Biomedical subjects

J J Guelbenzu

Publications and source records attributed to J J Guelbenzu.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

[Respiratory emergencies].

Respiratory emergencies in a patient with cancer can have their origin in pathologies of the airway, of the pulmonary parenchyma or the large vessels. The cause can be the tumour itself or concomitant complications. Obstruction of the airway should be initially evaluated with endoscopic procedures. Surgery is rarely possible in serious situations. The endobronchial placement of stents or radioactive isotopes (brachytherapy), tumoural ablation by laser or photodynamic therapy can quickly alleviate the symptoms and re-establish the air flow. Treatment of haemoptysis depends on the cause that is provoking it and on its quantity. Bronchoscopy continues to be the front line procedure in the majority of cases; it provides diagnostic information and can interrupt bleeding through washes with ice-cold serum, endobronchial plugging or topical injections of adrenaline or thrombin. External radiotherapy continues to be an extraordinarily useful procedure in treating haemoptysis caused by tumours and in carefully selected situations of endobronchial therapy with laser or brachytherapy, and bronchial arterial embolisation can provide a great palliative effect. Respiratory emergencies due to pulmonary parenchyma disease in the oncology patient can have a tumoural, iatrogenic or infectious cause. Early recognition of each of these will determine the administration of a specific treatment and the possibilities of success.

Airway Obstruction↗

PubMed2001

[Spontaneous pneumothorax: review of 130 cases].

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a frequent affliction. The primary type principally affects males in the third decade of life, while the secondary type affects elderly patients with lung disease. When reviewing the cases of pneumothorax registered by the Thoracic Surgery Unit of the Hospital of Navarra, we found an incidence similar to other countries in our geographic area, and a biphasic distribution of the disease with the incidence peaks in youth and old age that we have mentioned. The disease is more frequent in males, smokers, and during the winter months. An account is given of the physiological mechanisms responsible for the formation of bullas in puberty. The first step in treatment is pleural drainage, the aim of which is to achieve pulmonary re-expansion and the re-establishment of the integrity of the visceral pleura. Although there are controversies regarding the definitive treatment, we carry out surgical resection of the pulmonary bullas in cases of relapse or when the CAT indicates a high risk of relapse, or resection of the pulmonary vertex following a second episode in spite of the non-existence of lesions in the CAT. We do not carry out pleurodesis, except in elderly patients who are not susceptible to surgery. Our results are similar to those obtained by other groups with respect to relapses, low morbidity and nil mortality in primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

English Abstract↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Marking pulmonary nodules with a spiral harpoon using computerised tomography, for resection by minimally invasive surgery].

BACKGROUND: To show the efficacy of placing a spiral harpoon in pulmonary nodules under the control of computerised tomography for their subsequent resection by minimally invasive surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen nodules of between 0.5-1.5 cm were localised in fifteen patients, of whom ten had antecedents of neoplasia, with the placement of spiral harpoon model Somatex, of 120 mm length and 18 G of Laboratorios Léleman, S.L., by means of computerised tomography, resecting them by minimally invasive surgery. RESULTS: Following the resection of the nodule it was confirmed that in the fifteen cases the harpoon was next to the nodule or encompassing it -- just as it had been placed on the scanner, in two cases objectifying a small intraparenchymatose haemorrhage and in one case a small pneumothorax. The time taken to place the harpoon oscillated between fifteen and thirty minutes. CONCLUSION: Marking a pulmonary nodule with a spiral type harpoon is a simple method that makes it possible to securely anchor the nodule for its subsequent resection by minimally invasive surgery.

Adult↗