• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.533-538
• /
• 1983

The author made a clinical study of IIO cases of empyema thoracis who were diagnosed and treated at department of chest surgery, chosun university hospital, during the period of December 1979 through June 1983. 1. In age and sex distribution, 45 cases [41%] was under the age of 15 years, 65 cases [59%] was above the age of 15 years. The ratio of male to female was 2.6:1. 2. The predisposing factors were pneumonia 45 cases [41%] and pulmonary tuberculosis 40 cases [36.5%]. 3. The cardinal symptoms were dyspnea, chest pain, fever, cough in order. 4. Etiologic organisms were confirmed in 69% which requested in 87 cases. Staphylococcal infection were 19 cases, Streptococcal infection were 13 cases, pneumococcal infection were 11 cases. 5. In treatment of empyema, thoracentesis 4 cases, closed thoracotomy 50 cases, open drainage 29 cases, decortication 14 cases and thoracoplasty 13 cases. In children, only thoracentesis and closed thoracotomy was favorable result in treatment. 6. 103 cases were discharged with recovery and improvement but 7 cases were early discharged by their economic or personal condition without improved.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.27 no.8
• /
• pp.683-688
• /
• 1994

The most common cause of spontaneous pneumothorax is a ruptured bleb, which occurs mostly in young patients and they are usually treated by tube thoracostomy. Recurrence frequently occurs and these patients require some form of surgical intervention. From March 1990 to February 1994, we have experienced 19 cases of recurrent pneumothorax in 16 patients among 347 patients who underwent 423 surgical interventions. The name of first operation after thoracotomy were bullectomy in 4 cases, bullectomy and pleurodesis in 3 cases, bullectomy, pleurodesis in addition to application of tissue sealant in 1 case. Thoracoscopic operations were performed as follows: bullectomy in 2 cases,electroablation plus tissue sealant in 4 cases, electroablation, tissue sealant and pleurodesis in 1 case,and in 4 cases, only tissue sealant was applied. The average age of patients are 21.5 years, and bilaterally operated patients and patients. who received tissue sealant or tissue sealant plus electrocauterization only had higher incidence of recurrence. The patients who needed chest tube insertion longer than 5 days after the first operation were 52.6 %, and 82.3 % recurred within one month of the first operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.698-704
• /
• 1989

We experienced the seven cases of penetrating and non-penetrating cardiac injuries combined with cardiac tamponade from June 1986 to June 1989 at Seoul and Chun-An Hospital of SOONCHUNHYANG medical college. The results were as follows. l. In sex distribution, 7 cases were male. In age distribution, The fourth decades occupied about 58 % of all cases. 2. In mode of injury, 4 cases were stab wounds, 1 case penetration by metallic fragment, 2 cases blunt chest trauma. 3. We routinely checked the CVP with subclavian vein catheterization in case of suspicious cardiac tamponade. Significant increments were showed in 4 cases. 4. Becks triad [low blood pressure, raised central venous pressure, distant heart sound] were recorded in 43 % of the cases with proven tamponades. 5. The sites of injury included RV in 4 cases, LV in 1 case, RA in 1 case and branch of RCA in 1 case. The RV injuries were the most common. 6. Coronary artery damage occurred in 2 cases. LADA was severed in 1 case combined with RV rupture and branch of RCA was torn 1 case. 7. Pericardiocentesis was performed 1 case at another hospital before referring to our hospital. We have never used the procedure because we think that it is potentially dangerous with no clear benefit. 8. Subxyphoid pericardial window was performed in 2 cases of severe cardiac tamponade. We have employed this method to stabilize the patients who had systolic hypotension. 9. Surgical approaches were performed with median sternotomy in 3 cases, thoracotomy in 4 cases. 10. We undertook the simple closure in 6 penetrating cardiac wounds. The removal of impacted metallic fragment was performed under the cardiopulmonary bypass. Simple ligation was performed in 2 cases of coronary artery severance 11. One patient with no sign of life was urgently intubated and undertaken an emergency room thoracotomy on the stretch car without antiseptic preparation. The cardiorrhaphy in 6 cases were performed in the operating theater 12. One patient undertaken emergency room thoracotomy did not survive due to refractory hypovolemic shock. But the remaining 6 patients recovered.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.398-405
• /
• 1992

Twenty nine adult patients underwent surgical esohpagectomy and one, bypass procedure for documented carcinoma of esophagus and cadiac portion of stomach at Chonnam National University Hospital from Jan 1986 to April 1991. There were several kinds of esophagectomies including through transhiatal, left thoracotomy only, laparotomy and thoracotomy, and laparotomy and right thoracotomy and cervical incision. Twenty five and squamous cell carcinoma and 5, adenocarcinoma. The tumor locations were the upper third in 3, middle third in 12, lower third in 10 and cardiac portion of stomach in 5. After operation, 8[27%] patients were classified in Stage IIa, 6[20%] patients in Stage IIb, 15 patients[50%] in Stage III and one patient in Stage IV. Major postoperative complications included anastomotic narrowing in 3, limited suture line leak in 2, wound infection in 2, hoarseness in 2, pseudomembraneous enterocolitis in 1 and herpes zoster in 1. There was no death within 30 days of operation. Ten months survival was 100% for patients with Stage lIa, 67% for patients with Stage IIb, 50% for patients with Stage III. Furthermore, 20 months survival was 75% in IIIa, 33% in IIb, and 40% in III. But there were no significant differences in survivals among the stage. The actuarial survival is 58% at one year and 41% at two years, The periods of average survival is 589 days after operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.10
• /
• pp.986-990
• /
• 1997

Twenty-three patients underwent operations to repair a congenital heart disease through right anterolateral thoracotomy(RALT) between December 1989 and December 1996. Defects repaired 22 atrial septum(13 ostium secundum;3 lower sepal defect;4 posterior septal defect; 1 sinus venosus;1 ostium primum) and 1 ventricular septal defect. There was no operative mortality or late morbidity directly related to RALT. The RALT incision is a safe and effective me hod to a median sternotomy in selective patients(especicially female). The cosmetic results are very good during the follow up periods.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.501-515
• /
• 1978

The purpose of this communication is to review the 390 cases of chest trauma, treated at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, School of Medicine Kyungpook National University from 1960 to 1977. Patients were grouped into two: group `60s [1960-1969] of 103 cases and group `70s [1970-1977] of 257 cases. As the number of cases of each group showed, chest trauma cases increased three times in `70s . The main causes of trauma were auto accident, falling down, industrial injury and stab wound in that order for both groups. Eighty per cent of cases of `60s were between 20 and 59 years and 73.8% of same age range for `70s. Rib fracture of fourth to eighth rib was the most common lesion in both `60s and `70s group. The incidence of hemothorax or hemopnemothorax significantly increased among `70s group than `60s. Clinical manifestations of chest pain and dyspnea remained most frequent symptoms for both groups. The pertinent principles of treatment for the chest trauma were conservative therapy, closed thoracotomy and open thoracotomy. Closed thoracotomy was performed more freely during the period of 1970-1977, with encouraging clinical results. Very few cases of complications other than pneumothorax or hemopneumothorax occurred. Those are fibrothorax, asphyxia, atelectasis and mediastinitis. The overall mortality was 3.9% for the `60s and 2.1% for the `70s group. The possible causes of death of 14 cases of chest trauma whom died on arrival during 1970-1977 were analyzed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.488-500
• /
• 1978

The purpose of this communication is to review the 390 cases of chest trauma, treated at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, School of Medicine Kyungpook National University from 1960 to 1977. Patients were grouped into two: group `60s [1960-1969] of 103 cases and group `70s [1970-1977] of 257 cases. As the number of cases of each group showed, chest trauma cases increased three times in `70s . The main causes of trauma were auto accident, falling down, industrial injury and stab wound in that order for both groups. Eighty per cent of cases of `60s were between 20 and 59 years and 73.8% of same age range for `70s. Rib fracture of fourth to eighth rib was the most common lesion in both `60s and `70s group. The incidence of hemothorax or hemopnemothorax significantly increased among `70s group than `60s. Clinical manifestations of chest pain and dyspnea remained most frequent symptoms for both groups. The pertinent principles of treatment for the chest trauma were conservative therapy, closed thoracotomy and open thoracotomy. Closed thoracotomy was performed more freely during the period of 1970-1977, with encouraging clinical results. Very few cases of complications other than pneumothorax or hemopneumothorax occurred. Those are fibrothorax, asphyxia, atelectasis and mediastinitis. The overall mortality was 3.9% for the `60s and 2.1% for the `70s group. The possible causes of death of 14 cases of chest trauma whom died on arrival during 1970-1977 were analyzed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.788-793
• /
• 1989

We have observed 501 cases of spontaneous pneumothorax from January 1981 to June 1989 at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital. Of these, 57 patients have undergone thoracotomy to treat the pneumothorax after closed thoracostomy. These 57 patients were based on this retrospective clinical analysis, and the results were as follows: The ratio of male to female was 4.2:1 in male predominance and the old aged patients, over 50 years old, occupied 47.3% of all patients. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax was 19 cases and secondary spontaneous pneumothorax was 38 cases. The underlying pathology in secondary spontaneous pneumothorax was tuberculosis emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 35 cases. The indications of thoracotomy were persistent air leakage in 23 cases recurrent pneumothorax in 21 cases, inadequate expansion in 13 cases. Rupture of bullae or blebs were most frequent operative and pathologic findings in persistent air leakage group and recurrent pneumothorax group. In inadequate expansion group, predominant finding was destructive lung lesion. Bullectomy and/or bullae ligation was most effective procedures in 36 cases [63%] for operative management of spontaneous pneumothorax. Duration of preoperative and postoperative chest tube indwelling day was 13.35 days and 8.05 days in persistent pneumothorax group, 8.92 days and 7.77 days in recurrent pneumothorax group, 13.23 days and 10.21 days in inadequate expansion group.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.413-417
• /
• 1994

Adenoid cystic carcinoma usually grows in the trachea or near its bifurcation and causes obstruction of the air way. We recently experienced a 33 year-old male patient who had adenoid cystic carcinoma in the left main bronchus with the chief complaint of productive cough. On the bronchoscopy, the mass obstructed the left main bronchus completely and had nodularity and increased vascularity.The trachea was shifted to the left side and the lower lobe of the left lung was atelectatic on chest X-ray and computed axial tomogram.He underwent left tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy and lymph node dissection through bilateral thoracotomy. At first,we attempted left tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy through the left thoracotomy,however, it was very difficult to perform carinoplastic procedure after sleeve resection of 2.5cm of distal trachea and 1cm of proximal right main bronchus including whole left lung because of poor operative field and difficulty in the anastomosis of the right main bronchus to the distal end of the trachea without tension.Therefore after radical resection of the left lung we made right thoracotomy,through which we could anastomosed the distal trachea and right main bronchus with 4-0 PDS interrupted suture after mobilization of the right hilum without difficulty. The tumor was confirmed to be adenoid cystic carcinoma with metastasis to subcarinal lymph node histopathologically. Postoperative course was uneventful but he needed two bronchoscopic procedure to clear distal airway of the retained bronchial secretion. He was discharged at 14 days after operation with complete recovery.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.32 no.11
• /
• pp.978-983
• /
• 1999

Background: Complement activation with transpulmonary leukocyte sequestration is considered a main mediator leading to ischemia-reperfusion lung(I-R) injury. We studied the role of leukocytes in the formation of I-R injury in ovine cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) model with a membrane oxygenator. Material and Method: Five sheep were used. CPB circuitry consisted of a roller pump(American Optical Corp., Greenwich, CT, USA) and a membrane oxygenator(UNIVOX-IC, Bentley, Baxter Health Corp, Irvine, CA, USA). The CPB time was fixed at 120 min. Ten minutes after the start of CPB, total CPB was established. Thereafter a total CPB of 100 min was performed, followed by another 10 min of partial CPB. The CPB was discontinued and the animals were fully recovered. For measuring left and right atrial leukocyte counts, blood samples were taken before thoracotomy, 5 min and 109 in after the start of CPB, and 30 min and 120 min after weaning. C3a was measured before thoracotomy, 109 min after the start of CPB, and 30 min and 120 min after weaning. Plasma malondialdehyde(MDA) was checked before thoracotomy, 109 min after the start of CPB, and 30 min after weaning. One to two grams of lung tissue were taken for water content measurement before thoracotomy, 109 min after the start of CPB, and 30 min after weaning. Lung biopsy specimens were examined by light and electron microscopy. Result: Of 5 animals, 4 survived the experimental procedures. Of these, 3 animals survived on a long-term basis. No significant differences in transpulmonary gradients of leukocyte were found and no significant complement activation was expressed by C3a levels. MDA level did not show significant changes related to lung reperfusion despite an increase after the start of CPB. On both light and electron microscopic examinations, mild to moderate acute lung change was observed. Interstitial edema, leakage of erythrocytes into the alveolar space and endothelial cell swelling were the main findings. Water content of the lung showed a slight increase after the start of CPB, but there was no statistical significance. Conclusion: These findings indicate that ischemia-repersusion lung injury may not be from complement activation-leukocyte sequestration but from another source of oxygen free radicals related to CPB.