• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.299-306
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• 1988

We have reviewed 330 cases of spontaneous pneumothorax from Jan. 1980 to Jul. 1987 at the department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, College of Medicine, Korea University. The ratio of male to female was 8.4:1, predominant in male. The incidence according to the age group was highest as 32% in the adolescence between 21 and 30 years old. The site of pneumothorax was right in 48%, left in 45% and bilateral in 7%. The initial symptoms were frequently dyspnea in 85%, chest pain in 63%. The etiologic factors were as follows; bleb origin in 31%, tuberculous origin in 30%, COPD in 3.3%, lung cancer in 1.5%, unknown in 29%. There was no significant difference in seasonal incidence irrespective of tuberculous or sex. The employed managements were as follows; bed rest with oxygen inhalation in 4 cases, closed thoracostomy in 326 cases, open thoracotomy in 122 cases, median sternotomy in 23 cases. The operative procedures at thoracotomy were as follows; simple pleurodesis in 5 cases, bleb excision or wedge resection in 113 cases, segmentectomy or lobectomy in 17 cases, decortication in 42 cases. Recurrence rate of each treatment was as follow; 50% in conservative treatment, 19% in closed thoracostomy, 2% in open thoracotomy, 4% in median sternotomy. Therefore overall recurrence rate was 12%. Open thoracotomy was the most effective procedure in recurrent pneumothorax, previous contralateral pneumothorax, bilateral simultaneous pneumothorax, visible bleb or bullae on the chest x-ray and persistent air leakage. 23 cases of unilateral spontaneous pneumothorax was examined whether or not underlying pathology of pneumothorax at opposite lung. 18 cases[78%] were positive findings. Therefore, bilateral thoracotomy by median sternotomy was a good operative method preventing contralateral pneumothorax.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.801-803
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• 1994

We report a case of a 45-year-old woman with Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by the obstruction of the inferior vena cava just below the diaphragm. Transatrial dilatation or membranotomy was not possible due to the severe fibrotic obliteration of the inferior vena cava. Instead, cavoatrial bypass with a Dacron graft[20 mm-Vascutek] was performed under the median sternotomy and median abdominal incision.The postoperative course was uneventful and generalized symptoms were much improved. During the following period[6 month] the graft patency was maintained with no recurrence of symptoms.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2012

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and rhythm outcomes of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation through a port access approach compared with sternotomy in patients with AF associated with mitral valve diseases. Materials and Methods: From February 2006 through December 2009, 135 patients underwent biatrial AF ablation with a mitral operation via either a port-access approach (n=78, minimally invasive cardiac surgery [MICS] group) or a conventional sternotomy (n=57, sternotomy group). To adjust for the differences in the two groups' baseline characteristics, a propensity score analysis was performed. Results: After adjustment, there were no significant differences in the two groups' baseline profiles. The cardiopulmonary bypass time was significantly longer (p=0.045) in the MICS group ($176.0{\pm}49.5$ minutes) than the sternotomy group ($150.0{\pm}51.9$ minutes). There were no significant differences (p=0.31) in the two groups' rate of reoperation for bleeding (MICS=6 vs. sternotomy=2, p=0.47) or the requirement for permanent pacing (MICS=1 vs. sternotomy=3). The major event-free survival rates at two years were $87.4{\pm}8.1%$ in the MICS group and $89.6{\pm}5.8%$ in the sternotomy group (p=0.92). Freedom from late AF at 2 years was $86.8{\pm}6.2%$ in the MICS group and $85.0{\pm}6.9%$ in the sternotomy group (p=0.86). Conclusion: Both the port-access approach and sternotomy showed tolerable clinical outcomes following biatrial AF ablation with mitral valve surgery.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.308-311
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• 2010

Coarctation of the aorta is frequently associated with intracardiac disease. It is very difficult to decide on the best method for surgically treating adult patients with these combined heart diseases. We performed single-stage repair via a modified Bentall operation and by creating an intrapericardial ascending-descending aortic bypass through a median sternotomy in a patient with coarctation of the aorta and annuloaortic ectasia, and the latter was associated with aortic valve regurgitation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.54-58
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• 1993

Simultaneous bilateral bleb resection was done through bilateral transaxillary thoracotomy in 10 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax during the period from May 1991 to Novemver 1992 in whom bilateral bulla or bleb was detected with using simple chest X-ray and chest CT scanning. To compare the effectiveness of bilateral transaxillary thoracotomy, we investigated 10 unilateral transaxillary thoracotomy patients with spontaneous pneumothorax and two clinical reports from other institutes which dealt the results of bilateral bleb or bulla resection through median sternotomy also. In bilateral transaxillary thoracotomy group,mean operation time was 115 minute,mean intraoperative bleeding was 329 cc, mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.5 days. Postoperative ABGA[Arterial Blood Gas Analysis] was in normal range and postoperative recovery rates of FVC[Forced Vital Capacity], FEV1[Forced Expiratory Volume at 1 second], TV[Tidal Volume] were 84.3%, 93.4%, 88.7%,respectively. In median sternotomy group,mean operation time was 129 minute,mean intraoperative bleeding was 490 cc, mean postoperative hospital stay was 12.4 days. Postoperative ABGA was in normal range and postoperative recovery rates of FVC, FEV1 were 97.3%, 97.4%, respectively. In unilateral transaxillary thoracotomy group, postoperative ABGA was in normal range also and postoperative recovery rates of FVC, FEV1, TV were 91.6%, 99.0%, 96.0%,respectively. In conclusion, simultaneous bilateral bleb resection through bilateral transaxillary thoracotomy should be considered in pneumothorax patients with bilateral bleb or bulla because of cost-effectiveness[reducing hospital days] and better cosmetic result without any impairment in recovery of respiratory function.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.571-583
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• 1983

Thymic tumor is the most common neoplasm originating in the anterior mediastinum. Histologically, thymic tumors and tumorlike conditions have been classified into thymic cyst, thymolipoma, true thymic hyperplasia, thymoma and carcinoid tumor of the thymus gland. We have experienced several tumors and a few tumorlike conditions of the thymus gland in 10 patients: thymoma 6, thymic hyperplasia 2, carcinoid tumor 1 and thymic cyst 1. The age distributions were ranging from 30 to 60 years except for one 3 year old child [malignant thymoma, lymphocytic type], and male to female ratio was 1:1.5. In 6 cases, thymic lesions were removed through lateral thoracic incision [right 2, left 4] because the mediastinal masses were growing far into the pleural space, meanwhile, medially located lesions [4 cases] through median sternotomy incision. Among these 10 patients, 3 were malignant thymomas, in which 2 were died of recurrence after tumor resection. Myasthenia gravis was all noted in 3 females [thymoma 2, thymic follicular hyperplasia 1], in which only two revealed remission in symptoms following thymectomy. The authors would like to recommend early radical thymectomy through median sternotomy incision whenever patients demonstrate suspicious thymic tumor lesions on the chest roentgenogram or generalized myasthenic symptoms.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.298-301
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• 2014

A 35-year-old man was admitted to Korea University Anam Hospital for evaluation of intermittent chest pain. Computed tomography of the chest showed enlargement of a previously identified anterior mediastinal mass and also a well-defined, circumscribed mass in the subcarinal area, surrounded by the roof of the left atrium, right pulmonary artery, and the carina. Complete resection of the intrapericardial tumor was performed through median sternotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass. Pathologic examination identified the tumor as schwannoma, of an ancient type, diffusely positive for the S-100 antigen. Unlike other reported cases, grossly, the tumor did not seem to be involved with any nerve.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.969-971
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• 1993

The sternal turnover has a limited use in an asymmetrical funnel chest. However we tried `One-half sternal turnover` as a new operative approach for an asymmetrical funnel chest. Through the bilateral submammary skin incision, median sternotomy was made from xiphoid process to midsternum and extended horizontally. The segment of ribs were cut at the angle of depression. The en-bloc resected chest wall segment contained one-half sternum as well as a part of ribs and left half of rectus muscle. After turning over the en-bloc segment, reapproximation with wiring was done. Sternotomy wound was closed in layer after placing of substernal drainage tube. Postoperatively, the chest wall was stable and the recovery course was uneventful except left-sided minimal pneumothorax which was cured spontaneaously. The patient was discharged on postoperative 14th day.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.78-80
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• 1995

We report the thoracoscopic resection of thymus and pericardial fat tissue in a patient who was in the setting of late severe myasthenia gravis[Osserman`s Group II-C-2 and previous tracheostomy state. The patient was 33-year-old female. She had been supported with mechanical ventilator for 88 days and suffered from recurrent pneumonia. Our first aim was to weaning her from mechanical ventilator. Traditional methods such as median sternotomy or transcervial thymectomy or transsternal sternotomy were difficult because of the anticipating complications of mediastinitis or morbidity, especially chest pain, following thoracotomy. We could wean her from the mechanical ventilator at postoperative 9 days. So, we concluded that video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy is a useful alternative tool in this case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.317-319
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• 2014

Ectopic mediastinal parathyroid adenomas or hyperplasias account for up to 25% of primary hyperparathyroidism cases. Most abnormal parathyroid glands are found in the superior mediastinum within the thymus and can be removed through a cervical incision; however, a few of these glands are not accessible using standard cervical surgical approaches. Surgical resection has traditionally been performed via median sternotomy or thoracotomy. However, recent advancement in video-assisted thoracic surgery techniques has decreased the need for sternotomy or thoracotomy to remove these ectopic parathyroid glands. Here, we report a successful case of video-assisted thoracoscopic removal of a mediastinal parathyroid adenoma.