• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.660-668
• /
• 1995

Background: It is said that tuberculous pleuritis responds well to anti-tuberculous drug in general, so no further aggressive therapeutic management is unnecesarry except in case of diagnostic thoracentesis. But in clinical practice, we often see some patients who need later decortication due to dyspnea caused by pleural loculation or thickening despite several months of anti-tuberculous drug therapy. Therefore, we want to know the clinical difference between a group who received decortication due to complication of tuberculous pleuritis despite of anti-tuberculous drug and a group who improved after 9 months of anti-tuberculous drug only. Methods: We reviewed 20 tuberculous pleuritis patients(group 1) who underwent decortication due to dyspnea caused by pleural loculation or severe pleural thickening despite of anti-tuberculous drug therapy for 9 or more months, and 20 other tuberculous pleuritis patients(group 2) who improved by anti-tuberculous drug only and had similar degrees of initial pleural effusion and similar age, sex distribution. Then we compared between the two groups the duration of symptoms before anti-tuberculous drug treatment and pleural fluid biochemistry like glucose, LDH, protein and pleural fluid cell count and WBC differential count, and we also wanted to know whether there was any difference in preoperative PFT value and postoperative PFT value in the patients who underwent decortication, and obtained following results. Results: 1) Group 1 patients had lower glucose level{$63.3{\pm}30.8$(mg/dl)} than that of the group 2{$98.5{\pm}34.2$(mg/dl), p<0.05}, and higher LDH level{$776.3{\pm}266.0$(IU/L)} than the group 2 patients{$376.3{\pm}123.1$(IU/L), p<0.05}, and also longer duration of symptom before treatment{$2.0{\pm}1.7$(month)} than the group 2{$1.1{\pm}1.2$(month), p<0.05}, respectively. 2) In group 1, FVC changed from preoperative $2.55{\pm}0.80$(L) to postoperative $2.99{\pm}0.78$(L)(p<0.05), and FEV1 changed from preoperative $2.19{\pm}0.70$(L/sec) to postoperative $2.50{\pm}0.69$(L/sec)(p<0.05). 3) There was no difference in pleural fluid protein level($5.05{\pm}1.01$(gm/dL) and $5.15{\pm}0.77$(gm/dl), p>0.05) and WBC differential count between group 1 and group 2. Conclusion: It is probable that in tuberculous pleuritis there is a risk of complication in the case of showing relatively low pleural fluid glucose or high LDH level, or in the case of having long duraton of symptom before treatment. We thought prospective study should be performed to confirm this.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.86-92
• /
• 1999

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to know the epidemiology and clinical characteristics in patients with M. pneumoniae pneumonia during study period retrospectively. Methods : We had reviewed 500 patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia who were hospitalized at the pediatric ward of Seoul Adventist Hospital from July 1986 through June 1996. we had analysed clinical and laboratory problems of pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations including demographics and epidemiological characteristics. Results : Peak occurrence of the disease was 3 years interval and seasonal occurrence of the disease had no difference. 43.4% of patients was below 4 years old and male to female ratio was nearly 1:1. The most common site of infiltration on chest PA was right lower lobe and the most common type of pneumonia was interstitial pneumonia(43%). Pulmonary complications were atelectasis(11cases), emphysema(5cases), pleural effusion(27cases) and sinusitis(13cases) and extrapulmonary manifestations were hepatitis(109cases), skin rash(29cases), proteinuria(20cases) and hematuria(16cases). cold agglutinin test was carried out in 500cases and mycoplasma antibody test was carried out in 448cases. sensitivity of mycoplasma antibody test was 53.3%. Conclusion : Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia showed epidemics at intervals of 3 year in its major occurrence. it exhibits a tendency that occurs at younger age group not in school age group. diagnosis of the disease need more accurate method due to low sensitivity of mycoplasma antibody test. also we need to carried out other laboratory test(for example, LFT, U/A).

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.308-313
• /
• 1993

Although uncommon, rhabdomyosacomas are one of the most frequent forms of cancer of soft parts, particularly in children under the age of 15. There has been only one case of primary rhabdomyosarcoma arising at the pleura, reprted by Hamada, Japan, 1989, in the world. A case of primary rhabdomyosacoma arising at the pleura is reported. This 15 year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital due to a one-month history of dyspnea on exertion and massive right pleural effusion. Pleural biopsy revealed embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma histologically. Immunohistochemical study shows positive reactivity to desmin, vimentin, and cytokeratin. Ultrastructural demonstration of thin and thick myofilaments was most helpful for confirming the histopathological diagnosis. The patient was received 6 cycles of chemotherapy with adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine and dacarbazine. The chemotherapy response was fairly good that the patient's symptom was absent and pleural effusion and mass size was improved 6 months after chemotherapy. This paper reports the second case of primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the pleura in the world with the review of literature.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.98-103
• /
• 2007

An 8-year-old boy presented with abdominal pain and poor oral intake for two months. Serum amylase and lipase levels were elevated. CT of the abdomen and chest X-ray showed two pseudocysts at the pancreatic uncinate process, pancreatitis with a parenchymal defect, a large amount of ascites, and a right pleural effusion. MR cholangiography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopanreaticography revealed a pancreatic duct disruption. The patient was successfully treated with a chest tube placement and percutaneous drainage. After surgery, his general condition improved; the serum level of amylase normalized and the pleural effusion resolved. Pancreatic injuries are rare in pediatric blunt trauma; however, diagnostic difficulty is common with isolated blunt trauma. Therefore, a high index of suspicion should follow such an injury. We report the case of an 8-year-old boy with pancreas transection, ductal disruption, ascites, and pleural effusion who was successfully treated.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.265-269
• /
• 2001

Presently talc is one of the agents most commonly used for producing a pleurodesis in patients with either a recurrent pleural effusion or a spontaneous pneumothorax. Talc can be instilled into the pleural space either as an aerosol (insufflation) or as a suspension (slurry) in saline. They are quite effective in producing a pleurodesis. However, they rarely have acute serious adverse effects including acute respiratory distress syndrome, and recently a discussion for using pleurodesis has been reported. We experienced a case of acute respiratory distressed syndrome after talc pleurodesis. A 64 year old man, who was diagnosed lung cancer with a malignant pleural effusion at the same side, was treated by pleurodesis using talc to control the effusion. After 3 days, he suffered fever, chill and breathlessness. The chest P A and CT revealed a bilateral infiltration in both lungs and the blood gas analysis confirmed hypoxemia, which required mechanical ventilation.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.74-81
• /
• 2004

Purpose: To evaluate the computed tomography (CT) findings of pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients. Materials and Methods: CT scans of 25 patients with biopsy-proven cryptococcosis [surgery (n=3), percutaneous needle biopsy (n=21), and bronchoscopic biopsy (n=1)] were analyzed. Thirteen patients were men and 12 patients were women, with a mean age of 53.7 years. Presenting symptoms were cough, sputum, and dyspnea and 12 patients presented with incidentally found chest radiographic abnormalities. Results: Nodule or multiple conglomerate nodules (n=10, 40%) and segmental or lobular consolidation (n=9, 36%) were most common, followed by mixed patterns (n=5, 20%). Predilection sites were lower lobe (n=21/37, 57%) and subpleural areas (n=23, 92%). Air bronchograms within consolidations (n=11/14, 79%) with mild volume loss (n=10/14, 71%) were common. While interlobular septal thickening (n=11, 44%) and cavitation or central low-attenuations (n=11, 44%) were relatively common, lymphadenopathy (n=2, 8%) or free pleural effusions (n=1, 4%) were uncommon. Conclusion: Nodules or airspace consolidation with a predilection of lower lobe and subpleural area are the most common appearances of pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.12
• /
• pp.1019-1021
• /
• 2004

Neurogenic tumors are common in posterior mediastinal tumors. In most cases, tumors were accidentally showed on simple chest X-ray. In some cases, they were presented by symptoms which were induced by nerve compression or airway compression. But as in our case, neurogenic tumor with spontaneous hemothorax is very rare. A 45-year-old man admitted to emergency room of other hospital because of acute right chest pain and dyspnea. A chest X-ray showed a right pleural effusion. Hemothorax was diagnosed after closed thoracostomy. Following chest CT showed posterior mediastinal mass. The patient was transferred to our hospital. T spine MRI showed dumbbell shaped mass. Diagostic impression was neurogenic tumor. The pathologic result was neurilemmoma after surgical resection.

• Neonatal Medicine
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.207-211
• /
• 2008

Congenital syphilis is a rare cause of non-immune hydrops fetalis. We cared for a neonate with hydrops fetalis who was delivered by emergency Cesarean section due to prolonged fetal bradycardia and ascites at 34 weeks of gestation. He had anemia, purpura, and hepatosplenomegaly, and the serologic tests revealed congenital syphilis (high titers of serum VDRL and TPHA, and a positive serum FTA-ABS IgM). He survived after aspiration of ascitic fluid, ventilator care, and intravenous penicillin therapy. We report a case of non-immune hydrops fetalis due to congenital syphilis with a brief review of literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.39 no.11 s.268
• /
• pp.872-874
• /
• 2006

Although pulmonary lymphangioma is very rare, it is usually discovered as cystic or cavitary or solitary pulmonary nodular shadow on radiological studies. The final diagnosis is usually made pathologically after surgical intervention. We report an unusual case of pulmonary cystic lymphangioma developed in the lingular segment of the left upper lobe which was diagnosed and treated by surgical resection.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.787-792
• /
• 1995

The obstruction of inferior vena cava(IVC) is uncommon condition. The classification is based on the obstructive sites of major anatomic segments of IVC. The main collateral pathways of interruption of IVC were central channels through ascending lumbar veins, intervertebral veins and azygos-hemiazygos complex. However, the complete obstruction of mid-portion of IVC, accompanying collateral cirulation with pericardiacophrenic vein was rarely reported. We had experienced a case of complete obstruction of mid-portion of IVC with lobulated left cardiac border, which was unforgettable characteristic finding on chest radiograph. It was confirmed by venographic examination that the lobulated left cardiac shadow was a collateral circulation of pericardiacophrenic vein.