• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.212-218
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• 1980

A severe crushing injury of the chest produce a very striking syndrome referred to as traumatic asphyxia. This syndrome is characterized by bluish-red discoloration of the skin which is limited to the distribution of the valveless veins of the head and neck. And also if it is characterized by bilateral subconjunctival hemorrhages and neurological manifestations. But these clinical entities faded away progressively in a few weeks. Apporximately 90% of the patients who live for more than a few hours will recover from traumatic asphyxia when it occurs as a single entity. And so, death results from either severe associated injuries of from subsequent infection, rather than from pulmonary or cardiac insufficiency in traumatic asphyxia. We have experienced 4 cases of traumatic asphyxia with severe crushing thoracic injuries at department of the chest surgery, Captial Armed forces General Hospital during about 3 years from April 1977 to Aug. 1980. The 1st 22 year-old male was struct 2$\frac{1}{2}$ ton truck on the road and was transferred to this hospital immediately. He had taken tracheostomy due to severe dyspnea with contusion pneumonia and for removal of a large amount of bronchial secretion. The 2nd case was 23 year-old male who was got buried in a chasm. In this case, the heavy metal post tumbled over him back while at work. The 3rd case was 39 year-old male who leapt out of a window in 5th story while fire broke out in living room by oil stove heating. He had multiple rib fracture with right hemothor x and right colle's fracture and pelvic bone fracture. The last 22 year-old male was run over by a gun carriage. The wheel of this gun carriage passed over his thorax and right chin. He was brought to this hospital by helicopter. when he was first examined at emergency room, he was in semicomatose state and has pneurmomediastinum with multiple rib fracture and severe subcutaneous emphysema. As soon as he arrived, bilateral closed thoracostomy was performed and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was done. In hospital 8th weeks, chest series showed fibrothorax in right side even if chest wall stabilized. All 4 cases had multiple petechiae over their facees and chest and bilateral subconjunctival hemorrhages referred to as traumatic asphyxia. 3 cases except one case who received splenectomy, had been suffered from contusion pneumonia and had been treated with respiratory care. In these 3 cases, they had warning of impending injury before accident, and took a deep breath hold it and braces himself. And also, even if he had not impending fear in remaining one case, he had taken a deep breath and had got valsalva maneuver for pulling off the heavy metal post. Intrathoracic pressure rose suddenly and resulted to traumatic asphyxia in this situation. All these cases were recovered completely without sequelae except one fibrothorax, right.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.663-668
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• 2010

Background: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is an uncommon disorder with few cases reported. It usually occurs in young males and has benign self-limiting course without any apparent concomitant factor. It is seen after intrathoracic pressure changes leading to alveolar rupture. The clinical experiences of two medical centers were reviewed to aid in optimal management. Material and Method: Retrospective review between March 2003 and August 2010 with spontaneous pneumomediastinum patients was performed. Result: 24 patients were identified with a diagnosis of spontaneous pneumomediastinum. These 24 patients were comprised of 18 men and 6 women with mean age 18.9 years (range 10 ~ 33). The major initial complaints were chest pain (79.2%), throat pain (62.5%), and subcutaneous emphysema (41.7%). The triggering events were exercise (16.7%), coughing (12.5%) and vomiting (12.5%). No apparent triggering event was noted in 54.2% of patients. In all cases, chest radiograph and computed tomography was done. Diagnostic computed tomography was required in 25%. White blood cell counts and C-reactive protein (CRP) were checked, and their initial mean values were $9,790{\pm}3,240/{\mu}L$ Land $1.31{\pm}1.71mg/dL$, final mean values were $5,440{\pm}1,665/{\mu}L$ Land $0.72{\pm}0.73mg/dL$, respectively. 23 patients were admitted (average $5.0{\pm}1.8$) and the symptoms were self-limiting in all cases without complications. Conclusion: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a benign condition with mild inflammatory signs that often presents with chest or throat pain. Secondary causes must be ruled out to avoid an unfavorable outcome with less invasive study. Because of very rare complications and recurrence, outpatient basis and shortened hospitalization may be feasible.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.290-295
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• 2002

Backgroud: Pneumonectomy carries the possibility of numerous dangerous complications as well as the vast effect the operation itself has on the cardiopulmonary function. Most of operations are done with the insertion of the chest tubes upon completion, but because of the high incidence of pyothorax as its complications, we have tried to analyze and compare the cases without inserting the chest tubes. Material and Method: During a 5 year period from January, 1996 to December 2000, 100 cases, which were operated at the Hanyang University Hospital, were selected using the patient's charts. The age, gender, indication of operation, associated diseases, and operation site(left or right) were classified accordingly and the postoperative complications and mortality were statistically analyzed using the $\chi$ 2-test. After resecting the lung, the intrathoracic pressure was set at -15 ~ -20cm $H_2O$ using the nelaton catheter, and the thoracotomy site was then closed. The gradual collection of the fluid and blood in the thorax of the operated side, as well as the mediastinum location, were observed carefully for 4~5 days postoperatively with the aid of the simple chest x-rays. Result: Of the 100 cases, 16 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis(16%), 81 cases of lung tumor(81%), 2 cases of bronchiectasis(2%), and 1 case of aspergilloma associated bronchiectasis were noted. There were 8 mortality cases(8%), and of the 34 cases(34%), 44 complications were noted. The age, sex, and operation site(left or right) were not statistically significant with the complications. 7 of the 16 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis(44%) and 27 of the 81 cases of lung tumor(33%) had complications, but they were found not to be statistically significant. The increase of the complication rate in the pulmonary tuberculosis patients was 3.86. The evidence of postoperative bleeding was observed in 6 cases with the 3 cases being the pulmonary tuberculosis patients and the 3 cases were others. This shows that the increase in postoperative bleeding in the pulmonary tuberculosis is statistically significant(p=0.019). Of the 100 cases, there were 8 mortality cases(8%), with 5 cases from the 81 cases of the lung tumor group(6.1%), 3 cases from the 16 cases of pulmonary tuberculoses group(18.7%).