#thoracic surgery

• Aspergilloma — A pseudotumoral fungal mass, appearing as a ball or conglomerate, developed by the colonization of fungi from the Aspergillus genus (especially Aspergillus fumigatus) within a pre-existing pulmonary cavity (such as those left by tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, or air cysts). Also known as a fungus ball, it develops without invading the surrounding lung tissue, but can cause severe hemoptysis by eroding adjacent blood vessels.
• Atriotomy — A surgical incision made into the muscular wall of a cardiac atrium, performed to allow direct access inside the upper chambers of the heart for treating valvular or septal disorders, or for removing thrombi. This highly precise structural section requires, in most cases, the use of a cardiopulmonary bypass machine.