• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.3 s.272
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• pp.215-219
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• 2007

Background: Due to the advancement of video assisted thoracoscopic techniques, an operation for primary spontaneous pneumothorax is now considered a common procedure. However, whether a preventive operation is necessary when a contralateral bulla is found on High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) at the time of the first primary spontaneous pneumothorax attack is still unknown. In this retrospective study, it was our intension to find whether contralateral bullae are related to the occurrence of pneumothorax. Material and Method: Between January 1999 and April 2006, 550 patients were admitted to the Chungnam University hospital with primary spontaneous pneumothorax, which was confirmed by the HRCT scans in 190 patents. In these 190 patients, 159 had not received a bilateral operation after their first primary spontaneous pneumothorax attack. In these 159 patients, the relationship between the presence of contralateral bullae and the occurrence of pneumothorax was measured. Result: In these 159 patients, 67 had contralateral bullae confirmed inform the HRCT scan, and 92 had no visible contralateral bullae, During the follow up period, 6 patients (8.9%) with contralateral bullae had an occurrence of contralateral pneumothorax, and 5 patients (5.4%) without contralateral bullae had an occurrence of contralateral pneumothorax. (p=0.529 [Fisher's exact test]) Conclusion: In patients with unilateral primary pneumothorax, an HRCT scan is a useful way of confirming contralateral pulmonary bullae. However, the presence of bullae is not a significant predictive sign of an occurrence of contralateral pneumothorax. Also, surgery for pneumothorax is not completely uncomplicated, and bilateral surgery is still doubtful. A further prospective study will be required to find the relationship between the bullae found on HRCT and the occurrence of pneumothorax.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.497-501
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• 2009

Background: Prolonged air leakage and pleural fluid drainage from a chest tube may delay removing the chest tube after a patient undergoes video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection and the patient is otherwise ready for discharge. We reviewed 37 outpatients patients who were being managed with a postoperative chest tube (a Panda Pneumothorax set with a Heimlich valve). Material and Method: From January 2005 to December 2007, 294 patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resections & pleurodesis. Of them, 37 patients met the criteria for outpatient chest drainage management with using a Panda Pneumothorax set with a Heimlich valve. The patients received written instructions, and they demonstrated competence with using the Panda system. The patients returned for chest tube removal after satisfactory resolution of their air leak and pleural fluid drainage. Result: The patients discharged with a Panda pneumothorax set had a longer duration of hospital stay (mean: 10.3$\pm$1.7 days, range: 11 to 17 days) as compared with the patients without a Panda pneumothorax set (mean: 6.2$\pm$1.5 days, range: 4 to 7 days). The chest tube was removed successfully from the patients with a Panda pneumothorax set at an average of 9.8$\pm$1.6 days (range: 9$\sim$18 days) after discharge. There were no major complications. Four patients experienced minor complications. Thirty six patients (97.3%) experienced uneventful and successful outpatient chest tube management. Conclusion: Successful postoperative outpatient chest tube management with using the Panda set was accomplished in 36 selected patients. This program resulted in a substantially reduced hospital cost and enhanced patient satisfaction by allowing earlier discharge.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.347-353
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• 1997

BaTiO$_{3}$물질은 뛰어난 유전체로 널리 알려져 왔으며 특히 Heywang등이 제안한 PTCR특성은 이 물질의 응용범위를 세라믹 필터, 회로보호소자, 온도감지소자 및 저항가열장치 등으로 확대시켰다. 이러한 특성의 발현기구는 아직까지 밝혀지지 않은 상태이지만 제 특성을 향상시키기 위한 노력은 계속되어왔다. 특히 개발목적에 맞게 온도에 따른 정저항 특성(PTCR; Positive temperature constnat of resistivity phenomena)을 설계하려는 시도가 계속되어 왔으며 그 중에서도 페로브스카아트계의 2가와 4가의 양이온 자리를 등가나 원자가가 다른 양이온으로 치환하여 특성을 개선하려는 시도가 계속되어 왔다. 특히 $Ca^{2+}$나 Sr$^{2+}$는 $Ba^{2+}$자리를 치환할 수 있는 물질로 개별적인 첨가에 대한 연구는 많은 연구자들에 의해 진행된 상태이지만 최종적인 영향이나 해석에 대해서는 연구자들간에 이견이 많은 상태이다. 이번 실험에서는 BaTiO$_{3}$계에 합성한 (Ca, Sr)TiO$_{3}$를 Ca와 Sr의 상대적인 비를 변화시키면서 전체적인 첨가량을 변화시켜 그에 따른 전기적 특성 및 미세구조를 살펴보았다. (Ca, Sr)TiO$_{3}$의 첨가로 상온저항 및 PTCR특성을 변화시킬 수 있었으며 이를 통해 PTCR물질의 활용범위를 넓힐 수 있는 발판을 마련할 계기가 되었다. 특히 기존의 연구가 주로 개별적인 Ca나 Sr의 첨가에 의한 미세구조와 전기적 특성변화의 연구에 치중해 있었던 것과는 달리 Sr과 Ca을 함께 치환하여 상대적인 비가 특성에 더 중요한 영향을 끼치는 것을 확인하였으며 적절한 합성비를 선택하면 퀴리온도에서의 저항변화폭을 유지하면서 상온저항을 낮출 수 있음을 확인하였다.문했던 연구소인 Shanghai Research Center of Biotechnology, Shanghai Institute of Industrial Microbiology 및 Scientific Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industry을 소개하고저 한다. 짧은 기간의 방문이라 주로 해당연구소의 자체소개 자료를 중심으로 방문하면서 느낀점을 기술하고저 한다.초염기성암 기원의 사문암이 열수변질작용을 받아 생성되었음을 명확하게 지시하며, 따라서 활석 광석내에 존재하는 녹니석은 활석의 근원 광물로서 녹니석편암 및 녹니석 편마암 매의 녹니석이 활석화되고 남은 잔존광물이 아니라, 주변암에 의해 성분상의 영향을 받은 열수와 사문암과의 변질교대작용에 의한 활석화과정 중에 주로 생성된 것으로 추정된다. 이러한 결과는 연구지역의 활석광상이 초염기성암의 사문암화 작용과 활석화 작용의 두 가지 변질작용에 의해 형성되어졌음을 알려준다.농도 증가 없이 폐 조직에 약 50배 정도의 고농도 cisplatin을 투여할 수 있었으며, 또한 분리 폐 관류 시 cisplatin에 의한 직접적 폐 독성은 발견되지 않았다이 낮았으나 통계학적 의의는 없었다[10.0%(4/40) : 8.2%(20/244), p>0.05]. 결론: 비디오흉강경술에서 재발을 낮추기 위해 수술시 폐야 전체를 관찰하여 존재하는 폐기포를 놓치지 않는 것이 중요하며, 폐기포를 확인하지 못한 경우와 이차성 자연기흉에 대해서는 흉막유착술에 더 세심한 주의가 필요하다는 것을 확인하였다. 비디오흉강경수술은 통증이 적고, 입원기간이 짧고, 사회로의 복귀가 빠르며, 고위험군에 적용할 수 있고, 무엇보다도 미용상의 이점이 크다는 면에서 자연기흉에 대해 유용한 치료방법임에는 틀림이 없으나 개흉술에 비해 재발율이 높고 비용이 비싸다는 문제가 제기되고 있는 만큼 더 세심한 주의와 장기 추적관찰이 필요하리라 사료된다.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.166-174
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• 2003

Microcystin produced by cyanobacteria in surface waters, such as eutrophic lake and river, is a kind of serious environmental problems due to its toxicity to human and wild animals. Microcystin is synthesized nonribosomally by the large modular multi-functional enzyme complex known as microcystin synthetase encoded by the mcy gene cluster. Amplification of mcy genes by PCR from cultures and environmental samples is a simple and efficient method to detect the toxigenic Microcystis. In order to evaluate primers designed to detect toxic microcystin-producing strains, 17 cyanobacterial strains and 20 environmental samples were examined by PCR with 7 pairs of primers. Some microcystin-producing cyanobacteria were not detected with FAA-RAA, TOX4F-TOX4R and FP-RP primers. The fragment of unexpected size was amplified with NSZW2-NSZW1 primers in Microcystis strains isolated from the lakes in Korea. TOX1P-TOX1F primers failed in amplification of toxin-producing strains. Only MSF-MSR and TOX2P- TOX2F primers amplified the fragments of mcy genes from 11 strains of microcystin-producing Microcystis. The water samples taken from 20 lakes in Korea were analyzed by PCR using each of the primers. In all the water samples, cyanobacteria capable of producing microcystin were detected by the PCR with TOX2P-TOX2F primers. These results indicate that TOX2P-TOX2F primers are better than the other primers for detection of microcystin-producing Microcystis strains in Korea. The nucleotide sequences of mcy gene in Microcystis aeruginosa NIER10010 suggest genetic diversity of Korean isolates.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1076-1080
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• 1998

Background: Spontaneous hemopneumothorax, occurring in 1% to 12% of patients with spontaneous pneumothorax, is a rare disorder that can potentially lead to life-threatening complications. Materials and methods: We have experienced 15 cases (2.28%) with spontaneous hemopneumothorax among 659 episodes of spontaneous pneumothorax for eight years, from 1990 to 1997, at our hospital. We studied our previously treated patients by retrospective case studies to determine the nature of optimal management. Results: There were 14 male and 1 female patients whose mean age was 27.5 years, ranging from 19 to 58. The sides with disorder were as following: right in 10 cases and left in 5, unilaterally. The amount of initial bleeding ranged from 400 to 1,500 mL and 8 patients received a homologous blood transfusion. Patients exhibited symptoms of chest pain, dyspnea, chest discomfort, and hypovolemic shock. We concluded that causes of this disease in our patients were a torn pleural adhesion (14 cases) and a rupture of vascularized bullae (1 case with an underlying intrinsic lung disease, tuberculosis). All patients underwent closed thoracostomy and had good results except for 3. One patient underwent thoracotomy within 3 days from the onset because of continuous active hemorrhage. Decortication was required in one case because of a reactive fluid collection in the pleural space, which led to impaired lung expansion. Another patient underwent thoracotomy due to a ipsilateral recurrent pneumothorax without blood collection. Conclusions: The goals of treatment include hemostasis and reexpansion of the collapsed lung. Thus, if patients arrive early at hospital, closed thoracostomy and transfusion are thought to be sufficient treatments, although early surgical repair has been considered recently.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.170-174
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• 2010

Purpose: As techniques and instruments for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) have been evolving, attempts to perform VATS for chest trauma have been increasing. Several studies have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of VATS for thoracic trauma. We reviewed our experience to evaluate the clinical feasibility and safety of VATS for thoracic trauma. Methods: Fifty-two patients underwent thoracic surgery for chest trauma in Asan Medical Center from January 1990 to December 2009. VATS was performed in 21 patients who showed stable vital signs. We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of those patients to investigate the results of VATS for thoracic trauma. Results: Thoracic exploration for chest trauma was performed in 52 patients. There were 46 males (88.5%) and 6 females (11.5%). The median age was 46.0 years (range: 11~81 years). There were 39 blunt and 13 penetrating traumas. A standard posterolateral thoracotomy was performed in 31 patients, and VATS was tried in 21 patients. We performed successful VATS in 13 patients; 11 males (84.5%) and 2 females (15.5%) with a median age of 46.0 years (range: 24~75 years). The indication of VATS was persistent intrathoracic hemorrhage in 10 patients and clotted hemothorax in 3 patients. There were no complications, but there were two mortalities due to multiple organ failure after massive transfusion. In 8 patients, VATS was converted to a standard posterolateral thoracotomy for several reasons. The reason was inadequate visualization for bleeding control or evacuation of the hematoma in 5 patients. In 3 patients, VATS was performed to evaluate diaphragmatic injury. After the diaphragmatic injury had been confirmed, a standard posterolateral thoracotomy was performed to repair the diaphragm. Conclusion: VATS should be safe and efficient method for diagnostic evaluation and surgical management of stable patients with thoracic trauma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.280-289
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• 1997

Background : Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) has been reported to diveres spectrum of chinical presentations and radiologic patterns. The three representative radiologic patterns are followings ; 1) a solitary nodule or mass, 2) a localized consolidation, and 3) multicentric or diffuse disease. While, the localized consolidation and solitary nodular patterns has favorable prognosis, the multicentric of diffuse pattern has worse prognosis regardless of treatment. BAC presenting as a solitary pulmonary nodule is often misdiagnosed as other benign disease such as tuberculoma. Therefore it is very important to make proper diagnosis of BAC with solitary nodular pattern, since this pattern of BAC is usually curable with a surgical resection. Methods : We reviewed the clinical and radiologic features of patients with pathologically-proven BAC with solitary nodular pattern from January 1995 to September 1996 at Samsung Medical Center. Results : Total 11 patients were identified. 6 were men and 5 were women. Age ranged from 37 to 69. Median age was 60. Most patients with BAC with solitary nodular pattern were asymptomatic and were detected by incidental radiologic abnormality. The chest radiograph showed poorly defined opacity or nodule and computed tomography showed consolidation, ground glass appearance, internal bubble-like lucencies, air bronchogram, open bronchus sign, spiculated margin or pleural tag in most patients. The initial diagnosis on chest X-ray were pulmonary tuberculosis in 4 patients, benign nodule in 2 patients and malignant nodule in 5 patients. The FDG-positron emission tomogram was performed in eight patients. The FDG-PET revealed suggestive findings of malignancy in only 3 patients. The pathologic diagnosis was obtained by transbronchial lung biopsy in 1 patient, by CT guided percutaneous needle aspiration in 2 patients, and by lung biopsy via video-assited thoracocopy in 8 patients. Lobectomy was performed in all patients and postoperative pathologic staging were $T_1N_0N_0$ in 8 patients and $T_2N_0M_0$ in 3 patients. Conclusion : Patients of BAC presenting with solitary nodular pattern were most often asymptomatic and incidentally detected by radiologic abnormality. The chest X-ray showed poorly defined nodule or opacity and these findings were often regarded as benign lesion. If poorly nodule or opacity does not disappear on follow up chest X-ray, computed tomography should be performed. If consolidation, ground glass appearance, open bronchus sign, air bronchogram, internal bubble like lucency, pleural tag or spiculated margin are found on computed tomography, further diagnostic procedures, including open thoracotomy, should be performed to exclude the possiblity of BAC with solitary nodular pattern.