• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.800-805
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• 1992

Acquired, nonmalignant tracheoesophageal fistula is an uncommom and difficult problem to manage. The most commom cause is a complication of endotracheal or tracheostomy tubes. Most are diagnosed while patients still require mechanical ventilation. The principle of treatment is two stage operation. First, new tracheostomy tube is placed so that the baloon is below the fistula, and gastrostomy and feeding jejunostomy are made for the drainage and feeding. Finally after weaning from the mechanical ventilation, tracheal resection and reconstruction are made, and the esophageal defect is closed in two layers and a viable strap muscle interposed into the two suture site to prevent recurrence. Recently, we experienced a case of acquired nonmalignant tracheoesophageal fistula which was developed during mechanical ventilation. She was successfully treated with the above two stage operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.122-127
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• 1990

The management of esophageal carcinoma continues to be a difficult problem with most surgically treated patients under-going extensive operative procedures for palliation only. Although recent advances in preoperative and postoperative care have decreased the operative mortality rate, survival has not changed significantly. Twenty five patients with esophageal carcinoma who were treated with operative intervention at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Kyung Hee University Hospital between January, 1980 and December, 1987 had been evaluated clinical manifestation and operative results. The stamm typed feeding gastrostomy and Celestin tube insertion were performed for the cases of nonresectable esophageal cancer. Also 14 cases with esophagogastrostomy and are case with esophagocologastrostomy were performed for the resectable cases. Two deaths with resectable cases occurred within 30days of operation, a hospital death rate of 8 per cent. There were significant differences in the survival rate between T.N.M. staging I, II, and III, IV group after the resection of the esophageal cancer. The former group revealed higher one year survival rate than the later group. [p< 0.05]. In conclusion, the clinical manifestations and operative results were similar to the western ones and the postoperative survival rate was very poor. So, the earlier the operation of the esophageal cancer was done, the better result will be achieved. To defect the early esophageal cancer; routine esophagoscopy should be recommended.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.348-352
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• 1987

A 51 year-old male was admitted with the chief complaints of swallowing difficulty and pain on neck and upper chest for 2 months prior to admission: He was taken biopsy under esophagoscopy, and the result was squamous cell carcinoma. Preoperatively we studied the esophagogram and chest CT. On these, we found the main appreciable mass at midesophagus easily. But, we missed the upper cervical unexpected mass. So we performed the esophagectomy and lymph node dissection from upper clavicle level to the esophagogastric junction by thoracic approach as wide as possible, and cervical esophagostomy and feeding gastrostomy also. At that evening we reviewed the studied films in detail, and we found another mass lesion at C4-C6 level of cervical esophagus. We performed the 2nd operation e.g. cervical esophagectomy on next morning without hesitation. Between these two masses, there was almostly normally looking skip area grossly. The squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus could be multicentric in character and may have skip area. But, we heard little reports until now. The two masses could be different in origin or be same probably by submucosal spreading. Anyway, it was an alarming case to the surgeon not to neglect the another possible lesions in squamous cell type. Postoperative course was uneventful, he took G-tube feeding with no problems on 7th postoperative day. Now he took the postoperative irradiation at out patient department.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.331-334
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• 1994

Pneumatic rupture is a rare cause of esophageal injury, as evidenced by only 19 cases reported in the literature. We experienced one case of esophageal rupture due to bursting of a truck inner tube. The patient, who was a 45-year old male, had severe chest pain, respiratory distress, flushing in the face and neck, and subcutaneous emphysema after tire explosion. Three days after the incident, a diagnosis of rupture of the thoracic esophagus was established by esophagogram using water soluble contrast media, and then emergency operation was done. The operation involved mediastinal and thoracic drainage and resection of the esophagus combined with cervical esophagostomy and feeding gastrostomy. On the 105th day after the operation, cervical esophagogastrostomy via substernal route was performed. The patient was successfully treated with the staged operations. As in the other reported cases, the injury was located in the lower one third of the esophagus. Four main characteristics of the clinical signs of pneumatic rupture are 1] wounds or burns to the face or mouth, 2] chest pain or epigastric pain, 3] subcutaneous emphysema, and 4] respiratory distress. We emphasize that the high index of suspicion of esophageal rupture is very important in diagnosis and that diagnosis should be based on the same findings common to other forms of esophageal injury.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.88-92
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• 2011

The onset of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in the postoperative course of esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula is rarely reported. The diagnosis could be delayed due to its mimicking symptoms of other postoperative complications including gastroesophageal reflux or anastomotic stricture. We present an infant who had surgery for esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula. He had never fed since birth. The infant presented with an increased amount of orogastric tube drainage and consistently distended gastric air on simple abdominal X-ray. Abdominal ultrasonography showed hypertrophic thick pyloric muscle. The diagnosis of pyloric stenosis was confirmed d is rarely reported. The diagnosis could be delayed due to its mimicking symptoms of other postoperative complications including gastroesophageal reflux or anastomotic stricture. We present an infant who had surgery for esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula. He had never fed. The infant presented with uring surgery, After pyloromyotomy, the patient's condition improved.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.22-25
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• 2023

Although most patients prefer dying at home, patients whose condition rapidly becomes critical need care in the intensive care unit (ICU), and it is rare for them to die at home with their families. Therefore, interest in hospice and palliative care for patients in the ICU is increasing. Hospice and palliative care (PC) is necessary for all patients with life-threatening diseases. The following patients need palliative care in the ICU: patients with chronic critical illnesses who need tracheostomy, percutaneous gastrostomy tube, and extracorporeal life support; patients aged 80 years or older; stage 4 cancer patients; patients with specific acute diseases with a poor prognosis (e.g., anoxic brain injury and intracerebral hemorrhage requiring mechanical ventilation); and patients for whom the attending physician expects a poor prognosis. There are two PC models-a consultative model and an integrative model-in the ICU setting. Since these two models have advantages and disadvantages, it is necessary to apply the model that best fits each hospital's circumstances. Furthermore, interdisciplinary decision-making between the ICU care team and PC specialists should be strengthened to increase the provision of hospice and palliative care services for patients expected to have poor outcomes and their families.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.506-511
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• 2016

Background The indications for surgical airway management in patients with Robin sequence (RS) and severe airway obstruction have not been well defined. While certain patients with RS clearly require surgical airway intervention and other patients just as clearly can be managed with conservative measures alone, a significant proportion of patients with RS present with a more confusing and ambiguous clinical course. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical features and objective findings of patients with RS whose airways were successfully managed without surgical intervention. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of infants with RS evaluated for potential surgical airway management between 1994 and 2014. Patients who were successfully managed without surgical intervention were included. Patient demographics, nutritional and respiratory status, laboratory values, and polysomnography (PSG) findings were recorded. Results Thirty-two infants met the inclusion criteria. The average hospital stay was 16.8 days (range, 5-70 days). Oxygen desaturation (<70% by pulse oximetry) occurred in the majority of patients and was managed with temporary oxygen supplementation by nasal cannula (59%) or endotracheal intubation (31%). Seventy-five percent of patients required a temporary nasogastric tube for nutritional support, and a gastrostomy tube placed was placed in 9%. All patients continued to gain weight following the implementation of these conservative measures. PSG data (n=26) demonstrated mild to moderate obstruction, a mean apneahypopnea index (AHI) of $19.2{\pm}5.3events/hour$, and an oxygen saturation level <90% during only 4% of the total sleep time. Conclusions Nonsurgical airway management was successful in patients who demonstrated consistent weight gain and mild to moderate obstruction on PSG, with a mean AHI of <20 events/hour.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.396-400
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• 2009

Operations using the da Vinci robot have performed in for many surgeries, but the adoption of robotics to general thoracic surgery has been slow. The patient (age 74, male) visited our hospital complaining of hiccups and dysphagia. The CT scan and endoscopic biopsy revealed esophageal cancer (squamous cell carcinoma). We performed transthoracic esophagectomy using a da Vinci robot and this was followed by gastric tube mobilization via laparoscopy. Cervical esophago-gastric anastomosis was done using the hand-sewn method. The gastric tube was brought into the neck through the retrosternal route. The patient was discharged without any complications. We report here on a case of successful da Vinci robotic esophgagectomy.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 1995

To study the clinical profiles and outcome of surgery in infants with esophageal atresia, we reviewed 96 esophageal atresia cases who were treated from April, 1978 to June, 1995. There were 51 male and 45 female infants, a ratio of 1.1:1. The low birth weight(<2500g) patients were 32%. Clinical findings at the time of diagnosis included drooling in 57%, choking in 50%, cyanosis in 38%, respiratory distress in 27% and swallowing difficulty in 20%. Gross classification included 6 cases of type A esophageal atresia(6%), 79 cases of type C(82%), 3 cases of type E (3%) and 8 cases of type F(8%). Associated anomalies occurred in 34 infants(35%). Among them, cardiac anomalies were most common(60%). A primary repair of the defect was carried out in 76 patients with type A or C. A staged operation comprising a repair or gastric tube interposition after gastrostomy was performed in 8 patients. In all 3 infants with H-type, a division of fistula was performed. Esophageal resection and anastomosis was done in 8 infants with esophageal stenosis. In one infant, a gastrostomy was performed and he expired before staged operation. Anastomotic complications included leakage in 16 cases(17%), stricture in 37 cases(39%) and recurrent tracheoesopohageal fistula in 3 cases(3%). The mortality rate was 14% and the leading cause of death was pneumonia. The overall survival rate was 86%, and according to Waterston criteria, the survival rates were 93%, 85% and 58% in class A, Band C, respectively. 75 patients were followed up with median follow up 6.4 years. Among them, 93% were uneventful and 7% had frequent pneumonia.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1981.05a
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• pp.6-7
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• 1981

With the improvement of living standard and educational level of the people, there is an increasing awareness about the dangers of toxic substances and lethal drugs. In addition to the above, the governmental control of these substances has led to a progressive decrease in the accidents with corrosive substances. However there are still sporadic incidences of suicidal attempts with the substances due to the unbalance between the cultural development in society and individual emotion. The problem is explained by the fact that there is a variety of corrosive agents easily available to the people due to the considerable industrial development and industrialization. Salzen(1920), Bokey(1924) were pioneers on the subject of the corrosive esophagitis and esophageal stenosis by dilatation method. Since then there had been a continuing improvement on the subject with researches on various acid(Pitkin, 1935, Carmody, 1936) and alkali (Tree, 1942, Tucker, 1951) corrosive agents, and the use of steroid (Spain, 1950) and antibiotics. Recently, early esophagoscopic examination is emphasized on the purpose of determining the way of the treatment in corrosive esophagitis patients. In order to find the effective treatment of such patients in future, the authors selected 96 corrosive esophagitis patients who were admitted and treated at the ENT department of Severance hospital from 1971 to March, 1981 to attempt a clinical study. 1. Sex incidence……male: female=1 : 1.7, Age incidence……21-30 years age group; 38 cases (39.6%). 2. Suicidal attempt……80 cases(83.3%), Accidental ingestion……16 cases (16.7%). Among those who ingested the substance accidentally, children below ten years were most numerous with nine patients. 3. Incidence acetic acid……41 cases(41.8%), lye…20 cases (20.4%), HCI……17 cases (17.3%). There was a trend of rapid rise in the incidence of acidic corrosive agents especially acetic acid. 4. Lavage……57 cases (81.1%). 5. Nasogastric tube insertion……80 cases (83.3%), No insertion……16 cases(16.7%), late admittance……10 cases, failure…4 cases, other……2 cases. 6. Tracheostomy……17 cases(17.7%), respiratory problems(75.0%), mental problems (25.0%). 7. Early endoscopy……11 cases(11.5%), within 48 hours……6 cases (54.4%). Endoscopic results; moderate mucosal ulceration…8 cases (72.7%), mild mucosal erythema……2 cases (18.2%), severe mucosal ulceration……1 cases (9.1%) and among those who took early endoscopic examination; 6 patients were confirmed mild lesion and so they were discharged after endoscopy. Average period of admittance in the cases of nasogastric tube insertion was 4 weeks. 8. Nasogastric tube indwelling period……average 11.6 days, recently our treatment trend in the corrosive esophagitis patients with nasogastric tube indwelling is determined according to the finding of early endoscopy. 9. The No. of patients who didn't given and delayed administration of steroid……7 cases(48.9%): causes; kind of drug(acid, unknown)……12 cases, late admittance……11 cases, mild case…9 cases, contraindication……7 cases, other …8 cases. 10. Management of stricture; bougienage……7 cases, feeding gastrostomy……6 cases, other surgical management……4 cases. 11. Complication……27 cases(28.1%); cardio-pulmonary……10 cases, visceral rupture……8 cases, massive bleeding……6 cases, renal failure……4 cases, other…2 cases, expire and moribund discharge…8 cases. 12. No. of follow-up case……23 cases; esophageal stricture……13 cases and site of stricture; hypopharynx……1 case, mid third of esophagus…5 cases, upper third of esophagus…3 cases, lower third of esophagus……3 cases pylorus……1 case, diffuse esophageal stenosis……1 case.