Buttressing suture/staple lines in thoracic surgery has been shown to promote healing and prevent breakdown, especially in situations where the native tissues have been compromised. There are a wide variety of tissue flaps that have been used within the chest ranging from pleura, muscle, to omentum.
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Thoracic
July 1, 2008
Thymectomy for myasthenia gravis, thymic cysts, thymoma less than two centimeters in size, and mediastinal parathyroid adenoma within the thymus are all indications for a video-assisted extended transcervical thymectomy.
July 1, 2008
Epiphrenic diverticuli are acquired mucosal outpouchings protruding through the muscular wall of the distal 10 cm of the esophagus. Most are associated with an underlying esophageal motility disorder.
July 1, 2008
Patient SelectionThe initial selection is performed by the spine surgeon for typical indications of spine stabilization, resection of tumor, drainage of an abscess, and re-operation for complications of previous spine surgery [1
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].