• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.118-122
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• 2022

The usual cause of penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries with evisceration are stab wounds with knives and other sharp weapons used during fights and conflicts. Evisceration of the abdominal viscera as a result of trauma, with its attendant morbidity and mortality, requires early intervention. Gunshot wounds can also cause penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries. We report the case of a 52-year-old male patient, a worker at a timber-processing factory, who was assaulted with a chainsaw by his colleague following a disagreement. He was seen at the accident and emergency department of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria with a thoracoabdominal injury about 1.5 hours after the attack. He had a left thoracoabdominal laceration with abdominal evisceration and an open left pneumothorax. He was managed operatively, made a full recovery, and was discharged 16 days after admission. He was readmitted 4 months after the initial surgery with acute intestinal obstruction secondary to adhesions. He underwent exploratory laparotomy and adhesiolysis. He made an uneventful recovery and was discharged on the 9th postoperative day for subsequent follow-up.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.6 s.263
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• pp.440-448
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• 2006

Background: Surgery of descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aorta has the potential risk of causing neurological injury including spinal cord damage. This study was designed to find out the risk factors leading to spinal cord and brain damage after surgery of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta. Material and Method: Between October 1995 and July 2005, thirty three patients with descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic disease underwent resection and graft replacement of the involved aortic segments. We reviewed these patients retrospectively. There were 23 descending thoracic aortic diseases and 10 thoracoabdominal aortic diseases. As an etiology, there were 23 aortic dissections and 10 aortic aneurysms. Preoperative and perioperative variables were analyzed univariately and multivariately to identify risk factors of neurological injury. Result: Paraplegia occurred in 2 (6.1%) patients and permanent in one. There were 7 brain damages (21%), among them, 4 were permanent damages. As risk factors of spinal cord damage, Crawford type II III(p=0.011) and intercostal artery anastomosis (p=0.040) were statistically significant. Cardiopulmonary bypass time more than 200 minutes (p=0.023), left atrial vent catheter insertion (p=0.005) were statistically significant as risk factors of brain damage. Left heart partial bypass (LHPB) was statistically significant as a protecting factor of brain (p=0.032). Conclusion: The incidence of brain damage was higher than that of spinal cord damage after surgery of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta. There was no brain damage in LHPB group. LHPB was advantageous in protecting brain from postoperative brain injury. Adjunctive procedures to protect spinal cord is needed and vigilant attention should be paid in patients with Crawford type II III and patients who have patent intercostal arteries.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.471-478
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• 1988

We evaluated forty cases of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries that we have experienced from Jan. 1972 to Dec. 1987. 28 patients were male and 12 were female[M:F=2.3:1]. The age distribution was ranged from 4 to 71 years with mean age of 26. The diaphragmatic injuries were due to blunt trauma in 27 cases[traffic accident 22, fall down 3, others 2] and penetrating trauma in 13 cases[stab wound 11, gun shot 1, other 1]. In the blunt injury,14 cases of 17 were diagnosed and treated within 24 hours in the left diaphragmatic injury but only 3 cases of 7 cases in the right diaphragmatic injury were diagnosed and treated within 24 hours. All cases except one in penetrating injury were diagnosed and treated within 12 hours. In the blunt injury, the rupture site was located in the left in \ulcorner7 cases and in the right in 7 cases. In the penetrating injury, the rupture site was located in the left in 11 cases and in the right in 2 cases. The repair of 37 cases were performed with thoracic approach in 20 cases, thoracoabdominal approach in 12 cases and abdominal approach in 5 cases. Over all mortality was 17.5%[7/40] and postoperative mortality was 11%[4/37]. The causes of death were hypovolemic shock[3], combined head injury[2], acute renal failure[1] and septic shock with ARDS[1].

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.131-134
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• 2015

Traumatic diaphragm hernia can occur in rare cases and generally accompanies thoracic or abdominal injuries. When suffering from ankylosing spondylitis, a small force can develop into vertebral fracture and an adjacent structural injury, and lead to diaphragm hernia without accompanying concomitant thoracoabdominal injury. A high level of suspicion may be a most reliable diagnostic tool in the detection of a diaphragm injury, and we need to keep in mind a possibility in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis and a thoracolumbar fracture, even in the case of minor trauma.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1027-1030
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• 1994

We reviewed 10 cases of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries at Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital from January 1990 through April 1993. Seven patients were male and three patients were female. The age distribution was ranged from 25 to 79 years, predominant 4th decades occurred in male. The traumatic diaphragmatic injuries were due to blunt trauma in 9 cases[traffic accident 7 and crash injury 2] and penetrating wound in 1 case[stab wound]. The common symptoms were dyspnea[60%], chest pain and abdominal pain in order frequency. In the blunt trauma and crash injury, the rupture site was all located in the left[ 9 cases ]. In the penetrating wound, the rupture site was located in the right[1 case]. The surgical repair of 10 cases were performed with transthoracic approach in 9 cases and thoracoabdominal approach in 1 case. The postoperative mortality was 10%[1/10]. The cause of death was multiple organ failure with pulmonary edema.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1167-1173
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• 1995

We evaluated fifty three cases of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries that we have experienced from Jan.1973 to Oct.1994. The age distribution of the pateint was ranged from 1 to 74 years. Sex ratio is 39:14 with male dominence. The traumatic diaphragmatic injuries were due to blunt trauma in 37[Left 22, Right 15 cases and penetrating trauma in 16[Left 9, Right 7 cases. In blunt trauma, Preoperative diagnosis of the diaphragmatic injuries was possible in 27 patients[72% , and in penetrating trauma, 14 patients[88% . Among 37 in blunt traumas, 22[58% cases, and among 16 in penetrating traumas, 13[88% cases were operated within 24 hours. The most common herniated abdominal organ in the thorax was stomach[14/53 . The traumatic diaphragmatic repair of 50 cases were performed by thoracic approach in 23 cases, thoracoabdominal approach in 8 cases and abdominal approach in 19 cases, and in 3 cases, not operated. Hospital mortality [including not operated patients[3 was 17%[9/53 and the causes of death were intracranial hematoma[1 , hypertensive encephalopathy[1 and asphyxia[1 , and among operated patients[6 , combined head injury[2 , multiorgan failure[2 , hypovolemic shock[1 , and pulmonary edema & renal failure[1 . All deaths had related to the severity of associated injuries.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.579-584
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• 1991

The records of 25 patients with traumatic diaphragmatic injuries seen at Chosun University Hospital from February 1977 to May 1991 were reviewed. We treated 20 male and 5 female patients ranging in age from 6 to 72 years. The diaphragmatic injuries were due to blunt trauma in 19 cases[traffic accident 13, fall down 4, compression injury 2] and penetrating trauma in 6 cases[stab wound 5, gun shot 1]. Most common symptoms were dyspnea[72%], chest pain[56%] and abdominal pain [40%], Chest X-ray were normal in 7 cases[28%] and 22 cases[88%] were diagnosed or suspected as diaphragmatic injuries preoperatively. The repair of 25 cases were performed with thoracic approach in 16 cases, thoracoabdominal approach in 6 cases and abdominal approach in 3 cases. Postoperative complications included atelectasis, wound infection and empyema. there was no postoperative death.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.791-797
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• 1993

We evaluated forty cases of traumatic diaphragmatic ruptures that we have experienced from Mar. 1976 to Mar. 1992. Thirty patients were male and 10 were female[M:F=3:1]. The age distribution was ranged from 2 to 76 years with the mean age of 35 years. The traumatic diaphragmatic ruptures were due to blunt trauma in 26 cases[traffic accident 20, fall down 4, others 2] and penetrating trauma in 14 cases[stab wound 13, gun shot 1]. In the blunt trauma, 21 of 26 cases were diagnosed within 24 hours after injury and all cases except one in penetrating trauma were diagnosed within 24 hours. In the blunt trauma, the rupture site was located in the left in 20 cases and in the right in 6 cases. In the penetrating trauma, the rupture site was located in the left in 10 cases and in the right in 4 cases. The repair of 40 cases were performed with thoracic approach in 19 cases, thoracoabdominal approach in 17 cases and abdominal approach in 4 cases. The postoperative mortality was 7.5 %[3/40]. The causes of death were septic shock[1], acute renal failure[1] and hypovolemic shock[1].

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.643-649
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• 1994

We evaluated sixteen patients of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries that we have experienced from Jan. 1987 to Aug 1993. Age was ranged from 6 to 71 years, predominantly in the fourth and fifth decades. 13 were male and 3 were female, a ratio of 4.3: 1. Blunt trauma was develped in 11 [Lt 7, Rt 4], penetrating trauma in 5 [Lt 2, Rt 3]. Preoperative diagnosis of diaphragmatic injury was possible in 8 patients [72.2 %] in blunt trauma, and 1 patient [20 %] in penetrating trauma. 8 cases[54.5%] in blunt trauma, and 4 cases in penetrating trauma were treated within 24 hours,meanwhile, patients treated after 10 days were 3, all by blunt trauma.The repair of 16 cases were performed with thoracic approach in 4 cases, thoracoabdominal approach in 3 cases, and abdominal approach in 9 cases. The herniated organs in thorax were stomach [5], colon [3], liver [2], and pancreas [1]. Postoperative complication were developed in 9cases[56.3%] significantly related with delayed operation time [p < 0.01 ]. Hospital mortality was 12.5 % [2/16], and the causes of death were hypovolemic shock in one and hepatic failure due to portal vein rupture in another.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.255-260
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• 2002

Paraplegia remains unresolved as the most dreaded operative complication with surgical treatment of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic diseases. In this study, the neuroprotective effect of trimetazidine that has been used clinically for ischemic heart disease was investigated in a rabbit spinal cord ischemia model. Material and Method: Thirty-three New Zealand white rabbits were randomized as follows: control group undergoing abdominal aortic occlusion but receiving no pharmacologic intervention(Group 1, n= 17); TMZ group(Group 2, n= 16) receiving 3 mg/kg trimetazidine intravenously before the occlusion of the aorta. Ischemia was induced by clamping the abdominal aorta just distal to the left renal artery for 30 minutes. Neurologic status was assessed at 2, 24, and 48 hours after the operation according to the modified Tarlov scale, then the lumbosacral spinal cord was processed for histopathologic examinations 48 hours after the final assessment. Result: The average motor function score was significantly higher in the TMZ group(3.20 $\pm$ 0.77 vs 1.13 $\pm$ 1.25 at 2 hours, 3.50 $\pm$ 0.76 vs 1.45 $\pm$ 1.57 at 24 hours, and 3.91 $\pm$ 0.30 vs 1.86 $\pm$ 1.86 at 48 hours after operation; p value$\leq$0.05). Histologic observations were correlated with the motor scores. Conclusion: The results suggested that trimetazidine reduced spinal cord injury during aortic clamping and that it may have clinical utility for the thoracoabdominal aortic surgery: