Primary pulmonary amyloidosis is a rare disease, and is classified as either tracheobronchial or parenchymal ; the latter is also divided into nodular and diffuse alveolar septal forms. The alveolar form is extremely rare and usually produces reticular and nodular opacities. We describe a case of alveolar septal pulmonary amyloidosis manifested as multiple small nodules on chest radiograph and disseminated micronodules mainly in centrilobular and subpleural location without reticular opacities, on HRCT.
Amyloidosis* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Rare Diseases

No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Thoracic Diseases*

Dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance lymphangiography can be used to provide anatomic and dynamic information for various lymphatic diseases, including thoracic duct injury, and can also help to guide the thoracic duct embolization procedure. We present a case of postoperative chylothorax demonstrated by dynamic enhanced MR lymphangiography. In this case, the chyle leakage site and location of cisterna chyli were clearly visualized by dynamic enhanced MR lymphangiography, thus allowing for management with thoracic duct embolization.
Chyle ; Chylothorax ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Lymphography ; Thoracic Duct

China ; Esophageal Diseases ; surgery ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; surgery ; Thoracic Injuries ; surgery ; Thoracic Neoplasms ; surgery ; Thoracic Surgery ; Trachea ; surgery

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this paper is to present a guideline for beginning video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy to junior surgeons, and to review the first year experience of a new surgeon performing VATS lobectomies who had not performed a VATS lobectomy unassisted during his training period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A young surgeon opened a division of general thoracic surgery at a medical institution. The surgeon had performed about 100 lobectomies via conventional thoracotomy during his training period, but had never performed a VATS lobectomy unassisted while under the supervision of an expert. After opening the division of general thoracic surgery, the surgeon performed a total of 38 pulmonary lobectomies for various pulmonary diseases from March 2009 to February 2010. All data were collected retrospectively. RESULTS: There were 14 lobectomies via thoracotomy, 14 VATS lobectomies, and 10 cases of attempted VATS lobectomies that were converted to open thoracotomies. The number of VATS lobectomies increased from the second quarter (n=0) to the third quarter (n=5). The lobectomies that were converted from VATS into thoracotomies decreased from the second quarter (n=5) to the third quarter (n=1) (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: It can take 6 months for young surgeons without experience in VATS lobectomy in their training period to be able to reliably perform a VATS lobectomy.
Learning ; Learning Curve ; Lung Diseases ; Organization and Administration ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracoscopy ; Thoracotomy

Right aortic arch, a congenital malformation of the great vessels, can cause compression of trachea and/or esophagus. We experienced a case of ventilatory compromise in an infant with tetralogy of Fallot and right aortic arch immediately after insertion of transesophageal echocardiography probe during cardiac surgery. Although intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography can be safely performed in infants with congenital heart disease, it should be done with caution in patient with similar vascular malformation.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Esophagus ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Infant ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; Thoracic Surgery ; Trachea ; Vascular Malformations

PURPOSE: To determine imaging findings among retired workers who were long-term exposed to asbestos. Lung and pleural diseases prevalence were studied on chest radiograph and HRCT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen workers who were long-term exposedto asbestos occupationally in shipyards were examined by chest radiographs (PA and lateral view) and HRCT (high-resolution computed tomography). RESULTS: In 12 of 18 subjects (66.7%), asbestos-related pleural abnormalities were evident in diaphragmatic, lateral chest wall and costophrenic angle of the pleura on chest radiographs. The thickness of pleural plaques at the lateral chest wall varied. Diffuse pleural thickening was evident in 2 workers. Parenchymal abnormalities were not found on chest radiographs. On HRCT, pleural thickening wasobserved in 16 of 18 subjects (88.9%), in the areas of juxtavertebral, diaphragmatic, anterior, lateral, mediastinal and fissural pleura. Curvilinear subpleural lines representing early parenchymal asbestosis were found in the lower posterior lung in three of 18 subjects (16.7%). CONCLUSIONS: In long term asbestos-exposed workers, the asbestos-related pleural disease was 66.7% on chest radiographs and 88.9% on HRCT. The authors suggest that this group should be followed up periodically
Asbestos* ; Asbestosis ; Lung* ; Occupations ; Pleura ; Pleural Diseases* ; Prevalence* ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax*

Aortic disease usually recurs after aortic surgery in the form a new aneurysm distal to the previous operation site, and finding a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer proximal to the previous operation site has rarely been reported. We report here on a case of successful patch repair of a ruptured penetrating ulcer in the distal aortic arch, and this developed late after replacement of the descending thoracic aorta.
Aneurysm ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Aortic Diseases ; Atherosclerosis ; Humans ; Ulcer

With advancement of the technique of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), some surgeons have made great efforts to reduce the number of incisions in the conventional three- or four-port approach. Several studies on cases treated by single-incision VATS and their short-term outcomes were reported. Here, we present our experience with single-incision VATS for the treatment of benign mediastinal diseases.
Mediastinal Diseases ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted

Postoperative intractable arrhythmia can result in high morbidity and mortality. This report describes our experiences using mechanical circulatory support (MCS) to control medically intractable arrhythmias in three pediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), after palliative or total corrective open-heart surgery.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Thoracic Surgery