• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.214-218
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• 1977

There appears to be significant problems remained in the treatment of thoracic empyema inspire of the more potent broad spectrum antimicrobial agents available and improved surgical managements. Clinical analysis of 60 patients of thoracic empyema was done who received major and/or minor surgical intervention at the Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Korea University Hospital in the period of 3 years from May 1973 to July 1976. Following was the results: 1. Male was predominent to female with the ratio of 2.16 to 1, and adult to infant was 2.75: 1. 2. Most frequent predisposing factors of thoracic empyema in infancy and childhood was pneumonia [38.3%], and in adult was pulmonary tuberculosis [36.7%]. 3. Cardinal symptoms were dyspnea, fever, chest pain and productive cough etc. 4. Positive result of bacteriological culture study was reported in 26. 7%, and among them, Staph. aureus [10%], Diplo. pneumonia [3.3%], Streptococcal group [1.7%], Pseu. aeruginosa [1.7%], Paracolon bacilli [1.7%] and others [8.3%] in respectively. No growth of pathologic organism was reported in 60.0%, and not requested in 13.3%. Among the negative group, tuberculosis was confirmed on pathological tissue slide in half and other half was not determined bacteriologically and pathologically. 5. Surgical treatment was performed to the almost all of the patients with closed thoracostomy [48.3%], empyemectomy [28.3%], empyemectomy with pulmonary resection [11.7%] and others [I1.6%] in respectively with favorable results. 6. Mortality rate was 8.3% [5 cases], each one with lung cancer, diabetes mellitus, respiratory insufficiency, sepsis and another, two months old infant with asphyxia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.213-218
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• 1973

Raynaud attempted to clarify the situation concerning symmetrical and spontaneous gangrene in a thesis published in 1952. The disease was defined as Raynaud`s phenomenon without associated and contributing conditions or disease, and described as two types, such as, `locale syncope and asphyxia` and `gangrene`. Predilection of Raynaud`s disease for female under 40 years of age wi-thout any vascular occlusive disease beginning in the early decades of life and typical color changes in the skin of the extremities incited by coldness are outstanding features in this disease. One typical case of Raynaud`s disease is presented with relating references. Patient was 24 year old female single patient, who noted pain, numbness, and cyanosis of the finger tips of both hands for 6 years previously in the winter season, and recently such symptoms were aggravated including her both feet for two years even in the summer after exposure to cold water. Physical and laboratory examination revealed nothing specific except slightly glistening tight face and hypertrophy of both finger tips with clammy coldness. FamiliaI and past history revealed nothing specific abnormal contributory factors. Biopsy of skin on the dorsum of right foot one year before this admission revealed no evidence of scleroderma. Treatment was aimed to relieve vasospasmodic reaction to coldness and was very successful with bilateral lumbar and thoracic sympathectomy. Patient is free of symptoms relating to the Raynaud’s phenomenon after sympathectomy for 6 months including winter season.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.443-455
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• 2011

Neonatal mortality rate (NMR) or infant mortality rate (IMR) are the rate of deaths per 1,000 live births at which babies of either less than four weeks or of one year of age die, respectively. The NMR and IMR are commonly accepted as a measure of the general health and well-being of a population. Korea's NMR and IMR fell significantly between 1993 and 2009 from 6.6 and 9.9 to 1.7 and 3.2, respectively. Common causes of infantile death in 2008 had decreased compared with those in 1996 such as other disorders originating in the perinatal period, congenital malformation of the heart, bacterial sepsis of newborns, disorders related to length of gestation and fetal growth, intra-uterine hypoxia, birth asphyxia. However, some other causes are on the increase, such as respiratory distress of newborn, other respiratory conditions originating in the perinatal period, other congenital malformation, diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism. In this study, we provide basic data about changes of NMR and IMR and the causes of neonatal and infantile death from 1983 to 2009 in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.238-243
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• 1996

Aspiration of foreign bodies into the tracheobronchial tree is unusual in adults and it may result in Proximal airway obstruction and acute life-threatening asphyxia. It can be diagnosed by history of aspiration or visualizing the foreign body by chest roentgenogram or bronchoscopy. But it is rarely considered in adults with subacute or chronic respiratory symptoms without a definite history which suggests an aspiration. A 70-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital due to productive cough for two months and dyspnea which aggravated since the day before admission. Chest X-ray showed Pneumonic infiltration on left upper lobe and right lower lobe. Despite several days of conventional therapy, the patient complained of severe dyspnea and wheezing. We performed chest CT to rule out endobronchial stenosis, and it revealed the narrowing of left main stem bronchus compatible with endobronchial tuberculosis. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy for confirmation disclosed a $3.2{\times}0.7{\times}0.2$cm sized foreign body located longitudinally at the left main stem bronchus. We removed it with alligator forcep and it proved In be a piece of artificial denture. The patient remembered losing it while severe coughing on the day before admission. The microscopic examination of bronchial washing fluid revealed numerous acid fast bacilli. After removal of the foreign body, the patient showed marked improvement in symptom and pulmonary function test. Here we report a case of Pulmonary aspiration of foreign body which is confused with endobronchial tuberculosis with a review of the literature.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.3
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• pp.120-123
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• 2013

Inhalation of toxic gases can lead to pneumonitis. It has been known that methane gas intoxication causes loss of consciousness or asphyxia. There is, however, a paucity of information about acute pulmonary toxicity from methane gas inhalation. A 21-year-old man was presented with respiratory distress after an accidental exposure to methane gas for one minute. He came in with a drowsy mentality and hypoxemia. Mechanical ventilation was applied immediately. The patient's symptoms and chest radiographic findings were consistent with acute pneumonitis. He recovered spontaneously and was discharged after 5 days without other specific treatment. His pulmonary function test, 4 days after methane gas exposure, revealed a restrictive ventilatory defect. In conclusion, acute pulmonary injury can occur with a restrictive ventilator defect after a short exposure to methane gas. The lung injury was spontaneously resolved without any significant sequela.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.147-161
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• 2004

This study was designed to explore developmental evaluation in healthy full-term, at risk preterm and full-term infants. Specifically the purposes of the study were to investigate Psychomotor Developmental Index(PDI) and Mental Developmental Index(MDI) based on Bayley Scales of Infant Development(1993). The subjects were 72 infants, 24 each for healthy full-term infants, 24 each for at risk preterm infants and 24 each for at risk full-term infants such as having neonatal asphyxia, hypoxic ischemic brain damage, respiratory distress syndrome. The data were analyzed through Kruskal-Wallis test and correlations to examine healthy full-term, at risk pre-term and at risk full-term infants. Results showed that there were significant differences among healthy full-term, at risk pre-term and at risk full-term infants in PDI and MDI. On the correlation with PDI and MDI, infants showed significant correlations. Early interventions for developmental improvement are required for functional outcome in these infants.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 1997

Renal venous thrombosis (RVT) in neonatal period is a rare disease and usually complicated to clinical situations with reduced renal blood flow and hypercoagulability ; like acute blood loss, sepsis, shock, and birth asphyxia. RVT should be suspected in sick babies with hematuria, anemia, thrombocytopenia, enlarged kidney and acute renal failure. And the diagnosis can be confirmed by renal ultrasonography. We report two cases of neonatal renal venous thrombosis with review of literatures. One case, associated with E. coli sepsis, recovered completely, and the other, follwed respiratory distress in the neonate, revealed permanent renal functional impairment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.501-515
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• 1978

The purpose of this communication is to review the 390 cases of chest trauma, treated at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, School of Medicine Kyungpook National University from 1960 to 1977. Patients were grouped into two: group `60s [1960-1969] of 103 cases and group `70s [1970-1977] of 257 cases. As the number of cases of each group showed, chest trauma cases increased three times in `70s . The main causes of trauma were auto accident, falling down, industrial injury and stab wound in that order for both groups. Eighty per cent of cases of `60s were between 20 and 59 years and 73.8% of same age range for `70s. Rib fracture of fourth to eighth rib was the most common lesion in both `60s and `70s group. The incidence of hemothorax or hemopnemothorax significantly increased among `70s group than `60s. Clinical manifestations of chest pain and dyspnea remained most frequent symptoms for both groups. The pertinent principles of treatment for the chest trauma were conservative therapy, closed thoracotomy and open thoracotomy. Closed thoracotomy was performed more freely during the period of 1970-1977, with encouraging clinical results. Very few cases of complications other than pneumothorax or hemopneumothorax occurred. Those are fibrothorax, asphyxia, atelectasis and mediastinitis. The overall mortality was 3.9% for the `60s and 2.1% for the `70s group. The possible causes of death of 14 cases of chest trauma whom died on arrival during 1970-1977 were analyzed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.488-500
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• 1978

The purpose of this communication is to review the 390 cases of chest trauma, treated at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, School of Medicine Kyungpook National University from 1960 to 1977. Patients were grouped into two: group `60s [1960-1969] of 103 cases and group `70s [1970-1977] of 257 cases. As the number of cases of each group showed, chest trauma cases increased three times in `70s . The main causes of trauma were auto accident, falling down, industrial injury and stab wound in that order for both groups. Eighty per cent of cases of `60s were between 20 and 59 years and 73.8% of same age range for `70s. Rib fracture of fourth to eighth rib was the most common lesion in both `60s and `70s group. The incidence of hemothorax or hemopnemothorax significantly increased among `70s group than `60s. Clinical manifestations of chest pain and dyspnea remained most frequent symptoms for both groups. The pertinent principles of treatment for the chest trauma were conservative therapy, closed thoracotomy and open thoracotomy. Closed thoracotomy was performed more freely during the period of 1970-1977, with encouraging clinical results. Very few cases of complications other than pneumothorax or hemopneumothorax occurred. Those are fibrothorax, asphyxia, atelectasis and mediastinitis. The overall mortality was 3.9% for the `60s and 2.1% for the `70s group. The possible causes of death of 14 cases of chest trauma whom died on arrival during 1970-1977 were analyzed.

• 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.