Objective: Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) is a rare but potentially life threatening clinical entity with a high incidence of associated injuries. In this article, our experience with this challenging diagnosis is presented. Methods: In this study, a total of 68 patients with TDR, were operated in our center between July 1994 and September 2005. Study group was analyzed retrospectively. The etiological factors, management and outcomes were discussed. Results: The mean age was 32.9 years with a female to male ratio of 9/59. TDR was right-sided in 16.2% (n = 11) and left-sided in 83.8% (n = 57). The cause of the rupture was penetrating trauma in 51 (75%), and blunt trauma in 17 (25%). Only three patients (4.4%) had late diagnosis. Associated injuries were seen in 91% (n = 62) of the patients. The most common used incision was a laparotomy incision (89.6%). Morbidity and mortality were encountered in 13.1% (n = 9) and 16.2% (n = 11) patients, respectively. Conclusions: Although rare, diaphragmatic rupture must be suspected in any patient with thoracoabdominal injury. Early diagnosis of TDR is sometimes difficult and depends on a high index of suspicion. Surgical repair is necessary even for small tears. The most common approach is the transabdominal approach, which allows a complete exploration of the abdominal organs for associated injuries. The transthoracic approach might be used in most cases with latent diaphragmatic rupture. #

In a prospective study series of 167 patients with tube thoracostomy for spontaneous pneumothorax in 1993-1996, 32 patients (age range 16-79 years, mean age 45.5 years) were treated with autologous blood-patch pleurodesis for persistent air leak. In 27 (84%) of cases the air leak ceased within 72 h after the pleurodesis. The duration of air leak was significantly shorter (p < 0.01) than in simple drainage. Empyema developed in three cases, and two patients with failed pleurodesis required open thoracotomy. Minor complications, mainly fever and pleural effusion, occurred in nine patients. Neither analgesia nor sedation was required during or after pleurodesis. There was no recurrence of pneumothorax during 12-48 months of observation, whereas simple drainage was followed by recurrence in 22 patients. Blood-patch pleurodesis is a simple, effective and painless method in pneumothorax, but carries an increased risk of intrathoracic infection.

The most important prognostic factor for overall survival was the extent of resection. Further studies with larger numbers of patients are required to confirm the prognostic factors and to obtain a better understanding of the biological behavior of TETs.

A 34-year-old woman presented with chest pain and a solitary pulmonary nodule on chest roentgenogram. She was diagnosed with a rare benign lung tumor, alveolar adenoma of the lung, through pathological examination of the surgical specimen resected from the left upper lobe. Clinicians should also keep this entity in mind when making the differential diagnosis of a solitary pulmonary nodule.

Background: The safety and efficacy of the ligasure vessel sealing system (LVSS) and harmonic scalpel (HS) in sutureless nonanatomical lung resections were evaluated. Methods: On twenty adult rabbit lungs, 1 × 1 cm wedge resections were performed under one-lung ventilation with both LVSS and HS. The air tightness and tissue damage caused by these different techniques were measured and compared. Results: No statistically significant differences were found when the air tightness for both devices was compared after resection (p = 0.37). Tissue damage was obtained for LVSS, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Discussion: LVSS and HS can both be used for peripheral lung resections without any need of further intervention for securing the air tightness. LVSS was found safer by means of tissue damage when compared with HS in this experimental study.

N-butyl cyanoacrylate was effective in preventing air leak from the pulmonary resection surface even with high airway pressure levels. It could be used as an aid for pulmonary resection lines or to control the air leak from pulmonary parenchyma.

BACKGROUND: Bilateral pneumothorax (BPTx) can become tension PTx and a cause of mortality, especially in severe multi-trauma patients. The purpose of this study was to analyze the incidence, morbidity, mortality, and associated factors of BPTx in multi-trauma patients in order to highlight the importance of the management of these cases, as well as complications, morbidity, and mortality. METHODS: The data of 181 patients with BPTx, from a total of 3782 trauma patients, were reviewed retrospectively. The details recorded were age, gender, mechanism of trauma, radiological findings, co-existing thoracic and extra-thoracic injuries, incidence of intubation, mortality, and injury severity score (ISS). The association between laterality of rib fracture, hemothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, and BPTx, and the effect of age and gender on these injuries, mortality, and ISS were analyzed. RESULTS: The patient group included 144 males, and the mean age was 36.07±15.77 years. The primary cause of trauma was a motor vehicle accident, seen in 67 (37.0%) patients. Bilateral rib fractures were detected in 75 (41.4%) patients. Hemothorax accompanied PTx in 41 (22.6%) patients bilaterally. The laterality of the rib fracture and hemothorax demonstrated a significant difference in the patient group over 60 years of age (p=0.017, p=0.005). Co-existing bilateral thoracic injuries were detected more often in this group. Twelve (17.6%) patients with only blunt chest trauma and 56 (82.4%) patients with multi-trauma were intubated. The difference between the 2 groups was not significant (p=0.532). The overall mortality rate was 18.2%. A comparison of ISS and mortality between the groups revealed no significant difference (p=0.22). CONCLUSION: The incidence of BPTx after multi-trauma is approximately 5%, so it must be taken into consideration, especially in severe multi-trauma patients, to reduce mortality. Older age and the number of rib fractures were determined to be risk factors for morbidity and mortality in trauma with BPTx.

IntroductionThere are many diseases which, despite not being malignant, show high metabolic activity and cause false-positive results.AimTo evaluate the results of positron emission tomography (PET) in patients who underwent resection after preliminary diagnosis of malignancy based on fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake value, in whom the lesions were later classified as pathologically benign.Material and methodsThe analysis included the records of 106 (12.3%) patients out of 862 patients who underwent surgery between January 2012 and December 2015 after being initially diagnosed with malignant lung lesions based on PETCT results, in whom the lesions were later classified as pathologically benign. Diagnoses, PET findings, types of surgery, and demographic data of the patients were recorded.ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 55.5 (26–79) years. The mean diameter and SUVmax of the lesions were 2 ±2.14 (0.5–13) and 3.55 ±4.35 (0–22.2) cm, respectively. The pathology results were analyzed in five different groups. The SUVmax in the hamartoma group was significantly lower than in the other groups (p < 0.001), while the SUVmax in the granulomatous disease group was significantly higher than in the other groups (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe possibility of false positive PET results must be kept in mind when diagnosing and treating lung cancer. In particular, in the case of suspected granulomatous disease, all available pre- and intraoperative diagnostic procedures must be used.