• 대한기관식도과학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.105-108
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• 2010

The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD) has been increased recently in Korea. Most patients who have GERD are well treated by medication. But patients who have suboptimal disease control under medical therapy are needed further treatment. Nowadays minimally invasive surgery using laparoscopy and thoracoscopy has become popular in the operation of GERD although antireflux surgery is vary. Antireflux surgery is a well-documented, effective therapeutic alternative to control GERD.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제27권8호
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• pp.717-721
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• 1994

Extramucosal esophagomyotomy by thoracotomy, first described by Heller in 1913 was the principal therapy for achalasia. Recently however, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has been implied in esophageal surgery, and we have experienced 23 year old male patient with dysphagia and was diagnosed as achalasia who underwent thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy. The esophagogram showed typical bird beak appearance and the lower esophageal sphincter pressure was increased to 35 mmHg. Thoracoscopic surgery was done twice due to incomplete myotomy in first operation and the patient was released of dysphagia in the second operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.128-131
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• 1994

Recently we performed video-assisted thoracoscopic[VAT] examination and bullectomy under local anesthesia. Of the 10 patients undergoing VAT examination under local anesthesia with primary spontaneous pneumothorax, 8 patients underwent VAT bullectomy under local anesthesia using endo-GIA; 7 patients discharged within 24 hours after operation; 1 patient had an air leak after operation, so chemical pleurodesis with doxycycline was performed and discharged postoperative day 3. There have been no recurrence to date[60-120 days after operation]. We think spontaneous pneumothorax can be treated on an out-patient basis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제54권4호
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• pp.279-285
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• 2021

Thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer can be performed in multiple positions, such as the lateral decubitus position or prone position, using various techniques. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, and surgeons can select an appropriate approach based on their preferences. Except for the reduction of pulmonary complications, the benefits of thoracoscopic esophagectomy, including oncologic outcomes, have not been proven scientifically. This review describes the approaches and procedures of thoracoscopic esophagectomy and presents scientific evidence for this procedure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제54권4호
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• pp.302-309
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• 2021

Totally robotic esophagectomy is performed using a robotic technique without additional thoracoscopy or laparoscopy. However, most robotic esophagectomies are currently performed in a hybrid form combining robotic and other endoscopic techniques. Laparoscopic stomach mobilization and thoracoscopic esophagogastric anastomosis are commonly used methods in robotic esophagectomy. In this paper, totally robotic esophagectomy without thoracoscopic or laparoscopic assistance is presented.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제27권9호
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• pp.779-784
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• 1994

Vidio-assisted thoracic surgery[VATS] has recently evolved as an alternative to thoracotomy for several thoracic disorders,and the role of thoracoscopy has expanded with advances in surgical techniques and instruments. From May 1993 to May 1994, 13 patients with mediastinal mass underwent VATS for diagnosis and treatment at Gil General Hospital. There were four males and nine females, and their ages raged from 5 years to 66 years with average 38.8 years. Among 13 patients, 3 were operated for tissue diagnosis,9 for treatment,and 1 for diagnosis and treatment. Pathologic diagnoses were as follows; 5 benign neurogenic tumors, 2 thymoma, 2 sarcoidosis, 1 teratoma, 1 peripheral neuroepithelioma, 1 tbc lymphadenitis, and 1 pericardial cyst. The mean time of operation was 111.7 $\pm$ 30.7 minutes[60-160], mean duration of chest tube drainage was 2.9 $\pm$1.9days[1-9], mean hospital stay was 6.2 $\pm$2.6 days[4-13]. There was no patient needed blood transfusion or conversion to open thoracotomy. Accurate diagnosis was possible in all patients operated for diagnosis and /or treatment.[4/4,100%] Two complications occurred in two patients: 1 transient Horner,s syndrome,1 anhydrosis of left arm. Compared with those of conventional thoracotomy done for mediastinal mass during previous 2 years[May 1991 - April 1993], operative results of VATS were better in all aspects. For mediastinal mass, we concluded that VATS can be done with less morbidity,less complication,less blood loss,shorter operation time and hospital stay,and not more expensive in cost than conventional thoracotomy. Noticeably, we think that VATS is the operation of choice for the diagnosis and palliation of malignant mediastinal mass.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제75권4호
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• pp.150-156
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• 2013

Background: Thoracoscopic pleural biopsy is often required for rapid and confirmative diagnosis in patients with suspected pleural tuberculosis (PL-TB). However, this method is more invasive and costly than its alternatives. Therefore, we evaluated the clinical utility of the chest computed tomography (CT)-based bronchial aspirate (BA) TB-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in such patients. Methods: Bronchoscopic evaluation was performed in 54 patients with presumptive PL-TB through diagnostic thoracentesis but without a positive result of sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear, pleural fluid AFB smear, or pleural fluid TB-PCR test. Diagnostic yields of BA were evaluated according to the characteristics of parenchymal lesions on chest CT. Results: Chest radiograph and CT revealed parenchymal lesions in 25 (46%) and 40 (74%) of 54 patients, respectively. In cases with an absence of parenchymal lesions on chest CT, the bronchoscopic approach had no diagnostic benefit. BA TB-PCR test was positive in 21 out of 22 (95%) patients with early-positive results. Among BA results from 20 (37%) patients with patchy consolidative CT findings, eight (40%) were AFB smear-positive, 18 (90%) were TB-PCR-positive, and 19 (95%) were culture-positive. Conclusion: The BA TB-PCR test seems to be a satisfactory diagnostic modality in patients with suspected PL-TB and patchy consolidative CT findings. For rapid and confirmative diagnosis in these patients, the bronchoscopic approach with TB-PCR may be preferable to the thoracoscopy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제29권12호
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• pp.1577-1583
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• 2000

Objectives : Among the various types of minimally invasive spine surgeries, thoracoscopic surgery is becoming more widely accepted and increasingly utilized. This report delineates our clinical experience using thoracoscopy to resect herniated thoracic discs in 16 patients who suffered from myelopathy or intolerable radiculopathy. Patients and Methods : Between Mar. 1997 and Sep. 1999, 16 consecutive patients underwent thoracoscopic discectomy for treatment of herniated thoracic discs. There were 12 men and 4 women(mean age 43.5 years ; range 18-61 years). Eleven patients presented with myelopathic signs and symptoms from spinal cord compression and 5 patients had incapacitating thoracic radicular pain without myelopathy. The surgical level was varied between T3 and T12. The pathology of specimen were 11 hard discs and 5 soft discs herniations. Thoracoscopic techniques were performed with long narrow spine instruments and high speed drill through 3 or 4 ports under one lung ventilated general anesthesia. During the operation three patients were converted to open thoracotomy due to intolerable one lung ventilation, excessive bleeding and inadequate operation field. The mean operation time was 264min.(range : 100-420min.), and postoperative mean admission period was 11 days. Results : Clinical and neurological outcomes were good in all patients(mean follow-up period 20 months). Among the eleven myelopathic patients, 8 improved neurologically, and 3 stabilized. Among the five radiculopathic patients, 4 recovered completely and no patient had worsened. Postoperative complications were pleural effusion in one case, intercostal neuralgia in one, delayed hemopneumothorax in one, prolonged air leakage in one and pneumonia in one case. Conclusions : Thoracoscopic discectomy needs a steep learning curve to be familiar to anatomical space and handling of endoscopic instruments. However, it is technically feasible and can be effectively performed with acceptable results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.161-165
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• 2002

하행 괴사성 종격동염은 대부분 경부 부위의 농양으로 시작하여 종격동으로 파급되는 매우 치명적인 질환이며 저자에 따라 25∼40%의 사망률을 보고하고 있다. 빠른 진단과 적절한 수술적 치료가 중요하며 수술적 치료의 방법에는 아직 여러 가지 방법들이 보고되고 있지만 농양의 완전한 배농이 특히 중요하다고 보고하고 있다. 배농술은 경부 절개를 통한 배농과 함께 흉부 내의 종격동 배농술이 필요하며 종격동 배농술은 대부분 개흉술을 통하여 시행되어 왔으나 개흉술에 따른 합병증과 수술부위의 감염 등이 술후 이환율을 증가시키는 원인이 될 수 있다. 반면에 흥강경을 이용한 배농은 경부 배농술 및 흉부 배농술을 동시에 시행할 수 있으며 좋은 수술시야를 보여주고 술후 환자의 회복이 빨라 하행 괴사성 종격동염의 좋은 치료 방법이라 생각된다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.225-228
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• 2011

Background: Conventional treatment (i.e. chest tube insertion and chemical pleurodesis) still remains standard for patients with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax because the risk of surgical bullectomy is deemed high in this subset. However, it has been suggested that surgical treatment using thoracoscopy may expedite postoperative recovery and, thus, may reduce hospital stay. Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of 61 patients with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax, who underwent conventional treatment (n=39) or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) (n=22) between January 2007 and December 2009, was performed. Talc was used for chemical pleurodesis in both groups. Results: Hospital stay of conventional treatment group and VATS group was $14.2{\pm}14.2$ days (4~58 days) and $10.6{\pm}5.8$ days (5~32 days), respectively, with statistically significant difference (p=0.033). Recurrence rate of conventional treatment group was also significantly higher (12/39, 30%) compared to VATS group (1/22, 4.5%) (p=0.016). Conclusion: In selected patients with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax with continuous air leak or inadequate lung expansion, thoracoscopic surgery with chemical pleurodesis using talc results in shorter hospital stay and lower recurrence rate compared to conventional approach.