• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 1999

Purpose : This study evaluated early bowel complications in cervix cancer patients, following external radiotherapy (ERT and high dose rate intracavitary radiation (HDR ICR). Factors affecting the risk of developing early bowel complications and its incidence are analyzed and discussed Materials and Methods : The study is the retrospective review of 66 patients who received radiotherapy at Chungbuk National University Hospital from April 1994 to December 1998. The patients underwent 41.4 or 50.4 Gy ERT according to FIGO stage and tumor size, then A point dose was boosted to 71.4 or 74.4 Gy using a remotely controlled afterloading Buchler HDR ICR. The EORTC/RTOG morbidity criteria were used to grade early bowel complications, which are valid from day 1, the commencement of therapy, through day 90. The actuarial incidence, severity of complications were investigated and clinical pretreatment factors relevant to complications were found through univariate (Wilcoxon) and multivariate (Cox proportional hazard model) analysis. Results : Of the 66 patients, 30 patients (46$\%$) developed early bowel complications; 25 patients (38$\%$) with grade 1 or 2, 4 patients (0$\%$) with grade 3 and 1 patient (2$\%$) with grade 4. The complications usually began to occur 3 weeks after the commencement of radiotherapy. The actuarial incidence of early bowel complications was 41$\%$ at 10 weeks. The early bowel complications were associated significantly with an old age and a history of previous abdomino-pelvic surgery. All three patients who had a protracted overall treatment time (about 2 weeks) due to severe bowel complication, suffered from pelvic recurrences. Conclusion : Forty six percent of patients experienced early bowel complications, most of which were grade 1 or 2 and relieved spontaneously or by medication. The patients with an old age or a previous surgery have a high probability of early complications and they may be less compliant with planned radiotherapy. So more careful precaution is necessary for these patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2000

Purpose :We peformed the retrospective analysis to find the outcome of external beam radiotherapy alone in advanced esophageal cancer patients. Methods and Materials : One hundred and six Patients treated with external beam radiotherapy alone between July 1990 and December 1996 were analyzed retrospectively. We limited the site of the lesions to the thoracic esophagus and cell type to the squamous cell carcinoma. Follow-up was completed in 100 patients (94$\%$) and ranged from 1 month to 92 months (median; 6 months). Results :The median age was 62 years old and male to female ratio was 104 2. Fifty-three percent was the middle thorax lesion and curative radiotherapy was peformed in 83$\%$. Mean tumor dose delivered with curative aim was 58.6 Gy (55$\~$70.8 Gy) and median duration of the radiation therapy was 53 days. The median survival of all patients was 6 months and )-year and 2-year overall survival rate was 27$\%$ and 12$\%$, respectively, Improvement of dysphagia was obtained in most patients except for 7 patients who underwent feeding gastrostomy. The complete response rate immediately after radiation therapy was 32$\%$ (34/106). The median survival and 2-year survival rate of the complete responder was 14 months and 30$\%$ respectively, while those of the nonresponder was 4 months and 0$\%$ respectively (p=0.000). The median survival and 2-year survival rate of the patients who could tolerate regular diet was 9 months and 16$\%$ while those of the patients who could not tolerate regular diet was 3 months and 0$\%$, respectively (p=0.004). The survival difference between the patients with S cm or less tumor length and those with more than 5 cm tumor length was marginally statistically significant (u=0,06). However, the survival difference according to the periesophageal invasion or mediastinal tyrnphadenopathy in the chest CT imaging study was not statistically significant in this study. In a multivariate analysis, the statistically significant covariates to the survival were complete response to radiotherapy, tumor length, and initial degree of dysphagia in a decreasing order. The complication was observed in 10 patients (9$\%$). Conclusion :The survival outcome for advanced esophageal cancer patients treated by external beam radiotherapy alone was very poor. In the treatment of these patients, the brachytherapy and chemotherapy should be added to improve the treatment outcome.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.206-212
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• 2007

Purpose: Heterotopic ossification is a well-known postoperative and post-traumatic complication of the elbow. We reviewed the treatment outcome for the use of low-dose radiation after surgical intervention of the elbow to prevent recurrence of heterotopic ossification (HO). Materials and Methods: Forty-five patients with HO underwent surgical intervention and postoperative radiotherapy of the elbow. The median age of the patients was 29 years ($16{\sim}75$ years), and 27 of the patients were men and 18 were women. The occurrence of HO was mainly due to surgery after fracture (24/45) and traumatic injury (21/45). Limitation of the range of motion (ROM) was the most common symptom of the patients. Thirty-four patients received postoperative radiotherapy with a dose of 8 Gy in 2 fractions; 5 patients received a dose of 10 Gy in 5 fractions and 6 patients received a dose of 7 Gy in 1 fraction. Postoperative radiotherapy was given on the first two postoperative days for most of the patients. Sixteen patients were not given anti-inflammatory medication and 29 patients were given NSAIDs for $1{\sim}8$ months. Results: After a median follow-up period of 18 months (range $6{\sim}72$ months), 41 patients showed clinical improvement and two patients did not show improvement. Assessment of the ROM showed a mean improvement from $0{\sim}135^{\circ}$ to $60{\sim}145^{\circ}$ (p=0.028), and assessment of the functional outcome according to MEPI was from ($15{\sim}95$) to ($80{\sim}100$) (p<0.0001). Two of the 34 patients that were followed-up with radiography had mild radiological recurrence of heterotopic ossification. No complications were observed after the radiotherapy. Conclusion: These results suggested that low-dose radiation administered after surgical intervention is safe and effective to prevent the recurrence of HO in the elbow.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2008

Purpose: The best treatment for advanced esophageal cancer is chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. In spite of the advance of multimodality therapy, most patients with esophageal cancer are treated with radiation therapy alone. This study reports the outcome of the use of conventional external beam radiotherapy alone for the treatment of esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods: Between January 1998 and December 2005, 30 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were treated with external beam radiotherapy using a total dose exceeding 40 Gy. Radiotherapy was delivered with a total dose of 44-60 Gy(median dose, 57.2 Gy) over $36{\sim}115$ days(median time, 45 days). Thirteen patients(43.3%) had a history of disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, lye stricture, asthma, cerebral infarct, and cancers. Four patients metachronously had double primary cancers. The most common location of a tumor was the mid-thoracic portion of the esophagus(56.7%). Tumor lengths ranged from 2 cm to 11 cm, with a median length of 6 cm. For AJCC staging, stage III was the most common (63.3%). Five patients had metastases at diagnosis. Results: The median overall survival was 8.3 months. The survival rates at 1-year and 2-years were 33.3% and 18.7%, respectively. The complete response rate $1{\sim}3$ months after radiotherapy was 20%(6/30) and the partial response rate was 70%(21/30). Sixteen patients(53.3%) had an improved symptom of dysphagia. Significant prognostic factors were age, tumor length, stage, degree of dysphagia at the time of diagnosis and tumor response. Cox regression analysis revealed the aim of treatment, clinical tumor response and tumor length as independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Twenty-eight patients had local failure and another four patients had metastases. Three patients were detected with double primary cancers in this analysis. A complication of esophageal stricture was observed in three patients(10%), and radiation pneumonitis occurred in two patients(6.7%). Conclusion: The prognosis of esophageal cancer remains poor, in spite of advances in radiotherapy techniques. Radiotherapy is one of the main treatment modalities for the relief of dysphagia and treatment related complications are minimal. It is expected that the addition of chemotherapy or another systemic modality to radiotherapy will improve tumor control and increase the survival rate in advanced esophageal cancer.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.92-101
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• 2000

Purpose : We analyzed the demogaphic data md clinical course of Korean children with chronic renal failure (CRF) observed between 1990 and 1999. Patients and Methods : Questionnaires were mailed to all children's hospitals ail through the country. We asked for primary renal disease age and serum creatinine levels at first presentation with CRF and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and modes of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Results : 401 children (254 boys, 147 girls) with CRF, defined as a permanent increase of serum creatinine above 1.2 mg/dl for at least 3 months or until death, were identified. This represents an incidence of 3.68 per million child population per year. Of these patients, 22$\%$ on younger than 5 years, 28$\%$ 5 to 10 years and 50$\%$ 10 to 15 year. Eight five $\%$ of the patients could be classified with a primary renal disease. The most frequent cause is glomerulonephritis (36$\%$), followed by chronic pyelonephritis (21$\%$), renal hrpo/dylplasia (9$\%$), and hereditary nephropathies (7$\%$). Reflux nephropathy (16$\%$) was the most common single cause of CRF. ESRD was reached in 70$\%$ of all patient. 99.3$\%$ of these started RRT. Hemodialysis (HD, 42$\%$), peritoneal dialysis (PD, 35$\%$) and transplantation (TP, 23$\%$) were performed as the initial mode of RRT. A total of 161 TPs were performed (159 first grafts, 2 second grafts). A total of 32 patients died. The main causes of death were dialysis related complication in HD patients and infections in PD patients. Survival rate on any form of RRT was 88.7$\%$ during the mean follow-up period of 37 months. Conclusion Major efforts should be directed toward earlier diagnosis and treatment of reflux nephropathy to prevent occurrence of Of. Dialysis and TP have now become well accepted forms of treatment in Korean children with ESRD.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.10 s.267
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• pp.754-758
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• 2006

Background: Surgical role for acute coronary syndrome has been reduced in recent years due to development of drug eluting stent. We evaluated the surgical results of acute coronary syndrome in our hospital. Material and Method: Between January 2001 and August 2005, 416 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) under diagnosis of non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE ACS). Mean age was $61.8{\pm}9.0$ years and 276 (66.3%) patients were male. 324 (77.9%) patients had triple vessel disease and 92 (22.1%) had left main disease at angiographic study. 236 (56.7%) patients had hypertension and 174 (41.8%) had diabetes mellitus. Conventional on-pump CABG was performed in 194 patients (46.6%) and off-pump CABG in 222 (53.4%). Total arterial revascularization with no touch technique was done in 97 patients (23.3%). The number of total distal anastomosis was 1,306 and the number per patient was $3.21{\pm}1.71$. Result: Surgical mortality rate was 1.0% (4 patients) and postoperative complication rate was 15.6% (65 patients). Graft patency was checked at mean $3.7{\pm}7.6$ months (from 1 to 37 months) postoperatively with multi-directional computed tomography in 152 patients. Left internal mammary artery was patent in 95.3%, right internal mammary artery in 98.1%, radial artery in 92.2% and saphenous vein in 89.0%. Conclusion: The surgical treatment of NSTE ACS showed relatively low mortality rate and good graft patency rate. Further study is needed to compare the long term results with drug eluting stent.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.7 s.252
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• pp.476-482
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• 2005

Recently, coronary artery obstructive disease and coronary artery bypass graft surgery have increased, and the operative result has been improved. We reviewed 154 cases of coronary artery bypass graft surgery from Jan. 1985 to Jun. 2004. Material and Method: We reviewed 148 patients, 154 cases of coronary artery bypass surgery from Jan. 1985 to Jun. 2004. This investigation is designed to illustrate the preoperative diagnosis, severity of disease, operative method, the kind of used bypass graft used, number of distal anasomosis, associated surgery, and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Result: There were 84 males, 64 females and the average age was $58.9\pm8.3$ years old. Preoperative clinical diagnosis were unstable angina in 97 cases $(63.0\%)$, stable angina in 31 cases $(20.1\%)$, acute myocardial infarction in 12 cases $(7.8\%)$ and postinfartion angina in 14 cases $(9.1\%)$. Preoperative angiographic diagnosis were three-vessel disease in 68 $(44.2\%)$, two-vessel disease in 39 $(25.3\%)$, one-vessel disease in 35$(22.7\%)$, and left main disease in 12$(7.8\%)$ cases. There were 78 cases of on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery and 76 cases of off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The total distal anastomoses number was 319, mean number of anastomoses was $2.06\pm0.96$. There were 10 concomitant procedures. Postoperative intra-aortic balloon pump was used in 21$(13.6\%)$ cases, but only 4 cases were used at off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. Total early mortality was $7.8\%$. The mortality was decreased as $4.5\%$ from Jan. 2001 to Jun. 2004. Post operative complication was perioperative yocardial infarction in 9cases$(5.8\%)$, low cardiac output syndrome in 17 cases$(11\%)$, and arrhythmia in 30 cases$(19.5\%)$ cases. Conclusion: Since 1985, The result of coronary artery bypass graft surgery has been improved because of more refined technique, use of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery, use of internal thoracic artery and radial artery as bypass graft. We should study the long-term follow up more for better operative results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2003

The Fontan operation has undergone a number of major modifications and clinical results have been improving over time. Nevertheless, during the follow-up period, life-threatening complications develop and affect the long-term outcomes. Surgical interventions for these complications are needed and are increasing. Material and Method: From April 1988 to January 2000, 16 patients underwent reoperations for complications after Fontan operation. The mean age at reoperation was 8.8 :-5.5 years. Initial Fontan operations were atriopulmonary connections in 8 and total cavopulmonary connections in 8. Total cavopulmonary connections were accomplished with intracardiac lateral tunnel in 5 and extracardiac epicardial lateral tunnel in 3. Five patients had variable sized fenestrations. The reasons for reoperations included residual shunt in 6, pulmonary venous obstruction in 3, atrial flutter in 3, atrioventricular valve regurgitation in 2, Fontan pathway stenosis in 1, and protein-losing enteropathy in 1 Result: There were 3 early and late deaths respectively Patients who had residual shunts underwent primary closure of shunt site (n=2), atrial reseptation for separation between systemic and pulmonary vein (n=2), conversion to lateral tunnel (n=1), and conversion to one and a half ventricular repair (n=1). Four patients who had stenotic lesion of pulmonary vein or Fontan pathway underwent widening of the lesion (n=3) and left pneumonectomy (n=1) In cases of atrial flutter, conversion to lateral tunnel after revision of atriopulmonary connections was performed (n=3). For the atrioventricular valve regurgitation (n=2), we performed a replacement with mechanical valve. In one patient who had developed protein-losing enteropathy, aorto-pulmonary collateral arteries were obliterated via thoracotomy. Cryoablation was performed concomitantly in 4 patients as an additional treatment modality of atrial arrhythmia. Conclusion: Complications after Fontan operation are difficult to manage and have a considerable morbidity and mortality. However, more accurate understanding of Fontan physiology and technical advancement increased the possibility of treatment for such complications as well as Fontan operation itself. Appropriate surgical treatment for these patients relieved the symptoms and improved the functional class, Although the results were not satisfactory enough in all patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 2002

This study was undertaken to analyze the outcome of composite valve graftreplacement(CVGR) for the treatment of aneurysms of the ascending aorta involving the aortic root. Material and Method: Between April 1995 and June 2001, 56 patients had replacement of the ascending aorta and aortic root with a composite graft valve and were reviewed retrospectively. Aortic regurgitation was present in 50 patients(89%), Marfan's syndrome in 18 patients(32%), and bicuspid aortic valve in 7(12.5%). The indications for operation were annuloaortic ectasia(AAE) in 30 patients(53.6%), aortic dissection in 13(23.2%), aneurysms of the ascending aorta involving aortic root in 11(19.6%), and aortitis in 2(3.6%). Cardiogenic shock due to the aortic rupture was present in 2 patients. Nine patients(16%) had previous operations on the ascending aorta or open heart surgery. The operative techniques used for CVGR were the aortic button technique in 51 patients(91%), the modified Cabrol technique in 4, and the classic Bentall technique in 1. The concomitant procedures were aortic arch replacement in 24 patients(43%), coronary artery bypass graft in 8(14.3%), mitral valve repair in 2, redo mitral valve replacement in 1, and the others in 7 The mean time of circulatory arrest, total bypass, and aortic crossclamp were 21$\pm$14 minutes, 186$\pm$68 minutes, and 132$\pm$42 minutes, respectively. Result: Early mortality was 1.8%(1/56). The postoperative complications were left ventricular dysfunction in 16 patients(28.6%), reoperation for bleeding in 7(12.5%), pericardial effusion in 2, and the others in 7. Fifty-three patients out of 55 hospital survivors were followed up for a mean of 23.2 $\pm$ 18.7 months(1-75 months). There were two late deaths(3.8%) including one death due to the traumatic cerebral hemorrhage, and CVGR-related late mortality was 1.9%. The 1- and 6-year actuarial survival was 98.1$\pm$1.9% and 93.2$\pm$5.1%, respectively. Two patients required reoperation for complication of CYGR(3.8%) and two other patients required subsequent operations for dissection of the remaining thoracoabdominal aorta. The 1- and 6-year actuarial freedom from reoperation was 97.8$\pm$2.0% and 65.3$\pm$26.7%, respectively.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.267-272
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• 2003

Background: Common treatment modalities for tracheal stenosis include conservative methods such as repeated balloon dilatation, removal of obstructive material through bronchoscopy and T-tube insertion as well as operative treatment methods. Recent advances in surgical approaches through tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis have been reported to give better functional and anatomical results. Material and Method: Between March 1990 and July 2002, 41 patients who received tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis at Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan were studied retrospectively. Result: The causes for tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis included 26 cases of postintubation stenosis, 10 cases of primary tracheal tumors (3 benign, 7 malignant), 1 case of endobronchial tuberculosis, 2 cases of traumatic rupture, and 2 cases of tracheal invasion of a thyroid cancer, Of the 41 patients who received tracheal resection and reconstruction, 29 received tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis, and 12 received laryngotracheal anastomosis with cricoid or thyroid cartilage resection. Four of these patients received supralaryngeal release. The average length of the resected trachea was $3.6{\pm}1.0$cm. Of the 41 patients who received tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis, 30 (73.2%) experienced no postoperative complications, and 8 (19.5%) experienced granulation tissue growth and/or minor infections which improved after conservative management. Good or satisfactory results were therefore achieved in 92.7%. Complications included repeated granulation tissue growth in 7, wound infection in 2, anastomotic site dehiscence in 2, restenosis resulting in dyspnea on exertion in 1, and repeated postoperative aspiration requiring retracheostomy in 1. There was no early postoperative mortality. There were 3 cases of hospital death. Conclusion: In cases of proper length of tracheal lesion, excellent results were obtained after tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis. But, granulation tissue growth is so serious complication, it is necessary for continuous study and efforts to prevent it.