Fernando Luiz Westphal

Prevalência de pectus carinatum e pectus excavatum em escolares de Manaus

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of congenital anterior chest wall deformities in 11- to 14-year-old students. METHODS Students participating in the study were recruited from public schools in the city of Manaus, Brazil. The statistically significant sample (precision, 1%; 95% CI) comprised 1,332 students. Pectus deformities were identified by physical examination of the chest, and the individuals with one of these deformities completed a questionnaire regarding heredity and symptoms resulting from the chest abnormality. RESULTS The mean age of the participants was 11.7 years. The prevalence of pectus abnormalities was 1.95% (pectus excavatum: 1.275%; pectus carinatum: 0.675%). Of the 26 students with a pectus deformity, 17 (65.4%) had pectus excavatum, and 18 (69.2%) were male. Concomitant scoliosis was observed in 3 cases (11.5%). A family history of pectus was reported by 17 students (65.4%), and 17 (65.4%) reported chest pain, dyspnea or palpitations. CONCLUSIONS In this study, the prevalence of pectus deformities (1.95%) was lower than that reported in other studies conducted in Brazil (3.6-4.9%) but was higher than that reported in the literature (mean, 1%).

Prevalência de hiperidrose entre estudantes de medicina

OBJECTIVE To identify the prevalence of hyperhidrosis among medical students of Manaus, State of Amazonas, Brazil. METHODS We conducted an observational, transversal, survey which examined the prevalence of primary hyperhidrosis among medical students of the Federal University of Amazonas and its relation to body mass index (BMI) and stress. Students were weighed and interviewed. We used questionnaires with questions recommended by the International Hyperhidrosis Society to relate hyperhidrosis to the daily activities of each person. Results were given by calculating the prevalence ratios and confidence intervals. RESULTS Among the 293 students examined, it was found that a total of 16 (5.5%) students had barely tolerable or intolerable excessive sweating, interfering with daily activities. None had known causes of hyperhidrosis and 50% had family history. In all suffering from the condition the disease was bilateral, the mainly affected locations being: hands (35.7%), legs (21.4%), axilla (17.9), face (10 7%), back (7.1%), chest (3.6%) and abdomen (3.6%). There was no predominance regarding gender, age or BMI. We found a positive relationship with BMI and observed a prevalence ratio of 2.48 higher in overweight students than in normal weight or underweight ones. CONCLUSION The prevalence of primary hyperhidrosis among medical students of Manaus was 5.5%. There is a positive non-statistical relationship with overweight and obesity. It was further noted an observational relationship with stress.

Tratamento cirúrgico de crianças com pneumonia necrosante

OBJECTIVE To describe the results of the surgical treatment of children with necrotizing pneumonia. METHODS A retrospective analysis of the medical charts of 20 children diagnosed with necrotizing pneumonia and submitted to surgical treatment between March of 1997 and September of 2008 in the thoracic surgery departments of two hospitals in the city of Manaus, Brazil. We compiled data regarding age, gender, etiologic agent, indications for surgery, type of surgical resection performed, and postoperative complications. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 30 months. Of the 20 patients studied, 12 (60%) were female. The most common etiologic agents were Staphylococcus aureus, in 5 patients (25%), and Klebsiella sp., in 2 (10%). The indications for surgery were sepsis, in 16 patients (80%), and bronchopleural fistula, in 4 (20%). The types of surgical procedures performed were lobectomy, in 12 patients (60%), segmentectomy, in 7 (35%), and bilobectomy, in 1 (5%). There were 8 patients (40%) who also underwent decortication. The postoperative complications were as follows: bronchopleural fistula, in 4 patients (20%); empyema, in 1 (5%); pneumatocele, in 1 (5%); and phlebitis of the left arm, in 1 (5%). Four (20%) of the patients died. CONCLUSIONS Surgical resection should be considered in patients with evidence of pulmonary necrosis. Resection is indicated in cases of severe sepsis, high output bronchopleural fistula, or acute respiratory failure that are refractory to clinical treatment.

Características de pacientes com câncer de pulmão na cidade de Manaus

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of patients with lung cancer. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study of patients receiving a histopathological diagnosis of lung cancer between 1995 and 2002 in the city of Manaus, Brazil. Data were collected from the medical archives of three hospitals. Statistical analyses were carried out, and survival curves were generated by means of an actuarial estimator. RESULTS: Of the 352 patients selected, 262 (74.4%) were male and 90 (25.6%) were female. The mean age was 62 years. The following histological types were identified: squamous cell carcinoma, 62.8%; adenocarcinoma, 24.7%; small cell carcinoma, 9.1%; and large cell carcinoma, 3.4%. The most common stages were stages IIIB and IV, in 45% and 21.5%, respectively. Of the total sample, 73.4% were submitted to treatment. Of these, 51.4% underwent radiotherapy; 16.6%, surgery; 15.8%, chemotherapy; and 16.2%, radiotherapy in association with chemotherapy. Cumulative survival rates were low: three-year survival was 6.5%, and five-year survival was 3.5%. CONCLUSIONS: In this group of patients with lung cancer, survival rates were considerably lower than those reported in the literature. This might be attributable to the limited access to the specialized health care system and the advanced stage of the disease at diagnosis.

Doença de Castleman associada a sarcoma de células dendríticas foliculares e miastenia gravis

Castlemans disease is an atypical lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology, which might be associated with various clinical conditions, including autoimmune diseases and malignant neoplasms. We report the case of a 72-year-old female patient who was referred to the thoracic surgery department of Getulio Vargas University Hospital, in the city of Manaus, Brazil, for the resection of a posterior mediastinal tumor. Three months prior, the patient had been admitted to the ICU with signs of severe dyspnea, at which time she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. After the resection of the mediastinal tumor, the histopathological examination revealed hyaline vascular-type Castlemans disease, complicated by follicular dendritic cell sarcoma. At this writing, the patient was being treated with an anticholinesterase agent and corticosteroids for the control of myasthenia gravis.

Tratamento cirúrgico de pneumonia necrosante: análise de quatro casos

A pneumonia necrosante e uma patologia grave que surge como complicacao rara de pneumonia lobar. Quatro criancas na faixa etaria entre dez e 28 meses foram hospitalizadas com pneumonia bacteriana aguda, evoluindo com toxemia, derrame pleural e insuficiencia respiratoria, respondendo insatisfatoriamente a antibioticoterapia e drenagem pleural. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos a tratamento cirurgico para descorticacao pulmonar e resseccao de tecido pulmonar necrosado. Complicacoes como fistulas broncopleurais ocorreram em dois pacientes, havendo obito em um dos casos. Os autores concluem que a resseccao pulmonar de emergencia e indicada quando a necrose pulmonar e diagnosticada em pacientes septicemicos ou com fistula broncopleural de alto debito, visando a melhora do prognostico dessas criancas, mesmo cientes de que o indice de morbimortalidade nesses casos e alto.

Avaliação das alterações pleuropulmonares após a injeção de óleo de resina de copaíba, extrato aquoso de crajiru e polivinilpirrolidona iodado (PVPI) na pleura e parênquima pulmonar de ratos

BACKGROUND: Copaiba oil and crajiru are Amazon phytotherapics which have anti-inflammatory and cicatrisation properties. There are no descriptions about their effects in the pleural space. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate macro and microscopic pleuropulmonary alterations after injection of copaibas oil, aqueous extract of crajiru and iodine PVP in the pleural space of mice. METHODS: 128 Rattus norvegicus var. Wistar, male, with average weight of 198.9g (± 24.9g), were used and assigned for four groups: copaiba, PVPI, crajiru and control. These substances were injected in the right pleural space of the animals, which were killed in 24h, 48h, 72h and 504h. They were submitted to macroscopical and microscopical analysis of the lung and right visceral pleura. RESULTS: Macroscopic evaluation showed intense pleuropulmonary reaction in the copaibas group with statistical significance (p=0.001) in opposite to the other groups and the different studied moments (24h, 48h, 72h and 504h). Microscopically, the pleural thickness had greater increase in the copaibas group with statistical significance at the moments 72h and 504h. The PVPI caused an acute inflammatory reaction in the beginning of the experiment (24h and 48h) with improvement in 72h, however, in the last observation, chronic injury was shown The crajirus group presented little damage and without significance in relation to the other groups. CONCLUSION: Copaiba revealed to be greatly irritating; the PVPI was moderately irritating and the watery extract of crajiru presented little inflammatory reaction for the pleura and lung of rats.

Trauma torácico: análise de 124 pacientes submetidos à toracotomia

OBJECTIVE To analyze patients who underwent thoracotomy for the treatment of chest trauma in the City of Manaus. METHODS We performed a retrospective study through analyzed records in the two main reference hospitals for trauma adults in this city during a period of 5 years. We considered for this study the epidemiological data, causal agent, type of incision, anatomical classification score of trauma, prognostic factors and mortality. RESULTS We analyzed 124 patients who underwent thoracotomy with a mean age of 28 years. Stab wounds were the most common casual agent (68%). The main indication for thoracotomy was massive hemothorax with 50.7% of cases, followed by cardiogenic or hypovolemic shock with 48.4%. There were 28 deaths (20.6%). Patients with vena cava injuries (5 patients) and aorta lesions (2 patients) had 100% mortality rate. There was a higher mortality in patients with major index of trauma (p = 0004), and largest quantity of blood transfused (p = 0090). CONCLUSION Thoracic trauma patients submitted to exploratory thoracotomy were young, males and victims of stab wound trauma. The most contributing death factors were the lethal anatomical score, more than 15 points, and the association with major vascular lesions, as the aorta and vena cava.

Skin Depigmentation: Could it Be a Complication Caused by Thoracic Sympathectomy?

Primary hyperhidrosis is an idiopathic disorder, and its definitive treatment is obtained through thoracic sympathectomy. However, this procedure is not exempt from complications and compensatory sweating is the main inconvenience described. In this article, 2 patients were submitted to video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy, and after approximately 8 months they noticed depigmentation of the region corresponding to the blockage of sympathetic stimulus. This fact could be explained by the possible effect of the nervous system on the melanocytes of human skin. Thus, patients with primary hyperhidrosis, who are candidates for thoracic sympathectomy and have brown skin, must be made aware of this possible complication.

Tumor carcinoide e sequestro pulmonar

Pulmonary sequestration is defined as a mass of lung tissue separated from the tracheobronchial tree and irrigated by an anomalous systemic artery. It is rarely seen in conjunction with lung neoplasms. We report the case of a 39-year-old female patient diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor, located in the intermediate bronchus and accompanied by bronchiectasis in the right lower lobe. The patient underwent thoracotomy for the resection of the affected area. During surgery, she presented with significant hemorrhage resulting from the transection of the anomalous artery that irrigated an intralobar pulmonary sequestration, which was located in right lower lobe and had not been identified in pre-operative examinations.