• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.60-64
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• 2006

Pulmonary aspergillosis presents as the following three different types depending on the immune status of the host: invasive aspergillosis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), and aspergilloma. Aspergilloma develops as a result of an aspergillus growth inside a pre-existing lung cavity. However, endobronchial aspergilloma without a lung parenchymal lesion is quite rare. We encountered a case of endobronchial aspergilloma that developed in a healthy 75 year-old woman that led to necrotizing pneumonia of the right lower lobe. The chief complaints were fever, cough and yellowish sputum. The chest film revealed haziness with cavity-like shadows on the right lower lobe, and the chest CT scan showed endobronchial calcified density in the basal bronchus of the right lower lobe with peribronchial lymph node enlargement. Bronchoscopy revealed an obstruction of the basal orifice of the right lower lobe by blackish stone-like material, and the aspergilloma was confirmed by the bronchoscopic biopsy. The pneumonia improved after bronchoscopic removal of this lesion. We report this case along with a review of the relevant literature.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.75 no.4
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• pp.150-156
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• 2013

Background: Thoracoscopic pleural biopsy is often required for rapid and confirmative diagnosis in patients with suspected pleural tuberculosis (PL-TB). However, this method is more invasive and costly than its alternatives. Therefore, we evaluated the clinical utility of the chest computed tomography (CT)-based bronchial aspirate (BA) TB-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in such patients. Methods: Bronchoscopic evaluation was performed in 54 patients with presumptive PL-TB through diagnostic thoracentesis but without a positive result of sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear, pleural fluid AFB smear, or pleural fluid TB-PCR test. Diagnostic yields of BA were evaluated according to the characteristics of parenchymal lesions on chest CT. Results: Chest radiograph and CT revealed parenchymal lesions in 25 (46%) and 40 (74%) of 54 patients, respectively. In cases with an absence of parenchymal lesions on chest CT, the bronchoscopic approach had no diagnostic benefit. BA TB-PCR test was positive in 21 out of 22 (95%) patients with early-positive results. Among BA results from 20 (37%) patients with patchy consolidative CT findings, eight (40%) were AFB smear-positive, 18 (90%) were TB-PCR-positive, and 19 (95%) were culture-positive. Conclusion: The BA TB-PCR test seems to be a satisfactory diagnostic modality in patients with suspected PL-TB and patchy consolidative CT findings. For rapid and confirmative diagnosis in these patients, the bronchoscopic approach with TB-PCR may be preferable to the thoracoscopy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.129-133
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• 2007

Neurilemmomas are benign tumors that originate from Schwann cells. These tumors rarely occur in the trachea or bronchus. Although small peripheral lesions cause no symptoms, they usually cause dyspnea, cough, wheeze, and atelectasis. We encountered two cases of endobronchial neurilemmoma, and reviewed 10 cases previously reported in Korea in order to clarify the characteristics of this disease, and to determine the appropriate treatment. The median age of the 12 patients reviewed were 36.5 (range 16-75). Cough and dyspnea were the most common initial symptoms (40%), and two cases had no symptoms. Regarding the diagnostic methods, bronchoscopic biopsy was found to be inadequate for diagnosis in two cases. A review of the cases revealed the following teatments: bronchoscopic removal in two cases, surgery in six cases, and combined bronchoscopic removal and surgery in one case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 1990

A total of 129 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of primary lung cancer were treated at Dep. of Thoracic k Cardiovascular Surgery, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, between July, 1981 and Dec., 1988. Particular emphasis was given in this review to the 72 patients that underwent surgical resection of their primary lung lesion. Factors such as histology, type of resection, sex, age, staging, and degree of dissemination were considered possible influences on survival. The age group of fifty k sixty decade occupied 55.8 %, and the youngest being 24 years and oldest 78 years. The incidence ratio of male to female was 3,2:1. The subjective symptoms of the patients were coughing [72.6%], chest pain [48.2%] and hemoptysis [35.6%], which were due to primary local influence. The confirmed diagnostic procedures were bronchoscopic biopsy, sputum cytology needle aspiration biopsy, open lung biopsy, anterior mediastinotomy & lymph node biopsy. By pathologic classifications, the squamous cell carcinoma was the most prevalent, 67 cases [51.9 %], and the adenocarcinoma in 36 cases [27.9%], undifferentiated small cell carcinoma in 13 cases [10.1 %], undifferentiated large cell carcinoma in 9 cases [6.9%], bronchioloalveolar carcinoma was 4 cases [3.1%]. The lymph node dissection with pneumonectomy [42 cases], lobectomy [14 cases] and pneumonectomy [6 cases], lobectomy [9 cases] without lymph node dissection were performed. The post operative TNM Staging[AJC] in 72 cases were Stage I in 24 cases, Stage II in 27 cases, and Stage III in 21 cases. Overall resectable was possible in 72 cases [55.8 %], and the operation mortality was 5.6 % [4 cases].

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1013-1024
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• 1989

One hundred and seventy two patients of primary lung cancer, confirmed by tissue diagnosis at the Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Korea University Hospital between June 1973 and August 1988, were evaluated and restaged with New International TNM classification, and the actuarial survival rate was obtained using Kaplan-Meier equation. The results of analysis were as follows. 1. Male to female ratio was 3.8:1, and prevalent age groups were sixth and seventh decades [76.4 %]. 2. The most common subjective symptom was cough [55.2 %], and 67.4 % of all patients were visited to hospital less than 6 months of symptoms. 3. Positive rates for tissue diagnosis were 100% in open chest or metastatic lymph node biopsy, 80 % in mediastinoscopic biopsy, 60 % in pleural biopsy, 59 % in pleural fluid cytology, 36% in bronchoscopic biopsy, and 22 % in sputum cytology. 4. The order of frequency of cell type was squamous cell carcinoma [53.0%], adenocarcinoma [22.0 %], small cell carcinoma [14.5 %], and so on. 5. Operability and resectability were 44% and 62% respectively, but they were improved recently. 6. Open and closure was done in 44 % of operated patients, uni or bilobectomy in 38 % and pneumonectomy in 24 %. 7. Overall operative mortality rate was 2.6 %. 8. The order of frequency of stage level was S3b [42.0 %], S3a [25.1 %], S1 [15.6%], and so on. 9. Distant metastasis, i.e. stage 4, was noted in 9.5 % of cases, and the sites of frequency were bone, brain, skin, and so on. 10. Actuarial survival rate was 1 year 48.2%, 2 year 36.9%, 3 year 31.2%, and 5 year 20.8%. According to above listed factors, 5 year survival rate was highest in squamous cell carcinoma, lobectomized cases, stage 1, NO in TNM system, and resectable cases. But T factor in TNM system and radiation therapy in nonresectable cases did not show statistical significance in life expectancy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.1 s.246
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• pp.50-55
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• 2005

Thoracic actinomycosis is a rare, chronic debilitating disease and it is difficult to diagnose and treat. Material and Method: Between March 1990 to December 2003, 17 patients were diagnosed and treated for actinomycosis in our center. Except 4 patients (involving cervicofacial, and abdominopelvic area), we reviewed the clinical characteristics, diagnosis method, and treatment in 13 patients. Result: In 8 patients, the operation was required for diagnosis and treatment. 7 of 8 patients had tumor-like lesions in radiological findings and they were not distinguished as lung cancer, and 1 of 8 patients was non-responsive to the antibiotics therapy. Among the 5 medically treated patients, 4 of 5 patients were diagnosed by bronchoscopic biopsy and one by CT-guided biopsy. All of them was well-responsive by the antibiotic treatment. Conclusion: Thoracic actinomycosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that respond well to antibiotics (penicillin therapy). It should be diagnosed by the repeated biopsy (CT-guided or bronchoscopic) before starting treatment. However, if the lesion is not distinguished as the lung cancer, non-responsive to the medical treatment, and the patients experience the recurrent hemoptysis, we can consider the operation for the diagnosis and treatment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.5
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• pp.423-427
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• 2011

Epithelioid sarcomas are rare soft tissue sarcomas with a high tumor grade and high local recurrence and metastasis rates. Although the lung is the most common site of metastasis, endobronchial metastasis hasn't been reported yet. We now report a case of epithelioid sarcoma with endobronchial metastasis. A 28-year-old man had recurrent pneumothorax and underwent wedge resection. He presented at our hospital with hemoptysis, dyspnea, and chest pain. Chest computed tomography revealed left pneumothorax, multiple lung nodules and endobronchial lesions at the right lower basal lobe. Bronchoscopy showed a hemorrhagic mass obstructing the bronchus of the right lower basal lobe. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple nodular lesions in the left thigh muscles. The bronchoscopic biopsy of the endobronchial lesion and the muscle biopsy of the thigh showed the same feature epithelioid sarcoma. This is the first case report of an epithelioid sarcoma with endobronchial metastasis that was diagnosed by bronchoscopic biopsy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.937-941
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• 2004

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, originating from the vascular endothelium, is a very rare and low-grade malignancy. World-wide, about 50 cases of pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma have been reported. This is more common in female and is usually shown as multiple nodules in both lung fields. A 41-year-old male, who had suffered from right pleuritic chest pain for 3 months, was initially diagnosed as adenocarcinoma under bronchofiberscopic biopsy. At that time, the stage of tumor according to the TNM staging was llla. He received bronchoscopic biopsy again during follow-up period and it was diagnosed as hamartoma. After surgery, the final diagnosis was pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.366-369
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• 1992

A chest x-ray of 68 year old male showed pneumonic consolidation of right lower lung field with blunting of right cardiac border. Computerized tomography of chest revealed infiltrative mass with V-shaped calcification just below right main bronchus. This finding has to be made into differential diagnosis of numerous pulmonary diseases including, mycobacterial disease, neoplasm, lymphadenopathies, and foreign bodies. Initial bronchoscopic findings suggest endobronchial mass lesion on right intermediate bronchus but endobronchial biopsy fail to prove malignant cell or underlying illness. But repeated endobronchial biopsy shows metallic material in the right Intermediate bronchus and we remove it with alligator jaws forcep under bronchoscopy. He was well after discharge.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 1995

Background: Endobronchial tuberculosis is classified into 7 subtypes as fibrostenotic type, edematous-hyperemic type, actively caseating type, tumorous type, ulcerative type, granular type and nonspecific bronchitic type by bronchoscopic features, and we make a prospective study to follow up how bronchoscopic findings change during treatment-course in each subtype of active endobronchial tuberculosis. Methods: We planned to do follow-up bronchoscopic examination every month until there was no significant change in endobronchial lesion, then every 3 months and at the end of the treatment in each patient with biopsy proven endobronchial tuberculosis from May, 1990 to August, 1993. Results: 1) This study included 66 cases, but bronchoscopic follow-up was completed as scheduled in 47 cases. 2) In actively caseating and edematous-hyperemic type, bronchostenosis occurred within 2 or 3 months of treatment in about 2/3 of total cases. 3) In fibrostenotic type, bronchostenosis did not improve in spite of the treatment. 4) In tumorous type, the changes in bronchoscopic findings were unpredictable because new lesions occured on other sites even 4 or 6 months after treatment in 2 cases and the size of initial mass increased 6 months after treatment in 1 case (among 7 cases). 5) Granular and nonspecific bronchitic type improved without significant sequelae within 2 or 3 months of treatment. Conclusion: It may be necessary to follow up the patient with bronchoscopy repeatedly 2 or 3 months after starting treatment in active endobronchial tuberculosis, and it is better to perform bronchoscopic examination at 6 months of treatment, especially in patients with tumorous type because there is possibility that new endobronchial lesion occurs. Aggressive therapeutic modalities such as stent-insertion, laser therapy or electrocautery should be considered to prevent bronchostenosis in cases with granulation tissue, fibrostenotic and tumorous types of endobronchial tuberculosis.