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Thoracic Portal
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The Cox-Maze procedure is an effective and successful method of surgical ablation. However, for lone atrial fibrillation cases, invasive sternotomy is not feasible. Patients with persistent atrial... More
June 29, 2008
Stainless steel wires are currently used for median sternotomy closure
in cardiac and general thoracic surgery; this method is safe,
effective, and fast. However, the wires can damage and cut bone during
respiratory and chest motion. A novel sternal reinforcement device has
been designed to prevent wires cutting into the bone.
June 17, 2008
Unilateral diaphragmatic agenesis is a rare diagnosis typically made early in infancy and generally associated with other genetic anomalies. We present an unusual case of adult onset progressive shortness of breath and peripartum hepatic herniation into the chest, which on intraoperative exploration revealed diaphragmatic agenesis.
June 15, 2008
Surgical stapling devices have been used in Thoracic surgery for over 20 years and have proven as reliable as suturing for the bronchus, pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein or lung parenchyma. They have allowed for the widespread application of thoracoscopy to complex procedures within the chest.
June 15, 2008
Various diathermy techniques have been proposed to reduce intraoperative blood loss in surgery. In particular, standard bipolar technology is able to coagulate small vessels, with a diameter ranging from 1 mm to 3 mm, but it has some disadvantages, including sticking, charring, and significant thermal spread [1,2].
April 8, 2008
Tissue sealing remains a requirement for advanced general thoracic procedures with the aims of improving hemostasis, diminishing lymphatic fluid production, and prevention of postoperative air leaks. Different products have become available in recent years that include commercial biological glues, autologous glues made on-site, and biological fibrin-based products.
April 8, 2008
Pulmonary nodules and masses are common reasons for referring patients to the pulmonologist, radiologist, and thoracic surgeon for evaluation. The burgeoning use of chest computed tomography for screening, to rule out pulmonary embolism, and for other indications may lead to a significant increase in patients with newly discovered lesions.
April 8, 2008
The impetus for intrabronchial treatment of emphysema came from the experiences with lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS).
April 8, 2008
The desire for an objective method to record, quantify, and store lung sound information was the impetus for development of the field of computer-assisted mapping of lung sounds. Techniques are constantly evolving, with many different types of sensors, sensor coupling methods, and digital signal processing techniques in existence.