Manejo de la hipoxia durante ventilación unipulmonar en un paciente con absceso mediastinal y mediastinitis para toracotomía abierta. Reporte de caso / Hypoxia Management during One-Lung Ventilation in a Patient with Mediastinal Abscess and Mediastinitis for Open Thoracotomy. Case Report

Introducción: la mayoría de los pacientes que se someten a cirugía torácica pueden ser clasificados en el grupo de alto riesgo para hipoxia, especialmente cuando se decide por una ventilación unipulmonar, debido al desequilibrio V/Q; por lo tanto, se han desa-rrollado nuevas estrategias ventilatorias y maniobras de rescate para hipoxia. Curso clínico: presentamos una paciente de 85 años de edad sin comorbilidades programada para toracotomía abierta y manejada con ventilación unipulmonar. Durante el mane-jo anestésico, se presenta hipoxia secundaria a desequilibrio V/Q y choque hipovolémi-co hemorrágico, con respuesta positiva a las maniobras de rescate para hipoxia. Con-clusión: es importante prevenir en la medida de lo posible la hipoxia en la ventilación unipulmonar, siguiendo las nuevas estrategias ventilatorias. Sin embargo, cuando se presenta una crisis, no debemos retrasar las maniobras de rescate de forma moderna. (AU)

Introduction: most of the patients undergoing thoracic surgery fit in the high risk group for hypoxia, especially when deciding to use one-lung ventilation due to the V/Q mis-match; therefore, new ventilation strategies and hypoxia rescue manoeuvres have been developed. Clinical course: we present an 85-year old female with no major co-morbidities scheduled for open thoracotomy and managed with one-lung ventilation. During the course of the anaesthetic management, hypoxia presents secondary to V/Q mismatch and haemorrhagic hypovolemic shock, with a positive response to hypoxia rescue manoeuvres. Conclusion: it is important to prevent as much as we can the hy-poxia in a one-lung ventilation following the new ventilation strategies. Although when facing a crisis, proper hypoxia management with a modern approach should not be de-layed. (AU)

Sclerosing mediastinitis causing unilateral pulmonary edema due to left atrial and pulmonary venous compression. a case report and literature review

Abstract Sclerosing mediastinitis (SM), previously named chronic fibrosing mediastinitis, is an inflammatory process that in its end-stage results to sclerosis around the mediastinal structures. SM is quite rare and has been correlated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, as well as malignancy. SM may either present in a mild form, with minor symptoms and a benign course or in a more aggressive form with severe pulmonary hypertension and subsequent higher morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis of SM may be difficult and quite challenging, as symptoms depend on the mediastinal structure that is mainly involved; quite often the superior vena cava. However, practically any mediastinal structure may be involved by the fibrotic process, such as the central airways, as well as the pulmonary arteries and veins, leading to obstruction or total occlusion. The latter may be impossible to undergo proper surgical excision of the lesion, and is considered to be a real challenge to the surgeon. We herein report a case of SM that presented with arterial and venous compression. The imaging appearance was that of unilateral pulmonary edema, associated with lung collapse. The case is supplemented by a non-systematic review of the relevant literature.

Mediastinite descendente necrosante: tratamento cirúrgico torácico minimamente invasivo / Descending necrotizing mediastinitis: minimally invasive thoracic surgical treatment

OBJETIVO: Relatar uma série de casos de pacientes com mediastinite descendente necrosante (MDN) tratados com cirurgia torácica minimamente invasiva. MÉTODOS: Relatamos os casos de três pacientes com MDN submetidos à desbridamento mediastinal através de cirurgia torácica videoassistida no Hospital São Paulo, São Paulo (SP), desde a sua admissão até o desfecho final. RESULTADOS: Os três pacientes apresentaram boa evolução pós-operatória, com tempo médio de internação de 16,7 dias. CONCLUSÕES: Concluímos que a videotoracoscopia é uma técnica efetiva para a drenagem mediastinal no tratamento da MDN, com os benefícios da cirurgia minimamente invasiva: menos dor pós-operatória, menor liberação de fatores inflamatórios, retorno precoce às atividades diárias e melhores resultados estéticos.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case series of patients with descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) who were treated with minimally invasive thoracic surgery. METHODS: We report three cases of male patients with DNM who underwent mediastinal debridement by video-assisted thoracic surgery at the Hospital São Paulo, located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, from admission to the final outcome. RESULTS: The postoperative evolution was favorable in all three cases. The mean length of hospital stay was 16.7 days. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that video-assisted thoracoscopy is an effective technique for mediastinal drainage in the treatment of DNM, with the benefits common to minimally invasive surgery: less postoperative pain, lower production of inflammatory factors, earlier return to activities of daily living, and better aesthetic results.

Tuberculose do timo / Tuberculosis of the thymus

Os tumores do mediastino anterior incluem várias entidades com diferentes manifestações radiológicas e clínicas, consistindo em um grupo heterogêneo de condições congênitas, inflamatórias ou neoplásicas. Entre essas lesões, o tumor primário mais comum do mediastino é o timoma, seguido de perto por tumores de células germinativas e linfomas. A tuberculose do timo é extremamente rara, embora o envolvimento dos linfonodos mediastinais por essa entidade seja comum. Apresentamos aqui achados patológicos, radiológicos e clínicos de um caso de tuberculose tímica em um paciente de 18 anos de idade, que apresentou dor torácica, dispnéia a pequenos esforços e piora contínua dos sintomas em uma semana. A radiografia torácica mostrou uma grande massa no mediastino e a tomografia computadorizada mostrou que a localização era anterior. O paciente foi operado, sendo feita a exérese da massa, com aspecto microscópico de uma reação inflamatória maciça e presença de granulomas no tecido tímico. A pesquisa de bacilos álcool ácido resistentes pelo método de Ziehl-Neelsen foi positiva e o diagnóstico de tuberculose foi fechado. Portanto, o cirurgião e o patologista devem estar alertas quanto à essa entidade, bem como incluí-la na lista de diagnósticos diferenciais de massas mediastinais.

Tumors of the anterior mediastinum include several entities with different radiological and clinical manifestations, constituting a heterogeneous group of congenital, inflammatory, and neoplastic conditions. Among these lesions, the most common primary tumor of the mediastinum is thymoma, nearly followed by germ cell tumors and lymphomas. Tuberculosis of the thymus, an extremely rare condition, typically involves Qthe mediastinal lymph nodes. We present, in this study, pathological, radiological, and clinical findings of one case of tuberculosis of the thymus in an 18-year-old patient who presented thoracic pain, dyspnea upon minimal effort, and progressive worsening of the symptoms in one week. The chest X-ray showed a large mass in the mediastinum, and computed tomography scans indicated that it was located anteriorly. The patient was submitted to surgery in order to excise the mass. Microscopy revealed a massive inflammatory response and granulomas in the thymic tissue. Ziehl-Neelsen staining for acid-fast bacilli yielded positive results, and a diagnosis of tuberculosis was made. Surgeons and pathologists should remain alert for this condition and should include it in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses.

Mediastinite esclerosante no diagnóstico diferencial de tumores mediastinais / Sclerosing mediastinitis in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal tumors

A mediastinite esclerosante é uma doença rara, caracterizada por tecido fibrótico mediastinal extenso, que mimetiza uma neoplasia devido à compressão ou invasão das estruturas mediastinais. Apresentamos três casos de síndrome de veia cava superior em que se comprovou a mediastinite esclerosante. A fisiopatologia relaciona-se a adenomegalias mediastinais, proliferação de fibroblastos e deposição de colágeno. As principais causas são histoplasmose e tuberculose, doenças prevalentes em nosso meio. O diagnóstico histopatológico geralmente é difícil por métodos pouco invasivos. Necessita-se de exploração cirúrgica para o diagnóstico definitivo e resolução da obstrução das vias aerodigestiva e vascular, uma vez que não há tratamento clínico efetivo para esta afecção.

Tratamento cirúrgico da mediastinite após cirurgia cardíaca / Mediastinitis surgical treatment after cardiac surgery

Mediastinite após cirurgia cardíaca por esternotomia mediana é uma condição passível de ocorrer no período pós-operatório. Importantes opções terapêuticas foram descritas e comparadas previamente. Este estudo foi delineado, para relatar a experiência dos autores no tratamento da mediastinite, com a utilização de tecidos autógenos, e para discutir as vantagens e desvantagens de cada técnica.

Mediastinitis following cardiac surgery have become a frequently condition in the immediative postoperatory period. Many techniques to solve this important problem were described previously comparing these therapeutic tools. This study were delineated to quantificate the author´s experience in the utilization of autogenous tissues to perform the thoracic reconstruction and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each technique.

Aortoesophageal Fistula Associated with Tuberculous Mediastinitis, Mimicking Esophageal Dieulafoy's Disease

Aortoesophageal fistula is a rare and lethal disorder that may result from primary diseases of aorta or esophagus, aortic bypass graft, ingestion of foreign body, trauma, surgical procedure or instrumentation. Tuberculous fistula is extremely rare. We present a 27-yr-old female patient with aortoesophageal fistula associated with tuberculous mediastinitis. The patient experienced massive hematemesis and esophagoscopy revealed a small mucosal defect with exudate-coated blood vessel like Dieulafoy 's lesion on about 25 cm from the incisor teeth. Despite two sessions of endoscopic hemostatic procedures, active massive hemorrhage recurred and was controlled effectively with a prompt insertion of Sengstaken-Blakemore tube. The patient underwent open thoracotomy, which revealed aortoesophageal fistula. Numerous white-yellowish, millet seed-like tubercles were scattered in pleural and abdominal cavity. Division of fistular tract and esophageal resection with Ivor-Lewis anastomosis were performed. Histopathologic study confirmed tuberculous pleuritis and peritonitis. The patient died of postoperative pulmonary complication.