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Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) patients sometimes have a persistent air leak (PAL) that leads to increased morbidity and increased hospital stay. Further, these patients also need pleurodesis to prevent a recurrence. Autologous blood patch pleurodesis (ABPP) has been successfully tried in post lobectomy air leak cases. However, its utility in SSP patients with PAL has not been widely established. In this context, we performed a non-blinded randomized control study to compare the efficacy of ABPP vs doxycycline pleurodesis in the closure of air leak in SSP patients. This study was a non-blinded randomized control study done in 38 SSP patients with PAL. They were randomized into doxycycline arm and ABPP arm. Post pleurodesis air leak was assessed every 12 hours for cessation. Success was considered when there was a complete cessation of air leak. Post-procedural complications were noted and patients were followed up for 28 days to look for recurrence. The median time for closure was 24 hours [interquartile range (12.24)] for ABPP and 36 hours [interquartile range (24.72)] for doxycycline pleurodesis. Success rate of ABPP vs doxycycline pleurodesis is 94.7% vs 84.2% (p=0.6). Post-procedure pain was more in doxycycline group (15% vs 73%) (p

Objective: Intrathoracic or intra-abdominal mycotic aortic aneurysms (MA) are life-threatening infections with high morbidity and mortality. The objective of the present study is to report the treatment plan, roadblocks involved in management, pre-operative, and post-operative patient outcomes. Case presentation: In this case report we have outlined in detail about the unusual presentation of a 58-year-old male patient with a ruptured mycotic abdominal aorta aneurysm. The pre-operative workup that led to the diagnosis of this uncommon condition and the use of a femoral vein as a bypass conduit to repair the infected diseased aorta was elucidated. Conclusion: From our findings, we can state that early diagnosis using combination of clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings was proven to be effective. In such scenarios, early surgical intervention in the form of in-situ reconstruction with an autologous femoral vein as a conduit to repair was proven effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the Editor, Amphotericin B is often used in the therapeutics of potentially fatal fungal infections. The patient was extubated and put on oral K+ supplementation 40 mEq/day in divided doses, with close monitoring of serum K+ and Mg++ levels, while amphotericin B therapy was continued into the postoperative period. [Extracted from the article]

This article presents a review of the literature on congenital bilio-bronchial fistula (BBF), a rare anomaly characterized by abnormal communication between the bile duct and respiratory tract. Congenital BBF often presents with bilioptysis in early neonates and infants; however, patients with no overt symptoms may occasionally present in adulthood. Our literature search in Medline from 1850 to 2023 revealed 42 reported cases of congenital BBF, primarily managed with thoracotomy and excision of the fistula tract. About one-third of these cases required multiple surgeries due to associated biliary anomalies. The review underscores the importance of diagnostic imaging, including bronchoscopy, in identifying and delineating the extent of the fistula. It also highlights the evolving surgical management, with recent cases showing the efficacy of minimally invasive approaches such as laparoscopy and thoracoscopy. In addition to the literature review, we report a young female patient with a history of recurrent respiratory infections presenting with bilioptysis and extensive left lung damage. Initial management included bronchoscopy-guided glue instillation, left thoracotomy, and pneumonectomy. Following the recurrence of symptoms, the patient was successfully treated with laparoscopic excision of the fistula tract. In recent times, minimally invasive approaches such as laparoscopy and thoracoscopy, with excision of the fistula tract are gaining popularity and have shown good results. We suggest biliary communication being the high-pressure end, tackling it transabdominal may prevent recurrent problems.