Natural stent in the management of post-intubation tracheal stenosis

Background and objective:   The treatment choice for post-intubation tracheal stenosis (PITS) in patients for whom surgery is not initially feasible is bronchoscopic silicone stenting. A new silicone stent, called the Natural stent (N stent), was investigated for its clinical efficacy and safety in patients with PITS.
Methods:   A retrospective review was conducted of 32 patients with PITS who underwent N stenting between November 2001 and December 2006 and were followed for at least 12 months.
Results:   Airway dilatation with combined modalities such as Nd : YAG laser, ballooning or bougienage was followed by N stent insertion. After intervention, all patients had symptomatic and spirometric improvement without immediate complications. Removal of the stent without re-stenosis was successful in 38% of the patients at a median time of 7 months after insertion. The stent could not be removed or needed reinsertion in 31% of patients, and 16% of patients underwent surgery after initial stabilization by stenting. Late complications were stent migration (34%), mucostasis (31%), granulation tissue formation (38%) and re-stenosis (40%). All patients tolerated the management of complications during a median follow up of 22 months.
Conclusions:   Bronchoscopic N stenting is an effective treatment for patients with PITS in whom surgery is not feasible on initial presentation. Further stent development is necessary to reduce the late complication rate.     

Thrombolysis with resolution of pulmonary hypertension in a heart transplant candidate

We report a patient with idiopathic cardiomyopathy and high pulmonary resistance due to pulmonary emboli of unknown age. Successful thrombolytic therapy returned his pulmonary resistance to normal, allowing orthotopic cardiac transplantation. This case underscores the need to aggressively diagnose and treat pulmonary emboli in potential transplant candidates.     

207例气管切开/气管插管后良性气道狭窄的疗效分析

目的 分析良性气道狭窄气管切开/气管插管后发生再狭窄采用球囊导管扩张加冷冻等综合治疗措施的疗效及安全性.方法 回顾性分析2005年8月至2014年12月住煤炭总医院的207例良性气道再狭窄患者,其中气管插管83例,气管切开124例.采用球囊导管扩张、CO2冷冻等综合治疗方法.结果 83例气管插管置管时间为(12.7±1.3)d,拔管后(30.3±4.1)d发生再狭窄;124例气管切开患者分别为(100.0±23.8)d和(73.2±12.8)d.气管插管组累及气管1区(87.7％),气管切开组累及气管Ⅰ区和Ⅱ区分别为63.7％、44.4％.气管插管组以瘢痕为主(57.9％),而气管切开组发生瘢痕和肉芽肿的百分比相似.气管插管组的形态以圆形为主(57.9％),不规则形占10.5％,而气管切开组分别为29.8％和41.1％,还有6例(4.8％)完全闭塞.气管插管组的治疗次数为(8.7±1.0)次,治愈时间为(4.0±0.4)个月,治愈率为89.5％;气管切开组分别为(6.7±0.5)次、(4.7±0.4)个月和72.6％.硬质镜在气管切开组比气管插管组使用率高.冷冻在2组中使用频率最高,分别达56.9％和49.9％,球囊导管扩张在气管插管组使用率达47.2％.结论 气管镜介入治疗在气管切开/气管插管后再狭窄的治疗中可发挥重要作用,冷冻和球囊导管扩张治疗是2种重要的治疗方法.     

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery resection and reconstruction of thoracic trachea in the management of a tracheal neoplasm

Intratracheal tumor is a rare tumor, accounting for only 2% of upper respiratory tract neoplasms. Its symptoms are similar to those of head and neck cancers, including coughing up blood, sore throat, and airway obstruction. The diagnosis of this disease is often based on the findings of fibrobronchoscopy or computed tomography (CT). Surgery remains the treatment of choice for tracheal tumor. In patients with benign neoplasms or if the tumors have limited involvement, fibrobronchoscopic resection of the tumor can be performed. For malignant tumors, however, radical resection is required. In the past, open incision is used during the surgery for tumors located in thoracic trachea. Along with advances in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) minimally invasive techniques and devices, VATS resection and reconstruction of the trachea can achieve the radical resection of the tumor and meanwhile dramatically reduce the injury to the patients. In this article we describe the application of VATS resection and reconstruction of trachea in the management of a tracheal neoplasm.     

Iliac artery stenosis causing post-renal transplant hypertension: successful management by percutaneous angioplasty and stent implantation

Atherosclerotic occlusion of the native iliac arteries and/or transplant renal artery is a major cause of post-transplant hypertension. Iliac artery stenosis mimics renovascular hypertension and may cause renal dysfunction in transplant recipients. We report a case of a 61-year-old renal transplant recipient with native bilateral iliac artery stenoses and coronary artery disease. He presented with severe hypertension and was managed successfully with angioplasty and stenting of native iliac arteries.     

Outpatient infusion clinics: a strategy for the successful management of advanced heart failure.

During the past four years, the Heart Failure Unit a Columbia Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago has used outpatient intermittent low-dose inotropic therapy to improve care and quality of life while reducing the number of hospital admissions, decreasing lengths of stay, and lowering the number of emergency room visits.     

Viral monitoring and successful treatment of a ganciclovir-resistant cytomegalovirus infection in a heart transplant recipient

Abstract: We reported a ganciclovir (GCV)-resistant cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in a heart transplant recipient. Genotypic and phenotypic susceptibility assays demonstrated an A594V mutation in the UL97 phosphotransferase gene and GCV IC₅₀>96 μM. Low GCV concentration exposure, immunosuppressive treatment, donor-positive/recipient-negative CMV serostatus, viral reactivations within antiviral prophylaxis or treatment, contributed to GCV-resistant strain selection.     

Video-assisted transthoracic surgery resection of a tracheal mass and reconstruction of trachea under non-intubated anesthesia with spontaneous breathing

Radical surgery for tracheal tumors is typically completed under basal anesthesia. Thus, endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation are required. However, these procedures may influence the surgical operation and meanwhile prolong the surgical duration and postoperative recovery. In this article we describe the application of video-assisted transthoracic surgery (VATS) resection of a tracheal mass and reconstruction of trachea a non-intubated patient with spontaneous breathing.     

Long-term management and results in heart transplant recipients

This article reviews the evolution of therapeutic strategies for maintenance immunosuppression, and presents current approaches to prevention, treatment, and surveillance of acute rejection. Other major complications influencing mortality and morbidity are discussed; these include infection, cyclosporine nephrotoxicity, malignancy, and bone disease.     

Severe left main stem stenosis in a cardiac transplant recipient: successful treatment by coronary stenting

A 58-year-old male underwent orthotopic cardiac transplantation for ischemic cardiomyopathy. At routine coronary angiography 2 years later, he was found to have severe concentric stenosis of the left main coronary artery but was asymptomatic. Revascularization was recommended on prognostic grounds and after discussion with his cardiac transplant surgeon, percutaneous coronary intervention with elective stenting was offered. This was performed successfully with a single stent and a good angiographic result was maintained 6 and 18 months later.     

Diagnosis and management of aortic valve stenosis in patients with heart failure

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most frequent degenerative valvular heart disease in Western countries and its prevalence increases in parallel with the ageing process of the population. Heart failure (HF), defined by the presence of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, may be present in up to a quarter of patients with severe AS, posing diagnostic and management challenges. The present article reviews the prevalence of HF in severe AS patients, discusses the diagnostic challenges and the advances in multimodality imaging to identify the patients that may benefit from surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and summarizes the current evidence on management for this group of patients.     

Coronary stenosis detection by 16-slice computed tomography in heart transplant patients: comparison with conventional angiography and impact on clinical management

OBJECTIVES: We sought to find a non-invasive alternative to conventional coronary angiography (CCA) for serial detection and follow-up of coronary stenosis due to cardiac allograft vasculopathy in heart transplant patients. BACKGROUND: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy is the main factor limiting long-term success of heart transplantation. It is usually detected by CCA. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) coronary angiography has recently proven effective for the diagnosis of coronary stenosis in non-transplant patients. METHODS: Fifty-three consecutive heart transplant patients underwent MSCT within 24 h before or after their annual routine CCA. Only angiographic segments >1.5 mm were considered for analysis; the coronary arterial tree was divided into nine segments. Three patients were excluded because of technical failure. RESULTS: Of the 450 angiographic coronary segments, 432 (96%) were evaluable by MSCT. Of the nine coronary stents in seven patients, only three, including one intrastent restenosis, were correctly evaluated by MSCT, and two intrastent restenoses were missed. Complete analysis of the coronary tree was possible for 44 (88%) of the 50 patients. For detection of coronary stenosis >50%, sensitivity was 83%, specificity 95%, positive predictive value 71%, negative predictive value 95%, and accuracy 93%. In the 22 patients with strictly normal MSCT, no stenosis was found by CCA. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests the following guidelines already applied in our institution: 16-slice MSCT can replace CCA in de novo heart transplant patients and patients with strictly normal MSCT at follow-up. Significant wall or lumen changes observed on annual MSCT or stents require further investigation by CCA.     

Treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis with a drug eluting stent in a heart transplant patient with allograft vasculopathy

High risk angioplasty with drug eluting stent placement into an unprotected left main coronary artery in a heart transplant recipient with allograft vasculopathy is reported. Ten month angiographic follow up is reported. The literature is reviewed and current methods of revascularisation are described in detail. This is the first report of drug eluting stent use in this clinical situation.     

Endovascular stenting of an unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis in a heart transplant patient

Endoluminal revascularization of left main coronary artery vessels is considered to be relatively contraindicated because of a high procedural mortality and restenosis rate. This report describes the first successful case of endovascular stenting in an unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis in a heart transplant patient.     

Perioperative assessment and management of patients with valvular heart disease undergoing noncardiac surgery

Valvular heart disease in a variety of forms is not uncommon, especially among older patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, and can be associated with increased perioperative cardiac risk. Patients with aortic stenosis are at greatest risk, although other valve lesions also can pose the risk of increased perioperative morbidity. During preoperative evaluation, attention to the presence, nature and severity of valvular heart disease allows appropriate perioperative monitoring and therapy with a goal to minimize the risk of perioperative cardiac morbidity and mortality associated with noncardiac surgery. Appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the risk of infective endocarditis. Finally, some patients with valvular heart disease and all patients with a mechanical valve prosthesis require long-term anticoagulation, which must be managed during the perioperative period.     

Immunosuppressive treatment in a heart transplantation candidate with antiphospholipid syndrome

Summary Dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to a devastating anterior myocardial infarction developed in a young patient with the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. Due to severe left ventricular failure, heart transplantation was considered. To reduce antiphospholipid antibody titer, plasmapheresis followed by immunosuppressive treatment with cyclosporin and azathioprine were attempted in the pretransplant period. The antibody titer normalized after plasmapheresis, but then rose sharply despite immunosuppressive drugs. This case report underscores the failure of cyclosporin, a treatment not previously reported, to control autoimmunity in antiphospholipid syndrome. Moreover, progressive renal insufficiency can develop as a result of the long-term use of this drug.