No abstract

Background and aim of the work: Recent studies have shown that video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) is safe and beneficial as first time treatment for patients presenting with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). In this study we will compare the outcome of patients presenting with first time PSP treated by VATS with those treated conservatively.

Undiagnosed and retained foreign bodies in lungs may result in serious complications such as pneumonia, atelectasis or bronchiectasis. We describe a clinical scenario of chronic and recurrent cough in a 41-year-old woman with no comorbidities. Her chest CT scan was suggestive of a mass lesion in the right main bronchus. Bronchoscopic examination showed no growth; instead, note was made of a plastic foreign body. The foreign body was retracted using a rigid Bronchoscope. The patient admitted unintentionally aspirating this plastic object when she was in her early 20s but denied any serious respiratory complication at that time or later. However, she was admitted 6 years prior to current presentation with pneumonia and discharged home following parenteral antibiotic therapy. On retrieval of the foreign body her clinical condition improved and she has been following up at our clinic for the past 2 years.

Background: Chest injuries are one of the common causes of mortality and morbidity. Aim: our aim was to analyze the prevalence, pattern, severity, and management of chest injuries and to outline the outcome and the prognosis in our local setting. Methods: We conducted this retrospective study in King AbdulAziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, (KSA). A total of 226 patients who presented to the ER with chest injuries were included in the study. The data collected and entered into the proforma. Results: The highest rate of injuries was observed in the age group of 21-30 years old. Most patients were male (87.2%) and involved in RTAs (86.7%). The most common clinical type of chest injury was lung contusion, followed by rib fractures and pneumo-thorax. Head trauma was the most common extra-thoracic injury, followed by injury to the extremities. 75.2% of patients were managed conservatively, 25.2% % required tube thoracostomy, while 1.8% required thoracotomy. Length of hospital stay was increased in patients with extra-thoracic injuries and those who were intubated. Conclusion: RTAs constitute the leading cause of chest trauma in our locality. Establishing a national chest trauma database is an essential step toward decreasing the burden of traumatic chest injuries.

No abstract