Today, in spite of the developments in imaging methods and antibiotherapy, childhood pleural empyema is a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality. In recent years, it has been shown that there has been an increase in the frequency of pleural empyema in children, and antibiotic resistance in microorganisms causing pleural empyema has made treatment difficult. Despite the many studies investigating thoracoscopic debridement and fibrinolytic treatment separately in the management of this disease, there is are not enough studies comparing these two treatments. The aim of this study was to prospectively compare the efficacy of two different treatment methods in stage II and III empyema cases and to present a perspective for treatment options.We excluded from the study cases with: i) thoracoscopic intervention and fibrinolytic agent were contraindicated; ii) immunosuppression or additional infection focus; iii) concomitant diseases, those with bronchopleural fistula diagnosed radiologically, and Stage I cases. This gave a total of 54 cases: 23 (42.6%) in stage II, and 31 (57.4%) cases in stage III. These patients were randomized into two groups of 27 cases each for debridement or fibrinolytic agent application by video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication (VATS). The continuity of symptoms after the operation, duration of thoracic tube in situ, and the length of hospital stay in the VATS group were of significantly shorter duration than in the streptokinase applications (P=0.0001). In 19 of 27 cases (70.37%) in which fibrinolytic treatment was applied and in 21 cases of 27 (77.77%) in which VATS was applied, the lung was fully expanded and the procedure was considered successful. There was no significant difference with respect to success rates between the two groups (P=0.533). The complication rate in our cases was 12.96% and no mortality was observed. Similar success rates in thoracoscopic drainage and enzymatic debridement, and the low cost of enzymatic drainage both served to highlight intrapleural streptokinase treatment as a reliable method in reducing the need for surgery in complicated empyema.

This study indicated that ESCC is associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities. Decreased serum PON1 enzyme activities may play a role in the progression and/or development of ESCC. Further studies are required to clarify these results.

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Objective: Hydatid cyst disease, endemic in Eastern region of Turkey, is a significant parasitic public health problem. In this study, pleural complications of hydatid cysts were presented in 76 cases. Materials and Methods:In our study, of the 412 pulmonary hydatid cyst cases operated on between 2003 and 2011, 76 cases had ruptured into the pleura for various reasons, and the different clinicoradiological presentations were evaluated retrospectively. The age distribution of the cases was between 7 and 56 years, and the mean age was 26.20±13.04. Results:The most frequent symptom due to pleural rupture in patients was dyspnea (44 cases, 57.8%). Etiologically, iatrogenic perforation was detected in four cases and thoracic trauma in nine cases (six car accidents and three falls from a height). An anthelmintic drug use history was found in three cases of ruptured pleura. Spontaneous perforation was detected in the other 60 (78.9%) cases. Two cases that were admitted to the emergency unit and were immediately administered a tube thoracostomy developed tension pneumothorax. In addition, 21 cases had hydropneumothorax, 17 had pneumothorax, and 36 had pleurisy. Morbidity was observed in 30 cases (39.4%). Atelectasis was the most frequent cause of morbidity in these patients (10 cases). The mean duration of hospitalization was determined to be 12.26±2.90 days. Conclusion:This disease can progress asymptomatically for a long time and can sometimes lead to life-threatening emergency situations, such as tension pneumothorax. The delayed admission of a patient to a physician causes the disease to become more complicated and to increase the morbidity and mortality rates. Treatment of the disease is in the form of surgery. Possible parenchymal protection should be applied in surgical treatment, and anatomic resection should not be performed unless necessary.Key Words: Empyema, Capitonnage, Pleura, Rupture Özet Amaç: Kist hidatik hastalığı, yöremizin ve ülkemizin endemik olarak görülen önemli bir paraziter-halk sağlığı sorunudur. Kist hidatik hastalığı, asemptomatik olarak seyredebildiği gibi, tansiyon pnömo-toraks gibi hayatiyet arzeden önemli komplikasyonlarla da kendini gösterebilir. Çalışmamızda kist hidatiğin plevral komplikasyonları 76 olgu temelinde sunulmuştur. Gereç ve Yöntem:2003-2011 yılları arasında opere edilen 412 akciğer kist hidatikli olgudan, plevraya çeşitli nedenlerle ve değişik klinikradyolojik presentasyonlarla rüptüre olan 76 olgu retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Olguların 42'si erkek, 34'ü kadındı. Olguların yaş dağılımı 7-56 arasında ve ortalama yaş 26.20±13.04 olarak belirlendi. Bulgular:Plevral rüptür nedeniyle olgularda en sık gözlenen semptom dispne oldu (44 olgu, %57.8). Etyolojide 4 olguda iatrojenik perforasyon, 9 olguda toraks travması (6 olgu araç içi trafik kazası, 3 olguda yüksekten düşme) tesbit edildi. Plevraya rüptüre 3 olguda daha önceden antihelmintik ilaç alımı söz konusuydu. Diğer 60 (%78.9) olguda spontan perforasyon tesbit edildi. Acil ünitesine başvuran ve derhal tüp tora...

BACKGROUND:Although the incidence has declined over the past years in societies with high socioeconomic status, bronchiectasis is still an important health problem in our country.AIM:To review and present our cases undergoing surgery for bronchiectasis in the past 12 years and their early and late term postoperative outcomes and our experience in bronchiectasis surgery and the effect of morphological type on the prognosis.METHODS:The medical records of 62 cases undergoing surgical resection for bronchiectasis in the Clinics of Thoracic and Pediatric Surgery were evaluated retrospectively. The disease was on the left in 33 cases, on the right in 26 and bilateral in three cases. The most common surgical procedure was lobectomy. Forty one patients underwent pneumonectomy, lobectomy and complete resection including bilobectomy. Twenty-one (33.87%) cases underwent incomplete resection, of whom 11 (17.74%) underwent segmentectomy and 10 (16.13%) underwent lobectomy + segmentectomy.RESULTS:It was found that the rate of being asymptomatic was significantly higher in patients undergoing complete resection compared to those undergoing incomplete resection. Spirometric respiratory function tests were performed to assess the relationship between morphological type and the severity of disease. All parameters of respiratory function were worse in the saccular type and FEV1/FVC showed a worse obstructive deterioration in the saccular type compared to the tubular type.CONCLUSION:The success rate of the procedure increases with complete resection of the involved region. The morphological type is more important than the number and extension of the involved segments in showing the disease severity.

BackgroundAlthough the prevalence of bronchiectasis decreased significantly in developed countries, in less developed and in developing countries, it still represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this retrospective study is to present our surgical experiences, the morbidity and mortality rates and outcome of surgical treatment for bronchiectasis.MethodsWe reviewed the medical records of 129 patients who underwent surgical resection for bronchiectasis between April 2002 and April 2010, at Van Training and Research Hospital, Thoracic Surgery Department. Variables of age, sex, symptoms, etiology, and surgical procedures, mortality, morbidity and the result of surgical therapy were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsMean age was 21.8 year (the eldest was 67 year, the youngest was 4 years-old). Male/female ratio was 1.86 and 75% of all patients were young population under the age of 40. Bilateral involvement was 14.7%, left/right side ratio according to localization was 2.1/1. The most common reason for bronchiectasis was recurrent infection. Surgical indications were as follows: recurrent infection (54%), hemoptysis (35%), empyema (6%), and lung abscess (5%). There was no operative mortality. Complications occurred in 29 patients and the morbidity rate was 22.4%. Complete resection was achieved in 110 (85.2%) patients. Follow-up data were obtained for 123 (95%) of the patients. One patient died during follow-up. The mean follow-up of this patient was 9 months. Mean postoperative hospitalization time was 9.15 ± 6.25 days. Significantly better results were obtained in patients who had undergone a complete resection.ConclusionsSurgical treatment of bronchiectasis can be performed with acceptable morbidity and mortality at any age. The involved bronchiectatic sites should be resected completely for the optimum control of symptoms.

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OBJECTIVE:Right middle lobe syndrome is a rare entity in children, causing high morbidity. Our experience of these patients including their clinical and laboratory characteristics, indications forsurgical management, postoperative courses, and follow-up results was evaluated.METHODS:A retrospective analysis was performed involving 20 children with right middle lobe syndrome who were hospitalized and treated with surgical resection of the right middle lobe in Van Training and Research Hospital and Yüzüncüyil university hospital, Turkey, between January 2002 and January 2011.RESULTS:The mean age of the patients was 10.5 years (range, 5 to 15 years). Twelve patients were boys and eight were girls. The most frequent symptom was chronic cough (75%). Hemoptysis was present in two (10%) patients. One patient was being treated for asthma. 25% positive cultures were identified among the patients. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most frequently identified agent in sputum. All patients underwent chest computed tomography. There were bronchiectasis in 11 (55%) patients, atelectasis and bronchiectasis in five (25%) patients, and destroyed lung in four (20%) patients. A narrowed middle lobe bronchus was shown in 15 (75%) patients. Bronchoscopy was performed in 18 (90%) patients. Stenosis due to external compression was seen in 12 (60%) patients, hyperemia and bronchitis in two (10%) patients, granulation tissue in two (10%) patients, and dense secretions in two (10%) patients. A history of doctor-diagnosed tuberculosis was present in two (10%) patients. These patients had completed antituberculous treatment. The patients had been symptomatic for the last 1 to 10 years (mean, 4 years) and had received several medical treatments. All patients (totally 20 patients) underwent right middle lobe resection. In one patient, a bronchial abnormality was found intraoperatively. One patient died on postoperative day 10 due to a brain abscess. Three other patients had postoperative complications (15%). Mean duration of follow-up of the patients was 4.5 years (range, 2 months to 12 years). Seventeen patients were asymptomatic, and two patients had improved.CONCLUSIONS:Children with right middle lobe syndrome unresponsive to medical treatment should undergo early lobe resection to avoid serious complications and the progression of the disease to other segments or lobes.