We report three rare cases of massive maternal ascites complicating severe pre-eclamptic toxemia seen in the last 18 months. This complication developed in association with the rise of blood pressure to 160/110 mmHg or more, worsening of proteinuria and hyperuricemia. The onset of massive ascites caused respiratory compromise in all these patients, thus necessitating immediate termination of pr...

Chylous fistula after neck dissection is a well-described complication. This pHatology can lead to serious respiratory and nutritional complications. Therapeutical options for chylous fistula remains controversial. On last reviews, there are an agreement on the conservative management. Within of this management, low long-chain triglycerides fat diet is an essential part.

We report a nearly complete obstruction of the left mainstem bronchus by a fibrinomyxoid plaque about 12 h after laser resection of scar/granulation tissue at a left bronchial anastomosis 27 days after a left single lung transplant. The formation of this plaque was associated with respiratory failure. The plaque was removed by grasping the plaque with biopsy forceps inserted through a fiberopti...

Respiratory failure is a common complication of acute neuromuscular disease and high cervical cord lesions and should be monitored by measuring forced vital capacity and respiratory rate. Urgent imaging is mandatory if there is any clinical suspicion of spinal cord disease. Treatment of Guillain-Barré syndrome with plasma exchange or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) speeds up the rate of recov...

We present a case of fatal pneumomediastinum in a patient with acute respiratory failure caused by acute exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) precipitated by noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV). To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in the literature. NIMV is very useful to treat acute respiratory failure due to AECOPD ...

The work of the respiratory intensive care unit at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary covering a period of 10 years and involving more than 2,000 patients has been analysed. The rate of admission of patients with acute respiratory or metabolic disturbances remained surprisingly constant over the years, allowing for the increase in available beds after 1965. A disturbing feature was the notable increas...

QUESTION Can the risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications be predicted after upper abdominal surgery? DESIGN Prospective observational study. PARTICIPANTS 268 consecutive patients undergoing elective upper abdominal surgery who received standardised pre- and postoperative prophylactic respiratory physiotherapy. OUTCOME MEASURES Predictors were 17 preoperative and intraoper...

OBJECTIVE Identifying clinical factors associated with respiratory tract diseases during human influenza circulation seasons in children aged less than two years old and adults aged over 65 years in two hospitals in the cities of Manizales and Bogota, Colombia. METHODS A retrospective case study in patients hospitalized with acute respiratory illness was carried out during influenza circulati...

OBJECTIVE To compare clinical and economic outcomes following plasma exchange (PLEX) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in U.S. patients with primary diagnoses of myasthenia gravis (MG). METHODS Our cohort was identified from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database for years 2000-2005 using codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition. Multivariate regression analy...

An 80-year-old woman was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma and underwent transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). The procedure went smoothly without any complications. However, she presented with a dry cough 3 months after the intervention. On physical examination, she did not appear cyanotic. Chest auscultation revealed a minimal crackle sound in the perihilar lung fields; other respirat...