Is chronic kidney disease comparable to diabetes as a coronary artery disease risk factor?
Moderate CKD is a major risk factor for the development of the Whitehall ECG criteria which have been associated with ischemic heart disease. The importance of CKD as a risk factor for ECG abnormalities is comparable with DM. Patients with moderate CKD probably are candidates for aggressive CHD risk modification.
The study results demonstrate that the division of the interlobar fissure in pulmonary lobectomy with BiClamp(®) is safe and feasible in most cases. While the results point out the limitation that division of the right upper or middle lobe may still be a challenge, they show the potential benefit of staple reduction. Less use of staples results in reduced medical costs and carbon dioxide emission, contributing to 'ecosurgery', which ultimately conserves the global environment.