Objective: This report aims to describe the surgical methodology and potential effectiveness of endoscopic separation surgery (ESS) in patients with metastatic spine disease. This concept may reduce the invasiveness of the procedure, which can potentially speed up the wound healing process and, thus, the possibility of faster application of radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: In this study, separation surgery for preparing patients for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) was performed with fully endoscopic spine surgery (FESS) followed by percutaneous screw fixation (PSF). Results: Three patients with metastatic spine disease in the thoracic spine were treated with fully endoscopic spine separation surgery. The first case resulted in the progression of paresis symptoms that resulted in disqualification from further oncological treatment. The remaining two patients achieved satisfactory clinical and radiological effects and were referred for additional radiotherapy. Conclusions: With advancements in medical technology, such as endoscopic visualization, and new tools for coagulation, we can treat more and more spine diseases. Until now, spine metastasis was not an indication for the use of endoscopy. This method is very technically challenging and risky, especially at such an early stage of application, due to variations in the patient’s condition, morphological diversity, and the nature of metastatic lesions in the spine. Further trials are needed to determine whether this new approach to treating patients with spine metastases is a promising breakthrough or a dead end.

Introduction: The presence of free pleural fluid is a common cause of dyspnea, particularly in the elderly population with multiple morbidities. There are many causes for this condition, but the most common include heart failure, cancer, lung infections, liver failure, and so on. The most common diagnostic tests for free pleural fluid are X-ray and ultrasonography, and in selected cases, computed tomography. In addition, we present the case of our patient who had a moderate amount of fluid in the pleural cavity, which caused significant clinical symptoms, and who did not consent to undergo an X-ray or CT scan due to his own beliefs. Method: The aim of this paper is to describe our own experience with using ultrasonography in the diagnosis of free pleural fluid and to conduct a literature review using the Pubmed medical database, examining the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of free pleural fluid and its comparison to X-ray. Results: Based on the conducted studies, it can be concluded that ultrasonography is more effective in the diagnosis of free pleural fluid than X-ray. Furthermore, the advantages of ultrasonography include its wide availability, the lack of ionizing radiation, low diagnostic cost, and the ability to perform the examination at the bedside. Thanks to ultrasound, it became possible to diagnose free fluid and then drain it without the use of radiological methods in accordance with the patient's will. Conclusions: Lung ultrasound is far more sensitive and specific tool in diagnostic of the pleural effusion and significantly increases the safety of invasive therapeutic procedures such as thoracentesis thanks to the possibility of continuous real-time imaging.

Introduction: With the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, lung ultrasound has become a very popular technique, commonly used in hospitals. In recent years, we have observed a significant increase in the number of scientific publications on this technique. This paper attempts to examine the popularity of lung ultrasound in Poland among doctors of various specialties. Methods: The study included an online survey that was modular, which means it was rebuilt depending on the answers provided. Responses could be provided in the time frame of November 2022-June 2023. The questions included variables such as years of work, region of Poland, specialization, and the use of lung ultrasound in everyday practice, including in selected clinical situations. Results: The survey received 125 responses from almost all voivodeships (15/16). Among the surveyed physicians, 64% declared using lung ultrasound in their clinical practice. Lung ultrasound is most popular among physicians with up to 10 years of professional practice, while it is least popular among physicians with more than 25 years of practice. In the case of pneumonia diagnostics, most lung ultrasound users would perform an additional X-ray examination (49/80). Most of the surveyed indicated that lung ultrasound was an important examination during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it is a future-proof study that should be introduced into the medical curriculum. Conclusions: Lung ultrasound in Poland is a very popular technique, reaching up to 80% among young doctors. It is important to include this technique in diagnostic recommendations for various lung diseases and in the curriculum during medical studies. This is most likely the first publication investigating the popularity of lung ultrasound in Poland.

Introduction: For many years, lung ultrasound was considered a controversial, even impossible, technique. Years of research have accumulated compelling evidence for the usefulness of this technique in clinical practice, and its user base has gradually expanded. The greatest boom in this technique occurred with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it proved extremely effective in monitoring its progression. Methods: Our personal experience confronted with literature research by Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Schoolar. Results: The lack of standardized definitions and nomenclature has led to a certain dissonance in publications and controversy, which is evident when reviewing the literature. Other controversial issues include the type of examination equipment used, the measurement of artifacts and the accurate assessment of their sonomorphology, as well as the extension of the examination to include additional elements such as the diaphragm. An issue repeatedly raised in publications is the need to develop a system of training and certification in lung ultrasound skills, which would allow for the standardization of the technique, nomenclature, and diagnostic criteria. Another problem is the lack of inclusion of lung ultrasound in the practice guidelines of various scientific societies in many countries, which is the subject of work by national and international ultrasound associations. Conclusions: Despite some controversy, lung ultrasound is a valuable tool in everyday clinical practice with great potential for development.

Introduction: Lung ultrasound is a non-invasive diagnostic method whose popularity has increased significantly with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, it was used by a small group of specialists, primarily in intensive care and emergency medicine. Currently, it is an increasingly common tool in many fields of medicine. Methods: The aim of this study was to collect and analyze data on the effectiveness of ultrasound in the diagnosis of infectious pneumonia, comparing it with literature data. Results: The obtained analysis revealed an average sensitivity of ultrasound in the diagnosis of pneumonia of 92% and a specificity of 87%. Conclusions: This high sensitivity allows for extremely effective use of this technique in monitoring both analyzed diseases, and in the case of pneumonia with an etiology other than COVID-19, also for diagnostic purposes. Ultrasonography is a tool with significant clinical and research potential, which could become a fundamental tool in the future for physicians.

Introduction: Ultrasonography is a technique used in virtually every field of medicine, across a wide range of fields. Echocardiography has dominated cardiology for years. Although it is a difficult technique requiring extensive knowledge and experience, it allows for obtaining a wealth of valuable diagnostic information. Furthermore, it is highly standardized, and its usefulness has been confirmed in numerous scientific studies over the years. A technique that continues to gain popularity and has great potential is lung ultrasound, which, thanks to its specificity, can complement a typical echocardiographic examination with valuable information. Methods: This study is based on an analysis of the use of lung ultrasound and echocardiography in our clinical practice and a comparison of the results with a literature review. Results: Among the potential applications of lung ultrasound in cardiology are undoubtedly the assessment of pulmonary edema, free pleural effusion, pneumothorax, and pulmonary embolism. In all of these conditions, it is not only a valuable diagnostic tool but also for non-invasive monitoring. It is also a valuable tool for monitoring patient hydration during intensive fluid therapy. Conclusions: The advantages of lung ultrasound over echocardiography include a favorable learning curve, the lack of high equipment requirements for basic assessment, and its easier performance. The ability to supplement echocardiography with lung ultrasound will undoubtedly provide significant added value in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients hospitalized in a cardiology department or consulted on an outpatient basis.