The role of pleuroscopy in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion.

AIMS: To find the diagnostic yield of a pleuroscopic pleural biopsy and to find the complication rates. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Institutional based prospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-eight consecutive patients who had undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion were recruited for pleuroscopy from September 2007 to August 2010. RESULTS: A total of 68 patients (55 males and 13 females; mean age 49 years) underwent pleuroscopy. Malignancy was diagnosed in 24 patients, 22 patients had non-specific inflammation, tuberculosis was found in 16 patients, empyema was found in 2 patients, 1 patient had sarcoidosis, 1 patient had normal pleura and it was non-diagnostic in 2 patients. The diagnostic yield was 97%. There were no major complications, only four patients had minor complication like subcutaneous emphysema (three patients) and prolonged air leak (one patient). CONCLUSIONS: Pleuroscopy is a safe, simple, and valuable tool in the diagnosis of undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion with minimal complication rates.

Dose-dependent evaluation of the effects of nebulized furosemide on pulmonary function in ventilated preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE: We have previously shown that a single dose of nebulized furosemide improves tidal volume and pulmonary compliance for up to a 2-hour study period. This study is undertaken in order to find out (a) whether increasing the dose of nebulized furosemide from 1 to 2 mg/kg of body weight will further improve the pulmonary mechanics in premature infants with evolving chronic lung disease and (b) whether the effects of a single dose of nebulized furosemide last beyond 2 hours. STUDY DESIGN: The effect of nebulized furosemide on pulmonary mechanics was studied at a mean postnatal age of 24 days (range 14 to 50 days) in 13 premature infants, 24 to 28 weeks' gestational age, who had been dependent on mechanical ventilation since birth. Furosemide was administered by nebulization at doses of 1 and 2 mg/kg of body weight, in random order, on two separate days 24 hours apart. Pulmonary function studies were performed before and 2, 4, and 6 hours after the nebulization. Urine was collected for 6 hours immediately before and for 6 hours after the nebulization. RESULTS: Furosemide by nebulization at 1 and 2 mg/kg of body weight resulted in significant improvement in tidal volume and compliance. There was no difference in the magnitude of response between the two doses. Neither 1 nor 2 mg/kg of body weight of nebulized furosemide had any effect on airway resistance. The improvement was maximum for up to 4 hours and lasted for up to 6 hours after the nebulization and was not associated with diuresis or increased excretion of urinary electrolytes. CONCLUSION: A single dose of nebulized furosemide improves pulmonary function for up to 6 hours after its administration. Increasing the dose from 1 to 2 mg/kg of body weight results in no further improvement in the pulmonary function. The pulmonary effects of nebulized furosemide are independent of its diuretic action.

Dyssegmental dysplasia Silverman-Handmaker type in a consanguineous Druze Lebanese family: long term survival and documentation of the natural history.

We report on a male infant born with clinical and radiographic evidence of a lethal form of dyssegmental dysplasia not comparable to Silverman-Handmaker type, who had a prolonged survival of more than eight months. He had ocular and central nervous system abnormalities which have not been previously described. His course included significant feeding and respiratory difficulties, severe physical and psychomotor retardation, and recurrent fever of unknown etiology believed to be of central origin. The relatively long survival of this infant enabled us to focus on the natural history of this rare syndrome. The infant was born to first cousin parents of Druze Lebanese origin supporting an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance for the condition. This is the first documentation of dyssegmental dysplasia Silverman-Handmaker type in a family of Druze Lebanese ethnicity.

Pulmonary function changes after nebulised and intravenous frusemide in ventilated premature infants.

AIMS: To compare the effects of a single dose of frusemide administered either intravenously or by nebulisation on pulmonary mechanics in premature infants with evolving chronic lung disease. METHODS: The effect of frusemide on pulmonary mechanics was studied at a median postnatal age of 23 (range 14-52) days in 19 premature infants at 24 to 30 weeks gestational age, who had been dependent on mechanical ventilation since birth. Frusemide (1 mg/kg/body weight) was administered, in random order, intravenously and by nebulisation, on two separate occasions 24 hours apart. Pulmonary function studies were performed before and at 30, 60, and 120 minutes after administration of frusemide. Urine was collected for six hours immediately before and for six hours after administration of frusemide. RESULTS: Nebulised frusemide increased the tidal volume 31 (SE 11.5)% and compliance 34 (SE 12)% after two hours, whereas no change in either was noted for up to two hours after intravenous frusemide administration. Neither intravenous nor nebulised frusemide had any effect on airway resistance. Six hour urine output increased from a mean (SE) of 3.3 (0.4) ml/kg/hour to 5.9 (0.8) ml/kg/hour following intravenous frusemide administration while nebulised frusemide had no effect on urine output. Urinary sodium, potassium, and chloride losses were also significantly higher after intravenous frusemide, whereas nebulised frusemide did not increase urinary electrolyte losses. CONCLUSION: Single dose nebulised frusemide improves pulmonary function in premature infants with evolving chronic lung disease without adverse effects on fluid and electrolyte balance.