[Changes in the acid-base equilibrium of pleural fluid during the first 2 hours after thoracentesis]. / Evolución del equilibrio ácido-base del líquido pleural durante las 2 primeras horas de la toracocentesis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess changes in the acid-base equilibrium of pleural fluid during the first 2 hours after thoracentesis and to determine whether, as with arterial blood, it is important to keep the fluid on ice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, descriptive, comparative study was performed in 53 consecutive patients with pleural effusion. Thoracentesis was performed and pleural fluid was collected in 5 heparinized syringes to determine the pH, PO2, and PCO2 at baseline and at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. In the first 26 patients, pleural fluid was collected in a further 4 syringes that were kept on ice prior to performing the same measurements at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. RESULTS: The patients had a mean (SD) age of 70 (14) years, 66% were smokers, 72% were men, 63% had right-sided pleural effusion, 85% had unilateral effusion, and 15% had massive effusion. In 10 patients the effusion was a transudate, in 35 it was lymphocytic, and in 8 it was neutrophilic. The etiology was benign in 34 cases and neoplastic in 19 cases. The baseline pH was 7.35 (0.1) and baseline values of PO2 and PCO2 were 57.8 (20) mm Hg and 53.7 (15) mm Hg, respectively. No significant changes were observed in the first 2 hours for either pH or PCO2, whereas PO2 did undergo a significant change over this period. The difference between the baseline value and the value obtained at 120 minutes was 0.005 (0.02) for pH, 12.5 (19) mm Hg for PO2, and 0.8 (3) mm Hg for PCO2, with correlation coefficients of 0.97, 0.49, and 0.98, respectively. Comparison of values by simple regression analysis did not reveal a significant difference in the changes in pH, PO2, or PCO2 associated with keeping samples on ice. Multivariate analysis revealed that neoplastic effusion and a higher red blood cell count in pleural fluid had a significant influence on pH changes. CONCLUSIONS: The pH and PCO2 of pleural fluid did not change significantly during the first 2 hours following thoracentesis, whereas PO2 did undergo a significant change. Keeping samples on ice during this period is unnecessary. Only a higher red blood cell count in pleural fluid and neoplastic effusion had a limited effect on changes in the pH of samples from our patients during the first 2 hours following thoracentesis.

Síndrome de Horner por migración paravertebral cefálica del anestésico local / Horner syndrome secondary to cephalic paravertebral migration of local anaesthetic

No disponible

[Surgical treatment for compensatory hyperhidrosis in Adie syndrome]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico de la hiperhidrosis compensadora en el síndrome de Adie.

Ross syndrome is characterized by a triad of tonic pupil, areflexia and segmental hypohidrosis. Hypohidrosis may be accompanied by contralateral hyperhidrosis, probably due to a compensatory mechanism. We report a case of Ross syndrome with socially disabling left-sided hyperhidrosis. Sympathectomy of the second and third thoracic ganglia was performed with satisfactory results. With excellent results in primary hyperhidrosis and very low morbidity, thoracic sympathectomy is the definitive treatment for hyperhidrosis.

[Noninvasive diagnosis of posttraumatic thoracic splenosis]. / Diagnóstico no invasivo de la esplenosis torácica postraumática.

Thoracic splenosis is a rare occurrence that has usually been diagnosed by invasive procedures to allow a pathologic diagnosis to be reached. A firm diagnosis can now be made with the help of new, noninvasive imaging techniques. We report the case of a 34-year-old man with a history of severe thoracic-abdominal injury, including rupture of the spleen and left diaphragm. During computed tomography of the thorax related to a different diagnosis, nonspecific nodules were observed, although the patient was asymptomatic. A suspected diagnosis of thoracic splenosis was confirmed by technetium-99 sulfur colloid scintigraphy.

[Mediastinal enteric cyst: unusual clinical presentation and histopathology]. / Quiste entérico mediastínico: presentación clínica e histopatología inusuales.

A mediastinal enteric cyst is an uncommon entity which is rare in adults and usually found incidentally. In most cases the lesion is lined by gastrointestinal mucosa, and theories as to the origin of such lesions are diverse. We report an adult case of thoracic enteric cyst that presented with cardiac tamponade and for which histopathological examination revealed the presence of pancreatic tissue. Review of the literature yielded only 1 case of mediastinal enteric cyst with pancreatic tissue.

Evolución del equilibrio ácido-base del líquido pleural durante las 2 primeras horas de la toracocentesis / Changes in the acid-base equilibrium of pleural fluid during the first 2 hours after thoracentesis

Objetivo: Valorar los cambios en el equilibrio ácido-base del líquido pleural durante las primeras 2 h de la toracocentesis y la importancia de su conservación en hielo como ocurre en la sangre arterial. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio prospectivo, descriptivo y comparativo de 53 pacientes consecutivos con un derrame pleural. Se realizó toracocentesis con extracción del líquido pleural en 5 jeringas heparinizadas para determinar el pH, presión parcial de oxígeno (PO2) y de anhídrido carbónico (PCO2) basales, a los 30, 60, 90 y 120 min. En los primeros 26 pacientes se obtuvieron 4 jeringas que se conservaron en hielo y se realizaron las mismas determinaciones en el tiempo. Resultados: Los pacientes tenían una edad media (± desviación estándar) de 70 ± 14 años, el 66% eran fumadores, el 72% varones, un 63% tenía un derrame derecho, un 85% unilateral y el 15% masivo. En 10 casos era un trasudado, en 35 exudado linfocitario y en 8 neutrofílico. La etiología fue benigna en 34 casos y neoplásica en 19. El valor basal del pH fue de 7,35 ± 0,1, y los de PO2 y PCO2 de 57,8 ± 20 y 53,7 ± 15 mmHg, respectivamente, y no presentaron cambios significativos durante las primeras 2 h, a excepción de la PO2. El pH presentó una diferencia entre su valor basal y a los 120 min de 0,005 ± 0,02, la PO2 de 12,5 ± 19 mmHg y la PCO2 de 0,8 ± 3 mmHg, con unos coeficientes de correlación de 0,97, 0,49 y 0,98, respectivamente. El estudio comparativo y la regresión simple no demostraron una influencia significativa de la conservación en hielo en los cambios de pH, PO2 o PCO2. Una etiología neoplásica y un mayor número de hematíes influyeron de forma significativa en los cambios de pH en el análisis multivariante. Conclusiones: El pH y la PCO2 pleurales no presentaron cambios significativos durante las primeras 2 h de la toracocentesis, a diferencia de la PO2. La conservación en hielo no estaría indicada durante este período. Sólo un número más elevado de hematíes o una etiología neoplásica tuvieron una influencia limitada en los cambios de los valores del pH de nuestros pacientes en las primeras 2 h

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess changes in the acid-base equilibrium of pleural fluid during the first 2 hours after thoracentesis and to determine whether, as with arterial blood, it is important to keep the fluid on ice. Patients and methods: A prospective, descriptive, comparative study was performed in 53 consecutive patients with pleural effusion. Thoracentesis was performed and pleural fluid was collected in 5 heparinized syringes to determine the pH, PO2, and PCO2 at baseline and at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. In the first 26 patients, pleural fluid was collected in a further 4 syringes that were kept on ice prior to performing the same measurements at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Results: The patients had a mean (SD) age of 70 (14) years, 66% were smokers, 72% were men, 63% had right-sided pleural effusion, 85% had unilateral effusion, and 15% had massive effusion. In 10 patients the effusion was a transudate, in 35 it was lymphocytic, and in 8 it was neutrophilic. The etiology was benign in 34 cases and neoplastic in 19 cases. The baseline pH was 7.35 (0.1) and baseline values of PO2 and PCO2 were 57.8 (20) mm Hg and 53.7 (15) mm Hg, respectively. No significant changes were observed in the first 2 hours for either pH or PCO2, whereas PO2 did undergo a significant change over this period. The difference between the baseline value and the value obtained at 120 minutes was 0.005 (0.02) for pH, 12.5 (19) mm Hg for PO2, and 0.8 (3) mm Hg for PCO2, with correlation coefficients of 0.97, 0.49, and 0.98, respectively. Comparison of values by simple regression analysis did not reveal a significant difference in the changes in pH, PO2, or PCO2 associated with keeping samples on ice. Multivariate analysis revealed that neoplastic effusion and a higher red blood cell count in pleural fluid had a significant influence on pH changes. Conclusions: The pH and PCO2 of pleural fluid did not change significantly during the first 2 hours following thoracentesis, whereas PO2 did undergo a significant change. Keeping samples on ice during this period is unnecessary. Only a higher red blood cell count in pleural fluid and neoplastic effusion had a limited effect on changes in the pH of samples from our patients during the first 2 hours following thoracentesis

Parálisis de cuerda vocal y estadificación del carcinoma broncogénico / Vocal cord paralysis and staging bronchogenic carcinoma

No disponible

Diagnóstico no invasivo de la esplenosis torácica postraumática / Noninvasive diagnosis of posttraumatic thoracic splenosis

La esplenosis torácica es una entidad poco frecuente, que habitualmente se diagnostica mediante técnicas invasivas que proporcionan un diagnóstico anatomopatológico. Con el desarrollo de nuevas técnicas de imagen puede realizarse en la actualidad un diagnóstico seguro por métodos no invasivos. Presentamos el caso de un paciente varón de 34 años con antecedente de traumatismo toracoabdominal grave, con rotura esplénica y diafragmática izquierda, al que de forma casual, y encontrándose asintomático, se le hallaron nódulos inespecíficos en una tomografía computarizada torácica. Con la sospecha clínica de esplenosis torácica, se realizó una gammagrafía de coloide de sulfuro marcada con 99mTc metaestable que confirmó el diagnóstico (AU)

Tratamiento quirúrgico de la hiperhidrosis compensadora en el síndrome de Adie / Surgical treatment for compensatory hyperhidrosis in Adie syndrome

La tríada consistente en pupila tónica de Adie, arreflexia osteotendinosa e hipohidrosis segmentaria se conoce como síndrome de Ross. La hipohidrosis puede ir acompañada de un exceso de sudación en el hemicuerpo contralateral. Esta hiperhidrosis es probablemente debida a un mecanismo de compensación. En este artículo presentamos el caso de un paciente con síndrome de Ross cuyo motivo de consulta fue hiperhidrosis socialmente incapacitante en el hemicuerpo izquierdo. El paciente fue intervenido quirúrgicamente, realizándose una simpatectomía del segundo y tercer ganglios torácicos con resultados clínicamente satisfactorios. La simpatectomía torácica es un tratamiento definitivo de la hiperhidrosis, con unos resultados excelentes en la hiperhidrosis primaria y un muy bajo índice de morbilidad (AU)