• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 1994

Background: Bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma today needs further studies as an early diagnosis will drastically improve the chances of cure. Methods: Twenty-four cases of bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma for the period of 5 years were studied in terms of incidence, age, sex, underlying diseases, symptoms, radiographic findings, methods of diagnosis, clinical and pathologic staging, methods of treatment, and survival retrospectively. Results: No correlation was found between patients' age, sex and underlying diseases. Most common symptoms were cough(62.5%), chest pain(29.2%), and sputum(29.2%). Of the 24 cases, 13 patients(54.2%) had solitary nodule, 6 patients(25%) had multiple nodules. At the time of diagnosis, 3 patients(12.5%) had the stage I diseases, 3 patients(12.5%) had the stage II diseases, 4 patients(16.7%) had the stage IIIa diseases, 3 patients(12.5%) had the stage IIIb diseases, and 11 patients(45.8%) had the stage IV diseases. 14 cases(58.3%) were found inoperable at the time of admission; they all died within 17 months. In 7 cases with stage I, II, IIIa diseases curative resection were attempted, in 1 case with stage IV disease wedge resection for palliative management was performed, and in 4 cases patients were still alive at the time of conclusion of this study. Conclusion: We conclude that early diagnosis of disease will increase operability and improve chances of survival and that aggressive diagnostic workup for suspicious pulmonary infiltrate is essential as early operation offers the best chances of cure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.839-845
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• 2003

Background: Even today when chemotherapy has been established as a treatment for tuberculosis and the prevalence of tuberculosis is gradually decreasing, multi-drug resistance tuberculosis still results in poor treatment performance and lowered survival periods. This research sought to analyze the surgery of multi-drug resistance tuberculosis, and determine the usefulness and danger of surgery in connection with this disease. Material and Method: Starting from February 1990 to February 2002, retrospective surveys were conducted targeted at 21 cases involving 20 patients who underwent surgery due to multi-drug resistance tuberculosis. The survey included 14 males cases and 6 females cases with the age averaging 42.8$\pm$12.1 years. 10.3$\pm$7.6 years on average passed after patients were initially diagnosed with tuberculosis. 13 patients (65%) tested positive in the pre-operative sputum AFB test, and all showed resistance against an average of 3.5 anti-tuberculosis agents including INH and RFP. Pre-operative radiologic examinations revealed cavitary lesions in 15 patients (75%), and three patients had lesions in the both lung fields, with the major lesions existing in the unilateral area. 13 patients (75%) failed negative conversion with medical treatment, while two patients (10%) with recurrent hemoptysis and five patients (25%) with lesions involving high recurrence-rate received the operation. Operations included nine cases (40%) of pneumonectomy, nine cases (45%) of lobectomy, and three cases of lobectomy with segmentectomy. The average follow-up period of patients stood at 23 months. Result: There was no post-operative death, and found were a total of eleven cases involving complications were found: three cases of long-term air leakage, three cases of bleeding requiring re-operation, two cases of empyemas due to broncho-pleural fistula, and one case of atelectasis, wound infection and chest wall fistula each. Eleven cases (85%) of negative conversion were completed immediately after the operation, and two cases failed negative conversion. Eleven months after the operation, the disease recurred in one case of negative conversion patients, and the patient was cured by completion pneumonectomy. Conclusion: If patients' lung function was sufficient and appropriate resection was possible, multi-drug resistance tuberculosis could achieve high-rate negative conversion and cure using combination of surgical and medical treatment, and also there were not many serious complications.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.414-421
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• 2008

Background: Recently, in addition to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has become rapidly growing public health threat. This study examined the clinical differences between pulmonary TB patients with extensively drug resistance (XDR) and multi-drug resistance (MDR) at the National Medical Center in Korea in order to determine the clinical characteristics associated more with XDR-TB than MDR-TB. Methods: Patients who received a diagnosis of culture-confirmed pulmonary TB and a drug sensitivity test (DST) for anti-TB drugs at the National Medical Center between January 2000 and August 2007 were enrolled in this study. The patients were identified into the XDR-TB or MDR-TB group according to the DST results. The clinical characteristics were reviewed retrospectively from the medical records. Statistical analysis for the comparisons was performed using a ${\chi}^2$-test, independent samples t-test or binary logistic regression where appropriate. Results: A total 314 patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB were included. Among them, 18 patients (5.7%) had XDR-TB and 69 patients (22%) had MDR-TB excluding XDR-TB. A comparison of the clinical characteristics, revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection for the treatment of TB (odds ratio [OR], 3.974; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.052~15.011; P value 0.032) and longer average previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs, including a treatment interruption period prior to the diagnosis of XDR, than the MDR-TB group (XDR-TB group, 72.67 months; MDR-TB group, 13.09 months; average treatment duration difference between two groups, 59.582 months; 95% CI, 31.743~87.420; P value, 0.000). In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs was significantly associated with XDR-TB (OR, 1.076; 95% CI, 1.038~1.117; P value, 0.000). A comparison of the other clinical characteristics revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of male gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), age under 45, treatment interruption history, cavitations on simple chest radiograph and positive result of sputum AFB staining at the time of diagnosis of XDR. However, the association was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Pulmonary TB patients with XDR have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection and longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs than those with MDR. In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs is significantly associated with XDR-TB.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.775-785
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• 1999

Background : Though surgery plays an important role in the management of patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, there is little information regarding the timing of resection. We tried to find out the ideal timing of operation. Method: A retrospective review was performed in 69 patients underwent pulmonary resection for pulmonary tuberculosis between January 1993 and December 1997. They were categorized into various groups according to the length of preoperative specific drug therapy. The rates of treatment failure, realpse and complication in each group were compared statistically by $x^2$-test. Results: Eighty one point two percent were men and 18.8 % women with a median age of 33 years(range, 16 to 63 years). The mean number of resistant drugs was 3.l(range, 0 to 9). Patients were treated preoperatively with multidrug regimens, which mean number of preoperative specific drugs was 4.6, in an effort to reduce the mycobacterial burden with the mean length of preoperative drug therapy, 5.0 months. Postoperative treatment was conducted for a mean period of 13.0 months with a mean number of postoperative specific drugs, 4.4. Postoperative treatment failures were confirmed in 8 among 69 patients(11.6%). 2 of these 8 patients were showed up in the preoperative 3 to 4 months medication group and each of the rest was occurred in the preoperative 2 to 3, 5 to 6, 6 to 7, 12 to 13, 17 to 18 months, less than one month medication group, respectively. 59 of 69 patients were available for evaluation of the relapse rate with the mean duration of the postoperative follow-up, 19.8 months. In 4 patients bacterial relapse was confirmed(6.8%). Each of these 4 was in the preoperative 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 5 to 6 months medication group. Categorized into various groups according to the length of preoperative specific therapy, there were no statistical significances of the treatment failure rate, relapse rate and complication rate in the groups. There were seven treatment failures of 28 who were AFB culture positive until the time of operation(25%, p<0.01). Categorized the preoperative AFB culture positive group into various groups according to the length of preoperative drug therapy, there were no statistical significances, either. Conclusion: We believe that operation plays an important ancillary role in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Our results indicate that the timing of resection according to the length of preoperative drug therapy may not cause trouble.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.179-185
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• 2005

Background : To evaluate the clinical efficacy of pulmonary resection combined with first-line antituberculous drug therapy in patients with well-localized, cavities-containing pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Method : From February 1998, seventeen patients with well-localized, cavities-containing pulmonary MDR-TB were enrolled and followed prospectively up to December 2004. After radical pulmonary resection, the patients were treated with antituberculous drugs comprising of isoniazid (H), rifampin (R), pyrazinamide (Z), ethambutol (E), and streptomycin (S) (3HERZS/3HERS/6HER). Results : All recovered isolates of M. tuberculosis were resistant to both isoniazid and rifampin, and to a mean of 4.8 antituberculous drugs (range, 2 to 7 drugs). Surgical procedures included lobectomy (13 patients), lobectomy plus segmentectomy (3 patients), and pneumonectomy (1 patient). The median time for postoperative sputum smear and culture conversion was 2 days (range, 1 to 23 days). Fifteen (94%) patients had durable cures (mean follow-up period, 39.0 months). One patient failed to convert her sputum and was successfully switched to second-line therapy; one patient developed active disease again almost 7 years later, likely due to re-infection with a new M. tuberculosis strain. Conclusion : Radical resection combined with administration of first-line antituberculous agents was effective in patients with well-localized, cavities-containing pulmonary MDR-TB.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2002

A pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (PEH) is a rare tumor with a vascular origin. A PEH can arise in many organ systems, such as the lung, liver, bone and soft tissues. It is a borderline malignancy but the clinical course is usually benign. In this report, we describe three cases of PEH. Case 1, a 61-year-old man, had nonspecific chest discomfort and the chest X-ray showed a solitary lung nodule. This nodule was diagnosed by an open lung biopsy. The pathologic findings including abundant necrosis, mitosis and hyperchromatic and pleomorphic nuclei, indicated a malignancy. The electron microscopic study showed Weibel-Palade bodies and the immunohistochemical stain for CD31 showed a positive reaction in the tumor cells, and linear staining along the vascular lumina. Case 2, a 34-year-old man, was admitted for an evaluation of multiple small nodules, incidentally detected a screening chest X-ray. The nodules were diagnosed by a immunohistochemical stain for the factor VIII-related antigen. Case 3, a 34-year-old woman, complained of left pleuritic chest pain. A simple chest film and the chest CT scan revealed multiple bilateral nodules and a left pleural effusion. An immunohistochemical stain for the factor VIII-related antigen was used to diagnose the nodules. Forth-one months after the diagnosis, she died of pulmonary insufficiency.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.397-402
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• 1996

A clinical study of 36 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis that had had a surgical resection during the period of 13 years from January 1979 to December 1992 was performed in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital The ratio between male and female was 3.5 1 and the age of peak incidence was in the 2nd and 3rd decades. The common prodromal symptoms were chest pain (38.9 %) and hemoptysis or blood tinged sputum (36.1 %). Preoperative diagnostic examination of sputum positivity for AFB stain despite antituberculosis chemotherapy was noticed in 22.8 oyo . Surgical indications were destroyed lobe or segment with or without cavity (58.3 oyo), mass unable to differentiate from lung cancer (16.7 %), total destroyed lung (13.9 %), bronchostenosis with atelectasis and distal bronchiectasis (11.1 %). Types of resection were pneumonectomy in 16.7%, lobec omy and segmentectomy 2.7%, lobectomy 50 %, segmentectomy 27.8%, and wedge resection 2.7%. Postoperatively, pulmonary function Improved compared to the preoperative examination, although these changes were not statistically significant. One patient died of ulcerative colitis due to drug hypersensitivity, and the postoperative complications were remnant dead space in 11.1 %, spreading of tuberculosis in 5.5%, and empyema with BPF in 5.5%.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1195-1199
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• 1998

Bafckground: Thr role and indication of surgery in the treatment of small cell lung cancer(SCLC) is currently limited and unsettled. Material and Method: We analyzed the surgical results of 9 patients with SCLC at Yosei Medical Center from January 1990 to December 1996. There were 8 males and 1 female, and their mean age was 57.2 years (range; 35-76). Preoperatively SCLC was confirmed in 5, but the other 4 cases were diagnosed as undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma. All patients underwent pulmoinary resection(lobectomy;5, lobectomy, segmentectomy and en-bloc resection of rib;1, bilobectomy; 2, pneumonectomy;1) and mediastinal lymph node dissection. Results: There were no operative mortality with two complications(postoperative bleeding;1, arrhythmia;1). All cases were diagnosed as SCLC histologically and their TNM staging were confirmed as follows: T1N0M0;1, T2N0M0;4, T3N0M0;1, T3N1M0;1, T2N2M0; 1, T4N0M0;1. All patients had received postoperative chemotherapy, and radiotherapy was combined in 4 patients. During follow up period(range 1-63 months; mean 33.0months), there was only one metastasis to pelvic bone among 8 patients without lymph node metastasis, and all patients were alive. On the other hand, among 3 patients who had regional and/or mediastinal lymph node metastasis or T4 lesion, all patients had recurrences(local;2, brain;1), and 2 patients died. Conclusion: We suggest that the use of TNM staging is beneficial, and surgical resection should be recommended in the patients with early staged SCLC as an important treatment modality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.315-321
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• 1996

Bronchoplastlc procedures including sleeve lobectomy were initially introduced for patients whose pulmonary function was insufficient to tolerate pneumonectomy In more recent years, sleeve lobectomy has evolved as an alternative to pneumonectomy in carefully selected cases of bronchogenic carcinoma, especially for centrally located lesions. Between 1992 and 1995, bronchoplastic procedures for bronchogenic carcinoma were performed in 15 patients and the majority of operative procedures were sleeve lobectomy (W: 12). All procedures were considered as complete and potentially curative. Mean age was 62.3 years (range 46 to 70 years) and there were 12 males and 3 females. Of 15 patiients, 7 underwent right upper sleeve, 2 underwent right lower sleeve, 5 underwent left upper sleeve, and 1 underwent right sleeve pneumonectomy. Postoperative staging was , stage I in 3, stage ll in 8, stage llla in 3 and stage lII in 1. The postoperative complications included anastomosis site obstruction due to granulation tissue in 1, local recurrence in 3, and wound infection in 1 There were 1 operative death due to sepsis and 2 late deaths. The three-year survival rate was 80%. The significant correlation was observed (r=0.11) between the predicted FEVI (1.851 L) and measured FEVI (1 762L). In conclusion, bronchoplastic procedure will have better prognosis than pneumonectomy in selected lung cancer patients because of preserving good function in remnant lung.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.266-272
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• 1999

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection acquired by inhalation of the arthrospore of Coccidioides immitis, and endemic disease in specific geographic areas, such as south central California, south Arizona. Nevada, and New Mexico. Approximately 60 percent of infected people is asymptomatic and the remainders mostly exhibit respiratory complaints, from flu-like coughing to overt pneumonia. Usually the infection due to Coccidioides immitis is self-limited. Symptoms resolve within several weeks but radiographic abnormalities could be resolved more slowly. If the radiographic abnormalities persist more than 8 weeks, the term' chronic pulmonary coccidioidomycosis' is designated. They take forms of nodules, cavities or progressive pneumonia. When manifested as nodule(s), lung malignancy is suspected as a possible diagnosis and histologic confirmation is needed. Here, we report a case of chronic pulmonary coccidioidomycosis manifested as solitary pulmonary nodule in a Korean woman who has traveled in Arizona, which is diagnosed finally by lobectomy and histologic examination.