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Biomedical subjects

Ion Bellenis

Publications and source records attributed to Ion Bellenis.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Right diaphragm rupture with extended traumatic dissection of the descending aorta.

A 45-year-old man, with severe thoracic injury from a motor accident, is reported with traumatic aortic dissection type B and projection of the liver into the thoracic cavity due to a large rupture of the right hemidiaphragm. The patient was successfully managed with endoluminal stent placement in the descending thoracic aorta, and right thoracotomy for the repair of the diaphragmatic hernia. His postoperative course was uneventful. The co-existence of aortic traumatic dissection and right diaphragmatic rupture in trauma patients has never been reported in the literature previously, to our knowledge. Furthermore, the initial x-ray examination findings advocated injury of the right hemithorax and could be misleading. The diagnostic assessment must have a high index of suspicion, whereas the surgical manipulation needs to be fast and targeted to the major thoracic injuries of the patient.

Accidents, Traffic↗

In situ cooling in a lung hilar clamping model of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Experimental models for studying transplantation have up to now been unable to isolate reperfusion injury with minimal surgical manipulation and without the interference of graft rejection. Six pigs were subjected to left hilum preparation only (control group), and eight pigs were subjected to left hilum preparation plus in situ cooling ischemia and reperfusion of the lung (experimental group). The hilum was dissected free from other tissues in both groups. Lung preservation was achieved by antegrade flush perfusion via the left pulmonary artery. Pulmonary veins were clamped at the left atrium and a vent was created. The left main bronchus was clamped. Lung temperature was maintained at 4 degrees -8 degrees C, while core temperature was kept at 38 degrees C. After 3 hrs of cold ischemia the clamps were removed and the lung was reperfused. Elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and local and systemic aspects of ischemia-reperfusion syndrome were consistently reproduced. This large-animal model of in situ unilateral lung cold ischemia with warm reperfusion proved to be very reliable in reproducing all aspects of ischemia-reperfusion injury. It excludes the interference of rejection and extensive surgical manipulation. We therefore propose its use in experimental studies investigating pharmaceutical or cooling modifications affecting lung ischemia-reperfusion outcomes.

Animals↗

The effectiveness of an extracellular low-potassium solution in 24-hour lung graft preservation.

BACKGROUND: The transplanted lung suffers ischemia-reperfusion injury and many efforts have been made to improve preservation. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of intracellular high-potassium Belzer solution versus extracellular Celsior in 24-hour lung preservation. MATERIAL/METHODS: Sixteen pigs weighing 25.1-28.1 kg underwent single, left-lung allotransplantation. Sixteen other pigs were donors of the left lung. Heart and lungs were retrieved from the donors using single-flush perfusion by a randomly selected solution that was also used for cold storage (4 degrees C) for 24 hrs. Biopsies were taken from the right lung before storage, after the preservation, and finally three hours following transplantation. The observation period lasted three hours following transplantation. RESULTS: Pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were significantly higher in the Belzer group (p<0.05), while the pO2/FiO2 ratio was much higher in the Celsior group (p<0.05). Compliance was reduced approximately equally in both groups. Histology showed less edema, atelectasis, and hemorrhagic infiltration in the Celsior group than in the Belzer group, which developed more interstitial thickening and presented more leukocyte infiltration and desquamation of alveoli cells. CONCLUSIONS: According to hemodynamic, respiratory, and histological data, the extra-cellular solution Celsior offers improved prolonged preservation compared with Belzer.

Adenosine↗

Teratoma occupying the left hemithorax.

BACKGROUND: Teratomas are manifested with a great variety of clinical and radiological features, while sometimes they simply represent incidental findings. CASE PRESENTATION: A rare case of benign teratoma of the dermoid cyst type, in an adult 40-year-old female patient, is reported. The patient had presented recurrent pulmonary infections for the previous 2 months, persistent cough, and progressively aggravating dyspnea. A chest X-ray showed total atelectasis of the left lung, and the thoracic CT-scan revealed a huge mass, containing multiple elements of heterogeneous density, probably originating from the mediastinum, occupying the whole left hemithorax. The mass compressed the vital structures of the mediastinum, great vessels and airways, and a chest MRI was performed to accurately detect the anatomical relations. The patient underwent left thoracotomy and the tumor was totally resected. The size of the tumor was extremely large although no invasion to the vessels or to the airway had occurred. Adherence to the adjacent left pulmonary artery and left main bronchus was present, but without erosion or fistulization. The postoperative course was uneventful, while the histological examination confirmed a teratoma. CONCLUSION: A teratoma is a non-homogeneous pathological entity, clinically, radiologically or histologically. It is predominantly diagnosed between the second and fourth decade and the incidence is equal for both sexes. Symptoms are absent in one half of the patients. The case reported is noteworthy as the tumor appeared with total atelectasis of the left lung, and symptoms started 2 months prior to diagnosis. Total removal of the tumor is adequate treatment for this type of teratoma and the prognosis is excellent.

Journal Article↗

Prognostic factors in thymic epithelial tumors undergoing complete resection.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic factors in thymic epithelial tumors (TET) are investigated within a 27-year period in 104 patients submitted to surgical and pathologic complete resection of TET with a mean age of 53 +/- 14.6 years and a male to female ratio of 0.73. METHODS: The medical records of all patients were reviewed and six variables that could affect the short-term and long-term survival were entered into a Cox regression model. Follow-up was obtained from medical records and telephone contacts up to September 2004 or until the patient's death. RESULTS: Overall 5-year and 10-year survival was 83% and 78%, respectively. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that long survival was affected by the age of the patient at the time of operation, the response of myasthenia gravis to the operation, the tumor recurrence, the histologic type according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, and the Masaoka stage. Multivariate analysis revealed that recurrence of the tumor (p = 0.001), Masaoka stages II or III (p < 0.001), elder age of the patient at the time of operation (p = 0.045), and presence of the WHO histologic types B2 or B3 (p = 0.05) were bad prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrence of the tumor, the Masaoka staging, the WHO histologic type, and the age of the patient at the time of operation were the most important prognosticators for patients with TET submitted to complete resection of their tumor.

Adolescent↗

Successful endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in a renal transplant recipient.

A renal transplant recipient presented in the early post-transplantation period with rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The high mortality rate of the surgical repair of ruptured aneurysm in addition to the concern of preserving the renal graft prompted us to seek alternative approaches, such as repairing the aneurysm by means of endovascular techniques. The ruptured aneurysm was confirmed by performing computed tomography and digital angiography and thereafter was successfully repaired by endovascular stenting technique (Talent stent-graft), which seems to be a safe and effective method of preserving a renal graft.

Aged↗

Clinical experience with Günther temporary inferior vena cava filters.

This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Günther temporary inferior vena cava (IVC) filters. Fifteen Günther temporary filters were placed in 13 patients because of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with pulmonary embolism (PE) despite DVT prophylaxis (9/13) or temporary contraindications for anticoagulants as well as recent or pending surgery (4/13). No clinical manifestation of PE was observed during the filtration or during the removal. Günther temporary IVC filters are easy and safe to use, and are effective in clot trapping, protecting patients at high risk for PE in whom anticoagulation treatment failed or is contraindicated.

Adult↗