Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula in an adult patient.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital bronchoesophageal fistulas are extremely rare. Symptoms may not be detected before treatment or may be seen intermittently until advanced ages. Treatment is surgical closure of the fistula. CASE PRESENTATION: A 20-year-old female patient with presented complaints of sputum production and cough. A fistula was confirmed between the middle esophagus and the left main bronchus by bronchoscopy. Management is by surgical closure of the fistula via right thoracotomy. The patient had an uneventful recovery. CONCLUSION: Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula malformation can cause long-term respiratory symptoms associated with the fistula and loss of lung parenchyma if left untreated.

The relationship between mortality and inflammatory markers and the systemic immune inflammatory index in patients in the intensive care unit with a pneumothorax as a complication of COVID-19 disease.

BACKGROUND: A pneumothorax is common in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) when non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation is performed to maintain adequate oxygenation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of elevated inflammatory markers and an elevated systemic immune inflammatory index (SII) on mortality in this patient population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2020 and May 2021, 124 patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reacion positviity who were admitted to the ICU in our hospital and diagnosed with and treated for a pneumothorax were evaluated retrospectively. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein, neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet and white blood cell levels were measured. These parameters were used to calculate the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and SII, and the association of these parameters with pneumothorax-related mortality was examined. RESULTS: This study included 39 female (31.5%) and 85 male (68.5%) patients. The mean age was 65.3 ± 12.6 years. Non-invasive mechanical ventilation was performed in 13 (10.5%) patients, and 111 (89.5%) patients received invasive mechanical ventilation. Tube thoracostomy was performed in 113 patients (91.1%), and 11 patients (8.9%) were treated with oxygen therapy. The factors affecting mortality in the pneumothorax patients were the Charlson Comorbidity Index (four or higher), IL-6 level and NLR. The IL-6 level was 53.4 in those who died versus 24.6 in those who survived (p = 0.017). The NLR in the patients who died was 16.9 as compared to 12.5 in those who survived (p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Elevated markers of infection were associated with an increased risk of mortality in pneumothorax patients with COVID-19 who received invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation in the ICU. In this patient population, high levels of positive end-expiratory pressure should be avoided, and inflammatory marker levels and the SII should be closely monitored.

Local treatment of pain in Tietze syndrome: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we present our experiences with local injections of triamcinolone and prilocaine in patients diagnosed with Tietze syndrome. METHODS: Between January 2016 and January 2019, a total of 28 patients (12 males, 16 females; median age: 33 years; range, 21 to 51 years) who were diagnosed with TS in our clinic were retrospectively analyzed. Triamcinolone hexacetonide and prilocaine hydrochloride were injected into painful joints. At first week, pain sensation of the patients was recorded using the Pain Rating Scale developed by the British Pain Society. Pain was also assessed at one, two, and three weeks after injections qualitatively and based on physical examination. RESULTS: At one week, the pain severity before the local injection treatment was above average the pain-related discomfort rates, and the response was quite favorable after the treatment (p=0.005 and p=0.001, respectively). A statistically significant rating was observed for treatment response and success (p=0.003). Totally 75% of the patients experienced more than 70% reduction in pain level after the injection. CONCLUSION: Our treatment approach involving injection of a mixture of steroid and a local anesthetic provides a rapid relief from pain, irrespective of age, sex, or employment status in patients diagnosed with Tietze syndrome.

Burkitt Lymphoma Presenting With Intracardiac Mass and Tumor Thrombosis in the Anterior Mediastinum With Literature Review.

Burkitt lymphoma manifesting as an intracardiac mass is a rare entity. This report describes the case of a 10-year-old boy who presented with an intracardiac mass and tumor thrombosis in the anterior mediastinum that proved to be Burkitt lymphoma. The LMB-96 chemotherapy protocol was given and at the end of the treatment there was still residual mass. A biopsy was performed and the pathology revealed thymus tissue. The patient has been in complete remission for 3 months. Burkitt lymphoma has a short doubling time and an intracardiac lesion can become life threatening. Early recognition and prompt treatment are crucial in achieving optimal outcomes.

First experiences and complications in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy at a thoracic surgery center.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to report the difficulties and complications we experienced in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomies performed at our thoracic surgery center. METHODS: A total of 76 patients (54 males, 22 females; mean age 48.3 years; range 9 to 83 years) who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy between January 2012 and June 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative patient characteristics such as additional diseases or tuberculosis history, stage for malignant diseases, surgical characteristics such as port properties and amount of bleeding, postoperative characteristics such as amount, time and duration of drainage, air leakage, and discharge time, morbidity and mortality rates, and their causes were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the patients, 35 were evaluated due to benign pulmonary diseases and 41 due to malignant pulmonary diseases. Postoperative prolonged air leakage developed in 14 patients. Of these patients, one was administered thoracotomy and primary repair, three were administered pleurodesis, and three were administered secondary pleurocan catheter, while the air leakage ended spontaneously in seven patients. Due to bleeding, one patient was treated with revision video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery on the same day postoperatively. One patient developed chylothorax and one patient developed pneumonia, which caused respiratory failure. CONCLUSION: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy is a safe thoracic procedure, which is used for both oncologic and non-oncologic diseases of the lung. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery may be performed by all thoracic surgeons experienced in open thoracic surgery. Thanks to the gained experiences, the rates of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy may improve in all centers.