Spontaneous Hemopneumothorax: A Rare but Life-Threatening Emergency.

Spontaneous hemopneumothorax is rarely seen, but it is a surgical emergency. This case describes a young male who presented with chest pain and was found to have spontaneous hemopneumothorax. The patient was treated with chest tube insertion and emergent thoracotomy, as well as ligation of the suspected source of bleeding and resection of the affected lobe.

Neuroprotective Strategies in Coronary Artery Disease Interventions.

Neuroprotective strategies in coronary artery interventions are essential due to the rising number of high-risk patients undergoing procedures like coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB), and hybrid revascularization. In this review article, we summarize the neurological complications associated with coronary artery disease intervention and the risk mitigation strategies. CABG carries significant risks, including ischemic stroke, encephalopathy, seizures, and peripheral nerve injuries.

Incidental Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor in a Patient Undergoing Robotic Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment option for patients with refractory morbid obesity to help facilitate weight-loss and reduce long-term metabolic morbidity and mortality. Over 200,000 procedures are performed annually in the United States with sleeve gastrectomy being the most common surgical approach. However, the growing popularity of surgical bariatric interventions has led to an increase in incidental findings of gastrointestinal neoplasms in intraoperative specimens.

Mitral Valve Repair: Optimal Annual Case Volume for Surgery.

Background: Despite strong recommendations from multiple societies to pursue durable mitral valve repair (MVr), repair rates and outcomes remain inconsistent across the world. This is partly due to limited surgeon and center experience and lack of centralization of care for this technically challenging operation.

Objectives: The authors evaluate the association between annual case volume and contemporary long-term outcomes of patients undergoing isolated MVr.

Pathway to cardiothoracic surgery: A primer for aspiring students.

Objective: The pathway to cardiothoracic surgery is often obscure for premedical students and aspiring applicants and requires navigating various known and unknown obstacles. Recognizing the challenges encountered on the path to a career in cardiothoracic surgery in the United States, we present this guide for students interested in the field to maximize success in their premedical, preclinical, and preresidency years.

Methods: This is a joint collaboration between the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association and the Thoracic Surgery Medical Student Association.