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Biomedical subjects

J LoCicero

Publications and source records attributed to J LoCicero.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Chronic rejection in single-lung transplantation manifested by obliterative bronchiolitis.

Chronic rejection of the lung in patients with heart-lung transplants has most often been associated with the development of obliterative bronchiolitis. Previously only one patient receiving a single-lung transplant suffered from the development of this problem. We describe a patient whose obliterative bronchiolitis developed 9 months after single-lung transplantation. Progressive deterioration occurred until his death from obliterative bronchiolitis at 21 months after transplantation. The functional and histologic changes are described and the possible mechanisms discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Epidemiology of chest trauma.

Chest trauma ranks third behind head and extremity trauma in major accidents in the United States. The motor vehicle accident is the most common etiology (70 per cent). Within the thorax, the chest wall itself is the most often injured. Many of these injuries are of moderate severity and rarely require surgical intervention. The majority of chest trauma requires careful surveillance to identify those patients who require operative correction. Improvement in vehicle safety, moderation of speed, and continued education should reduce the incidence and severity of chest trauma.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1989

Bronchopulmonary aspiration.

Bronchopulmonary aspiration remains a significant threat to the surgical and intensive care unit patient, and mortality rates for this condition remain high. The key to improvement is prevention. However, if aspiration does occur, early recognition and aggressive treatment will produce the best results. Expeditious intubation, ventilation, removal of particulate matter, prevention of atelectasis, institution of antibiotics, and nutritional support are standards of care.

Drowning↗
PubMed1989

Pulmonary venous anastomosis in lung transplantation without donor left atrium. Experimental and clinical results.

Single lung transplantation now is a therapeutic option for some patients with end-stage lung disease. Cyclosporine immunosuppression and refinements in bronchial anastomosis have been responsible for recent successes. Since 1953, the usual pulmonary venous anastomosis, both in experimental animals and in humans, has been an atrium-to-atrium connection. This technique may limit the availability of usable donor lungs, since the donor heart, along with the atrium, is usually harvested for another recipient. Although techniques can be developed to allow both transplant teams to harvest atrial tissue, this study was undertaken to determine if, in fact, anastomosis with donor left atrium is necessary. Twenty-four dogs were anesthetized and a left thoracotomy performed. After heparinization (3 mg/kg), the pulmonary artery and left atrium were occluded. One of four different pulmonary venous anastomoses was performed at 3.5x magnification: superior pulmonary vein end to end (group I), inferior pulmonary vein end to end (group II), superior pulmonary vein implantation into left atrium (group III), and left atrium-to-left atrium anastomosis as control (group IV). Everting mattress sutures of 7-0 polypropylene were used in groups I, II, and III and 6-0 in group IV. Average crossclamp time for group I, group II, and group IV was 20 minutes. The average crossclamp time for group III was 10 minutes. All anastomoses were patent at the time of 1-week reevaluation. Gross and microscopic examination demonstrated establishment of an intimal lining; organized nonocclusive thrombus was present in only one anastomosis. We conclude that atrium-to-atrium anastomosis is not necessary for a successful single lung transplantation, and that transplantation of a single lobe is feasible. The best alternative is implantation of the pulmonary vein into the left atrium, which will easily allow use of the heart and both lungs from a single donor to different recipients. We have used this anastomosis in one patient without difficulty.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed1989

Laser-assisted parenchyma-sparing pulmonary resection.

The neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser is an excellent tool for removing lesions while sparing surrounding normal tissue. Local excision of 32 pulmonary lesions in 26 patients was performed with the Nd:YAG laser. Fourteen patients had moderate to severe impairment of pulmonary function: average forced vital capacity = 2.2 +/- 0.3 L and forced expiratory volume in 1 second = 1.3 +/- 0.3 L. Limited thoracotomy was used in the last 23 patients. The resected lesions included 16 primary malignant tumors: nine adenocarcinomas, five squamous carcinomas, and two large cell carcinomas. Eight of these lesions were classified as T1 N0, seven were T2 N0; and one was T1 N2. There were 10 metastatic lesions: three lymphomas, two adenocarcinomas, two leiomyosarcomas, and one case each of melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma. There were six benign lesions: three granulomas, two hamartomas, and one carcinoid. Twelve lesions were deep seated, could not have been removed by wedge resection or segmentectomy, and would have necessitated lobectomy without this technique. With the laser, the lesion could be precisely excised with minimal loss of lung parenchyma. Mean operating time was 80 +/- 20 minutes; laser resection time was 15 +/- 8 minutes. Resection necessitated 10,000 to 20,000 J. Total blood loss was minimal (less than 100 ml). Chest tubes were always used and remained in place 5 +/- 2 days. The mean hospitalization time was 10 +/- 2 days. Pulmonary function testing, perform 6 weeks to 6 months after discharge, showed no significant difference from preoperative levels. To date, there have been no local recurrences (longest follow-up 2 years). The Nd:YAG laser is an excellent adjunct for pulmonary resection in patients who have marginal pulmonary function or who have deep parenchymal lesions not amenable to wedge resection. The operative technique for laser resection is presented.

Female↗
PubMed1987

Pulmonary procedures assisted by optosurgical and electrosurgical devices: comparison of damage potential.

Electrosurgical devices have been used widely in thoracic surgery to assist in dissection and to reduce hemorrhage. Recent experimental data have shown that lasers may be used to resect and control small air leaks while conserving normally functioning lung. This investigation quantitates the amount of damage produced by the electrosurgical unit (ESU), the carbon dioxide laser (CO2), and the neodymium: YAG laser (YAG) compared to standard suture (SU) techniques. Six dogs were anesthetized, intubated, and ventilated. The left chest was opened and the lower lobe exposed, where four sets of lesions were created using each device. All lesions were visually similar to those lesions that would be created for sealing at the time of a pulmonary resection. The lesions were harvested immediately following wounding as well as at 1, 3, and 6 week intervals. They were examined histologically and ranked from least to most damage produced at each interval. A grading system (0-4+) was also devised to compare the injury to simultaneously harvested normal lung. Immediately following injury, histologic ranking was: CO2 (2+), suture (2+), ESU (3+), YAG (4+). By 6 weeks, the suture damage had become minimal and the ranking was: suture (1+), CO2 (2+), YAG (4+), ESU (4+). The ESU consistently produced more extensive damage than any other device. It appears that the most suitable long-term adjunctive devices to assist in pulmonary surgery are suture and the CO2 laser. The YAG laser may have specific indications in circumstances when significant blood loss may be encountered. ESU usage should be minimized when attempting to preserve functioning lung tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Arterial aneurysm model using laser energy.

Continuous wavelength laser energy can be used to perform arterial anastomoses, but all experimental series report an incidence of anastomotic aneurysm formation. To elucidate the mechanism of aneurysm production, controlled injuries of the arterial wall were created with a pulsed CO2 laser beam (40-50 mW). One carotid and one femoral artery of 10 New Zealand rabbits were injured with laser and the contralateral vessel was exposed surgically as a sham operation. At reoperation 8 to 11 weeks later, all 40 arteries were patent. None of the carotid shams, one carotid laser, two femoral shams, and eight femoral laser vessels (80%) were aneurysmal. Histologic examination revealed extensive medial necrosis with fragmentation of the internal elastic lamina in the area of these aneurysms. Femoral vessels were significantly smaller than carotids (P less than 0.001) and the high incidence of aneurysm formation in the former may be due to the relatively greater area of injury. This new model of aneurysm formation after laser injury suggests a need for further study prior to clinical application of this technology, especially in vessels smaller than 2 mm in diameter.

Aneurysm↗
PubMed1987

Selective preoperative evaluation for possible N2 disease in carcinoma of the lung.

The efficacy of computed tomography and surgical mediastinal exploration in determining tumor resectability were retrospectively evaluated in 92 consecutive patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma. Status of mediastinal nodes was ultimately determined by surgical mediastinal exploration or thoracotomy. Patients were divided into three groups on the basis of chest roentgenography: Group I comprised 30 patients with peripheral T1 or T2 lesions with normal hilar and mediastinal shadows. Only one patient was found to have an involved node. Chest roentgenography had an accuracy rate of 96% and computed tomography, 93%. Thoracotomy is recommended without either computed tomography or surgical mediastinal exploration in this group. Group II comprised 47 patients with T1 or T2 lesions with an abnormal hilus, an abnormal mediastinal shadow, or either the hilus or mediastinum obscured by overlying parenchymal disease. Computed tomography revealed mediastinal nodes 1 cm or greater in size (abnormal node group) in 21 patients (45%) and smaller than 1 cm (normal node group) in 26 patients (55%). Surgical mediastinal exploration was performed in the abnormal node group and involved nodes were found in 17 of 21 patients (81%). In the normal node group, thoracotomy only was performed and no involved nodes were found. Computed tomography is recommended in all patients in Group II. Patients in the normal node group may be subjected to thoracotomy only and those in the abnormal node group should undergo surgical mediastinal exploration as the next diagnostic step before thoracotomy. Group III comprised 15 patients with grossly abnormal mediastinal shadows. Findings from computed tomography were abnormal in all 10 patients in whom it was done. Surgical mediastinal exploration was done in all 15 and yielded abnormal results in 14. It is recommended in this group that computed tomography is unnecessary and surgical mediastinal exploration should be the only diagnostic procedure. Thus, in potentially resectable non-small cell lung carcinoma, the use of computed tomography and surgical mediastinal exploration should be selective and should be determined by appropriate initial interpretation of the chest roentgenogram.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗
PubMed1987

Patency of laser-assisted anastomoses in small vessels: one-year follow-up.

Laser-assisted arterial anastomoses can now be performed with satisfactory short-term patency. This study was undertaken to evaluate patency and aneurysm formation with a 1-year follow-up. A microscopically guided CO2 laser was used to anastomose 1.5 to 2.0 mm carotid arteries in 24 rabbits. Under X6 to X40 magnification, 60 to 70 mW were delivered with a spot size of approximately 0.32 mm. One carotid artery underwent laser anastomosis; the opposite served as a sutured control (10-0 nylon sutures). The 48 end-to-end anastomoses were evaluated for patency and aneurysm formation at 3, 6, and 12 months. Aneurysms were defined as a 1.5 times increase in diameter at the anastomotic site. The vessels underwent microscopic examination. All laser-assisted and sutured anastomoses were patent up to 1 year. At 3 months, one of eight sutured and one of eight laser anastomoses were aneurysmal; stenosis was noted in one laser anastomosis. At 6 months, one of eight laser and 0 of eight sutured anastomoses were aneurysmal. At 12 months, one of eight rabbits had died; of the remaining seven, three of seven laser and zero of seven sutured anastomoses were aneurysmal. In total, five of 23 (21.7%) aneurysms developed with the laser technique and one of 23 (4.3%) with the suture technique (p less than 0.05). Laser-assisted anastomoses are technically feasible, and patency at 1 year is equal to those performed with the suture technique. Aneurysm formation is a consistent problem that demands further investigation.

Aneurysm↗
PubMed1987

Early reexploration for excessive postoperative bleeding lowers wound complication rates in open heart surgery.

Clinical reviews of sternal wound infections following open heart surgery indicate many predisposing factors including diabetes, low cardiac output, use of bilateral internal mammary grafts, and reoperation for excessive postoperative bleeding. This study was undertaken to determine the role of mediastinal re-exploration in the development of sternal wound complications. From a series of 2,271 patients undergoing median sternotomy for open-heart surgery between 1979 and 1984, 71 (3.1%) were re-explored for excessive bleeding. Nine of these patients died in the early postoperative period of noninfectious complications. The remaining patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 (54 patients) were re-explored without subsequent problems. Group 2 (8 patients) developed sternal and costochondral wound complications. Comparison of age, intercurrent and pre-existing disease, total bypass time, crossclamp time, and postoperative hemodynamic status showed no statistical difference. All patients bled an average rate of 247 ml/hr. However, the average time before re-exploration was 7.6 hours in group 1 compared to 13.8 hours in group 2 (P less than 0.001). Sternal wound complications may be minimized by a policy of early re-exploration for excessive postoperative bleeding (greater than 200 ml/hr for 4 hours).

Cardiac Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed1986

Partial splenectomy with the CO2 laser: an alternative technique.

Because total splenectomy has been shown to affect immunocompetence in children, partial splenectomy is advocated as an alternative to total splenectomy in traumatic injury as well as in treatment of benign cysts. Present techniques include elaborate hemostatic techniques and extensive suture repair which has led to the development of massive abdominal adhesions. We have investigated CO2 laser sealing of splenic wounds to obviate the need for extensive repair and to minimize intraabdominal reaction. Five dogs underwent partial splenectomy with a scalpel. Hemostasis was obtained with CO2 laser coagulation; a defocused laser beam at 8 W (power density 30-50 W/cm2). After 3 weeks, the laser sealed splenic tissue was amputated and, on this occasion, hemostasis was obtained using a standard suture technique of Teflon pledget-bolstered chromic sutures. Three weeks later the dogs were explored and the sutured splenic tissue was removed. Gross findings on the first exploration demonstrated no signs of hemorrhage and minimal adhesions of the laser sealed spleens. In contrast, exploration after suture repair revealed dense adhesions containing the spleen, omentum, mesentery, and small and large bowel. Microscopic examination of the laser sealed spleen showed a zone of injury only 2-3-mm thick. Excellent hemostasis of the cut surface of the spleen can be accomplished using the CO2 laser. In addition, the minimal depth of injury and the absence of foreign material in the peritoneal cavity make this an attractive alternative to conventional methods.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Repeat median sternotomy in pediatrics: experience in 164 consecutive cases.

One hundred thirty-eight children underwent 164 operations through repeat median sternotomy. Ages ranged from 4 months to 21 years (mean, 8.6 +/- 5.0 years). The technique consisted of opening the sternum with chisel and mallet, avoidance of sudden separation of sternal edges and blunt dissection, elimination of the electrocautery during lysis of adhesions, and judicious use of fresh blood and components. Several variables were analyzed comparing the initial and repeat procedures on each patient. Time from incision to bypass was an hour longer with the repeat procedure (174 +/- 45 minutes versus 96 +/- 37 minutes). Operative transfusions and postoperative bleeding (first 48 hours) were not significantly different between the two procedures. Cyanosis, however, significantly increased bleeding in both groups. There were eight injuries (5%) at reoperation. During sternal reentry in 2 patients, a tear occurred in a valved conduit coursing underneath the sternum. A right ventricular tear occurred in 1 patient while the sternal edges were being separated. Ventricular fibrillation was noted in 2 patients during lysis of adhesions with the electrocautery used early in the series. Intimal disruption occurred in two valved conduits during intraoperative manipulations. An aortic tear occurred and was repaired without cardiopulmonary bypass. There were 13 (8%) hospital deaths, all unrelated to the technique. We believe that the current approach can be a valuable alternative for surgeons dealing with repeat median sternotomy in children.

Adolescent↗