BACKGROUND Acoustic reflectometry allows the construction of a one-dimensional image of a cavity, such as the airway or the esophagus. The reflectometric area-distance profile consists of a constant cross-sectional area segment (length of endotracheal tube), followed either by a rapid increase in the area beyond the carina (tracheal intubation) or by an immediate decrease in the area (esophagea...

BACKGROUND Supraglottic airway devices are increasingly important in clinical anesthesia and prehospital emergency medicine, but there are only few data to assess the risk for aspiration. We designed this study to compare the seal of seven supraglottic airway devices in a cadaver model of elevated esophageal pressure. METHODS The classic laryngeal mask airway, laryngeal mask airway ProSeal, i...

introduction: transhiatal esophagectomy is a widely accepted approach for palliative resection of subcarinal esophageal cancers. this study was designed to evaluate the necessity of routine thoracostomy tube insertion in this technique.  methods: this descriptive study was conducted on 123 consecutive patients with esophageal cancers undergoing transhiatal esophagectomy from march 2001 to febru...

OBJECTIVES To determine the relationship between stroke and lower esophageal dysfunction with vomiting and to identify an optimal nutrition protocol based on our findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS The lower and upper esophageal sphincter functions were assessed in 35 patients who had an acute stroke to determine whether gastric or jejunal enteral feeding was the optimal route. Stroke was due to u...

Introduction: In radiotherapy treatment planning system (TPS), basic input is the data from computed tomography (CT) scan, which takes into account the effect of inhomogeneities in dose calculations. Measurement of CT numbers may be affected by scanner-specific parameters. Therefore, it is important to verify the effect of different CT scanning protocols on Hounsfield unit (HU) and its impact o...

BACKGROUND Acoustic reflectometry can be used to create a "one-dimensional image" of a cavity, such as the airway and lung, with the image displayed as an area-length curve. This pilot study was undertaken to determine whether acoustic reflectometry could be used to distinguish between an endotracheal and an esophageal intubation. METHODS Ten adult patients underwent general endotracheal anes...

We describe a 76-year-old man in whom a gastric tube was used for esophageal reconstruction via the anterior mediastinum after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Stenosis of the tube resulted in fluid accumulation, which directly compressed the heart and caused angina-like chest pain associated with ST-segment depression in lead V(2-3) on the electrocardiogram (ECG). Coronary angiography reve...

BACKGROUND Malignant esophageal stenosis with complete obstruction and esophagorespiratory fistula (ERF) is difficult to treat with standard endoscopic techniques. CASE PRESENTATION We report a patient in whom with local recurrence of esophageal carcinoma an esophagotracheal fistula occurred. Initially the patient had undergone esophageal resection with interposition of a gastric tube. Due to...

BACKGROUND Our study aims to determine the value of bronchial anastomosis using complete continuous suture. METHODS Six patients diagnosed with central lung carcinoma who were candidates for right-sided sleeve lobectomy and underwent sleeve resection of the right upper lobe by thoracoscopic surgical procedure. RESULTS The mean surgical time was 182 min (range, 110 to 260 min). The mean time...

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is known to be a safe and effective procedure for treating morbid obesity and is performed with increasing frequency both in Europe and the USA. Despite its broad use, many questions about the remaining gastric tube diameter, its long-term efficacy, its effects on gastric emptying, and the hormones involved still remain to be answered. In order to use such a rela...