Elisabet Arango Tomás

Bronchiectasis due to pulmonary artery aneurysm

Pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA) is a rare entity. We report what we believe to be the first case of bronchiectasis resulting from a PAA, which in turn developed after a previous Senning procedure for transposition of the great vessels during infancy. The patient had bronchiectasis secondary to compression of the left main bronchus because of a PAA. Bronchiectasis is a condition indicating lung resection. Despite the patient receiving medical therapy to treat recurrent pneumonia, lobectomy was necessary to prevent this and other possible complications.

Periareolar approach for thoracoscopic lobectomy.

In recent years advances in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery have been aimed at reducing the number of video surgery ports, and especially major lung resections pose the greatest challenge. We describe a new minimally invasive as well as aesthetic approach for thoracoscopic lobectomy. The technique poses no difficulty for the surgeon and has certain advantages over other videothoracoscopic approaches.

Es una buena opción terapéutica la cirugía pulmonar en pacientes mayores de 80 años

INTRODUCTION The number of geriatric patients with lung cancer is expected to increase in the next few years, especially patients over 80, and therefore it is important to know where the therapeutic limits should be drawn. Is surgery a good option in patients over 80? OBJECTIVE To show the results of lung resection in patients over 80 years of age to evaluate the safety and short-term results. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective study of 21 patients who underwent lung resection between October 1999 and October 2011. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 82 ± 2; 13 lobectomies were performed,5 transegmental resections, 2 segmentectomies, and 1 pneumonectomy. Postoperative complications (28.6%) were: respiratory 66.6%, cardiological 16.7% and digestive 16,7%. Perioperative mortality was 9,5% (2). There was a significant association between mortality and age (P=.023), or pneumonectomy (P=.002). We studied COPD as a risk factor for mortality and found a statistically significant relation with the need for ICU (P<.007), and the appearance of complications (P<.044). CONCLUSIONS Resective lung surgery is feasible and safe in selected patients over 80 years of age. In our experience, squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent tumor. The most common procedure was lobectomy which is a safe technique with a low complication rate in elderly patients. Pneumonectomy should be avoided, as we have found a significant association with perioperative mortality.INTRODUCTION The number of geriatric patients with lung cancer is expected to increase in the next few years, especially patients over 80, and therefore it is important to know where the therapeutic limits should be drawn. Is surgery a good option in patients over 80? OBJECTIVE To show the results of lung resection in patients over 80 years of age to evaluate the safety and short-term results. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective study of 21 patients who underwent lung resection between October 1999 and October 2011. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 82 ± 2; 13 lobectomies were performed,5 transegmental resections, 2 segmentectomies, and 1 pneumonectomy. Postoperative complications (28.6%) were: respiratory 66.6%, cardiological 16.7% and digestive 16,7%. Perioperative mortality was 9,5% (2). There was a significant association between mortality and age (P=.023), or pneumonectomy (P=.002). We studied COPD as a risk factor for mortality and found a statistically significant relation with the need for ICU (P<.007), and the appearance of complications (P<.044). CONCLUSIONS Resective lung surgery is feasible and safe in selected patients over 80 years of age. In our experience, squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent tumor. The most common procedure was lobectomy which is a safe technique with a low complication rate in elderly patients. Pneumonectomy should be avoided, as we have found a significant association with perioperative mortality.

Reconstrucción torácica con prótesis de metacrilato en el síndrome de Poland

Poland syndrome is a rare congenital malformation. This syndrome was described in 1841 by Alfred Poland at Guys Hospital in London. It is characterized by hypoplasia of the breast and nipple, subcutaneous tissue shortages, lack of the costosternal portion of the pectoralis major muscle and associated alterations of the fingers on the same side. Corrective treatment of the chest and soft tissue abnormalities in Poland syndrome varies according to different authors. We report the case of a 17-year-old adolescent who underwent chest wall reconstruction with a methyl methacrylate prosthesis. This surgical procedure is recommended for large anterior chest wall defects, and it prevents paradoxical movement. Moreover it provides for individual remodeling of the defect depending on the shape of the patients chest.