Endovascular stent migration to the right ventricle causing myocardial injury

Central stenosis of the subclavian and internal jugular veins is common in end stage renal disease. Treatment of these stenoses is difficult as these veins respond poorly to angioplasty alone and often require metallic stents to ensure patency. These stents are not without complications. Reports of stent fracture, thrombosis and vessel rupture abound in the literature. Stent migration can occur when used in large central veins leading to severe consequences such as pulmonary infarction, tricuspid regurgitation and right sided heart failure. In this report, we report a case of a subclavian vein stent which migrated into the right heart and caused subendocardial injury. As the use of vascular stents is becoming a common treatment option for central venous stenosis, the occurrences of serious complications associated with the stents are likely to rise.     

Successful treatment of bronchial anastomotic stenosis with modified Dumon Y-stent insertion in lung transplantation: report of a case

Bronchial complications owing to airway anastomosis still remain a cause of morbidity and mortality following lung transplantation, and bronchial stenosis is the most common manifestation. Current treatment strategies include endoscopic balloon dilation, laser ablation, and stent insertion. Although a variety of stent types are currently available, it is unclear as to which type of prosthesis is most suitable for post-transplant bronchial complications with regard to the primary effects and long-term outcomes. We herein discuss a case of stenosis of the right bronchial anastomosis in a patient who underwent right single lung transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This complication was successfully treated with the placement of a modified Dumon Y-stent. The stent was removed 2 months after insertion, and the patient has subsequently maintained an adequate airway caliber. Computed tomography, especially the sagittal section through the chest, is useful for detecting bronchial stenosis and monitoring the healing of this condition.     

Bilateral single lung transplantation. Complications and results in 14 patients.

Between November 1989 and April 1991, 14 bilateral single lung transplantations (BSLT) were performed at our institution using the technique we have described without omentoplasty and rarely cardiopulmonary bypass. The indications included emphysema (8), cystic fibrosis (3), infected fibrosis (1), alveolar microlithiasis (1) and lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis (1). Maximum mean pulmonary artery pressure was 53 mmHg and minimal right ventricular ejection fraction was 15%. Two patients experienced bronchial complications: 1 complete left bronchial dehiscence, 1 late partial stenosis which required a temporary insertion of a stent. One patient had a posterior dehiscence which healed spontaneously. Five patients died postoperatively (3 of infection, 1 after a volume mismatch and 1 after a circulating anticoagulant). BSLT is the technique of choice for double lung transplantation in adults and heart lung transplantation has very few indications in infected end-stage pulmonary disease. We hope that modification of our immunosuppressive regimen will decrease postoperative mortality.     

Migración de stent implantado en la arteria pulmonar en un paciente con tetralogía de Fallot

Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart disease that accounts for 11-13% of the congenital cardiomyopathies. Stenosis and hyperplasia of the pulmonary arteries occur in a high proportion of them as this disease causes a native stenosis of the pulmonary branch, which can be surgically repaired with a stent. The use of balloon expandable intravascular stents is an alternative technique to further surgery in patients with congenital heart diseases. However, despite the gradual increase in their use, the limited number of procedures, combined with the wide anatomical variability and different characteristics of these patients, even in expert hands, stent implants are associated with a not inconsiderable incidence of complications. These are not always obvious and often require performing surgery in patients who have already had multiple interventions, thus increasing the complexity and the risk.     

Endobronchial and endovascular management of bronchial compression by a thoracic aortic aneurysm

Thoracic aortic aneurysms are life threatening because of the risk of rupture. Moreover, aneurysm enlargement can lead to additional complications, including bronchial and esophageal obstruction. We report an 80-year-old man with a 7-cm diameter thoracic aortic aneurysm resulting in near-complete left main bronchial obstruction and significant dysphagia. He had a number of intensive care unit admissions for respiratory failure and had lost more than 10 kilograms. Under spinal anesthesia, he underwent endovascular thoracic aortic aneurysm repair. Postoperatively, he had left main bronchial total obstruction treated with a bronchial stent. He then recovered uneventfully and was discharged to home.     

Knotted ureteral stent: a rare complication of ureteral stent usage

The use of ureteral stents has become a routine urological practice. There are many different complications with ureteral stent use. One rare complication is knotting, which can be a very difficult condition to treat. We report a case in which a complete knot was found in the proximal part of an indwelling ureteral stent with a proximal ureteral stone.     

Percutaneous major aortopulmonary collateral artery banding using a covered stent in an infant

We report a 6-month-old infant with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect who was successfully treated with a novel technique of percutaneous major aortopulmonary collateral artery (MAPCA) banding with a covered stent. He suffered from heart failure due to a residual MAPCA of 4.5 mm in diameter. A covered stent tied with 2 5–0 size nylon threads was successfully deployed into the MAPCA in a dumbbell shape with a banding diameter of 2.8 mm. Banding covered stent implantation is a useful method to reduce the pulmonary blood flow in patients with MAPCA, which could be a less-invasive alternative to surgery.     

Superiority of end-to-end versus telescoped bronchial anastomosis in single lung transplantation for pulmonary emphysema

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of surgical technique (telescoped versus end-to-end anastomosis) on the incidence of bronchial anastomotic complications in patients who underwent single lung transplantation for pulmonary emphysema. METHODS: Seventy-six adult recipients of single lung transplants for pulmonary emphysema were evaluated for the presence of 3 types of major bronchial anastomotic complications: ischemia, dehiscence, and severe stenosis. Surgical technique, clinical course, and mortality were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The 3 major complications were observed in 11 (34%; ischemia), 8 (25%; dehiscence), and 11 (34%; severe stenosis) of 32 telescoped bronchial anastomoses. In contrast, ischemia, dehiscence, and severe stenosis occurred in only 4 (9%), 1 (2%), and 2 (5%) of 44 end-to-end anastomoses (P =.0087, P =.0034, and P =.0012, respectively). The relative risk of ischemia, dehiscence, and severe stenosis in telescoped anastomoses was 2.1, 2.5, and 2.5, respectively, compared with end-to-end anastomoses. Five (13%) telescoped anastomoses required stent placement as compared with only 2 (5%) end-to-end anastomoses (P =.1244). Early postoperative pneumonia was more common in the telescoped anastomosis group (56%) than in the end-to-end group (32%; P =.0380). There was a trend toward shorter survival in the telescoped anastomosis group (mean survival 1045 +/- 145 days) as compared with the end-to-end group (mean survival 1289 +/- 156 days), but these differences did not achieve statistical significance (P =.2410). CONCLUSIONS: In patients who underwent single lung transplantation for pulmonary emphysema, telescoped anastomoses were associated with a higher incidence of bronchial anastomotic complications than end-to-end anastomoses.     

Inhalation burn injury in children

With advances in burn care, many children are surviving severe burn injuries. Inhalation injury remains a predictor of morbidity and mortality in burn injury. Inhalation of smoke and toxic gases leads to pulmonary complications, including airway obstruction from bronchial casts, pulmonary edema, decreased pulmonary compliance, and ventilation–perfusion mismatch, as well as systemic toxicity from carbon monoxide poisoning and cyanide toxicity. The diagnosis of inhalation injury is suggested by the history and physical exam and can be confirmed by bronchoscopy. Management consists of supportive measures, pulmonary toilet, treatment of pulmonary infection and ventilatory support as needed. This review details the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management options for inhalation injury.     

支气管袖式肺叶切除肺动脉成形术治疗中心型肺癌

目的 总结支气管袖式肺叶切除、肺动脉成形术治疗中心型肺癌的临床经验.方法 回顾分析1989年5月至2009年5月收治的52例中心型肺癌患者,其中38例行支气管环状切除成形及支气管袖式肺叶切除术;12例行支气管肺动脉双袖式肺叶切除术;2例行气管隆突及半隆突切除重建合并肺叶切除术.结果 本组术后死亡1例,发生手术并发症5例...     

Delayed massive hemoptysis after expandable bronchial stent placement

Patients with lung cancer often develop airway obstruction that necessitates palliative bronchoscopic interventions. Expandable metal stents are increasingly used for this indication. We report a case of fatal massive hemoptysis that occurred 1 week after uneventful bronchial stent placement. Previous treatment with external-beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, and photodynamic therapy probably contributed to pulmonary artery-bronchial fistulization in this patient. This complication should be kept in mind when considering expandable airway stent insertion in heavily pretreated lung cancer patients.     

Anesthesia in bronchial asthma

Between 2% and 5% of the population suffer from bronchial asthma. The disease is characterized by bronchial hyperreactivity to physical, chemical, pharmacological, and/or immunological irritants. The incidence of perioperative complications is higher in asthmatics than in non-asthmatics. Careful pre- and postoperative care can reduce complications in these patients. Successful management of an asthmatic patient undergoing anesthesia starts with the identification of patients with asthma, the preoperative assessment, and evaluation of the pulmonary function. No elective surgery should be performed in patients suffering from unstable asthma or an acute attack. Thorough knowledge of the effects and interactions of broncholytic therapy with anesthesia is mandatory. Preanesthetic management must take into consideration the etiology of the disease; intraoperatively, attention must be paid to the pathophysiology. Appropriate perioperative monitoring can help to prevent complications. No one type of anesthesia is associated with lower postoperative complications. The skill of the anesthesiologist, early recovery from general anesthesia, and good postoperative care greatly reduce the incidence of complications. Besides the changes in pulmonary function that occur following anesthesia and surgery, asthmatics may suffer from abnormalities in control of ventilation and mucociliary function postoperatively. The patient with a history of asthma needs close supervision during the postoperative period: many sudden deaths from asthma and many episodes of ventilatory arrest occur during the night and in the early morning.     

Successful management of left main bronchial stenosis as a rare complication of pericardiectomy

We present a rare complication of pericardiectomy and the effective management thereof. A 67-year-old female with dyspnea and upper abdominal pain was received at our department upon referral. Chest roentgenogram and cardiac catheterization preceded a diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis. Pericardiectomy was performed subordinate to median sternotomy and left anterolateral thoracotomy. Extubation was carried out on day 2 but reintubation was necessitated on the same day as a result of progressive dyspnea. Chest roentgenogram revealed an atelectasis of the left lung. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy showed left main bronchial stenosis resulting from a pulsating external structure. A postoperative computed tomogram substantiated the stenotic left main bronchus between the dilated left pulmonary artery and the thoracic descending aorta. An expandable metallic stent for the treatment of this complication was selected over other invasive procedures. Two years of follow-up reveal no complications. Accordingly, an expandable metallic stent has demonstrated its effectiveness not only on bronchial stenosis due to malignancy or tuberculosis but on benign cases such as this as well.     

Endobronchial metallic stent placement for airway complications after lung transplantation: Longitudinal results

BACKGROUND: In lung transplant recipients, bronchial stenosis (SB) and bronchomalacia (MB) result in obstructive airway disease and allograft dysfunction due to pulmonary infection. We hypothesized that endobronchial metallic stent placement for SB and MB would result in long-term improvement in respiratory function and rates of pulmonary infection. METHODS: We studied symptomatic lung transplant recipients with bronchoscopic evidence of proximal airway complications (SB or MB) and a synchronous decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of at least 10% in the 6-month period before intervention. Stent placement was the primary intervention for SB and all focal MB lesions and for recurrent or refractory SB lesions failing a single initial attempt at balloon dilation. FEV1 and rates of pulmonary infection were assessed in the 12-month interval before and after stent placement. Spirometric evaluation was performed at 3-month intervals and compared with spirometry at the time of stent placement. The rates of pulmonary infection, determined by the number of antibiotics prescribed, was determined before and after endobronchial correction. RESULTS: Thirty recipients underwent a total of 75 procedures (50 stent insertions and 25 balloon dilations). FEV1 improved significantly after stent placement compared with base line (1.29 +/- 0.43 L) as follows: 3 months, 1.45 +/- 0.50 L, p = 0.014; 6 months, 1.59 +/- 0.57 L, p = 0.002; 12 months 1.59 +/- 0.53 L, p = 0.006. The infection rate decreased from the 12-month period preceding stent insertion to the corresponding period after stent insertion (6.97/100 days +/- 6.33 versus 5.74/100 days +/- 7.76, p = 0.018). Recurrent SB occurred in 17.3%. No life-threatening complications occurred after stent placement and no deaths were attributed to stent malfunction or malposition. CONCLUSIONS: In lung transplant recipients with SB and MB, maintenance of airway patency by stent placement is safe and resulted in improvements in lung function and reduced pulmonary infection rates for up to 1 year after their insertion.     

Pulmonary artery stenosis 5 years after single lung transplantation in primary pulmonary hypertension

This is a case report about a 56-year-old female patient with primary pulmonary hypertension who underwent single, right lung transplantation. Five years postoperatively she developed signs of right heart failure. History and physical examination suggested pulmonary artery stenosis. Diagnosis was confirmed by pulmonary angiography. Percutaneous placement of a balloon expandable stent normalized pulmonary artery pressure.     

Esophageal cancer surgery for patients with chronic respiratory diseases

Esophageal cancer frequently occurs in the elderly and many of the patients have smoking history. Therefore, some of them have pulmonary comorbidity such as chronic respiratory diseases. As postoperative pulmonary complications after esophagectomy can be a cause of hospital death, careful evaluation is needed before the decision of the indication for surgery. In order to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications in patients with pulmonary comorbidities, modifications in the surgical procedures are needed. Even for cases who can tolerate standard esophagectomy, both the bronchial arteries and pulmonary branches of the vagal nerve should be preserved as far as possible. For patients who cannot tolerate the thoracotomy, transhiatal esophagectomy or non-surgical treatment should be selected. Postoperatively, airway cleansing using a bronchoscopy or mini-tracheostomy should be performed for cases with difficulty in sputum excretion. An enhanced recovery program by multidisciplinary team is effective to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications. Perioperative use of corticosteroid and sivelestat may reduce the incidence of pulmonary complications. As aspiration pneumonia is sometimes fatal in patients after esophagectomy, care to avoid aspiration is needed. Respiratory care is essential during the follow-up period as well as perioperative period in esophagectomized patients with pulmonary comorbidities.     

Successful management of congenital bronchial stenosis using an expandable stent

Congenital bronchial stenosis is a very rare cause of neonatal dyspnea. Surgical management remains challenging in small children. We report successful implantation of a bronchial stent in a 3-month-old female infant presenting with congenital right bronchial stenosis and 18 months of follow-up. Use of stents in children remains controversial because of the problem of size mismatch as the child grows. Nevertheless, expandable stent implantation could be an interesting alternative to complex surgery for localized bronchial stenosis in neonates.     

Laparoscopic management of a retained heavily encrusted ureteral stent

The indwelling ureteral stent is a fundamental part of today's urologic practice. Since its introduction in 1978, many improvements have been made in stent design and composition to minimize patient discomfort. As a consequence, the patient can forget about the stent. A known and well-documented complication of this situation is encrustations of the ureteral stent which causes significant morbidity to the patient, and at times, they are very difficult to manage. Reports in the literature describe techniques that require several procedures and anaesthetic sessions to effect stent extraction. Here, we report the one-sitting laparoscopic management of a heavily encrusted and stuck DJ stent, with minimal morbidity and very short hospital stay. Laparoscopic management of this common urologic problem has not been reported before. A comprehensive discussion is also presented regarding the management of such problems and their prevention.     

Thermo-expandable Intra-prostatic Stent in the Treatment of Acute Urinary Retention in Elderly Patients with Significant Co-morbidities

We assess the use of thermo-expandable intra-prostatic stent (Memokath, Engineers and Doctors A/S, Denmark) for the treatment of acute urinary retention (AUR) in men with significant co-morbidities for transurethral resection of prostate (TURP). We evaluate the pre- and post-operative complications, duration of stents in-situ and patients quality of life after the stent insertion. Patients with significant co-morbidities presenting with AUR were selected, who were unfit for TURP. The co-morbidities included ischaemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The exclusion criteria were bladder tumour and atonic bladder. The Memokath stents were inserted using a flexible cystoscope under local anaesthesia. The patients were followed up at 3 and 6 months after the procedure and the ones who remained alive were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires and IPSS scores. Fifteen men with acute urinary retention were recruited for stent insertion with the mean age of 87 years. No peri-operative complications were recorded. Three patients died after the insertion with functional Memokath in-situ. Nine patients had good functioning stents post-operatively, and remain catheter free up to 30 months after the procedure. The mean duration of stent life was 18 months. Three long-term complications were detected, including stent migration and prostate overgrowth. The Memokath is a good option for frail elderly patients presenting with AUR. The procedure is safe and has minimal long term complications. The stent also provides a sustained good quality of life for patients and avoids the necessity of long term catheterisation.     

Application of an expandable metallic Z-type stent for stenosis of the left main bronchus following tuberculosis--a case report]

A 32-year-old man had been suffering from dyspnea on exertion and stridor, which were due to stenosis of the left main bronchus as a complication of bronchial tuberculosis. A three-connection stent, 1.2 cm in diameter and 4.5 cm in length was placed at the site of the bronchial stenosis. Dyspnea disappeared 2 days after the procedure, and the pulmonary function 3 weeks later showed considerable improvements in %FVC, FEV1 and MMF.