• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 2019

Traumatic diaphragmatic injuries (TDIs) are a rare complication in thoraco-abdominal trauma. The diagnosis is difficult and if left untreated, TDI can cause traumatic diaphragmatic hernia (TDH). Through an injured diaphragm, the liver, spleen, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine can be herniated to the thoracic cavity, but pancreatic herniation and pancreatitis are quite rare in TDH. This paper reports a case of pancreatitis developed by additional trauma in a patient with asymptomatic chronic TDH. A 58-year-old male visited the emergency department with a left abdominal injury after a fall 6 hours earlier. The vital signs were stable, but the amylase and lipase levels were elevated to 558 U/L and 1,664 U/L, respectively. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a left diaphragmatic hernia and an incarceration of the stomach, pancreatic ductal dilatation, and peripancreatic fatty infiltration. Additional history taking showed that he had suffered a fall approximately 20 years ago and had an accidentally diaphragmatic hernia through a chest CT 6 months earlier. A comparison with the previous CT revealed the pancreatitis to be caused by secondary pancreatic ductal obstruction due to the incarcerated stomach. For pancreatitis, gastrointestinal decompression was performed, and after 3 days, the pancreatic enzyme was normalized; hence, a thoracotomy was performed. A small ruptured diaphragm was found and reposition of the organs was performed. This paper reports the experience of successfully treating pancreatitis and pancreatic hernia developed after trauma without complications through a thoracotomy following gastrointestinal decompression.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.229-234
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• 2017

Rib fractures are a common injury resulting from blunt chest trauma. The most important complications associated with rib fractures include death, pneumonia, and the need for mechanical ventilation. The development of new osteosynthesis materials has stimulated increased interest in the surgical treatment of rib fractures. Surgical stabilisation, however, is not needed for every patient with rib fractures or for every patient with flail chest. This paper presents an easy-to-use evidence-based algorithm, developed by the authors, for the treatment of patients with flail chest and isolated rib fractures.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.9-12
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• 2014

Violent or severe persistent coughing is rarely associated with rib fracture. We report a rare case of a cough-induced rib fracture in a patient without any traumatic history or any other underlying disease. A 32-year-old female presented to the emergency department complaining of having had right-sided pleuritic chest pain for 5 days. She had a background of an 8-week coughing illness. A posteroanterior view of the chest radiograph showed no definite fractured line. Chest computed tomography revealed a subtle break cortical line of the 7th rib in the right-sided chest wall. Early identification of a cough-induced fracture of the rib by using computed tomography may avoid unnecessary further work-ups including laboratory examination and may lead to appropriate discharge instructions including rest and reassurance. The clinical presentations and radiologic findings of rib fractures caused by coughing are presented along with a review of the literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.230-233
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• 2013

While a diaphragmatic rupture commonly results from trauma to the abdomen and chest, a spontaneous diaphragmatic rupture is very rare. A 68-year-old male presented with chest pain that had originated while doing farm work in a squatting position. Images revealed a 5 cm defect of the left diaphragmatic dome, and the entire stomach was displaced into the thorax. The diaphragmatic defect was round and half had a well-demarcated margin. The remaining fragile tissue was completely excised and was closed primarily. The patient was uneventfully discharged and resumed with a normal diet 10 days after the operation.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.256-261
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) on the clinical parameters in trauma patients. Methods: From January 2011 to March 2013, the records of a total of 102 trauma patients with BAC data were analyzed retrospectively. The revised trauma score (RTS), injury severity score (ISS), presence of shock, use of mechanical ventilation and blood transfusion, length of hospital stay, and mortality were collected. Patients were divided into four groups in accordance with the level of BAC: group A (<100 mg/dL), B (100~200 mg/dL), C (200~250 mg/dL), and D (>250 mg/dL). Patients were also divided into two groups depending on the presence of the shock, and gender, ISS, BAC, and presence of active bleeding were compared between these two groups. Results: No statistically significant differences in the ISS, RTS, presence of active bleeding, use of mechanical ventilation, and mortality were noted between groups A to D. However, the presence of shock was significantly higher in group D. After patients with severe chest injuries had been excluded, mechanical ventilation was found to have been applied more frequently in the higher BAC groups (C and D). A logistic regression analysis of these factors showed that extremely high BAC (>250 mg/dL) was an independent indicator of shock. Conclusion: High BAC is a predicator of shock and the need for mechanical ventilation in patients with trauma, regardless of injury severity. Alcohol intoxication leads to an overestimate of the clinical condition and aggressive management for trauma patients. Thus, a guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of patients intoxicated with alcohol is necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.241-246
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• 2018

Alexander the Great was a world-class leader with tremendous courage. He paid no heed to the dangers of the battlefield, so he was always in the front lines. However, his excessive courage put his life in danger. Herein, we present an analysis of the information contained in the chronicles about a very severe, life-threatening thoracic trauma that nearly killed the great stratelates. The detailed descriptions made by Arrianus allow us to conclude that Alexander the Great experienced a nearly fatal case of tension pneumothorax. Information on how he was managed is also presented.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 1992

From March 1986 to March 1991, 29 patients were operated due to cardiac tamponade at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Masan Koryo General Hospital. Among them, 19cases were traumatic origin and 10 were Non traumatic origin. A] Traumatic cardiac tamponade Out of 19 cases, 12 cases were resulted from penetrating injury and 7 cases from trauma. Average time interval from arrival to operation was 91 minutes[15min.~8.5hr.] in penetrating injury group. On the other hand, average time of in cases of blunt trauma was more than 3hours because of the difficulties in diagnosis. Four deaths occured in 19 cases [mortality rate: 21.1%] 3 in blunt trauma group[42.9%] and 1 in penetrating group[8.3%]. In view of our experience, the prognosis was closely correlated with injury mode, initial vital sign and mental status. There was no close correlation between prognosis and cardiac injury site. B] Non traumatic cardiac tamponade The etiologies were malignancy[4], non-spesific pericarditis[3], tuberculosis[1], pyogenic[1] and cardiomyopathy[1]. All of the cases in which performed tube pericardiostomy were the cases that showed no response to conservative treatment and repeat per-icardiocentesis. There was one posoperative death.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.52-59
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• 1980

Twelve cases of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries were treated at the Chosun University Hospital from Feb. 1977 to Inn. 1980. The following results were obtained. l. Sex ratio incidence was 5:1, which male patients were predominant. 2. The age distribution at these cases, were ranged from 16 to 43 years of age, and average age was 27 years. 3. Left sided traumatic diaphragmatic injuries were far more common than right, which approximately incidence of 5:1 diaphragmatic injuries were due to blunt trauma [7 cases-traffic accident, 1 case-fall down], and stab wound [4 cases] in etiology. 4. Surgical repairs were done through only thoracotomy incision in blunt trauma cases, and through each thoracic and abdominal incision same time in 2 cases of stab wound. 5. 2 cases {16.7%] of blunt trauma were died before operation at emergency room, and no man died during or following operation. An overall mortality was 16.7%.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.429-432
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• 2021

Isolated iliac artery aneurysm (IAA) is rare, but can be fatal. Emergency surgery is performed in cases of hemorrhagic shock due to a suddenly ruptured IAA, which may have a high mortality rate because of massive non-compressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH). Recently, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has been accepted as an alternative to aortic cross-clamping via open thoracotomy to achieve hemostasis in trauma patients with profound shock due to NCTH and is considered an emerging bridging therapy for damage control. However, there is limited information on the use of REBOA in non-trauma patients with shock. Herein, we describe a patient with impending cardiac arrest due to isolated ruptured IAA, in whom perioperative bleeding was successfully controlled by REBOA.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.264-268
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• 2020

A 55-year-old man underwent emergent sternotomy due to cardiac tamponade occurring just after an accidental fall from a 10-m height. Tricuspid valve regurgitation was found on echocardiography while he was on mechanical ventilation after the operation. The patient was weaned successfully from mechanical ventilation after tricuspid valve repair under cardiopulmonary bypass. Traumatic tricuspid valve regurgitation is a rare blunt chest injury and its symptoms occur late. Tricuspid regurgitation should be considered as a reason for failure to wean from mechanical ventilation after blunt cardiac trauma.