Idiopathic laryngotracheal stenosis is an entity that occurs almost exclusively in women and is without a known cause. It is not a progressive process, but the timing of the operation is crucial. Single-staged laryngotracheal resection is successful in restoring the airway while preserving voice quality in more than 90% of patients. Protective tracheostomy is now rarely required (1/30). Long-term follow-up shows a stable airway and improvement in voice quality.

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Chest wall tuberculosis is a rare entity and its clinical presentation may resemble a pyogenic abscess or chest wall tumor. The role of surgery in the diagnosis and treatment of chest wall tuberculosis is still controversial. During a 6-year period (1997-2002), six cases with cold abscesses of chest wall were managed in our clinic. Clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, treatment strategies, and results of medical and surgical treatment were retrospectively reviewed. There were four male and two female patients. All but one had a fluctuating and abscess-like chest wall mass. Pleura and mediastinal or chest wall lymph nodes were also involved in three patients. Before the debridement and abscess drainage, the diagnosis was not confirmed in any of our patients except one. All received a four-drug antituberculous regimen for 6-12 months postoperatively and improved clinically and radiologically. Surgical intervention and histological examination are usually necessary for the treatment and to confirm the diagnosis in chest wall tuberculosis. Antituberculous medical treatment and adjunctive surgery are quite effective in this process.

History suggestive of foreign body aspiration is a definite indication for bronchoscopy, and bronchoscopic extraction should only be performed by experts. Each case tends to present different challenges, and endotracheal intubation and tracheotomy may be required.

Traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts are pulmonary lesions that occur after either blunt or penetrating trauma and tend to be overlooked. Most of these lesions are self-limiting, benign lesion.

Although most parasites that affect the lung are endemic to tropical and subtropical regions, immigration and travel practices have resulted in transfer of these diseases to other areas. It is important for physicians to know the epidemiologic characteristics, clinical presentations, and treatments of choice for these conditions.

All pulmonary hydatid cysts should be surgically treated as soon as possible after their diagnosis in order to avoid complications. Most of these lesions, regardless of size, can be surgically managed with procedures that preserve the maximal lung parenchyma and yield excellent outcomes.

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