• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.550-554
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• 2004

A paragonimiasis infestation is caused by the paragonimus species. It is commonly found in the lung but has also been found to exist extrapulmonary infestations including cerebral, spinal, subcutaneous, hepatic, splenic, abdominal, urinary, and gynecologic infestation. On the other hand, a cutaneous infestation is extremely rare. Human infestation is caused by ingesting raw or undercooked intermediate hosts. Because paragonimus westermani larva mature to an adult worm in the lung, the possibility of identifying the adult worm of paragonimus westermani at extrapulmonary region is very rare. Case : After ingesting a fresh-water crab 1 month prior to the hospital visit, a 45-year old female patient was suffering from right pleuritic chest pain during that 1 month. The patient also complained of a palpable mass that was movable and migrating, and it was localized at the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The eosinophil fraction of the white blood cell of peripheral blood and pleural fluid was elevated to 55.1% and 90%, respectively. Parasite eggs were not found in her sputum and stool examination. By using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the paragonimus-specific IgG antibody titer was elevated to 0.28. During incisional biopsy, we were able to find the young adult worm of paragonimus westermani. We experienced the rare case of ectopic paragonimiasis with pleural effusion that was confirmed by identifying the adult worm of paragonimus westermani within the abdominal subcutaneous tissue. We report a case with brief literature reviews.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.400-405
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• 1999

Mediastinal teratomas are rare and represent less than 10 per cent of all mediastinal tumors. Almost all arise in the anterosuperior mediastinal compartment, and most symptoms, when present, result from compression of adjacent structures. They contain different tissues derived from all three germinal layers, with the prevalence of ectodermal elements which can include hair, teeth and sebaceous material. Benign teratomas may rupture into adjacent organs. Up to 36% of all mediastinal teratomas rupture, most frequently into the lung and bronchial tree, followed by the pleural space, pericardial space, or great vessels. The signs and symptoms of a ruptured teratoma vary with the structures involved. We report a case of mediastinal teratoma ruptured spontaneously in a 18 year old female who experienced 4 or 5 times of hemoptysis for 1 year and sudden onset of pleural effusion, pericardial effusion and pneumonia.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.717-720
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• 2009

Paradoxical response refers to the enlargement of old lesions or unexpected appearance of new lesions after initial improvement following treatment with antitubercular agents. Various types of paradoxical responses have been reported in the world, but they are rarely reported in Korean children. We report the case of a 17-year-old boy who was diagnosed with tuberculous pleurisy and was treated appropriately. Although the tuberculous pleurisy initially responded to medication with resolution of the pleural fluid, a new pulmonary lesion subsequently developed 3 weeks after the initiation of treatment that eventually cleared with continuation of the original drug regimen.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.258-264
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• 2001

A 26-year-old man with a one-year history of asthma and sinusitis presented with bilateral pleural effusions, patch basilar infiltrates on a chest x-ray and a pericardial effusion on an echocardiogram. The peripheral blood showed marked eosinophilia. An obstructive pattern was also observed during the pulmonary fuction test, which was responsive to bronchodilator inhalation. Nerve conduction studies showed right sural neuropathy. Thoracentesis yielded an acidotic exudative effusion with low glucose, low $C_3$ and eosinophilia. An open lung biopsy revealed an eosinophilic interstitial pneumonitis associated with a necrotizing eosinophilic vasculitis, and granulomatous inflammation foci. In the literature, pleural effusions were reported in 29 percent of Churg-Strauss patients, but the number of effusions was low and their characteristics have not been well described. This report describes the characteristic findings of pleural fluid and its histologic features in a case of classical Churg-Strauss syndrome.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.458-461
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• 2009

A pseudochylothorax, a chyliform pleural effusion, is a rare disease of pleural effusion that contains cholesterol crystals or high lipid content that is not the result of a disrupted thoracic duct. Most of the cases were found in patients with long-standing pleural effusion due to chronic inflammatory disease, such as old tuberculous pleurisy or chronic rheumatoid pleurisy. We experienced a case of pseudochylothorax in a 74-year-old man, who was being treated for pulmonary tuberculosis and pleurisy 10 years ago. The diagnosis was confirmed on pathological study of the pleural effusion, which contained cholesterol crystals having a diagnostic rhomboid appearance.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1385-1388
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• 2005

Paragonimiasis is the infestation of lung flukes of the trematode genus Paragonimus. This disease is common in Asia, and the southern part of Korea has been known as one of the endemic areas of Paragonimiasis westermanii in Korea. Human infection is associated with specific dietary habits, such as eating freshwater crawfish or crabs. In a 6 1/2-year-old boy with pleural effusion and eosinophilia, paragonimiasis was diagnosed by skin test, serologic exam, and histologic identification of the parasites in a skin lesion. The same diagnosis was entertained in his elder sister with silent pleural effusion. We describe herewith these rare cases of paragonimiasis in two siblings who had a history of eating cooked freshwater crabs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.516-522
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• 2006

Background : In contrast to tuberculous pleurisy, tuberculous empyema is a chronic active infectious disease of the pleural cavity that is frequently accompanied by cavitary or advanced pulmonary lesions. The condition requires long-term anti-tuberculous medication with external drainage. The clinical features and treatment outcome of tuberculous empyema are unclear despite the high prevalence of tuberculosis in Korea. Methods : From January 1991 through April 2004, 17 patients diagnosed with tuberculous empyema in Kyungpook National University Hospital were enrolled in this study. Their medical records and chest radiographs were reviewed. Results : Twelve patients(71%) had a history of tuberculosis and six of the 12 patients were under current anti-tuberculous medication. Productive cough, fever, and dyspnea were the main complaints. There was no predominance between the right and left lungs. Nine patients(53%) had far-advanced pulmonary tuberculosis, two(12%) had a cavitary lesion, and seven(41%) had a pyopneumothorax on the chest radiograph. All eight cases in whom the data of pleural fluid WBC differential count was available showed polymorphonuclear leukocyte predominance. Eight patients(47%) had other bacterial infections as well. The overall rates of a positive sputum AFB smear and culture for M. tuberculosis were 71% and 64%, respectively. The positive AFB smear and culture rates for M. tuberculosis from the pleural fluid were 33% and 36%, respectively. Twelve of the 16 patients(75%) were treated successfully. Three underwent additional surgical intervention. Two patients (12%) died during treatment. Conclusion : Tuberculous empyema is frequently accompanied by advanced pulmonary lesions, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes are predominant in the pleural fluid. Other accompanying bacterial infections in the pleural cavity are also common in tuberculous empyema patients. Therefore, tuberculous empyema should be considered in differential diagnosis of patients with polymorphonuclear leukocyte-predominant pleural effusion. In addition, more active effort will be needed to achieve a bacteriological diagnosis in the pleural fluid.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.460-464
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• 2013

The purpose of this case was to report the effect of Korean medical treatment for patient with pleural effusion due to congestive heart failure. The patient was treated with herbal medicine(Cheongsingeonbi-tang) and acupuncture. The effect of treatment was evaluated by chest X-ray, New York Heart Association(NYHA) functional classification, and Hugh-Jones classification. After 3 weeks of treatment, the amount of pleural effusion was decreased and NYHA class, Hugh-Jones grade were improved. NYHA functional classification improved class III to II and Hugh-Jones classification changed grade IV to II. This result suggests that herbal medicine(Cheongsingeonbi-tang) and acupuncture treatment might have an effect on patient with pleural effusion due to congestive heart failure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.672-674
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• 1996

Chylothorax is a rare, but well-recognized complication of cardiothoracic surgery and operations in the region of the esophageal or aortic diaphragmatic hiatus. Especially, in nutritionally depleted patients requiring esophagectomy for benign or malignant diseases, it is a potentially life-threatening disorder that has profound respiratory, nutritional and immunologic co sequences . We have experienced a case of chylothorax after transhiatal esophagectomy in benign esophageal stricture. The diagnosis of chylothorax was confirmed after feeding through the jejunostomy tube by the change of the character of pleural effusion and high triglyceride level on the 5th postoperative day. On the thirteenth postoperative day, supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct ligation was performed through right thoracotomy. We could remove the chest tube on the 22th postoperative day, and the patient is being followed-up at out patient clinic without complications.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.202-211
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• 2016

Objective: This clinical study reports on a case of generalized edema with hypoalbuminemia and pleural effusion improved by combined traditional Korean and Western medical treatments in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia medicated with dasatinib.Method: Combined traditional Korean and Western medical treatment was carried out, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and albumin injection. We examined the serum albumin, measured the circumference of both thighs and ankles to estimate the volume of the edema, and evaluated the pleural effusion symptoms.Results: The serum albumin increased, and generalized edema and pleural effusion improved significantly after the administration of Bojungchiseub-tang-gami.Conclusion: These results showed that complications of generalized edema and pleural effusion associated with dasatinib medication have the potential to be improved via combined traditional Korean and Western medical treatments.