• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.5
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• pp.441-447
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• 2012

Background: Chest tube drainage (CTD) is an indication for the treatment of pneumothorax, hemothroax and is used after a thoracic surgery. But, in the case of incomplete lung expansion, and/or persistent air leak from CTD, medical or surgical thoracoscopy or, if that is unavailable, limited thoracotomy, should be considered. We evaluate the efficacy of bronchoscopic injection of ethanolamine to control the persistent air leak in patients with CTD. Methods: Patients who had persistent or prolonged air leak from CTD were included, consecutively. We directly injected 1.0 mL solution of 5% ethanolamine oleate into a subsegmental or its distal bronchus, where it is a probable air leakage site, 1 to 21 times using an injection needle through a fiberoptic bronchoscope. Results: A total of 15 patients were enrolled; 14 cases of spontaneous pneumothorax [idiopathic 9, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 3, post-tuberculosis 2] and one case of empyema associated with broncho-pleural fistula. Of these, five were patients with persistent air leak from CTD, just after a surgical therapy, wedge resection with plication for blebs or bullae. With an ethanolamine injection therapy, 12 were successful but three (idiopathic, COPD and post-tuberculosis) failed, and were followed by a surgery (2 cases) or pleurodesis (1 case). Some adverse reactions, such as fever, chest pain and increased radiographic opacities occurred transiently, but resolved without any further events. With success, the time from the procedure to discharge was about 3 days (median). Conclusion: Bronchoscopic ethanolamine injection therapy may be partially useful in controlling air leakage, and reducing the hospital stay in patients with persistent air leak from CTD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.313-317
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• 2008

Lipoma is a common neoplasm in soft tissues. However, an intrapulmonary lipoma is a rare benign tumor. Patients with a bronchial lipoma might have a malignant potential related to their smoking history due to the case reports of lung cancer accompanied with lipoma. Endobronchial lipoma can cause irreversible parenchymal lung damage if not diagnosed and treated early. Therefore, it should initially be treated by fiberoptic bronchoscopy or surgery depending on the status of distal parenchymal lung damage. Bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a pathological syndrome that is defined by the presence of buds of granulation tissue consisting of fibroblasts and collagen within the lumen of the distal air spaces. BOOP is caused by drug intoxication, connective tissue disease, infection, obstructive pneumonia, tumors, or an unknown etiology. We encountered a 58 year-old male patient with endobronchial lipoma, causing the collapse of the right middle and lower lobes, and BOOP due to obstructive pneumonia.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.456-459
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• 2008

This case demonstrates the rare occurrence of a radiolucent temporary resin bridge aspiration in adults while they are in a conscious and awaken state and the resultant formation of inflammatory polyps. Although no unique findings were noted in a chest x-ray, careful history taking accompanied by physical examinations can lead to clinical suspicion of foreign body aspiration in an earlier stage. Moreover, flexible bronchoscopy is a tool useful not only for the evaluation process but also for managing the aspirated foreign material.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1097-1104
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• 1997

The expectoration of blood is always a fearful experience for the patient and a matter of grave concern to the attending physician, because it may be the warning sign of serious diseases. When such bleeding occurs, the possibility of its being due to pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchiectasis or carcinoma of the lung is promptly suggested. Nowadays, with the advance of modern diagnostic studies, differential diagnosis has become possible for the hemoptysis patients to have appropriate treatment. This evaluation is based on the review of 75 cases of patients whom we performed emergency open thoracotomies for 6 years from March 1992 to February 1997 in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul Adventist Hospital. The mean age of the patients was 36.6 years old with a range from 19 to 68, and most prevalent age group was thirties. The most common underlying lung disease causin hemoptysis was tuberculosis(44%). Most accurate diagnostic study was bronchoscopy during hemoptysis(95 Vo) and right middle & lower lobe(17.3%) was the most common site of lesion. Lobectomy(50%) was the most frequent operative method and recurrent hemoptysis(31.6%) was the most common postoperative complication. But most of the patients(82.6%) were completely recovered by surgical treatment. Now we concluded that the proper management of hemoptysis was completed by surgical approach with definite diagnosis and supportive medication.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.980-985
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• 2000

A 52-year-old woman was presented with 2-week history of increasing dyspnea and dry cough. The chest radiograph revealed bilateral reticular infiltrates. Radiographic infiltrates were rapidly progressed and symptoms from hypoxemia were aggravated. The patient was intubated and bronchoscopy with transbronchial lung biopsies was performed. Biopsies revealed lymphatic vessels plugged by nests of metastatic adenocarcinoma. She died 11 days after admission despite of intensive ventilatory support. We had difficulties in the diagnosis of lymphangitic lung carcinomatosis at initial presentation of her illness because the progression was unusually rapid. Lymphangitic lung carcinomatosis shoud should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients showing rapidly progressive interstitial radiographic findings. Also, transbronchial biopsy may be a useful tool to confirm the diagnosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.389-393
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• 1999

Endometriosis is defined as an extrauterine growth of endometrial tissue and it is primarily limited in the pelvis but it can also occur in the pleural cavity as well as pulmonary parenchyme. The diagnosis of pulmonary endometriosis is usually based on the clinical history of recurrent hemoptysis in association with menstrual cycle and by histopathologic confirmation of endometrial tissue in the lung parenchyme. Pulmonary endometriosis was first reported by Lattes in 1956. and dozens of cases have been reported so far. We experienced a case of 25 year old single woman with a history of hemoptysis in association with her menstruation. The bleeding focus was localized with chest CT scan and repeated fibrooptic bronchoscopy and basal segmentectomy of the right lower lobe was performed. The resected specimen shows endometrial stroma and glands of early proliferative phase with respiratory epithelium on the laterobasal bronchus. Her postoperative course was uneventful with no recurrence of hemoptysis during 6 months of follow-up in the outpatient clinic.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.597-602
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• 2001

A 47-years-old woman presented with a 2-month history of a dry mouth and dry cough. The patient had been taking medication for Sj$\ddot{o}$gren's syndrome for approximately 7 years. The chest radiography showed multiple cystic lesions and a hazy density in both lower lung fields. The HRCT showed a diffuse ground glass like appearance and multiple variable sized cystic lesions in both lung fields. After medication, the symptoms were aggravated. Bronchoscopy was preformed with a transbronchial lung biopsy. The biopsies showed an infiltration of lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and histiocytes through the interstitial space of the alveola and a widening of the alveolar septa. However, the histological findings of the cysts were not obtained. Sj$\ddot{o}$gren's syndrome is a slowly progressive inflammatory autoimmune disease, which is characterized by lymphocyte mediated destruction of the exocrine glands, with pulmonary involvement in approximately 19-65%, High-resolution CT is a sensitive technique for assessing the pulmonary involvement in patients with Sj$\ddot{o}$gren's syndrome. Although a lung biopsy is not always necessary for establishing a diagnosis of an interstitial lung disease in Sj$\ddot{o}$gren's syndrome. A lung biopsy may reveal a wide spectrum of changes ranging from a mild inflammatory response to end stage fibrosis with honeycombing. Because of the predominantly peribronchiolar inflammatory infiltration and inspissated secretions the cysts were suspected to have been formed by the ball-valve phenomen. However, no definite evidence was obtained.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.633-638
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• 2000

Pulmonary mucormycosis is an opportunistic infection in patients with severe underlying illness such as immunocompromised diseases or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. While patients with leukemia and lymphoma usually present with diffuse parenchymal disease, diabetic patients usually have a localized endobronchial disease involving central airways. We report upon a case of pulmonary mucormycosis in diabetes mellitus patient presenting as an endobronchial mass, which was cured with antifungal therapy, rigid bronchoscopic mass removal and right pneumonectomy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.72-77
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• 2004

Background : A tracheobronchial obstruction in lung cancer is associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, and recurrent respiratory infection. It is well known that one of standard treatments is photodynamic therapy (PDT) in tracheobronchial obstruction after radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and/or surgery. We reported here the role of PDT in airway obstruction in patients advanced lung cancer. Method : Pre-treatment protocol consisted of clinical, radiologic, and bronchoscopic examination, pulmonary function test, and assessment of Karnofsky performance status. A 2 mg/kg of porfimer sodium was injected intravenously, and then followed by cylindrical and/or interstitial irradiation with 630 nm of laser after 48 hours. The repeated bronchoscopy for debridement of necrotic tissue and re-illumination was performed after 48 hours. Result : Improved airway obstruction and selective tumor necrosis were achieved by photodynamic therapy in all cases. Dyspnea and performance status were improved in three cases. A purulent sputum, fever and hemoptysis were improved in one of five cases. After PDT, all patients showed temporarily aggravation of dyspnea, two of five showed febrile reaction for a few days and nobody presented photosensitivity reaction, hemoptysis and respiratory failure. Conclusion : Our experiences of PDT are effective in palliation of inoperable advanced lung cancer in terms of tracheobronchial obstruction.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.374-380
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• 2004

Although exophytic endobronchial lesions can readily be diagnosed by routine forceps biopsy through the fiberoptic bronchoscope, submucosal or peribronchial tumor can be difficult to diagnose. So we evaluated the diagnostic utility of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) through the fiberoptic bronchoscope in patients presenting with endoscopic abnormalities suggestive of submucosal or peribronchial tumor. Patients and Methods : Retrospective review of 120 lung cancer patients who were found to have the lesions suggestive of peribronchial and submucosal tumor during fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed from Jan. 1994 to Dec. 2002 at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine. Results : Forcep biopsy was positive in 63 cases (52.5%) and TBNA in 91 (75.8%), which was significantly better than forcep biopsy (p=0.001). The combination of forceps biopsy and TBNA was positive in 106 cases (88.3%), which was significantly better than forceps biopsy alone (p=0.0001). The difference of TBNA yield according to cell type or bronchoscopic appearance of lesion was not significant, but it showed the relatively better result in small cell carcinoma. Conclusions : We concluded that TBNA significantly increase the yield over forcep biopsy alone in the detection of submucosal or peribronchial bronchogenic carcinoma.