• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.140-147
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• 1994

Reconstruction of the pharynx and cervical esophagus presents a tremendous challenges to surgeons. Over the past 2 years[1990, Dec.-1993, Jun], the free jejunal graft has been performed in 17 cases in Korea Cancer Center Hospital.The indications of this procedures were almost malignant neoplasms involving neck and upper aero-digestive tract; Hypopharyngeal cancer[12 cases, including 2 recurrent cases], laryngeal cancer[2 cases], thyroid cancer[2 cases, including 1 recurrent case], cervical esophageal cancer[1 case]. There were fifteen men and two women, and the mean age was 59.6 years. The anastomosis site of jejunal artery were common carotid artery[16 cases] or external carotid artery[1 case] and that of jejunal vein were internal jegular [15 cases] or facial[1 case] and superior thyroid vein[1 case]. The length of jejunal graft was from 9 cm to 17 cm[mean 13 cm] and the mean ischemic time was 68 minutes. There was one hospital mortality which was irrelevant to procedures[variceal bleeding] and one graft failure[1/16]. Other postoperative complications were neck bleeding or hematoma[3 cases], abdominal wound infection or disruption[5 cases], anastomosis site leakage[1 case], pneumonia[2 cases], graft vein thrombosis[1 case], and food aspiration[1 case]. The function of conduit was excellent and ingestion of food was possible in nearly all cases. Postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy was also applicable without problem in 7 cases. During follow-up periods, the anastomosis site stenosis developed in four patients, and the tracheal stoma was narrowed in one case but easily overcome with dilation. In conclusion, we think that the free jejunal graft is one of the excellent reconstruction methods of upper digestive tract, especially after radical resection of malignant neoplasm in neck with a high success rate and low mortality and morbidity rate.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.269-274
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• 2014

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of reoperation with curative intent for the treatment of anastomotic recurrent gastric cancer. Methods: Ten patients with anastomotic recurrence of gastric cancer who underwent reoperation from November 1995 to February 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. The time interval between the first operation and reoperation, recurrence pattern, type of surgery, survival, and postoperative outcome were analyzed. Results: The average time to recurrence after initial surgery was 48.8 months (median, 23.5 months). Of the ten patients, eight (80.0%) had recurrence at the esophagojejunostomy, one (10.0 %) at the esophagogastrostomy, and two (20.0%) at the esophagus. Among these patients, five had combined metastasis or invasion to major organs in addition to anastomotic recurrence. Complete resection was achieved in five patients (50.0%), and incomplete resection or bypass surgery was performed in the remaining five patients (50.0%). The overall median survival time was 7.0 months (range, 2.2 to 105.5 months). The median survival time following complete resection and palliative surgery (incomplete resection or bypass surgery) was 28.1 months (range, 4.2 to 105.5 months) and 5.5 months (range, 2.2 to 7.5 months), respectively. Conclusion: Surgical resection of anastomotic recurrent gastric cancer should be implemented only in selected patients in whom complete resection is possible.

• Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research
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• v.95 no.6
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• pp.297-302
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• 2018

Purpose: Increased robotic surgery is attended by increased reports of complications, largely due to limited operative view and lack of tactile sense. These kinds of obstacles, which seldom occur in open surgery, are challenging for beginner surgeons. To enhance robotic surgery safety, we created an augmented reality (AR) model of the organs around the thyroid glands, and tested the AR model applicability in robotic thyroidectomy. Methods: We created AR images of the thyroid gland, common carotid arteries, trachea, and esophagus using preoperative CT images of a thyroid carcinoma patient. For a preliminary test, we overlaid the AR images on a 3-dimensional printed model at five different angles and evaluated its accuracy using Dice similarity coefficient. We then overlaid the AR images on the real-time operative images during robotic thyroidectomy. Results: The Dice similarity coefficients ranged from 0.984 to 0.9908, and the mean of the five different angles was 0.987. During the entire process of robotic thyroidectomy, the AR images were successfully overlaid on the real-time operative images using manual registration. Conclusion: We successfully demonstrated the use of AR on the operative field during robotic thyroidectomy. Although there are currently limitations, the use of AR in robotic surgery will become more practical as the technology advances and may contribute to the enhancement of surgical safety.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.952-960
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• 2003

It has been reported that p53 regulates the G2-M checkpoint transition through cyclin Bl, and it has been suggested that p53 plays an important role in the development and progression of various malignancies. The aim of this study is to clarify the role of the cell cycle regulators, cyclin B1 and p53 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Material and Method: Tissue samples from 46 patients with ESCC were included in this study. Expression levels of cyclin Bl and p53 in samples of normal squamous epithelium, dysplasia, and tumor cells from patients with ESCC were analyzed by immunohistochemical study Result: Several cells in the basement layer of normal epithelium expressed cyclin B1. The number of cyclin B1 positive cells tended to increase as the degree of dysplasia increased from low grade to high grade. More than 10% of tumor cells were cyclin B1 positive in 19 patients (41.3%). Several clinicopathologic parameters, including tumor stage (p<0.05), pathologic Iymph node status (p<0.05) and invasion of Iymphatic vessels (p<0.05), were correlated with the overexpression of cyclin B1. Elevated expression levels of cyclin B1 also correlated with a poor prognosis in patient with ESCC in univariate analysis (p<0.05) and multivariate analysis (p<0.05), In contrast, p53 expression exhibited significant correlation with the level of cyclin B1 expression, but was not associated with prognostic parameters in patients with ESCC. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cyclin B1 is involved in the pathogenesis of carcinoma of the esophagus and that elevated levels of cyclin B1 expression, but not p53 expression, may indicate a poor prognosis for patients with ESCC.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.843-850
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• 2007

Background: The Ivor-Lewis operation has been widely applied for treating thoracic esophageal cancer, but more acceptable results from three-field lymph node dissection have recently been reported. In this study the efficacy of the Ivor-Lewis operation was evaluated. Material and Method: Among the 273 patients, who underwent operation for esophageal cancer between September 1994 and August 2004, we retrospectively studied 172 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and who had no other primary cancer and who underwent complete resection with an Ivor-Lewis operation. The postoperative complications, the short and long-term survival and the recurrence patterns were analyzed. Result: The postoperative staging was as follows: stage I in 40 cases, IIA in 48 cases, IIB in 18 cases, III in 55 cases, IVA in 5 cases and IVB in 6 cases. The operative mortality rate was 4% (7 of 172 pts). Postoperative complication occurred in 32 patients (18%) and tumor recurred in 55 patients (32%). The overall 5-year survival rate was 48%; it was 85.6% in stage I patients, 47.6% in IIA patients, 65% in IIB patients, 22.8% in III patients and 0% for those in IV (p<0.05). The 5-year survival rate according to the location of esophageal cancer was 26.5% for patients with tumor in the upper 1/3 of the esophagus and 52.4% for patients with tumor in the mid and lower 1/3 (p>0.05). Conclusion: The Ivor-Lewis operation is an acceptable surgical procedure for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Yet it is necessary to consider other surgical procedures, and especially three-field lymph node dissection for treating upper 1/3 esophageal cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.6
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• pp.482-485
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• 2009

The middle mediastinum contains several important organs and pluripotent cells. It is difficult to make a definitive diagnosis in patients with middle mediastinal tumors due to a wide range of diseases. The likelihood of malignancy is influenced primarily by the following factors: patient age, size, tumor location, and the presence or absence of symptoms. We describe a case of a middle mediastinal tumor, which was suspected on chest x-ray; chest computed tomography revealed the eccentric mass of distal esophagus. This case emphasizes the diagnostic importance of the chest x-ray to the physicians. The possible differential diagnoses are reviewed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.2 s.247
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• pp.157-163
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• 2005

Background: Clinical outcomes of esophageal cancer have not been satisfactory in spite of the development of surgical skills and protocols of adjuvant therapy. We analyzed the results of corrective surgical patients for esophageal cancer from January 1992 to July 2002. Material and Method: Among 129 patients with esophageal cancer, this study was performed in 68 patients who received corrective surgery. The ratio of sex was 59 : 9 (male : female) and mean age was $61.07\pm7.36$ years old. Chief complaints of this patients were dysphagia, epigastric pain and weight loss, etc. The locations of esophageal cancer were 4 in upper esophagus, 36 in middle, 20 in lower, 8 in esophagogastric junction. 60 patients had squamous cell cancer and 7 had adenocarcinoma, and 1 had malignant melanoma. Five patients had neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Result: The postoperative stage I, IIA, IIB, III, IV patients were 7, 25, 12, 17 and 7, respectively. The conduit for replacement of esophagus were stomach (62 patients) and colon (6 patients). The neck anastomosis was performed in 28 patients and intrathoracic anastomosis in 40 patients. The technique of anastomosis were hand sewing method (44 patients) and stapling method (24 patients). One of the early complications was anastomosis leakage (3 patients) which had only radiologic leakage that recovered spontaneously. The anastomosis technique had no correlation with postoperative leakage, which stapling method (2 patients) and hand sewing method (1 patient). There were 3 respiratory failures, 6 pneumonia, 1 fulminant hepatitis, 1 bleeding and 1 sepsis. The 2 early postoperative deaths were fulminant hepatitis and sepsis. Among 68 patients, 23 patients had postoperative adjuvant therapy and 55 paitents were followed up. The follow up period was $23.73\pm22.18$ months ($1\~76$ month). There were 5 patients in stage I, 21 in stage 2A, 9 in stage IIB, 15 in stage III and 5 in stage IV. The 1, 3, 5 year survival rates of the patients who could be followed up completely was $58.43\pm6.5\%,\;35.48\pm7.5\%\;and\;18.81\pm7.7\%$, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that long-term survival difference was associated with a stage, T stage, and N stage (p<0.05) but not associated with histology, sex, anastomosis location, tumor location, and pre and postoperative adjuvant therapy. Conclusion: The early diagnosis, aggressive operative resection, and adequate postoperative treatment may have contributed to the observed increase in survival for esophageal cancer patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.6 s.251
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• pp.428-433
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• 2005

Advanced age in Esophagectomy increases the risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality. However, the recent development of operative technique and perioperative care might have decreased the postoperative morbidity and mortality after esophagectomy. Material and Method: From March 2001 to July 2004, 174 patients underwent esophageal resection for esophageal cancer in the Center for Lung Cancer, National Cancer Center. The patients were divided into two groups : group 1 consisted of 27 patients aged 70 years or more, and group 2 consisted of 147 patients under 70 years of age. The two groups were compared according to preoperative risk factors, postoperative morbidity, operative mortality and survival. Result: The mean age was 63_4. There were 159 men. On histopathological examination, $93.1\%$ had squamous cell carcinoma. On the locations, $78.7\%$ were in mid and lower esophagus. Curative resections for esophageal cancer were possible in $162(93.1\%)$ patients. Mean hospital stay was 19.4 days with out difference between the groups. The overall postoperative morbidity were occurred in 61 patients $(35.1\%)$. The most frequent morbidity was pulmonary complication in $30(17.2\%)$. Preoperative incidence of hypertension, cardiac and pulmonary dysfunction were more common in Group I. However, there was no difference in overall postoperative morbidity, operative mortality and survival rate between the two groups. Conclusion: Esophagectomy for esophageal cancer could be carried out safely in patients over 70 years of age with satisfactory short-term results. Advanced age is no longer a risk factor for esophagectomy.