• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 1975

Authors have reviewed the records of seven patients of multiple rib fractures with severe flail chest who were admitted to Hanyang University Hospital during the 3 years period from 1972 through 1975. Of the seven patients studied, automobile accidents led to the injuries in 4 cases, two patients were injured in fall from a tree and on the ox-heading. All who had a blunt trauma without any open wound on the chest. The numbers of the fractured ribs accounted for 6 to 9 of the ribs including double fractures from 3 to 5 ribs. The left side fractures occurred in the 6 patients and in the right only one patient. Thus the flail segment was more often located in the left antero-lateral position than in the right lateral position [the ratio was 6:1].. All cases had associated injuries. The injuries and multiple fractures were the most common associated injuries occurring in four and five of the patients respectively. The patients were classified as having associated head injuries when they were admitted in comatose or semicomatose state. When a major degree of instability of the thoracic cage exists, adequate respiratory change is not possible. For this reason the tracheostomy was performed in five patients in an acutely injured patient with flail chest only after an endotracheal tube has been inserted or after an endotracheal suction. All patients had secondary complications in the pleural cavity, such as hemothorax or hemopneumothorax with or without intrapulmonary hemorrhage and subcutaneous emphysema. Therefore, closed thoracostomy was performed in five patients in the emergency room. The thoracotomy was required in four patients: immediate operation without closed thoracostomy was performed in two patients and the thoracotomy was indicated in two patients after closed thoracostomy, because of increasing intrathoracic hemorrhage. As to the fixation of the flail segments, authors employed two techniques; one was towel clip traction of the flail segments and the other was intramedullary insertion of Kirschner`s wire in to the double fractured rib fragments for the fixation of the flail segments [Kirschner`s wire fixation]. Because` of an different results in the course of treatment between two techniques, data from patients with towel clip traction was compared with those from patients with thoracotomy and Kirschner`s wire fixation of the flail segments. Of the three patients with towel clip traction, two patients required bronchoscopic toilet due to lung atelectasis which developed because of inadequate motion of thoracic cage and poor expectoration. This was in contrast to the four patients with thoracotomy and Kirschner`s wire fixation, who didn`t these complication because of adequate motion of the thoracic cage and subsequent good expectoration.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.375-381
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• 2005

Er:YAG laser has been considered a promising alternative to dental drill and many researches indicate that adjustment to variable parameters, including water flow rate, pulse energy and pulse repetition rate, can be made to improve ablation ability and efficiency of the laser. Of these parameters, addition of water spray during irradiation has been thought to ablate dental hard tissue more rapidly and safely. The purpose of this study was to investigate tooth ablation amount by Er:YAG laser irradiation as related to varied water flow rates added and, ultimately to find the most effective water flow rate for ablation. In addition, the temperature change of pulp chamber during irradiation was also monitored on the irradiated and opposite pulpal walls, respectively. An Er:YAG laser with contact mode was employed. Extracted human molars were split into two pieces for ablation experiment. Pulse energies of 200 and 300 mJ with a pulse repetition rate of 20 Hz and 5 water flow rates (1.6, 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 10.0 ml/min) were applied. Each irradiation was performed for 3 seconds. According to these parameters, experimental groups were divided into 10 subgroups which consisted of 5 specimens. For temperature experiment, another 5 tooth-specimens were prepared in the manner that pulp chamber was open through access cavity preparation and two temperature-measuring probes were placed respectively on the irradiated and the opposite walls of pulp chamber. From the experiment on ablation amount related to different water flow rates, it was shown that the least water flow rate of 1.6 ml/min ablated more than any other water flow rates (p<0.000). When the irradiation for 3 seconds, combined with the pulse repetition time of 20Hz and the water flow rate of 1.6 ml/min was done to tooth specimen, the temperature rise was not noticeable both on the irradiated and the opposite pulpal walls (less than 3$^{\circ}C$) and there was no significant difference in temperature rise between the two pulse energies, 200 and 300 mJ. From the results of this study, it is suggested that tooth ablation with Er:YAG laser can be done effectively and safely at a energy between 200 and 300 mJ/pulse and a pulse repetition rate of 20 Hz when the lasing is conjugated with the water flow rate of 1.6ml/min.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.1083-1093
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• 1997

Background : So far, there have been numerous reports on organ damage due to cryptococcosis, however, cases of lung localization have been infrequently reported. Recently pulmonary cryptococcosis has been reported more frequently than before due to enhanced diagnostic techniques and increased underlying diseases. Method : The author, therefore, analyzed the clinical manifestations of 5 cryptococcosis cases that we experienced at Hanyang University Hospital from 1985 to 1996 and 9 cases reported in Korea from 1984 and 1996 retrospectively. The following results were obtained. Results : Cryptococcosis occurred frequently over sixth decade and the male to female ratio was 3.6 : 1. Underlying diseases included acute rejection after kidney transplantation, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune hepatitis, diabetes mellitus and state of bilateral adrenalectomy. Remaining 8 cases had no evidence of an underlying disease. Because the symptoms were subacute & nonspecific, and not improved by conventional antibiotics, 6 patients of 14 pulmonary cryptococcosis patients were treated as pulmonary tuberculosis before correct diagnosis was made. There were three asymptomatic cases. According to the results of CXR, solitary alveolar consolidation was the most common finding(8 cases) followed by diffuse infiltration(5 cases). It also showed pleural effusion, hilar lymphadenopathy and cavity formation that was rarely reported in world literature. The diagnasis was made through fine needle aspiration biopsy in 10 cases, open thoracotomy in 2 cases, transbronchial lung biopsy in 1 case. and thoracentesis with pleural biopsy in 1 case. Only one case showed positive result in sputum stain and culture, serum latex agglutination test for cryptococcus neoformans. Treatment modalities were various such as fluconazole, amphotericin B, flucytosine, ketoconazole, surgery and it's combination. After 1990 year, there was a trend that fluconazole or ketoconazole are more used than other therapeutic modalities. Conclusion : Because the symptoms are subacute & nonspecific and not improved by conventional antibiotics, pulmonary cryptococcosis is likely to misdiagnosis as pulmonary tuberculosis in Korea. Because the diagnosic yield of sputum stain, culture and serologic test for pulmonary cryptococcosis is low, histologic diagnosis is need in most pulmonary cryptococcosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1143-1153
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• 1998

Background : Recent outbreaks of pulmonary disease due to drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis have resulted in significant morbidity and mortality in patients worldwide. We reviewed our experience to evaluate the effects of pulmonary resection on the management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Method : A retrospective review was performed of 41 patients undergoing pulmonary resection for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis between January 1993 and December 1997. We divided these into 3 groups according to the radiologic findings : (1) patients who have reasonably localized lesion (Localized Lesion Group ; LLG) (2) patients who have cavitary lesions after pulmonary resection on chest roentgenogram (Remained Cavity Group : RCG) (3) patients who have Remained infiltrative lesions postoperatively (Remained infiltrative group : RIG). We evaluated the negative conversion rate after resection and overall response rate of the groups. Then they were compared with the results of the chemotherapy on the multi drug-resistant tuberculosis which has been outcome by Goble et al. Goble et al reported that negative conversion rate was 65% and overall response rate, 56% over a mean period of 5.1 months. Results : Seventy five point six percent were men and 24.4% women with a median age of 31 years (range, 16 to 60 years). Although the patients were treated preoperatively with multidrug regimens in an effort to reduce the mycobacterial burden, 22 of 41 were still sputum culture positive at the time of surgery. 20 of 22 patients(90.9%, p<0.01) responded which is defined as negative sputum cultures within 2 months postoperative. Of 26 patients with the sufficient follow up data, 19 have Remained sputum culture negative for a mean duration of 25.7 months (73.1%, p<0.05). The bulk of the disease was manifest in one lung, but lesser amounts of contralateral disease were demonstrated in 15, consisted of 8 in RIG and 7 in RCG, of 41. 12 of 12 patients (100%, p<0.01) who were sputum positive at the time of surgery in LLG converted successfully. 14 of 15 patients (93.3%, p<0.05) with the follow up have completed treatment and not relapsed for a mean period of 25. 7 months. The mean length of postoperative drug therapy of LLG was 12.2 months. In RIG, postoperative negative conversion rate was 83.3% which was not significant statistically. There was a statistical significance in overall response rate (100%, p<0.05) of RIG for a mean period of 24.4 months with a mean length of postoperative chemotherapy, 11.8 months. In RCG a statistically lower overall response rate (14.3%, p<0.01) has been revealed for a mean duration of follow up, 24.2 months. A negative conversion rate of RCG was 75% which was not significant statistically. Conclusion : Surgery plays an important role in the management of patients with multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Aggressive pulmonary resection should be performed for resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection to avoid treatment failure or relapse. Especially all cavitary lesions on preoperative chest roentgenogram should be resected completely. If all of them could not be resected perfectly, you should not open the thorax.