Pleural lavage

BACKGROUND: There are two issues to be discussed in pleural lavage cytology (PLC) for resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whether it should be performed before (pre-PLC) or after (post-PLC) the lung resection and the dose of saline varies widely among the institutions. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 466 consecutive patients who underwent a curative resection for NSCLC and received both a pre- and post- PLC using 20 mL of saline from January 2001 to December 2011...

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are associated with responses to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our previous study revealed a rapid point-of-care system for detecting EGFR mutations. This system analyzes cell pellets from cytology specimens using droplet-polymerase chain reaction (d-PCR), and has a reaction time of 10 min. The present study aimed to validate the performance of the EGFR d-PCR assay using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from supernatants obtained from cytology specimens...

BACKGROUND/AIM: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a target of molecular therapeutics for non-small cell lung cancer. EGFR gene mutations at codons 746-753 promote constitutive EGFR activation and result in worst prognosis. However, these mutations augment the therapeutic effect of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Therefore, the detection of EGFR gene mutations is important for determining treatment planning. The aim of the study was to establish a method to detect EGFR gene mutations at codons 746-753...

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal perforation is known as a serious adverse event, but, for breast cancer, there are very few reports of gastrointestinal perforation. This report highlights gastrointestinal perforation caused by bevacizumab for breast cancer, which is of special interest because gastrointestinal perforations caused by bevacizumab are very rare in breast cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of 54-year-old Japanese woman. She was diagnosed as having inoperable breast cancer T2 N1 M1 (pleura, peritoneum), Stage IV, and received chemotherapy by paclitaxel...

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pulmonary complications are major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients receiving liver transplantation (LT), particularly bacterial pneumonia occurring within the first 100 days after transplantation. Our aim in this study was to determine the incidence, microorganisms involved, associated factors, and morbidity of bacterial pneumonia presenting in the first 100 days posttransplant. METHODS: We performed a cohort study in which patients receiving liver transplantation were included prospectively in our national database (Database of Infections in Transplantation of Solid Organs)...

Background: Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria have emerged as major clinical and therapeutic dilemma in hospitals in Ghana.To describe the prevalence and profile of infections attributable to multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria among patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Methods: Bacterial cultures were randomly selected from the microbiology laboratory from February to August, 2015. Bacterial identification and minimum inhibitory concentrations were conducted using standard microbiological techniques and the Vitek-2 automated system...

PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy of bedside lung ultrasound (LUS) and chest computed tomography (CT) for the de- tection of lung lesions in patients with hematological malignancies and acute respiratory failure (ARF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 39 patients with hematological malignancies and ARF were enrolled in prospective study. The investigation of the patients included LUS, chest C, extravascular lung water index (EVLW) by transpulmonary ther- modilution, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)...

INTRODUCTION: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that can affect numerous organs in its secondary or tertiary stages. We describe a case of secondary syphilis with pulmonary involvement and we present a literature review. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 69-year-old male patient was admitted to hospital for dyspnoea and extended papular exanthema with palmoplantar involvement. The serological test for syphilis was positive. Ocular examination showed bilateral papillitis and retinal haemorrhage...

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the management and long term renal function with DMSA scintigraphy in pediatric severe traumatic kidney injury (STKI) grade IV (STKI IV) and V (STKI V) at the trauma center of Grenoble Teaching Hospital. METHODS: This is a single-center observational retrospective study between 2004 and 2014. All children under the age of 15 managed at the Grenoble teaching Hospital for a STKI IV or V were included. The trauma grade was radiologically diagnosed on arrival at hospital, using the classification of the American Association for Surgery of Trauma...

We herein present a case of a 71-year-old woman with primary Sjogren's syndrome (SjS), who developed bilateral pleural effusion and ground glass opacity during treatment with low-dose prednisolone. The pleural effusion and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed elevation of lymphocytes. Thoracoscopic pleural biopsy showed infiltration of lymphocytes with no evidence of other diseases, confirming SjS-related pleuritis. Therefore, we initiated 20 mg prednisolone and pleural effusion was rapidly resolved. Our results indicate that SjS can be rarely complicated with pleuritis...

Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of a standardised work-up in the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis (TB) that included fibreoptic bronchoscopy and medical thoracoscopy. A consecutive series of 52 pleural TB patients observed during the period 2001-2015 was evaluated retrospectively. 20 females, mean (range) age 39.7 (18-74) years, and 32 males, mean (range) age 45.75 (21-83) years, were included (28 non-EU citizens (53.8%)). The diagnosis of TB infections was established by identification (using stains, culture or molecular tests) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the pleura, sputum and/or bronchial specimens, or by evidence of caseous granulomas on pleural biopsies...

Case summary: A 12-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat presented with history of a long-term chronic cough that had worsened during the previous 2 months. Thoracic radiographs revealed numerous mineral opacities throughout the lung fields. Multiple bronchial plugs of pale yellow material were present on bronchoscopy, consistent with broncholithiasis. Bronchoalveolar lavage cytology revealed a mild neutrophilic inflammation and bacterial culture was negative. The cat was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory lower airway disease and broncholithiasis, suspected to be due to mineralisation of secretions in the bronchial lumen...

INTRODUCTION: Post-pneumonectomy empyema (PPE) is the most severe complication of pneumonectomy. Microbiology and its impact on management and prognosis have rarely been reported METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the files of a series of 37 consecutive patients with PPE over a 10-year period with a special focus on microbiology, means used to treat empyema and prognosis. RESULTS: PPE occurred within 14 days of pneumonectomy in 17 cases (early PPE) and after postoperative day 16 in 20 patients (delayed PPE)...

Objective: To identify the most frequent Candida species in specimens from patients hospitalized in different medical centers of Mexico City, with suspected fungal infection. Methods: Specimens were grown on Sabouraud dextrose agar at 28°C for 72 h. In addition, DNA was extracted. Isolates were grown on CHROMagar Candida™, at 37°C for 48 h. The molecular identification was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers specific for four species. Results: Eighty one specimens were processed and included: bronchial lavage, pleural, cerebrospinal, peritoneal, ascites and bile fluids; blood, sputum, bone marrow, oro-tracheal cannula and ganglion...

PURPOSE: In the present study, we examined the relationship between intraoperative pleural lavage cytology findings and presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations. METHODS: We investigated 160 patients who underwent surgical treatment for primary lung adenocarcinoma at our hospital from January 2011 to December 2013 to determine the presence of EGFR gene mutations and pleural lavage cytology. RESULTS: In all, 52 subjects (31...

The aim of the present study was to identify cell types in primary culture from malignant and non-malignant effusions. Effusion samples were subjected to cytology and culture. Immunocytochemistry was performed in cytological slides to evaluate malignancy (positivity for malignancy markers) and in culture slides for identification of cell types in growth. A total of 143 effusion samples (pleural n=76; peritoneal n=37; pericardial n=4; and peritoneal lavage n=26) were analyzed. Cell growth was observed in 34...

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis is a multisystem disorder characterized by microangiopathy, dysregulation of the immune system and massive deposition of collagen in the connective tissue of the skin, blood vessels and various internal organs. Although the mortality from renal crises has dropped significantly due to the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, cardiac and pulmonary involvement accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. We studied 28 patients with systemic sclerosis at Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Hyderabad, over a period of two years for cardiopulmonary involvement...

INTRODUCTION: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints but which frequently includes extra articular effects, including pulmonary nodules, which grow faster under immunosuppressive treatment. CASE REPORT: A 74 years old man, with mild asbestosis, underwent treatment with methotrexate then leflunomide (LEF) for seropositive RA. In February 2014, during monitoring of his asbestosis, chest CT scan showed the appearance of thick-walled cavitating lung nodules, with a central and sub pleural distribution...

Early distinction between severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) and mild MPP is still difficult. The aim of this study was to analyze cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and explore predicting factors of severe MPP in children. Retrospective analysis was performed on 150 children with MPP or bronchial foreign body (FB) admitted in our hospital. The mRNA levels of IL17A were found significantly lower in severe MPP group comparing with mild MPP group or FB group. However, no significant difference was found in the levels of IL4, IL10 or interferon beta1 (IFNβ1) between the two groups...

BACKGROUND: Inhabitants of Metsovo, NW Greece, had been domestically exposed to asbestos from a gradually abandoned whitewash ("luto") that resulted in a declining epidemic of malignant mesothelioma. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate whether other sources of asbestos exposure exist following "luto" abandonment. METHODS: Chest computed tomography (CT) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were used to evaluate residual asbestos exposure in younger Metsovites through the identification of pleural calcifications and asbestos bodies, respectively...