• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2010

Background: Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture is not common, but it requires swiftly performing an emergency operation. This study was conducted to evaluate the prognostic factors for mortality after surgically treating traumatic diaphragmatic rupture. Material and Method: From Jan 2001 to Dec. 2008, we experienced 37 cases of multiple traumas with diaphragmatic injuries that were confirmed by surgical procedures. We evaluated various factors, including the type of injury, the associated injuries, the preoperative vital signs, the ISS, the time until surgery and the rupture size. Result: There were 30 patients with blunt trauma and 7 patients with penetrating trauma. Thirty-four patients had associated injuries and the mean ISS was 20.8. Postoperative complications occurred in 11 patients and hospital mortalities occurred in 6 patients. The prognostic factors that had an influence on the postoperative mortalities were the preoperative intubation state, the patient who exhibited hypotension and a high ISS. Conclusion: Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture is just one part of multiple traumas. The postoperative mortalities might depend on not only on the diaphragmatic rupture itself, but also on the severity of the associated injuries.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.182-188
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• 2003

Background: Although ramicotomy (division of the rami communicantes of the thoracic sympathetic ganglia) is a selective and physiological surgical method for essential hyperhidrosis, it has some problems such as higher recurrence rates and the different surgical results among the patients and between left and right sides in the same individual. As one of the factors that are related to the differences in surgical result and recurrences, we investigated the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes. The purpose of this study is to help develop new surgical methods to decrease surgical differences among the patients or between the left and right sides of the same individual and recurrence rates in the clinical application of ramicotomy. Material and Method: We dissected 118 thoracic sympathetic chains in 59 adult Korean cadavers (male: 33, female: 26) to examine the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes from the second to the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglia that have major components innervating to the hands. After the dissection of bilateral thoracic sympathetic chains, we compared the anatomy of left and right sides and examined the anatomical variations of rami communicantes. Result: The number and variation of communicating rami connecting the spinal nerves and the second sympathetic thoracic ganglion were much larger than lower levels. There was considerably less variability in the anatomy of the rami communicantes at successive levels. Among the 59 cadavers dissected, only 14.3% (9/59) had similar anatomy of thoracic sympathetic chains at both sides. As the components related to the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the first intercostal nerve or brachial plexus were observed in 55.9% (66/118). The incidence of descending rami communicates from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve and from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the fourth intercostal nerve were 49.2% (58/118) and 28.0% (33/118). And the incidence of ascending rami communicates from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the second intercostal nerve and from the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve were 6.8% (8/118) and 3.4% (4/118), respectively. Conclusion: Based on the various anatomical evidences of the rami communicantes from this study, only the ramicotomy at the third sympathetic ganglion level is insufficient for the treatment of the essential palmar hyperhidrosis to decrease the difference of surgical results and recurrences. When one is planning to perform the ramicotomy for the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, it is advantageous to divide the intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz on the second rib and the descending or ascending rami communicantes on the third and the fourth ribs as well as all the communicating rami from the third sympathetic ganglion.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.50-54
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• 2008

Purpose: In most cases, the main cause of chest or back pain during playing golf is rib fractures. This kind of rib fractures can be easily overlooked in plain radiographs. The purpose of this article is to clarify the value of the ultrasound in detecting rib fractures. Materials and Methods: We compared the findings of chest-X rays (anteroposterior, left or right lateral, both oblique view) with those of the ultrasound in 56 patients between the ages of 20th & 60th who were diagnosed rib fractures. Their chief complaints were chest or back pain which developed during playing golf. The results were analyzed statistically. Results: Among 56 cases of rib fractures, 34 cases were diagnosed with initial X-rays. 51 cases were diagnosed with ultrasound. The sensitivity of radiograph and ultrasound were 60.71% & 91.07%, respectively. Dignosis was ultrasound with statical significance whereas radiography did not(p=0.0004). Conclusion: It was concluded that ultrasound is a valuable tool in the diagnosis of the rib fractures which were undetected with X-rays during playing golf.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.198-205
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• 1980

Clinical observations were performed on 373 cases of chest trauma, those were admitted and treated at the Department of surrgery, Korea University Hospital, during the past 15 years period from August 1965 to June 1980. 1. The ratio of male to female patient of chest trauma was 4:1 in male predominence and age from 10 to 50 occupied 87.4 % of the total cases. 2. The most common cause of chest trauma was traffic accident in this series. One hundred and eight one cases (48.5%) were injuried by traffic accident and total cases due to blunt trauma (non-penetrating injury) were 282 cases (75.6%) including the cases with traffic accident, and remaining 91 cases (24.4%) were due to penetrating injury including 73 cases (19.6%) of stab wounds. 3. hemopneumothorax were observed in 49% (182 cases) of the total cases, and etiologic distribution revealed 72% due to non-penetrating trauma and 28% due to penetrating injury. 4. Rib fracture was found in 44.8% of cases. common injuries associated with rib fracture were lung, brain and liver. 5. Most common symptom was chest pain and respiratory difficulty, and common sign associated with chest injury was decreased respiratory sound and subcutaneous sound. 6. conservative non-operative treatment was performed in 281 cases (75.4%) and 92 cases (24.6%) were treated with operative treatment including 33 cases (8.9%) with open thoracotomy. 7. Overall mortality was 5.6% (21 cases) and most common cause of death were due to brain edema, cardiogenic shock, asphyxia.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.19-30
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to compare chest percussion with chest vibration in brain injury patients. 30 patients in SICU of one general hospital in T city were randomely divided by 3 groups and the arterial oxygen tension(PaO2) and the retained secretion were measured. The chest vibration was done among the first group, the chest vibration by hand after the chest percussion was done among the second group and the mechanical chest vibration after the chest percussion was done among the third group. The data was analyzed using SPSS 7.0(5% significance) and the results are below. 1) It was adopted the hypothesis that the amount of retained secretion of endotracheal suction after stopping the actions among the first, second and the third groups is different from each other.(F=41.62, p=0.00) 2) It was rejected the hypothesis that the arterial oxygen tension(PaO2)s are different from each other among the first, second and third group.(F=1.22, p=0.31) The amount of the retained secretion after chest percussion, chest vibration by hand or mechanical chest vibration was significantly different from each other. Therefore, chest physiotherapy could be regarded as the effective nursing intervention for the unconscieus patients who have the inappropriate airway cleaness and it was more effective to be together than to be alone.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.715-722
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• 1987

A clinical analysis was performed on 823 cases of the chest trauma experienced at department of thoracic & cardiovascular surgery, Kyung Hee University Hospital during the past 8 years from Jan, 1978 to Aug. 1986. 1. the ratio of male to female patient of the chest trauma was 3:1 in male predominance. 2. The common age groups were 3rd, 4th and 5th decades. 3. The most common causes of the chest trauma was traffic accidents [79.8%] were injured due to non-penetrating injuries and the remainders [166/823, 20.2%] were injured due to penetrating injuries 4. The frequently injured site of the chest trauma was left side of the chest [46%], and the right side was 42% 5. The most common injury from non-penetrating trauma was rib fracture [77.5%], and the incidence rate of flail chest was 59% of all cases of rib fractures. 6. The incidence rate of hemopneumothorax was 42.9% in non-penetrating traumas, and 84.3% in penetrating traumas. 7. The most common method of surgical treatment was closed tube thoracostomy [37.3%], and open thoracotomy was performed in 71 cases [8.6%]. 8. the overall mortality was 2.2%, and common causes of death were cerebral damage, respiratory insufficiency, and hypovolemic shock.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.63-66
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• 1996

Postoperative empyema thoracis with bronchopleural fistula (BPF) Is uncommon but serious complication. The management remains troublesome area in the field of the general thoracic surgery During the period of October 1993 to December 1994, four patients with postresectional empyema thoracic with BPF were treated consecutively in Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hosp tal. The treatment procedures include irrigation and debridement of the empyema cavity and muscle flap transposition. Follow-up periods after surgery were 4-12 months. Three patients were thought successful, one patient failed. We think that the cause of failure is muscle necrosis of rectos abdominis muscle flap due to vascular injury and infection of muscle due to residual infected debridement of empyema cavity.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.123-133
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• 1989

A clinical evaluation was done on 182 cases of chest trauma which experienced at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, National Medical Center, from Sep. 1980 to Dec. 1987. 1] Of 182 cases, 125 cases resulted from non-penetrating chest trauma and 57 cases from penetrating wound. 2] The ratio of male to female was 4.87:1, and age groups between 3rd and 6th decade were 71.9%. 3] The most common causes of chest trauma were traffic accident in non-penetrating and stab wound by knife in penetrating cases. 4] Left thorax was the preferred site of chest injury. 5] The incidences of hemothorax, pneumothorax, and hemopneumothorax were 69.6% in non-penetrating and 91% in penetrating. 6] Rib fractures between 4th rib and 8th rib were 68.8% of total rib fracture cases and left side was preferred site. 7] Methods of treatment were conservative management in 24.7%, closed thoracostomy in 54.9%, open thoracotomy in 14.3%, and etc. 8] The incidence of complications, were 11.5% of total cases, and they were atelectasis [8 cases], empyema [3 cases], pneumonia [3 cases], acute renal failure [2 cases], lung abscess [1 case], and etc. 9] The overall mortality was 6%, and causes of death were hypovolemic shock, renal failure, hepatic failure, respiratory failure, septic shock, and etc.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 1974

During the 35 month period from November 1966 to November 1967 and from June 1971 to March 1973 I had experienced 127 cases of non fatal wounds of chest in Viet-Nam. .Among these 127 cases, 62[45.4%] were gun shot wounds, 49[35.8%] were shrapnel wounds and the other were traffic accident. stab wounds and miscellanous. Approximately 21% of gun shot wound were perforating and 79% were penetrating but all cases of shrapnel wounds were penetrating. Of these 127 cases. 90% evacuated to hospital within 6 hours and average time 2.5 hours. The tranfusion requirement of these cases ranged from zero to 36 pints of whole blood with an average of 2.600cc. Initial intrathoracic findings were hemopneumothorax and hemothorax mostly. and the incidence of open thoracotomy was 9.5%[12cases] and closed thoracotomy was 82.8%[104cases], which were contrast to the reports from Korean conflict. I had experienced 24 cases with complication, such as large hematoma in lung parenchyme[8 cases], atelectasis[4 cases], pyothorax [3 cases], pneumonia [3 cases], fibrothorax [3 cases], pleural effusion [2 cases] and wound infection [2 cases]. Mortality rate for entire group was 4.7% but the cases associated with brain injury was 100%, with spinal cord injury was 50%, with large vessel 50%, and abdominal injury was 33.3%, and nobody died solely of thoracic injury.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.414-421
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• 1982

200 patients admitted to the Chest Surgery Department of Jeonbug National University Hospital from January, 1974 to December, 1981 were analyzed clinically. The ratio of male to female was 7: 1, which showed male predominance. Distribution of patients according to age disclosed that over half [62%] of the patients was social age between 20 and 49 years. The most common cause of chest trauma was traffic accident [39%], and the next were stab wound, fall down [17.5%], and hit [8.5%] in decreasing order. Common lesions due to chest trauma were as follows; rib fracture [51%], hemopneumothorax, hemothorax, and pneumothorax in decreasing number. The most common cause of rib fracture was traffic accident [50%] and the associated organ injuries were long bone fracture, head injury, spine and pelvic bone fracture, spleen rupture, and liver laceration. Hemothorax, pneumothorax, and hemopneumothorax were treated with insertion of thoracic catheter in 90 cases, pure thoracentesis in 11 cases, and emergency thoracotomy in 11 cases. In flail chest, 6 patients were treated by intramedullary insertion of Kirschner`s wire and the results were good. The incidence of complication was 17%, including atelectasis [11 cases], pyothorax, fibrothorax, pneumonia, and acute respiratory failure. Four patients were died [2%], and the causes were acute respiratory failure in 2 cases, spinal cord injury in one case and head injury in one case.