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Correspondence

Aspiration After Thoracotomy

Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Mansoura University Hospitals, 71 el-Sedek St, Ahmed Maher St, Mansoura 35511, Egypt

(Email: mfismail2299{at}yahoo.com; reda_hammad2000{at}yahoo.com; samehool{at}yahoo.com; yasser_farag{at}hotmail.com).

To the Editor:

We read with interest the article by Keeling and colleagues [1]. First, we thank the authors for their novel idea of detecting the incidence of aspiration after thoracotomy for pulmonary resection, but we have some questions as follows.

First, why did the authors focus on a limited number of patients with only one surgeon? It would be much better if they expanded the study to involve a larger group of patients, as well as more surgeons. In addition, the methods may be used for other indications for thoracotomy, including pleural surgery, esophageal operations, chest wall reconstruction, and even cardiac procedures that require thoracotomy.

Second, we believe that limited resection is quite different from extended resection, such as pneumonectomy. In addition, the duration of the procedure, technical difficulties, rough manipulation, and operative complications may affect aspiration.

Third, the type of patients used in the study (with preoperative dysphonia, prior cerebral vascular accident, neurologic disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease, prior thoracic radiation, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and prior or current head and neck malignancy) should have been avoided to rule out external effects.

Fourth, the type of head and neck malignancy was not mentioned, despite its relevance. In addition, a brain tumor, which may affect bulbar nerves, may lead to aspiration more likely than small parotid or thyroid cancer.

	References

Top References

 

1. Keeling WB, Lewis V, Blazick E, Maxey TS, Garrett JR, Sommers KE. Routine evaluation for aspiration after thoracotomy for pulmonary resection Ann Thorac Surg 2007;83:193-196.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. B. Keeling and K. E. Sommers Reply Ann. Thorac. Surg., April 1, 2008; 85(4): 1501 - 1502. [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Mohamed F. Ismail Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ismail, M. F. Articles by El-Ghoneimy, Y. A. F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ismail, M. F. Articles by El-Ghoneimy, Y. A. F. Related Collections Lung - other Related Article