No definitive recommendation is available concerning optimal antithrombotic therapy in pregnant women with a mechanical heart valve. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the clinical results of nadroparin treatment with respect to pregnancy outcome and maternal complications. From 1997 to 2005, 31 pregnancies were reviewed in 25 women. Nadroparin (7,500 U, twice daily) was used in 23 pregnancies between 6 and 12 weeks of gestation and close-to-term only, and coumarin derivatives were used with aspirin at other times. Eight pregnant women treated with coumarin derivatives throughout pregnancy were compared to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nadroparin. No maternal death or bleeding complication occurred in either of the two groups, and frequencies of maternal thromboembolism including valve thrombosis (8.7% vs. 12.5%, p>0.05) were similar. However, the frequencies of live born (91.3% vs. 50%, p=0.01) and healthy babies (90.4% vs. 25%, p<0.01) were significantly higher, and the fetal loss rate was significantly lower (8.7% vs. 50%, p=0.01) in the nadroparin-treated group. Regarding the efficacy and safety of antithrombotic treatment in pregnant women with prosthetic heart valves, nadroparin treatment during the first trimester is an acceptable regimen and produces better results than coumarin derivatives.

BackgroundTuberculous abscess of the chest wall is a very rare disease. Few articles have reported on it and those that have enrolled few patients. To determine the characteristics of this disease and to suggest an optimal treatment strategy, we reviewed patients treated by surgical management.Materials and MethodsBetween October 1981 and December 2009, 68 patients treated by surgical management for a tuberculous abscess of the chest wall were reviewed retrospectively.ResultsOf 33 men and 35 women, 31 patients had a current or previous history of tuberculosis. The main complaints were chest pain, a palpable mass, pus discharge, and coughing. A preoperative bacteriologic diagnosis was performed in 12 patients. Abscess excision was performed in 54 cases, abscess cavity excision and partial rib resection in 13, and abscess excision and partial sternum and clavicle excision in 1 case. Postoperative wound infection was noted in 16 patients and a secondary operation was performed in 1 patient. Recurrence occurred in 5 patients (7.35%). Reoperation with abscess excision and partial rib resection was performed in all of the 5 cases.ConclusionComplete excision of the abscess and primary closure of the wound with obliteration of space would decrease postoperative complications. Anti-tuberculosis medication may reduce the chance of recurrence.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine the survival rate of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were preoperatively diagnosed with a negative N2 lymph node, but postoperatively confirmed as a positive N2 node based on a pathological evaluation.Materials and MethodsThe hospital records of 248 patients from 1994 to 2009 with resected primary NSCLC who were preoperatively diagnosed with negative N2 lymph node, were retrospectively reviewed. Of these, after surgery, there were 148 (59.7%) patients with pathological N0, 54 (21.8%) with pathological N1 and 46 (18.5%) with pathological N2.ResultsThe median follow-up period was 24 months (range, 1 to 132 months). The 5-year disease free survival rates were 60% in pN0, 44% in pN1, and 29% in pN2. The 5-year overall survival rates were 63.1% in pN0, 51.9% in pN1, and 33.5% in pN2. There were no statistically significant differences between pN1 and pN2 (p=0.326 and p=0.106, respectively). Thirty-three (71.7%) of the 46 pN2 patients had single-zone metastasis, and 13 patients (28.3%) had multiple-zone metastases over the two nodal zone metastasis. There were no statistical differences in the 5-year disease free survival rate and the 5-year overall survival rates between the two groups.ConclusionThe 5-year disease free survival and the overall survival rate of the patients with unsuspected N2 disease were statistically similar with that of the patients with pathological N1 disease. There was no statistically significant difference between the patients with a single-zone metastasis and a multiple zone metastasis.

A regimen of induction radiation and chemotherapy does not increase the operative mortality of pneumonectomy in carefully selected patients.