Mediastinal mass diagnosed by endobronchial ultrasound as recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma in a post-liver transplantation patient

Objective: We presented a rare case of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplant manifested as an isolated mediastinal mass. Methods: A 62-year-old man was referred for evaluation of atypical chest pain and abnormal finding of a computed tomography of the chest. He had history of chronic hepatitis C liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma underwent orthotopic liver transplant as a curative treatment three years earlier. Results: The computed tomography of the chest demonstrated paratracheal mediastinal lymphadenopathy. He subsequently underwent endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). The right paratracheal lymph node station 4R was sampled. Rapid on-site cytology evaluation demonstrated recurrent metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusion: Pulmonologist should be cognizant of diagnostic utility of EBUS-TBNA in this clinical setting as more transplant patients on immunosuppressive medications with enlarged mediastinal lymphadenopathy of unknown origin will be referred for further evaluation

Pills and the air passages: a continuum

Recently, we reported a number of key, common medications that affect the air passages in a variety of fashions. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the literature on the subject, including supportive articles published in languages other than English. The presented information was gathered by a review of the English literature, by cross referencing, and by communication with other interventional pulmonologists. We identified several additional medications causing either direct or systemic effects on the air passages. In this review, we update the clinical presentation, mechanism of injury, diagnosis, and management of the airway complications related to these medications

Right ventricular echocardiographic parameters are associated with mortality after acute pulmonary embolism

BACKGROUND: There is limited information on the utility of certain echocardiographic measurements, such as right ventricular (RV) strain analysis, in predicting mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). METHODS: A total of 211 patients with acute PE admitted to a medical intensive care unit (ICU) were retrospectively identified. Echocardiographic variables were prospectively measured in this cohort. The focus was on ICU, hospital, and long-term mortality. RESULTS: The mean age was 61 ± 15 years. Median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IV and simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index scores were 60 (interquartile range, 40-71) and 2 (interquartile range, 1-2), respectively. Thirty-eight patients (18%) died during the sentinel hospitalization (13% died in the ICU). A total of 61 patients (28.9%) died during a median follow-up period of 15 months (interquartile range, 5-26 months). The echocardiographic variables associated with long-term mortality (from PE diagnosis) were ratio of RV to left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (hazard ratio [HR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-4.8), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.31-0.92), and RV-right atrial gradient (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.4). ICU mortality was associated with ratio of RV to LV end-diastolic diameter (HR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.3-15), RV systolic pressure (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (HR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.18-0.9), and inferior vena cava collapsibility \u3c 50% (HR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.7-11). These variables remain significantly associated with mortality after adjusting by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IV score, Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index score, or the use of thrombolytic agents. RV strain parameters were not correlated with hospital or long-term mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Four simple parameters that measure different aspects of the right ventricle (ratio of RV to left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, RV systolic pressure, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, and inferior vena cava collapsibility) were independently associated with mortality in patients presenting with acute PE who were admitted to the ICU