• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.773-781
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• 1991

We have experienced 47 cases of primary mediastinal tumors & cysts in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital, from September, 1979 to November, 1990. The results were as follows: 1. The age distribution was from 6 months to 69 years old and the mean age was 32.3 years old. Of all 47 primary mediastinal tumors and cysts, 21 patients were male and 26 patients were female. 2. The neurogenic tumors[11 cases, 23.4%] were most frequently encountered and followed by thymoma[10 cases. 21.3%] and teratodermoid[9 cases, 19.1%]. 3. The anterosuperior mediastinum[59.6%] was most common tumor location, and followed by posterior mediastinum[25.6%], middle mediastinum[14.9%]. 4. The most common tumors were thymoma and teratodermoid at anterosuperior mediastinum, benign cyst at middle mediastinum, and neurogenic tumor at posterior mediastinum 5. The malignant tumors were 10 cases[21.3%] of the 47 cases and they were all symptomatic. 6. The most common chief complaint at admission was chest pain or discomfort[34%], and followed by coughing[23.4%], and dyspnea[17%]. 7. The successful complete removal was done in 37cases of benign tumors and cysts. In malignant cases, the surgical intervention was done in 3 cases, and 6 cases were treated with irradiation and chemotherapy, and 1 case was only biopsied. 8. The postoperative complications were developed in 7 cases[14.6%]. There was no case of hospital mortality.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2010

Primary anterior mediastinal neoplasms comprise a diverse group of tumors and account for 50% of all mediastinal masses. Thymic epithelial neoplasm are most common and classified into thymoma, invasive thymoma, and thymic carcinoma. Neuroendocrine differentiation of thymic epithelial neoplasm are rare malignancies. Germ cell tumor (GCT) is second most common anterior mediastinal tumor and most of them are mature cystic teratoma. Malignant mediastinal GCT are rare than benign. Primary thoracic lymphoma is rare than thoracic involvement of systemic lymphoma and most common location of primary thoracic lymphoma is anterior mediastinum. The clinical and radiologic appearance of the most common masses are reviewed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.610-616
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• 1994

Myasthenia gravis is a rare condition, affecting only 1/75000. It is characterized by weakness and fatigue of the voluntary muscles due to impaired neuromuscular transmission at the acetylcholine receptor site. It is probably caused by an autoimmune mechanism leading to reduction of the available nicotinic acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction. A relationship between the thymus and myasthenia gravis was suggested by Weigert in 1901, and Blalock was the first to report the efficiency of thymectomy in the treatment of myasthnia gravis in 1939. Since that time, thymectomy has become increasingly important in managing patients with myasthenia gravis. Fourteen patients with myasthenia gravis underwent thymectomy between September 1987 and March 1994 and got the following results; 1. The sex distribution was 10 females and 4 males with ages ranging from 15 to 51 years[mean, 34.8 years]. 2. Clinical manifestation of ocular symptoms were seen in all cases, dysphagia in 12[85.7%], extremity weakness in 11 [78.6 %], and dyspnea in 3 [21.4 %]. 3. According to the modified Osserman`s classification, 8 patients were in group IIb, 3 in IIa, 2 in I and 1 in IIc, respectively. 4. Histopathologic examination of the resected thymuses revealed hyperplasia in 8 patients, benign thymoma in 3, and malignant thymoma in 3. 5. There were no perioperative or immediate postoperative deaths but one patient died about two months after the thymectomy due to respiratory failure. 6. During the follow-up period, 11 patients [78.6 %] showed clinical improvement. Among them, 4 cases [28.6 %] showed complete remission, 3 [21.4 %] showed marked improvement, and 4 [28.6 %] showed subjective improvement. 7. Among the 8 patients with thymic hyperplasia, clinical improvement was noticed in 7 patients 5 %]. Among the 6 patients with thymoma, 4 patients [66.7 %] showed improvement.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.137-140
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• 1990

This report is an review of 40 cases of mediastinal tumors which were treated surgically in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chonnam University Hospital from January, 1985 to September, 1989. In this series, male to female sex distribution was 1.35:1 with the male predominant. The main clinical manifestations were chest pain and dyspnea, and there was no definitive symptom in 5 cases [12.5 %]. The most common mediastinal tumor was thymoma, 11 cases [27.5 %], and next common mass was germ cell tumor, 9 cases [22.5 %]. The half of these were malignant. In operating, all of the benign masses were removed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.859-866
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• 1985

The characteristic features of myasthenia gravis, which are weakness of voluntary muscle and easy fatigability, result from defective neuromuscular transmission caused by an autoimmune response to acetylcholine receptor. Recently, we performed two cases of thymectomy for the treatment of myasthenia gravis, one was 50 year old man who had malignant thymoma and the other was 19 year old girl who had benign thymic hyperplasia. The former had long duration of symptoms, and showed poor postoperative result. The latter had short duration of symptoms, and showed complete remission. Herewith, we suggest that early thymectomy can give the clinical assets for myasthenia gravis. So we report these two experiences with review of literatures.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.141-145
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• 1990

Author made a clinical study of 48 cases of primary mediastinal tumors experienced in the dept. of the thoracic and cardiovascular surgery of Pusan National University Hospital during the 12 years period from march 1978 to march 1989. There were 34 males and 14 females. Their age distribution was from 4 months to 70 years, with the mean age of 34.4 years. 8.3 % of the patients were younger than 15 years old. There were teratoma 14 cases[29%], thymoma 11 cases[23%], neurogenic tumor 10 cases[21 %], lymphoma 6 cases[13 %], benign cyst 6 cases[13 %], and one case of fibrous histiocytoma in the histological distribution. The malignant tumors were 12 cases[25 %]. The common symptoms were chest pain and discomfort[35.4], coughing[18.8], general weakness and dyspnea. 16.7% of the patients were asymptomatic at admission. The successful removal was done in all cases of benign mediastinal tumors. In malignant cases, the surgical removal could be done in 5 cases. There was not postop. mortality. The frequent complications were atelectasis, infection, bleeding.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.395-402
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• 1993

For the purpose of evaluation of clinical characteristics and histopathological properties in mediastinal tumor, and to provide the guidelines of surgical management of mediastinal tumor,238 patients with mediastinal tumors treated during the period from January 1983 to December 1991 were reviewed at Seoul National University Hospital. There were 106 males & 132 females, and their ages ranged from 3 months to 73 years, with average 33.6 years. The most frequently encountered tumor site was anterosuperior mediastinum followed by posterior, and middle mediastinum. In the pathological viewpoint, thymoma was the most frequent type followed by neurogenic tumor. 81% of the tumor were benign and 19% were malignant. Half of the malignant tumors were neurogenic tumors. Malignancy rate was high in pediatric patients compared to adults as 40% and 19% respectively. 65% of patients were asymptomatic at diagnosis.There was no operative mortality. Post operative complications were occurred in 35 cases. Most frequent complications were adjacent peripheral nerve injuries. But other usual operative complications, such as bleeding, chylothorax, infection, were relatively rare.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.745-749
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• 1990

A wide variety of histologically or clinically different tumors and cysts can occur from the many anatomical structures located within the mediastinum. We report the analysis of the 26 cases of mediastinal tumors and cysts, experienced in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, College of Medicine, Hallym University from March 1983 to February 1990. Sex ratio of male to female was 1:1.16 and mean age was 33.4 years. Malignant tumors were 8 cases[30.7%], benign tumors were 18 cases[69.2%] The most common histologic types were thymoma, 6 cases[23%] and teratoma, 6 cases [23%] followed by neurogenic tumor, 4 cases[15%] and mediastinal tuberculoma, 3 cases [11.5%]. The most frequent symptoms were chest pain and discomfort. Most of benign tumors were completely removed and malignant tumors were treated with anticancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy after operation. Postoperative complications were developed in 4 cases[15.3%] and hospital mortality was 3.8%.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.851-856
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• 1995

Thymectomy has played a central role in the management of myasthenia gravis. Although both the etiology of myasthenia gravis and the reason for improvement after thymectomy remain incompletely explained, complete removal of the thymus is the logical goal of surgical treatment for this disease.From April 1989 to June 1994, maximal thymectomy was performed for 19 cases of myasthenia gravis at Chonnam National University Hospital. The results were as follows:1.Among the 19 cases, male-to-female ratio was 1:1.4, the age ranged 13 years to 71 years, and a diphasic presentation appeared with a peak in young females and a second peak in elderly males;2.Five cases were classified by modified Osserman`s classification as Group I and Group IIa and 14 cases as Group IIb and Group IIc; 3.Histologic examination of the excised thymus glands revealed normality in 5 cases [26% , thymic hyperplasia in 4 [21% , benign thymoma in 8 [42% , and malignant thymoma in 2 [11% ;4.There was no operative mortalities but two deaths occurred during the follow-up periods due to myasthenic crisis and other causes;5.The clinical improvement and the complete remission rates were 85% and 32%, respectively;6.The clinical improvement and the complete remission rates were not so good in patients with thymomas, beeing 70% and 20%, respectively; and 7.Young women with hyperplasia of the thymic tissue tended to show the best response to thymectomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.573-576
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• 1996

Multiple primary cancer is a disease of more than two cancers occurring in an individual indepen- dently. We experienced a case of triple primary cancer, that is, lung cancer, malignant thymoma and bladder cancer which has not been reported in Korea. The patient was a 60 year old man with dyspnea and chest discomfort. He was rirst diagn sed bladder cancer and received Bricker's operation 3 months ago. At that time the chest roentgenography and computerized tomographic scan revealed as a preaortic, retrosternill medidstin;11, nlass and a lung mass at the posterior portion of the left lower lobe. On operation, there was An identillable lung mass in the left lower lobe and a thymoma already invaded the surrounding structures. So, left lower lobectomy and thymectomy were performed simul- taneously. He received one cycle of postoperative chemotherapy, but refused further management and self-discharged. He died, about one year later.