• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.456-463
• /
• 2009

Background: Although the reports on re-operative coronary revascularization (redo-CABG) have increased, there are only limited reports on redo-CABG using arterial grafts. The aim of this study was to analyze the safety and feasibility of using various arterial grafts for redo-CABG. Material and Method: A consecutive series of patients who underwent 33 redo-CABGs from March 2001 to July 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. We performed conventional CABG in 17 patients, on-pump beating CABG in 7, off-pump CABG in 7 and minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass in 2. The grafted that were used included 34 internal thoracic arteries (ITA), 14 radial arteries, 14 right gastroepiploic arteries and others. Arterial composite grafts were constructed in 26 patients. Of these, a previously patent in-situ left ITA was re-used as the in-flow of a composite graft in 10 patients. Result: No hospital deaths or major wound problems occurred. The post-operative complications included 2 myocardial infarctions (6%), 1 intra-aortic balloon pump insertion (3%), 5 cases of atrial fibrillation (15.1 %) and 3 neurologic complications (9.1%). The meanfollow-up duration was 31.1$\pm$22.7 months and the 3 year survival rate was 86.4%. There were 4 late deaths (2 cardiac deaths) and no recurrent angina during the follow-up period. Conclusion: Redo-CABG with using various arterial grafts is currently a safe, feasible procedure, but further investigation and long term follow-up are needed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.736-741
• /
• 2008

Background: Pneumonia continues to be the most common major infection in trauma patients. Despite the advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for pneumonia, it remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this retrospective study is to identify the risk factors and clinical features of ventilator-associated pneumonia among chest trauma patients. Material and Method: The study population consisted of 78 mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the ICU of Chonnam National University Hospital between January, 2001, and December, 2006. The patients were divided into two groups: those with pneumonia (Group I) and without pneumonia (Group II). Clinical predictors of the occurrence and mortality for ventilator associated pneumonia were analyzed. Result: There were 57 men and 21 women, with a mean age of $48.3{\pm}19.9$ years. Almost half of the patients, 48.7% (38 of 78), had pneumonia. The mortality rate was 21.0% (8 of 38) in Group I and 2.5% (1 of 40) in Group II. The predictors of ventilator-associated pneumonia were the duration of mechanical ventilation (17.4 days vs 6.5 days, p<0.001), the mean stay in the ICU (21.7 days vs 9.7 days, p<0.001), the use of inotropics due to hemodynamic instability (63.1% vs 25.0%, p=0.001), and the serum level of CRP ($11.3{\pm}7.8$ vs $6.4{\pm}7.3$, p=0.006). Conclusion: Posttraumatic ventilator-associated pneumonia was significantly related with the duration of mechanical ventilation, the mean stay in ICU, and the use of inotropics due to hemodynamic instability. The serum level of CRP at admission was higher in the pneumonia group. Morbidity and mortality can be reduced by early identification of predictive factors for developing pneumonia in chest trauma patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.137-142
• /
• 2005

Purpose: To analyze the outcome of radiation therapy for patients with a metastatic carcinoma of cervical lymph nodes from an unknown primary (MUO), and identify the prognostic factors for these patients. Materials and Methods: Between July 1981 and June 1999, 39 patients with MUO underwent radiation therapy with curative intent. Twelve patients were treated with radiation therapy alone (Group 1), 8 with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy (Group 2), and 19 with either an excision or neck dissection and postoperative radiation therapy (Group 3). There were 31 males and 8 females, with a median age of 55 years, ranging from 25 to 77 ears. The median duration of follow-up was 38 months, ranging from 3 to 249 months. Results: The 5-year overall survival rate was $55\%$. According to the treatment modality, the 5-year disease-free survival rates of Groups 1, 2 and 3 were 48, 19 and $75\%$, respectively (p=0.0324). In addition to the treatment modality, the appearance of the primary site was a significant prognostic factor for disease-free survival (p=0.0085). Conclusion: Surgical resection and radiation therapy achieves a superior disease-free survival compared to radiation therapy alone, either with or without chemotherapy Further investigation Is needed to evaluate the role of chemotherapy in the treatment of MUO.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.129-136
• /
• 1996

Purpose : To evaluate the effectiveness and tolerance of patients of external beam radiotherapy for carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary system (EHBS) including gall bladder (GB) and extrahepatic bile ducts (EHBD) and to define the role of radiotherapy for these tumors. Methods and Materials : We retrospectively analyzed the records of 43 patients with carcinoma of the EHBS treated with external beam radiotherapy at our institution between April, 1986 and Julr, 1994. Twenty three patients had GB cancers and remaining 20 patients did EHBD cancers. Of those 23 GB cancers, 2 had Stage II, 12 did Stage III and 9 did Stage IV disease, respectively. Male to female ratio was 11 to 12. Fifteen patients underwent radical surgery with curative intent and 8 patients did biopsy and bypass surgery alone All of the patients except for 3 patients were treated with 4500 cGy or higher doses postoperatively Follow up periods ranged from 11 to 82 months. Of those 20 EHBD cancers, one had Stage I, 2 did Stage II, 10 did Stage III and 7 did Stage IV disease, respectively. Male to female ratio was 16 to 4 Sixteen patients underwent Whipple's procedure or resection and drainage with curative aim and remaining 4 patients did bypass surgery alone Postoperatively 16 patients were irradiated with 4500 cGy or higher doses and 4 patients with 3180 to 4140 cGy Follow up periods ranged from 8 to 34 months. Results : Overall median survival time of patients with GB cancer was 11 months. Median survival time for Patients with Stage III and IV disease were 14 months and 5 months, respectively. Corresponding two rear survival rates were $36\%$(4/11) and $13\%$(1/8), respectively Those who underwent surgery with curative intent showed significantly better survival at 12 months than those who underwent bypass surgery alone($67\%$ vs $13\%$). None of the patients died of treatment related complications Median survival time for entire group of 20 EHBD patients was 10 months Median survivals of 10 Stage III and 7 Stage IV disease were 10 and 8 months, respectively. Two patients who underwent Whipple's procedure had 11 and 14 month survival and those treated with resection and drainage showed median survival of 10 month. Conclusion : Postoperative external beam radiotherapy for carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary system is well tolerated and might improve survival of patients, especially those with resectable lesions with microscopic or gross residual disease after surgery.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.182-186
• /
• 2000

Purpose : To determine treatment or이ecol for inoperable esophageal cancer patients, 껜e evaluated survival rate and prognostic factors. Materials and Methods : We evaluated esophageal cancer treated by curative or palliative am in KCCH from 1992 to 1996, retrospectively. Recurrent or underdose case below 40 Gy were excluded. The number of male and female were 35 and 5, respectively. Thirty-eight patients were squamous carcinoma and 2 patients were not biopsy proven. Ten patients were treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy Median dose of radiation therapy was 59.4 Gy and the range was $40\~60$ Gy. Results : The median survival is 6.5 months and 1-year survival rate was $28.3\%$. Age, location, radiation dose and chemotherapy were not significant prognostic factors. Median survivals of patients with below stage III and over stage IVA were 7.6 and 6.2 months respectively, but it is not significant. Conclusions : The survival for esophageal cancer is very poor. For patients with curative aim, chemotherapy must be considered. For patients with palliative aim, short-term external beam radiation therapy and/or brachytherapy must be considered.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.35-43
• /
• 2003

Purpose :To analyze the survival period, prognostic factors and complications of patients having undergone high-dose-rate intraluminal brachytherapy (HDR-ILB) as a salvage radiation therapy, while having a catheter, for percutaneous transhepatic billary drainage (PTBD), inserted due to biliary obstruction caused by a secondary malignant biliary tumor Methods and Materials : A retrospective study was performed on 24 patients having undergone HDR-ILB, with PTBD catheter Insertion, be)ween December 1992 and August 2001. Their median age was 58.5, ranging from 35 to 82 years. The primary cancer site were the stomach, gallbladder, liver, pancreas and the colon, with 12, 6, 3, 2 and 1 cases, respectively. Eighteen patients were treated with external beam radiation therapy and HDR-lLB, while slx were treated with HDR-lLB only. The 4otal external beam, and brachytherapy radiations dose were 30$\~$61.2 and 9$\~$30 Gy, with median doses of 50 and 15 Gy, respectively. Results : Of the 24 patients analyzed, 22 died during the follow-up period, with a median survival of 7.3 months. The 6 and 12 months survival rates were 54.2 (13 patients) and 20.8$\%$ (5 patients), respectively. The median survivals for stomach and gailbladder cancers were 7.8 and 10.2 months, respectively, According to the unlvariate analysis, a significant factor affecting survival of over one year was the total radiation dose (over 50 Gy) (o=0.0200), with all )he patients surviving more than one year had been Irradiated with more than 50 Gy. The acute side effects during the radiation therapy were managed with conservative treatment. During the follow-up period, 5 patients showed symptoms of cholangltis due to the radiation therapy Conclusion :An extension to the survival of those patients treated with HDR-ILB is suggested compared to the median historical survival of 4hose patients treated with external biliary drainage. A boost radiation dose could be effectively given, by performing HDR-lLB, which is a prognostic factor In addition, the acute complications of radiation therapy were effectively controlled by conservative management, and It could be regarded as a safe treatment.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.149-159
• /
• 2008

Purpose: To evaluate the results and prognostic factors for postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy in patients at stages I and II of endometrial cancer. Materials and Methods: Between January 1991 and December 2006, 35 patients with FIGO stages I and II disease, who received adjuvant radiation therapy following surgery for endometrial cancer at Ewha Womans University Hospital, were enrolled in this study. A total of 17 patients received postoperative pelvic external beam radiation therapy; whereas, 12 patients received vaginal brachytherapy alone, and 6 patients received both pelvic radiation therapy and vaginal brachytherapy. Results: The median follow-up period for all patients was 54 months. The 5-yr overall survival and disease-free survival rates for all patients were 91.4% and 81.7%, respectively. The 5-yr overall survival rates for low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups were 100%, 100% and 55.6%, respectively. In addition, the 5-yr disease-free survival rates were 100%, 70.0%, and 45.7%, respectively. Although no locoregional relapses were identified, distant metastases were observed in 5 patients (14%). The most common site of distant metastases was the lung, followed by bone, liver, adrenal gland, and peritoneum. A univariate analysis revealed a significant correlation between distant metastases and risk-group (p=0.018), pathology type (p=0.001), and grade (p=0.019). A multivariate analysis also revealed that distant metastases were correlated with pathology type (p=0.009). Papillary, serous and clear cell carcinoma cases demonstrated a poor patient survival rate compared to cases of endometrioid adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous carcinoma. The most common complication of pelvic external beam radiation therapy was enteritis (30%), followed by proctitis, leucopenia, and lymphedema. All these complications were of RTOG grades 1 and 2; no grades 3 and 4 were observed. Conclusion: For the low-risk and intermediate-risk groups (stages 1 and 2) endometrial cancer, pelvic control, and overall survival rate was free of severe toxicity when pelvic radiation therapy or vaginal brachytherapy was performed. In the high-risk group, pelvic control rate was excellent, but the survival rate was poor due to distant metastases, in spite of the pelvic radiation therapy. The combined modality of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is recommended for high-risk groups. For the intermediate-risk group, a prospective randomized study is required to compare the efficacy between whole pelvic radiation therapy and vaginal brachytherapy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.510-517
• /
• 1999

Background: Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) is still one of the more challenging congenital heart defects in newborns and young infants. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the early and midterm results of the surgical corrections for patients in early infancy with isolated TAPVC. Material and Method: Hospital records of 15 consecutive patients in early infancy (January 1993 to August 1998) were retrospectively reviewed. There were 8 boys and 7 girls whose ages ranged from 4 days to 3.5 months (median age 22 days). Their body weight ranged from 1.75 kg to 4.9 kg (mean 3.54 kg). The abnormal anatomical connections were supracardiac in 11, cardiac in 3, and infracardiac in 1. In 6 patients (40%), the pulmonary venous drainage was obstructive. Total circulatory arrest was used in 13 patients. Anastomosis between the common pulmonary vein and the left atrium was performed with a continuous suture technique using a fine nonabsorbable polypropylene suture through a lateral approach behind the right atrium. Result: There was one hospital death (6.5%) caused by a sepsis 17 days after the operation in a neonate who had supracardiac drainage and was dependent on a ventilator preoperatively. There were 2 late deaths. One died sudde`nly of an unknown cause at home 2.5 years after the operation and the other died of a recurrent pulmonary hypertension 3 months after the reoperation due to pulmonary venous obstruction (PVO). Two patients required reoperations because of PVO 5 months and 10 months respectively after the initial operation. Of these patients, one patient is alive at the present time with persistent pulmonary hypertension. All survivors without postoperative PVO (78.6%) were in NYHA functional class I at mean follow-up of 25.8 months (0.5∼67 months). Conclusion: Surgical correction of TAPVC in early infancy can be performed at low risk. However, there were 2 postoperative PVOs (14.3%) which had bad results. The survivors without postoperative PVO had excellent functional status.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.349-355
• /
• 2004

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with invasion of mediastinal structures is classified as stage IIIB, and has been considered surgically unresectable However, in a selected group of these patients, better results after surgical resection compared to non-surgical group have been reported. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of surgical resection in treatment of mediastinal T4 NSCLC. Material and Method: Among 1067 patients who underwent surgical intervention for non-small cell lung cancer from Aug 1987 to Dec 2001 in Korea cancer center hospital, 82 patients had an invasion of T4 mediastinal structures (7.7%). Resection was possible in 63patients (63/82 resectability 76.8%). Their medical records in Data Base were reviewed, and they were followed up completely until Jun 2002. Surgical results and prognostic factors of NSCLC invading mediastinal structures were evaluated retrospectively. Result Lung cancer was resected completely in 52 patients (63.4%, 52/82). Lung resection was lobectomy (or more) in 14, pneumonectomy in 49. The mediastinal structures invaded by primary tumor were great vessel (61.9%), heart (19%), vagus nerve (9.5%), esophagus (7.9%), and vertebral body (7.9%). Nodal status was N0 in 11, N1 in 24, and N2 in 28 (44.4%). Neoadjuvant therapy was done in 6 (9.5%, 5 chemotherapy, 1 radiotherapy), and adjuvant therapy was added in 44 (69.8%, 15 chemotherapy, 29 radiotherapy) in resection group (n=63). Complication was occurred in 23 (31.7%), and operative mortality was 9.5% in resection group. Median and 5 year overall survival including operative mortality was 18.1 months and 21.7% in resection group (n=63), 6.2months and 0% in exploration only group (n=19, p=.001), 39 months and 32.9% in N2 (-) resection group (n=35), and 8.8 months and 8.6% in N2 (+) resection group (n=28, p=.007). The difference of overall survival by mediastinal structure was not significant. Conclusion: The operative risk of NSCLC invading mediastinal structures was high but acceptable, and long-term result of resection was favorable in selected group. Aggressive resection is recommended in well selected pateints with good performace and especially N2 (-) NSCLC with mediastinal invasion.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.209-217
• /
• 1999

Backgrounds: To investigate the role of CT as a screening tool and to compare the diagnostic accuracy with that of the fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) in evaluating the causes of hemoptysis. Methods: The retrospective review of plain chest radiograph, CT and FOB was done in 72 patients with hemoptysis. The diagnosis were confirmed by histology (n=33), bacterial culture (n=6), cytology (n=3), serology (n=2), skin test (n= 1), clinical response (n=5), and airway disease mainly by HRCT (n=22). Results: The causes of hemoptysis were shown to be lung cancer (n=29), bronchiectasis (n=19), tuberculosis (n=12), aspergilloma (n=5), invasive aspergillosis (n=l), COPD (n=3) and others (n=3). The sensitivity was 100% and 91,7% by CT and FOB respectively. The diagnostic compatibility was 95.8% and 59.7% by CT and FOB respectively. The diagnostic compatibility in cases with central airway disease was 96.3% and 100 % in CT and FOB. In parenchymal disease, CT and FOB showed 91.3 % and 43.5 % of compatibility, respectively. airway disease, CT and FOB showed 100% and 31.8% compatibility, respectively. That is to say, CT has higher sensitivity and diagnostic compatibility than FOB for identifying the causes of hemoptysis, and is more helpful for patients with hemoptysis from parenchymal or airway disease. FOB had the advantage in obtaining histologic, cytologic and bacteriologic diagnosis with biopsy or washing Conclusion: CT should be used as the screening method before performing FOB for patients with hemoptysis who have normal or nonspecific findings or peripheral airway disease in plain chest radiograph.