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It is important to realize that guidelines cannot always account for individual variation among patients. They are not intended to supplant physician judgment with respect to particular patients or special clinical situations. Infectious Diseases Society of America considers adherence to these guidelines to be voluntary, with the ultimate determination regarding their application to be made by the physician in the light of each patient's individual circumstances.Coccidioidomycosis, also known as San Joaquin Valley fever, is a systemic infection endemic to parts of the southwestern United States and elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere. Residence in and recent travel to these areas are critical elements for the accurate recognition of patients who develop this infection. In this practice guideline, we have organized our recommendations to address actionable questions concerning the entire spectrum of clinical syndromes. These can range from initial pulmonary infection, which eventually resolves whether or not antifungal therapy is administered, to a variety of pulmonary and extrapulmonary complications. Additional recommendations address management of coccidioidomycosis occurring for special at-risk populations. Finally, preemptive management strategies are outlined in certain at-risk populations and after unintentional laboratory exposure.

We evaluated the clinical characteristics of eight patients who presented with vascular erosion from central venous catheters and reviewed the available literature. Patients typically presented with dyspnea or chest pain, unilateral or bilateral pleural effusions, and mediastinal widening one to seven days after catheter insertion. Pleural fluid appeared transudative with variable glucose concentrations (range, 174 to 588 mg/dl) that were always greater than concurrent serum values. Diagnosis was delayed 3.0 ± 1.5 days (range, 0 to 11 days) after vascular erosion. One patient died and four patients received chest tubes. Seven of eight patients had left-sided line placement; six of these seven left-sided catheters abutted the superior vena cava wall within approximately 45° of perpendicular. Results of a literature search confirm the hazards of delayed diagnosis and the importance of left-sided catheter placement as a risk factor for vascular erosion.

Heart-lung transplantation for treatment of end-stage cardiopulmonary disease continues to be plagued by many problems. Three primary ones are the technical difficulties that can be encountered, particularly in those patients who have undergone previous cardiac operations, the additional restriction on donor availability imposed by the lack of satisfactory preservation techniques, and the need for lung size compatibility. Two of these difficulties and others surfaced postoperatively in a heart-lung transplant recipient who presented a series of unique operative and therapeutic challenges. A 42-year-old woman with chronic pulmonary hypertension and previous atrial septal defect repair underwent a heart-lung transplantation in August 1985. The operative procedure was expectedly complicated by bleeding from extensive mediastinal adhesions from the previous sternotomy and bronchial collateralization. Excessive chest tube drainage postoperatively necessitated reoperation to control bleeding from a right bronchial artery tributary. Phrenic nerve paresis, hepatomegaly, and marked abdominal distention caused persistent atelectasis and eventual right lower lobe collapse. Arteriovenous shunting and low oxygen saturation necessitated right lower lobectomy 15 days after transplantation, believed to be the first use of this procedure in a heart-lung graft recipient. Although oxygenation improved dramatically, continued ventilatory support led to tracheostomy. An intensive, psychologically oriented physical therapy program was initiated to access and retrain intercostal and accessory muscles. The tracheostomy cannula was removed after 43 days and gradual weaning from supplemental oxygen was accomplished. During this protracted recovery period, an episode of rejection was also encountered and successfully managed with steroid therapy. The patient continued to progress satisfactorily and was discharged 83 days after transplantation. She is well and active 20 months after discharge.