• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 1974

Five cases of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia were repaired in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, during the period from 1967 to 1974. The first case, a 14-year aid girl, was diagnosed as diaphragmatic hernia during laparotomy because of jejunal perforation 3 days after traffic accident. Herniated stomach, transverse colon, spleen and left lobe of the liver were repositioned and the diaphragmatic rupture on left posterolateral portion was repaired with two layers of nonabsorbable sutures by transthoracic approach. The second case, a 26-year old man,was diagnosed immediately after traffic accident at a local clinic and transferred to this hospital 24 hours later. Herniated stomach, transverse colon and jejunum were repositioned amd diaphragmatic rupture,about 9 cm in length,from the posterolat.edge to the base of pericardium was sutured in two layers. The third case, a 26-year old man who had stab wound on the left lower lateral chest two years ago,was admitted with sudden abdominal pain and vomiting. Upper gastrointestinal series with barium meal revealed diaphragmatic hernia. The herniated stomach and transverse colon through the defect,about 3.5cm in diameter, at anterolateral portion on the left side,were repositioned and repaired with two layers of nonabsorbable sutures. The forth case, a 26-year old man, sustained blunt trauma to the chest by a roller and was transferred to the emergency room complaining of dyspnea 40 minutes after the accident. The diaphragmatic rupture extended from left midaxillary line to contralateral anterior axillary line,about 20cm long, at anterior portion of diaphragm, which was repaired with two layers, of nonabsorbable sutures. The fifth case, a 4-year old girl, had two separate diaphragmatic ruptures on both sides, which were caused by traffic accident. Immediate upper gastrointestinal series after injury showed herniated stomach, colon and spleen into left Chest cavity. Another small rupture with anterior edge of right lobe of the liver in chest cavity was noted. These were repaired with non-absorbable sutures via thoracotomy.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2011

Purpose: A rib fracture secondary to blunt thoracic trauma continues to be an important injury with significant complications. Unfortunately, there are no definite treatment guidelines for severe multiple rib fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the result of early operative stabilization and to find the risk factors of surgical fixation in patients with bilateral multiple rib fractures or flail segments. Methods: From December 2005 to December 2008, the medical records of all patients who underwent operative stabilization of ribs for severe multiple rib fractures were reviewed. We investigated patients' demographics, preoperative comorbidities, underlying lung disease, chest trauma, other associated injuries, number of surgical rib fixation, combined operations, perioperative ventilator support, and postoperative complications to find the factors affecting the mortality after surgical treatment. Results: The mean age of the 96 patients who underwent surgical stabilization for bilateral multiple rib fractures or flail segments was 56.7 years (range: 22 to 82 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 3.6:1. Among the 96 patients, 16 patients (16.7%) underwent reoperation under general or epidural anesthesia due to remaining fracture with severe displacement. The surgical mortality of severe multiple rib fractures was 8.3% (8/96), 7 of those 8 patients (87.5%) dying from acute respiratory distress syndrome or sepsis. And the other one patient expired from acute myocardial infarction. The risk factors affecting mortality were liver cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, concomitant severe head or abdominal injuries, perioperative ventilator care, postoperative bleeding or pneumonia, and tracheostomy. However, age, number of fractured ribs, lung parenchymal injury, pulmonary contusion and combined operations were not significantly related to mortality. Conclusion: In the present study, surgical fixation of ribs could be carried out as a first-line therapeutic option for bilateral rib fractures or flail segments without significant complications if the risk factors associated with mortality were carefully considered. Furthermore, with a view of restoring pulmonary function, as well as chest wall configuration, early operative stabilization of the ribs is more helpful than conventional treatment for patients with severe multiple rib fractures.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2009

Purpose: The appropriate management of traumatic truncal arterial injury is often difficult to determine, particularly if the injury is associated with severe additional truncal lesions. The timing of repair is controversial when patients arrive alive at the hospital. Also, there is an argument about surgery versus stent-graft repair. This study's objective was to evaluate the appropriate method and the timing for treatment in cases of truncal abdominal injury associated with other abdominal lesions. Methods: The medical records at Ajou University Medical Center were reviewed for an 8-year period from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2008. Twelve consecutive patients, who were diagnosed as having had a traumatic truncal arterial injury, were enrolled in our study. Patients who were dead before arriving at the hospital or were not associated with abdominal organ injury, were excluded. All patients involved were managed by using the ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) guideline. Data on injury site, the timing and treatment method of repair, the overall complications, and the survival rate were collected and analyzed. Results: Every case showed a severe injury of more than 15 point on the ISS (injury severity score) scale. The male-to-female ratio was 9:3, and patients were 41 years old on the average. Sites of associated organ injury were the lung, spleen, bowel, liver, pelvic bone, kidney, heart, vertebra, pancreas, and diaphragm ordered from high frequency to lower frequency. There were 11 cases of surgery, and one case of conservative treatment. Two of the patients died after surgery for truncal organ injury: one from excessive bleeding after surgery and the other from multiple organ failure. Arterial injuries were diagnosed by using computed tomography in every case and 9 patients were treated by using an angiographic stent-graft repair. There were 3 patients whose vessels were normal on admission. Several weeks later, they were diagnosed as having a truncal arterial injury. Conclusion: In stable rupture of the truncal artery, initial conservative management is safe and allows management of the major associated lesions. Stent grafting of the truncal artery is a valuable therapeutic alternative to surgical repair, especially in patients considered to be a high risk for a conventional thoracotomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.327-336
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• 1977

A chinical analysis was performed on 383 ases of hest injurjes eperienced at Department of thoraci Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital during 21 year period From 1957 to 1977. Of 383 patients o hest injuries, 209 cases were result from nonpenetrating injuries whereas 175 were from penetrating injuries, and there were 258 cases of hemothorax or/and pneumothorax, 162 of rib fracture, 33 of foreign body, 26 of clavicle frcture, 26 of lung contusion, 17 of diaphragmati laceration, 14 of hemoperiardium, 14 of flail chest and others. Stab wound was the most common in penetrating injuries and followed by gunshot and shell fragments. The majority of nonpenetrating chest injury paiens were traffi accident vitims and falls accounted for the next largest group of accidents. Chest injuries were frequently encountered in the age group between 16 and 50 years, and 321 patients were male comparing to 62 of female. In blunt hest injuries the patients with five or more rib fractures had a 85 per ent incidence of intrathoracic injury and 19 per cent had an intraabdominal organ damage, whereas those with four or less rib fractures had a 69 per cent and a 6 per cent incidence respectively. The principal associated injuries were cerebral contusion on 19 cases, renal contusion on 10, liver laceration on 7, peripheral vessel laceration on 5, spleen laceration on 3 and extremity fracture on 18 patients. The principles of therapy for early complications of chest trauma were rapid reexpansion of the lungs by thoracentesis (46 cases) and closed thoracotomy (125 cases) but open thoracotomy had to be done on 90 cases (23.5%) because of massive bleeding or intrapleural hematoma, foreign body, cardiac injury, diaphragmatic laceration and bronhial rupture. The over all mortality was 2.87 per cent (11 among 383 cases), 8 cases were from penetrating injuries and 3 from nonpenetrating injuries.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.337-342
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• 1977

A clinical analysis was performed on 383 cases of chest injurjes experienced at Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital during 21 year period from 1957 to 1977. Of 383 patients of chest injuries, 209 cases were result from nonpenetrating injuries whereas 175 were from penetrating injuries, and there were 258 cases of hemothorax or/and pneumothorax, 162 of rib fracture, 33 of foreign body, 26 of clavicle fracture, 26 of lung contusion, 17 of diaphragmatic laceration, 14 of hemopericardium, 14 of flail chest and others. Stab wound was the most common in penetrating injuries and followed by gunshot and shell fragments. The majority of nonpenetrating chest injury patients were traffic accident victims. and fails accounted for the next largest group of accidents. Chest injuries were frequently encountered in the age group between 16 and 50 years, and 321 patients were male comparing to 62 of female. In blunt chest injuries the patients with five or more rib fractures had a 85 per cent incidence-of intrathoracic injury and 19 per cent had an intraabdominal organ damage, whereas those with four or less rib fractures had a 69 per cent and a 6 per cent incidence respectively. The principal associated injuries were cerebral contusion on 19 cases, renal contusion on 10, liver laceration on 7, peripheral vessel laceration on 5, spleen laceration on 3 and extremity fracture on 18 patients. The principles of therapy for early complications of chest trauma were rapid reexpansion of the lungs by thoracentesis [46 cases] and closed thoracotomy [125 cases] but open thoracotomy .had to be done on 90 cases [23-5%] because of massive bleeding or intrapleural hematoma, foreign body, cardiac injury, diaphragmatic laceration and bronchial rupture. The over all mortality was 2.87 per cent [11 among 383 cases], 8 cases were from penetrating injuries and 3 from nonpenetrating injuries.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2005

Falls from a height are the leading cause of injury and death among urban children. This study describes the incidence, clinical characteristics, and treatment results of children under 15 year of age who fell from a height of more than one meter and were admitted for abdominal injury. The medical records of 585 consecutive patients treated between January 1997 and December 2003 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The falling heights were 1 to 31.2 meters, and 28 patients(4.8 %) suffered from blunt abdominal trauma. The male to female ratio was 2.1: 1. The median age of the victims was 5.5 years, and the median height fallen was 3 meters. Fifteen patients (53.6 %) were injured during the summer and seventy-nine percent of the falls occurred between noon and 9 pm. Eighteen (64.3 %) of falls occurred in residential place and 19(67.8 %) of patients arrived at the emergency department within 30 minutes of the accident. Only 16 patients (57.1 %) complained of abdominal pain. Liver injuries were found in 12(42.9 %), spleen injuries in 5(17.9 %), kidney injuries 3(10.7 %), pancreatic injuries in 1(3.6 %) and nonspecific abdominal injuries in 9(32.1 %) cases. Increased SGOT and SGPT were found in 23(82.2 %) and 18(64.3 %) cases. Eleven patients (39.3 %) had associated head injuries. Limb injuries were present in 17.9% and thoracic injuries in 7.1%. Twenty-five patients (89.3 %) recovered without operation. The median length of hospital stay was 6 days (2 -20 days). Despite the absence of abdominal symptoms or shock, falls from a height in children may carry significant intra-abdominal organ injuries. The height falling could not predict the degree of the abdominal injury. For the evaluation of potential abdominal injuries, CT scan should be utilized.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.79 no.6
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• pp.332-336
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• 2018

Renal artery injury is a rare complication in blunt trauma, but can cause devascularization of the kidney, leading to renal failure. It requires early diagnosis and management. The treatment of renal artery injury still remains controversial, but recent studies have reported the successful treatment outcome with endovascular stent placement. Nevertheless, there is no standard treatment strategy in cases of pediatric patients. We report a case of a 16-year-old girl with right renal artery occlusion associated with a grade IV liver laceration. She was treated with only balloon angioplasty, and the kidney showed marked improvement of parenchymal perfusion with normalized renal function. Treatment with only balloon angioplasty can be a treatment option in pediatric patients with renal artery injury.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.115-121
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• 2012

Purpose: Severe pancreaticoduodenal injuries are relatively uncommon, but may result in high morbidity and mortality, especially when management is not optimal, and determining the appropriate treatment is often difficult. The objective of this study was to review our experience and to evaluate the role of a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) in treatment of pancreaticoduodenal injuries. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 16 patients who underwent an emergency PD at our hospital for severe pancreaticoduodenal injury from 1990 to 2011. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, mechanism and severity of the injury, associated injuries, postoperative complications and outcomes were reviewed. Results: The mean age of the 16 patients was $45{\pm}12years$ ($mean{\pm}standard$ deviation), and 15(93.8%) patients were male. All patients underwent an explorative laparotomy after a diagnosis using abdominal computed tomography. Almost all patients were classified as AAST grade higher than III. Thirteen(83.3%) of the 16 patients presented with blunt injuries; none presented with a penetrating injury. Only one(6.3%) patients had a combined major vascular injury. Fifteen patients underwent a standard Whipple's operation, and 1 patient underwent a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. Two of the 16 patients required an initial damage-control procedure; then, a PD was performed. The most common associated injured organs were the small bowel mesentery(12, 75%) and the liver(7, 43.8%). Complications were intraabdominal abscess(50%), delayed gastric emptying(37.5%), postoperative pancreatic fistula(31.5%), and postoperative hemorrhage (12.5%). No mortalities occurred after the PD. Conclusion: Although the postoperative morbidity rate is relatively higher, an emergency PD can be perform safely without mortality for severe pancreaticoduodenal injuries. Therefore, an emergency PD should be considered as a life-saving procedure applicable to patients with unreconstructable pancreaticoduodenal injuries, provided that is performed by an experienced hepatobiliary surgeon and the patient is hemodynamically stable.