Nael Al-Sarraf

..We sought to assess the effect of smoking on early outcome following valve surgery...

..We sought to assess the morbidity and in-hospital mortality of smokers and former smokers compared with nonsmokers undergoing CABG...

..We sought to assess the clinical implication and prognostic significance of maximum standardised uptake value (SUV(max)) of primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) staged by integrated PET-CT...

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..We sought to assess the effects of aortic cross-clamp time (XCL) on outcome following cardiac surgery in low- and high-risk patients...

..We sought to assess the effect of low body mass index (BMI) on short- and long-term outcomes following cardiac surgery...

..This paradox effect is lost in former smokers. This effect is possibly due to a lower state of hyper adrenergic stimulation observed in smokers than non-smokers following the stress of surgery...

..Bronchoscopy is the treatment modality of choice and surgery is rarely required. Preventative educational strategies should be implemented to reduce such an avoidable risk...

..The use of this technique proved useful with no increased risk incurred to the patient...

..Here we report a case of lower limb compartment syndrome that was diagnosed and treated promptly in a 53-year-old man, thereby preventing a potentially lethal outcome...

..The outcome of patients with solitary kidney undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery is unknown. We sought to assess the in-hospital mortality and complications in these patients compared with patients with normal renal function...

..We sought to identify the impact of age on the sensitivity and specificity of integrated positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT; CT) on mediastinal lymph node staging of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)...

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..We sought to assess if PET-CT is uniformly accurate among enlarged and non-enlarged lymph nodes...

..The ability to recognize such a rare occurrence is vital as surgery will often be curative...

..Vigilance of such factors may improve the accuracy of PET-CT in staging mediastinal lymph nodes. Histological confirmation should always be sought...

..We report a rare case where such false positive staging caused a dilemma in optimal management...

..However, the data on the use of tenecteplase (a synthetic tissue plasminogen activator) is limited...

..PGE(2) exerts its effects through the E prostanoid (EP) receptors (EPs1-4)...

..By identifying higher risk patients, early planned preventative measures should be readily available to both reduce the incidence of such a complication and improve utilisation of hospital resources...

..Studies on this gene has shown that it is regulated through chromatin remodeling in kidney cells...

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..6). Preoperative atrial fibrillation in cardiac surgery patients increases their risk of mortality and major complications following cardiac surgery. Surgical strategies such as Cox-Maze procedure may be beneficial in these patients...

..Adequate diagnosis is missed initially in up to 68% of cases, particularly in the presence of other organ injuries. An early correct diagnosis and prompt surgical management are mandatory to prevent mortality and morbidity...

..Finally, hypoxia was demonstrated to downregulate IRS5/DOK4 expression. This expression was restored by TSA. The clinical relevance of altered IRS5/DOK4 expression in NSCLC requires further evaluation...

..We present a successfully treated case of TIF using a Goretex graft to replace the severely destroyed segment of the innominate artery...

..8%). Blunt thoracic injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. As the majority of such injuries are related to motor vehicle accidents, preventative strategies should be enforced...

..CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative dysmotility is not a contraindication for total fundoplication. Postoperative acid control is associated with improved esophageal clearance and symptoms...