The common physiologic and functional variables that quantify limitation in emphysema patients have been the most common outcomes measured after LVRS. Spirometric values and exercise capacity are merely surrogates, however, for their impact on symptoms and QOL in patients with severe emphysema. Because LVRS has been developed as a surgery to palliate disabling symptoms of emphysema, many studie...

This study was undertaken to assess the arterial plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and their relationship with pulmonary haemodynamic and gas exchange variables during exercise in patients with emphysema and interstitial lung disease (ILD). Incremental cycle ergometry was performed in all patients up to maximal capacity. At rest, arterial ET-1 levels were higher in emphysema (1.86 +/- 0.35 p...

AIM To evaluate the association of quantitative computed tomography (CT) measures of emphysema with the occurrence of pneumothorax after CT-guided needle lung biopsy (NLB) accounting for other risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS One hundred and sixty-three CT-guided NLBs performed between 2008 and 2013 with available complete chest CT within 30 days were reviewed for the occurrence of post-pr...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the factors associated with CT-quantified emphysema progression in heavy smokers. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of length of smoking cessation and clinical / demographical factors on the rate of emphysema progression and FEV1-decline in male heavy smokers. METHODS 3,670 male smokers with mean (SD) 40.8 (17.9) packyears underwent che...

COPD is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Although tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) has a critical role in the development of COPD, the role of different TNF receptors (TNFRs) in pulmonary emphysema has not been resolved. We aimed to clarify the role of TNFRs in the development of pulmonary emphysema. TNF-α transgenic mice, a murine model of COPD in which the...

Chronic pulmonary emphysema may be defined by many standards but at present is demonstrable directly by morphologic examination. Clinically, the major complaint is dyspnea, and this must be associated with increased expiratory airway resistance and hyperinflation of the lungs with actual destruction of alveolar wall structure . Pathologically, emphysema is a disease affecting the acinus (basic ...

Subcutaneous emphysema of the face or neck which may extend into the mediastinum can complicate the use of high-speed air-turbine dental drills (1-5) or dental extractions (1). Pneumopericardium with subcutaneous emphysema has also occurred after maxillary surgery (6). Pneumopericardium, where air may have forced its way through a tear in the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory passages, h...

The extracellular matrix is essential for the integrity of the lung and when disrupted can lead to the architectural changes seen in emphysema. The etiology of emphysema is believed to be due to an imbalance in the proteases and antiproteases within the lung. Studies have focused on elastolytic enzymes as the primary agents in disease pathogenesis, however, recent data suggest that collagenases...

CASE REPORT We report the case of a 2 year-old child with orbital emphysema secondary to a compressed-air gun shot in the malar region, with no evidence of orbital wall fracture. Conservative treatment was applied, and no complications were observed. DISCUSSION Orbital emphysema in the absence of an orbital wall fracture is a rare situation. Orbital emphysema is usually seen in facial trauma ...

OBJECTIVE To report a rare case of spontaneous extracranial epidural emphysema. CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTION An 18-year-old woman with a recent diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus presented with acute onset of cough, dyspnea and subcutaneous emphysema. An esophageal endoscopy revealed an ulcerative lesion in the upper third of the esophagus that was diagnosed as sq...