• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.580-584
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• 1997

To overcome the problems of classical pulmonary banding procedure, we developed a percutaneously adjustable pulmonary artery ba ding device. The banding device consists of banding portion of zig-zag shaped self-expandable stainless steel wire, shaft portion made by a polyvinyl catheter and a screw adjuster which includes a bolt and a nut. As the screw moves, the diameter of banding portion changes. Four Mongrel dogs ranging from 15 kg to 20 kg in weight underwent the banding of the mid portion of descending aorta with this devices through the left thoracotomy. One month after operation, we evaluated the pressure changes by controling the banding with the devices and then the dogs were sacrificed to study the microscopic changes in the aorta. The diameter and circumference of the band could be easily and finely adjustable by the screw control. The pressure recordings . revealed a linear increase and decrease in pressure gradient according to percutaneous ad;ustment of the banding device. Since the banding device can be easily placed and simply adjusted percutaneously, we hope the banding device may be applicab e clinically to improving the safety of pulmonary artery banding and debanding procedures in the future.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.3 s.260
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• pp.255-259
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• 2006

The operation for esophageal cancer is both complex and challenging, and may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality compared to other oncologic surgeries. Minimally invasive surgeries have been applied on various kinds of surgery to enhance better recovery with minimal surgical complications. But for the esophageal cancer, it has not been actively applied yet. With improvement in instrumentations and increasing experience with endoscopic surgical techniques, minimally invasive surgical approaches to esophageal cancer are being explored to determine feasibility, results and potential advantages. We experienced eight cases of minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer and report here focusing on surgical techniques and tips.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.2 s.271
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• pp.151-154
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• 2007

A 34-year old man was admitted our hospital because he wished to evaluate the pulmonary mass that was incidentally detected on healthy examination. Bronchoscopy and chest CT showed endobronchial and peribronchial mass of the left lower lobe of the lung. Open thoracotomy and left lower lobectomy of the lung was done. Pulmonary mass was confirmed as a pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor with bronchus invasion pathologically. Pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor with bronchus invasion is a vary rare. Herein we report a case of pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor with bronchus invasion.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.792-795
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• 2009

Pulmonary sequestration is a relatively rare malformation. Infection with common pyogenes is a frequent complication in this disease. We report here on a case of intralobar sequestration that was infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the absence of any other site of tuberculous infection. A 40-year man presented with a small amount of hemoptysis, and the man had been previously diagnosed with bronchiectasis 3 years ago. Chest computerized tomography revealed bronchiectasis with pneumonia in the left lower lobe and there was a large feeding artery from the thoracic aorta. A lobectomy of the left lower lobe was conducted via thoracotomy and the final pathologic examination confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis limited to the intralobar sequestrated lung. The patient underwent anti-tuberculous chemotherapy from the postoperative $7^{th}$ day and he was discharged without any adverse event.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.655-658
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• 2007

Esophageal perforation is relatively uncommon but it often cause fatal if not properly treated, and it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We report here on two cases of esophageal perforation caused by Boerhaave syndrome or pneumatic dilatation for treating achalasia. The patients were successfully treated with thoracoscopic primary repair and esophagomyotomy.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.410-413
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• 2007

A four-year old, female Miniature Pinscher was presented with intermittent coughing. Thoracic radiography and ultrasonography revealed the consolidation of left cranial lung lobe surrounded by pleural effusion and the extraction of left lung lobe was performed through thoracotomy. This case has the clinical significance because lung lobe torsion was diagnosed by non-cardiac ultrasonographic examination, therefore surgical correction was performed without delay and led good outcome. Moreover, the authors believe the present case was the first report on lung lobe torsion in Miniature Pinscher dog.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.404-410
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• 2003

Different treatment options are available according to the stage and duration of the empyema. Stage I empyema (exudate stage) is treated concurrently by the administration of appropriate antibiotics and chest tube drainage. Stage III empyema (organized stage) is considered for decortication through an open thoracotomy. However, the treatment of fibrinopurulent, stage II empyema remains controversial. Recently, debridement with the use of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) has been proposed for the treatment of stage II empyema. We analyzed and report our initial experience of 5 cases of stage II empyema, treated with the use of VATS. Material and Method: Between June 2001 and February 2002, 5 patients with fibrinopurulent empyema that did not respond to antibiotics, chest tube drainage or Percutaneous Catheter drainage (PCD), and instillation of fibrinolytic agent were treated by debridement and irrigation with the use of VATS. A CT scan was performed in all patients before the operation to confirm the diagnosis of loculated empyema and to detect additional lung parenchymal diseases. Result: All 5 patients underwent successful debridement and irrigation with the use of VATS and the chest tube was inserted properly. And no patients needed conversion to open thoracotomy. The ratio of sex was 4 : 1 (male : female), the mean age was 53 years old (range, 26~73 years), the mean operative time was 73.4 minutes (range, 52~95 minutes), the mean duration of postoperative chest tube placement was 12.4 days (range, 6~19 days), and the mean duration of postoperative hospital stay was 20.8 days (range, 10~36 days). In all patients, clinical symptoms such as pain and fever subsided and simple chest PA view revealed satisfactory lung expansion. No major postoperative complication was observed during the hospital course and no patient suffered from the recurrence of empyema in the follow-up period. Conclusion: We think that early operation with the use of VATS is safe and efficient for stage II empyema which did not respond to medical treatment(antibiotics and chest tube drainage), therefore, it can prevent stage II empyema from advancing to stage III, organized empyema.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.350-354
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• 2009

Background: Complicated pleural space occupying lesions (SOL) have been treated by thoracentesis, closed thoracotomy drainage (CTD) or surgical intervention with using a video thoracosocpe or open thoracotomy depending on the extent of the disease. With the development of video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication have revealed good results as compared to those for open thorcotomy. To assess the effectiveness of VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication, we retrospectively analyzed the medical record and radiologic findings of the patients with complicated pleural SOL and who were treated by this surgery. Material and Method: From May 1996 to April 2006, 64 patients (mean age: 41.8 years) with complicated pleural SOL underwent 65 VATS. To analyze the surgical outcome, we classified the postoperative findings on the simple chest X-rays into 4 classes as Class I: no or minimal pleural lesion, Class II: blunting of the cardiophrenic angle and mild pleural thickening, Class III: an elevated diaphgram or persistent lung collapse and Class IV: complicated or recurrent effusion. Result: Before VATS, the patients underwent the diagnostic or therapeutic procedures: single or repeat diagnostic tapping for 41, thoracoscotomy drainage for 11, pigtail catheter drainage for 10 and intrapleural fibrinolytics for 10. The mean duration between the onset of symptom and surgery was 18.4 days. There was neither mortality nor severe complications. The surgical outcomes were class 1 for 28, class 2 for 13, class 3 for 19 and class 4 for 5. There were statistically significant differences between the symptom duration and the classes, and between the operation time and the classes. Conclusion: VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication are effective, safe treatments for managing complicated pleural SOL, and an earlier operation is needed for obtaining a better surgical outcome.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.916-922
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• 1996

In patients with pleural adhesion, video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has been regarded as a contra- indication. When such adhesions were found during a thoracoscopic trial, the thoracotomy proceeded with for fear of parenchymal Injury and bleeding. We had a question whether or not thoracoscopic surgery should be done in such pleural adhesions. Of the 226 consecutive thoracoscopic surgeries from Jul. 1992 through Sep. 1995, pleural adhesions were detected intraoperatively in 50 cases (22.1%): a detailed breakdown is as follows: pneumothorax (16 cases), pleural disease (15), benign pulmonary nodule(7), mediastinal mass(5), hyperhidrosis (2), diffuse parenchymal or interstitial lung disease (2), bronchiectasis(2), and primary lung cancer(1). We classified pleural adhesions according to their extent and severity. Extent is categorized as the involved area of the lung: degree 1, II, or III; severity is given one of four grades: mild, moderate, severe, or ve y severe. In cases of very severe severity requiring decortication, the possibility of VATS was excluded. Of the 50 cases, mild adhesions were detected in 15 cases(30.0%), moderate in 29 (58.0%), and severe in 6 (12.0%). As for the extent of the adhesions, 8 cases (16.0%) were categorized as degree 1, 32 cases (64. 0%) as degree II, and 10 cases (20.0%) as degree III. For patients with pleural adhesions, the operation time, the chest tube indwelling time, and the postoperative hospital stay were all longer than for patients in the non-adhesion group. Postoperative complications, namely prolonged air-leakage and pleural drain- age, were more common (18.0% and 6.0%, respectively) than in the non-adhesion group (5.1% and 1.7%, respectively). Only two bronchiectatic patients (4%) were converted to an open thoracotomy because of in- ability to control bleeding. Although complications were encountered more frequently in the group with adhesions, patients were still able to enjoy the benefi s of thoracoscopic surgery. It is advisable to proceed with thoracoscopic surgery even in cases of unpredicted pleural adhesions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1070-1075
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• 1998

Background: With the advent of thoracoscopy, there has been increasing interest in less invasive surgical bullectomy and pleurodesis. The recurrence rate, however, has been reported higher in surgery with thoracoscopy than with open thoracotomy and it is thought to be caused by inappropriate mechanical pleurodesis during thoracoscopic surgery. Materials and methods: We compared the short-term recurrence rates according to the intensities of pleural abrasion in 62 patients who underwent VATS for treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax from April 1996 to August 1997. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group A(n=32) included patients who received relatively weak pleural abrasion using Endo-forcep instrument for grasping the gauze, and group B(n=30) received strong pleural abrasion using conventional instrument wrapped tightly with gauze. Each intensity of pleural abrasion allowed petechia on the parietal pleura in group A, and some tearing and bleeding in group B. Results: Indications for operation, sex distribution, and age were comparable in both groups. There were no differences in chest tube indwelling time(3.78±3.35 vs 3.80±2.49 days), hospital stay(4.72±1.87 vs 4.67±2.20 days), and the amount and duration of analgesics required postoperatively. Persistent air-leak more than 7 days after surgery occurred in 4/32(12.5%) and 2/30(6.7%) in group A and B, respectively. No bleeding-related complication occured. Pneumothorax recurred 12.5%(4/32) and 0%(0/30) of patients at a mean follow-up of 9.7 and 9.6 months in group A and B, respectively, and it was statistically significant(p<0.05). Conclusions: Proper intensity of pleural abrasion is very important factor to reduce recurrence after VATS for spontaneous pneumothorax. During short-term follow-upafter surgery, we could achieve excellent result in reducing recurrence rate with VATS and strong pleural abrasion which is comparable to thoracotomy.