• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.648-652
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• 1999

Background: Bullectomy through a transaxillary minithoracotomy have been widely used in the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Material and Method: From September 1997 to September 1998, 22 consecutive cases of those who underwent transaxillary mini thoracotomy with Finochieto rib spreader(group F) and 24 consecutive cases with Naruke thoraco-opener(group N) at Taegu Fatima Hospital were reviewed retrospectively to compare the clinical results of transaxillary minithoracotomy with different rib spreaders in the opera tive treatments of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Result: There were no significant differences in operative time, hospital stay, postoperative hospital stay, the duration of the indwelling chest tube, and the number of postoperative recurrences and complications in the two group. CONCLUSION This technique may be useful in the operative treatments of primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.243-248
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• 1973

Eventration of the diaphragm is, by definition, abnormally high or elevated position of diaphragm as a result of paralysis, aplasia or atrophy of varing degrees of muscle fibers, and the cause of which may be congenital or acquired. The unbroken continuity of the diaphragm differentiates it from diaphragmatic hernia. The clinical manifestations of the condition, if present, are usually due to the interference of the ventilatory function of the lung and digesive dysfunction due to gastrointestinal distorsion. Treatment consists of surgical repair of the relaxed diaphragm to it`s normal position. A ease of left sided eventuration of the diaphragm, 31 year old officer, was found by chance after traffic accident with chief complaints of hemoptysis and multiple superficial contusions. Routine chest roentgenogram and barium study of the colon revealed moderately elevated left hemidiaphragm with displacement of the splenic flexure of the colon into the left chest. Past history revealed frequent attack of upper respiratory infection and some abnormal condition on his left chest announced by screen cheek of chest X-ray at the time of entrance for his army service 3 years before. Plication of the relaxed diaphragm through left thoracotomy was done and result was excellent as seen on Fig. 5. Cause of eventration of the left hemidiaphragm was due to paralysis of the left phrenic nerve which was tested during thoracotomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.403-410
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• 1979

A Clinical analysis of 64 patients of thoracic empyema was done who received surgical intervention at Dept. of Thoracic Surgery of the Chosun University Hospital in the period of 3 years from September 1976 to October 1979. Following was the results: 1. Seven cases [10.9%] were under the age of 15 years, 16 cases [25%] was between 15-30 years and 41 cases [64.1%] was above the age of 30 years. A proportion of children and adult was 1:8. 2. Male and female ratio was 3:1. Right and left side pleural cavity ratio was 2.4:1. 3. Predisposing factors were pneumonia [35.9%] and pulmonary tuberculosis [28.1%]. 4. Most frequently encountered symptoms were dyspnea, cough, chest pain and fever in order. 5. Etiologic organisms were confirmed in 39 cases [86.7%] which requested in 45 cases. Staphylococcal infections were 11 cases and streptococcal, pneumococcal pseudomonas infection was infected in order. 6. Pneumothorax was associated with empyema on 21 cases [32.8%]; among those 13 cases [61.9%] were tuberculous in nature. 7. Sensitivity test was revealed that Minocin was most very sensitive drug, and next Erythromycin, Gentamycin and Penbrex in order. But most resistant drugs were Penicillin, Kanamycin, Streptomycin and Tetracycline in order. 8. Treatments were combined with antibiotics therapy and several surgical procedures for empyema. 26 cases [40.6%] were treated with closed thoracotomy drainage, 17 cases [26.6%] with open thoracotomy tube drainage and 9 cases decortication and 9 cases thoracoplasty. 9. 2 death cases occurred in 64 cases of thoracic empyema, and 79.7% cases were discharged with recovery and improvement.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.447-453
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• 1988

Intrapleural instillation of tetracycline as a preventive measure against recurrence in spontaneous pneumothorax was performed at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital for 3 years from Jul. 1984 to Aug. 1987. In this period, 124[70.0%] out of 177 patients of spontaneous pneumothorax who received closed thoracostomy were followed up. Tetracycline pleurodesis was applied to 32 cases. The recurrence rate of the tetracycline instillation group was lower than that of noninstillation group. In patients with first attack, the recurrence rate was 12.5% in the instillation group and 35.3% in the noninstillation group. In the second episodes, 25.6% and 83.3%[p< 0.01], in the third episodes 25.0%, 100.0%[p< 0.05]. In total cases, 18.8% and 39.8%[p< 0.05] of recurrence rates were observed. Systemic or local reactions such as fever, chest pain, and pleural effusion were observed in 23 patients[71.9%] after instillation, but all were transient and benign without sequelae. In cases of systemic or local reactions the recurrence rate was lower than that with no reactions but with no statistical significance. In the four patients primarily treated with tetracycline pleurodesis who then underwent thoracotomy, mild alterations were shown in the pleurae except dense adhesions at the previous thoracotomy sites. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of durations of hospitalization and post-treatment recurrences.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.471-474
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• 1995

A total of 20 patients underwent bullectomy in the spontaneous pneumothorax between October 1993 and August 1994. The patients were divided into two groups: Control group; the patients who received with mid-axillary approach[n=10 , Experimental group; the patients who received with video-assisted thoracic surgery [n = 10 . The results were as follows; 1. The total sex distribution was male predominence [M :F=6:1 . Mean age of control group was 31.6$\pm$ 10.1 age and experimental group was 24.3$\pm$ 5.5 age. 2. The operative times were 117.0 $\pm$ 32.6min in control group and 102.5$\pm$ 38.4min in experimental group [not significant . 3. The indwelling period of postoperative chest tube and hospital stay were 4.5$\pm$ 2.6 days and 8.3 $\pm$ 1.8 days in control group, $1.5\pm$ 0.5 days and 3.1 $\pm$ 0.3 days in experimental group[p=0.0018, < 0.0001 . 4. In control group, injection times of pain-killer were 1.7$\pm$ 0.7 times/day at operative day and 0.4$\pm$ 0.6times/day at postoperative 1 day. In experimental group, there were 0.3$\pm$ 0.7times/day at operative day and 0.1 $\pm$ 0.3times/day at postoperative 1 day[p=O.O002 at operative day, not significant at postoperative 1 day .

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1969

A clinical evaluation was done on a total of 41 cases of primary bronchogenic carcinoma, which came to the department of thoracic surgery, Chonnam University Hospital for the period of 5 years from May 1964, and the various factors led the patients to an inoperable stage were searched. The incidence ratio of male to female was 5.8:1 and the age group of fifty and sixty decade occupied 78% of the total. The subjective symptoms of the patients were cough with or without sputum [83%], chest pain or chest discomfort [76%], and a few incidence of bloody sputum and hemoptysis. The histological findings were 40% of squamous cell carcinoma, 35% of adenocarcinoma and 25% of anaplastic carcinoma, including 5 cases of unclassified bronchogenie carcinoma in scalene biopsy. 12 cases [29%] of a total of 41 cases received thoracotomy, but 8 cases among them were operable and 4 cases inoperable. The rest of 29 cases [71%] could not receive thoracotomy because of the various contraindication. 23 cases [70%] out of inoperable 33 cases had wasted time over 2 months duration for an operation owing to physicians` misdiagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma as pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic lung abscess, asthma, pleurisy, pneumonia. common cold, neuralgia in order. The delaying factors led the patients to an inoperable stage were physicians misdiagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma due to non-specific symptoms and signs of the patients, old aged patients dependance on herb medicine, and poor economical condition of the patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.381-386
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• 1995

In our hospital we have seen 20 cases of congenital diaphragmatic anomalies from June 1984 until December 1993. These were classified into 10 cases of diaphragmatic eventration, 8 cases of Bochdalek hernia, 1 case of Morgagni hernia, and 1 case of esophageal hiatal hernia. Diaphragmatic eventration cases were composed of 8 males and 2 females with ages varing from 3 hour to 42 year. They were discovered by symptoms: 5 cases of respiratory insufficiency; 3 cases of frequent respiratory infection; and 2 cases by chance; 6 cases involved the left side, 4 cases involved right side. Emergency operations were done to 4 patients. Among the 10 patients, only one operative mortality occurred; 3 hour old female.Bochdalek hernia cases composed 6 females and 2 males, 5 patients were less than 6 hour old. All patients were operated on an emergency status and three of them expired due to the vicious cycle of pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary vasoconstriction, persistent fetal circulation, hypoxia, and metabolic acidosis. Morgagni hernia was seen in one 69 year old female patient, she had no complaint of symptoms and was incidentally detected. Hernia was repaired through right thoracotomy. She was discharged with healthy appearence. Esophageal hiatal hernia was seen in a 10 month old male patient, his symptoms were persistent vomiting and coughing since birth. Sliding type of esophageal hiatal hernia repair was completed through left thoracotomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.703-710
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• 1998

We treated 654 patients with simultaneous bilateral sympathectomy for essential hyperhidrosis from March 1989 to September 1997(354 males and 300 females). The exposure afforded by thoracoscopy is actually superior to that seen at the time of either thoracotomy or axillary thoracotomy. The use of single-lumen intubation with alternating partially collapsed lung by CO2 inflation resulted in shorter anesthesia, shorter operative time, and shorter hospitalization. 2-mm extended thoracoscopic T2-sympathectomy is not only a time-saving method but also a very simple and effective one in the treatment of hyperhidrosis by experienced surgeons. The modification on our technique of thoracoscopic sympathectomy as described allowed us to significantly improve our previous results. A majority of the patients were relieved, and over 95% were satisfied initially.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 1974

During the 35 month period from November 1966 to November 1967 and from June 1971 to March 1973 I had experienced 127 cases of non fatal wounds of chest in Viet-Nam. .Among these 127 cases, 62[45.4%] were gun shot wounds, 49[35.8%] were shrapnel wounds and the other were traffic accident. stab wounds and miscellanous. Approximately 21% of gun shot wound were perforating and 79% were penetrating but all cases of shrapnel wounds were penetrating. Of these 127 cases. 90% evacuated to hospital within 6 hours and average time 2.5 hours. The tranfusion requirement of these cases ranged from zero to 36 pints of whole blood with an average of 2.600cc. Initial intrathoracic findings were hemopneumothorax and hemothorax mostly. and the incidence of open thoracotomy was 9.5%[12cases] and closed thoracotomy was 82.8%[104cases], which were contrast to the reports from Korean conflict. I had experienced 24 cases with complication, such as large hematoma in lung parenchyme[8 cases], atelectasis[4 cases], pyothorax [3 cases], pneumonia [3 cases], fibrothorax [3 cases], pleural effusion [2 cases] and wound infection [2 cases]. Mortality rate for entire group was 4.7% but the cases associated with brain injury was 100%, with spinal cord injury was 50%, with large vessel 50%, and abdominal injury was 33.3%, and nobody died solely of thoracic injury.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.166-170
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• 2012

(VATS) lobectomy to junior surgeons, and to review the first year experience of a new surgeon performing VATS lobectomies who had not performed a VATS lobectomy unassisted during his training period. Materials and Methods: A young surgeon opened a division of general thoracic surgery at a medical institution. The surgeon had performed about 100 lobectomies via conventional thoracotomy during his training period, but had never performed a VATS lobectomy unassisted while under the supervision of an expert. After opening the division of general thoracic surgery, the surgeon performed a total of 38 pulmonary lobectomies for various pulmonary diseases from March 2009 to February 2010. All data were collected retrospectively. Results: There were 14 lobectomies via thoracotomy, 14 VATS lobectomies, and 10 cases of attempted VATS lobectomies that were converted to open thoracotomies. The number of VATS lobectomies increased from the second quarter (n=0) to the third quarter (n=5). The lobectomies that were converted from VATS into thoracotomies decreased from the second quarter (n=5) to the third quarter (n=1) (p=0.002). Conclusion: It can take 6 months for young surgeons without experience in VATS lobectomy in their training period to be able to reliably perform a VATS lobectomy.