the Code of Behavior for Health Personnel. Information given to a sick person should suffice so that he/she can make a decision on management and treatment. Information is related directly with medical ethics and is obligatory not only for health workers but for all professionals in general.

[Multidisciplinary treatment of airway obstruction]. / Tratamiento multidisciplinario de la obstrucción de la vía aérea.

The airway obstruction may be for many diseases. In some cases is for malignant pathology and other cases for benign pathology. The etiology of malignant pathology may be for bronchogenic carcinoma, metastatic tumours, trachea primary tumours and larynx. The benign pathology may be for late obstruction post-tracheostomy and granulomas at many infections diseases. In this cases the most important etiology is Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The early diagnosis and the intervention of multidisciplinary group, with the participation at otorrinolaringologies, bronchoscopist, neck surgeons, chest surgeons, and radioterapeuts, can result in a best life quality and resolve the airway obstruction.

Tratamiento multidisciplinario de la obstrucción de la vía aérea / Multidisciplinary treatment of airway obstruction

The airway obstruction may be for many diseases. In some cases is for malignant pathology and other cases for benign pathology. The etiology of malignant pathology may be for bronchogenic carcinoma, metastatic tumours, trachea primary tumours and larynx. The benign pathology may be for late obstruction post-tracheostomy and granulomas at many infections diseases. In this cases the most important etiology is Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The early diagnosis and the intervention of multidisciplinary group, with the participation at otorrinolaringologies, bronchoscopist, neck surgeons, chest surgeons, and radioterapeuts, can result in a best life quality and resolve the airway obstruction.

Timectomía y miastenia gravis / Thymectomy and myasthenia gravis

La miastenia gravis es una enfermedad autoinmune que se caracteriza por presentar fatiga y debilidad muscular progresiva. La alteración esencial es la disminución del número de receptores de la acetilcolina a nivel de las uniones neuromusculares, debido a la presencia de anticuerpos contra los receptores para la acetilcolina. Actualmente, se han demostrado alteraciones de la histología del timo que va de la hiperplasia tímica a la presencia de timoma. En el presente trabajo se reporta una serie de 43 casos que fueron sometidos a timectomía como parte del tratamiento de la miastenia gravis y los resultados obtenidos después del procedimiento, 38 (88.3 por ciento) mujeres y 5 (11.6 por ciento) hombres, respectivamente, con un promedio de edad de 32.4 años y rango de 17-58 años. Con un promedio de evolución del padecimiento de 22.33 meses. El diagnóstico histopatológico fue hiperplasia tímica en 34 (79 por ciento) casos, timo en involución en 2 (5 por ciento) casos, timoma maligno en 3 (7 por ciento) casos y timoma benigno en 4 (9 por ciento) casos. Todos los casos fueron valorados con telerradiografía de tórax, tomografía lineal en 3 casos (20.1 por ciento), tomografía axial computada y resonancia magnética nuclear. La dosis de piridostigmina se redujo en un promedio de 187.5 mg que equivale a un 76.84 por ciento de la dosis preoperatoria, demostrando que fue estadísticamente significativa p = < 0.0001. El volumen corriente mejoró el 21 por ciento en relación del volumen corriente preoperatorio posterior a la cirugía, estadísticamente significativo, p = < 0.0001. Hubo mejoría de la capacidad vital en un 9.73 por ciento, lo cual equivale a un 15.15 por ciento de mejoría en relación al nivel preoperatorio, mostrándose estadísticamente significativo p = < 0.0001. La fuerza inspiratoria postquirúrgica mejoró en relación a la cifra basal, siendo estadísticamente significativa p = < 0.0001. En un solo caso operado, se observó la no respuesta a la terapia con bromuro de piridostigmina

Administración de oxígeno al 40 por ciento durante la broncoscopia: estudio clínico / Administration of 40 per cent oxygen during bronchoscopy: a clinical study

La oximetría de pulso es un método no invasivo que se utiliza para vigilar la oxigenación arterial en tiempo real. La oximetría utilizada durante la realización de broncoscopias, permite conocer los valores de saturación de la hemoglobina (HbO) como método de valoración indirecta de la PaO2. La administración de oxígeno por puntas nasales con fracción inspirada de oxígeno (FiO2) de 27-28 por ciento, permite realizar con seguridad la mayor parte de las endoscopias; sin embargo, existen pacientes que presentan desaturación de la hemoglobina a pesar de la administración de oxígeno por esta vía, particularmente sujetos con patología neumológica grave en los que la HbO puede descender por abajo de 80 por ciento, durante la práctica de una broncoscopia, lo que obliga a la suspensión del estudio. En este estudio prospectivo se administró una FiO2 de 40 por ciento con mascarilla oronasal de Venturi y se observaron los valores de HbO durante los procedimientos endoscópicos; se mantuvo una saturación promedio de 93 por ciento ñ 5, lo que permitió realizar el 100 por ciento de las broncoscopias, aun en pacientes con patología pulmonar grave