• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.672-674
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• 1996

Chylothorax is a rare, but well-recognized complication of cardiothoracic surgery and operations in the region of the esophageal or aortic diaphragmatic hiatus. Especially, in nutritionally depleted patients requiring esophagectomy for benign or malignant diseases, it is a potentially life-threatening disorder that has profound respiratory, nutritional and immunologic co sequences . We have experienced a case of chylothorax after transhiatal esophagectomy in benign esophageal stricture. The diagnosis of chylothorax was confirmed after feeding through the jejunostomy tube by the change of the character of pleural effusion and high triglyceride level on the 5th postoperative day. On the thirteenth postoperative day, supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct ligation was performed through right thoracotomy. We could remove the chest tube on the 22th postoperative day, and the patient is being followed-up at out patient clinic without complications.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.711-714
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• 2007

Phlegmonous esophagitis is a disorder in which bacterial infection occurs in the submucosal and muscular layers of the esophagus. This malady is very rare and it is usually associated with high mortality. A 69-year-old male was admitted with chest pain and fever he'd experienced for 7 days. The chest computerized tomography scan revealed mediastinal widening, circumferential esophageal thickening, an air shadow along the esophagus and right pleural effusion. Drainage and debridement of the mediastinum and primary repair of the perforated esophageal muscular layer through a right thoracotomy was done immediately. Further surgical treatment was not performed. He had a good oral intake without dysphagia or esophageal leakage at discharge.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.388-393
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• 2000

Localized fibrous tumor of the pleura is very rare. Most of them are benign, but some are malignant. This clause does not relate with the rest of the sentence. The single best predictor of clinical benignity is whether the tumor can be totally resected. We experienced a case of localized fibrous tumor of the pleura in a 57 year old man with right chest pain and cough. He was informed of a $8{\times}5cm$ mass in his right lower lung field, which was benign 3 years ago. Preoperative chest x-ray showed an increased hazy density at right lower lung field, and CT scan showed a $12{\times}8cm$ huge mass, which was located in right lower thorax. Left thoracotomy was done to excise a $12{\times}8{\times}5cm$(1200gm) sized large mass delete. The patient was discharged without any complications postoperatively.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.46-49
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• 2011

Background and Objectives Cervical necrotizing fasciitis is a fulminant disease associated with necrosis of connective tissue, spread along the fascial plane, and high mortality. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and treatment outcome of this rare fatal disease. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 19 patients treated for cervical necrotizing fasciitis from January 1999 to January 2009. Mean age was 53.7 years. Results The most common predisposing illness was tonsillitis (36.8%), followed by odontogenic infection (15.7%). Diabetes mellitus was most common underlying disease. Liver cirrhosis and chronic renal failure were found in 2 patients each. All patients were treated with combination of parenteral antibiotics and wide surgical debridement by transcervical and/or thoracotomy approach. Multiple surgical debridements were performed in 7 patients. Tracheotomy was performed in most of the patients (88.8%). Period of total hospitalization and Intensive care unit was 23 days and 10.1 days. Two patients died of disease and overall survival rate was 89.4%. Conclusion Early surgical management and care in intensive care unit are essential for cervical necrotizing fasciitis. Possible complications such as respiratory failure, mediastinitis or sepsis should be carefully evaluated.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.676-680
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• 2000

To minimize the period of brain ischemia and the potential for neurologic damage during aortic arch replacement, we used the arch-first technique. First case was a 28-year-old female with extensive aneurysm involving ascending, arch and descending thoracic aorta. Exposure was obtained via a bilateral via a bilateral thoracotomy (clamshell incision) in the anterior 4th right and 3rd left intercostal space with oblique sternotomy. To prepare for arch perfusion, the side-arm graft(10mm) was anastomosed to the aortic graft, opposite the site of the planned anastomosis to the arch vessels. After completing the arch anastomosis under total circulatory arrest(37min) and retrograde cerebral perfusion(12min), aortic graft was clamped on either side and the arch was perfused via side-arm graft for 36min. When distal aortic anastomosis was finished, distal clamp of aortic graft was released and arch vessels were perfused via common femoral artery, and the proximal aortic anastomosis was accomplished. The patient was discharged with no event. Second case was a 48-year-old male with extensive aneurysm involving ascending, arch, and aortic regurgitaiton(grade III/IV). This case was also done using the clamshell incision. Aortic valve replacement was done by valved-conduit(Vascutek 30mm), both coronary artery anastomosis using Cabrol's procedure. Last operation procedure was the same as the 1st case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1142-1144
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• 1997

A case of fatal hematemesis due to an aberrant right subclavian arterioesophageal fistula which is a rare complication of the vascular ring is presented. A 42-year-old man with multiple injury by traffic accident presented severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding and was taken emergent operation. He was keeping tracheostomy tube and nasogastric tube for 7 weeks. We could find an aberrant right subclavian arterioesophageal fistula through left thoracotomy which was made by irritation of the prolonged nasogastric ube. We carried division of the aberrant right subclavian artery and fistulectomy. He was doing well postoperatively. But massive bleeding occurred at the fifth postoperative day. We performed emergent reoperation at CCU and found the tear point on the suture site of the aorta, which might be developed due to irritation of the chest tube andfor infection of the surrounding tissues. He was expired at the 8th postoperative day due to ischemic brain damage.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.88-93
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• 2008

Esophageal atresia with double tracheoesophageal fistula is a very rare anomaly and is difficulty to diagnose preoperatively. We treated a full term baby with esophageal atresia with double tracheoesophageal fistula. At the first operation, only the distal tracheoesophageal fistula was identified and ligated. When the upper esophageal pouch was opened, intermittent air leakages in sequence with positive bagging were noticed. However, intraoperative bronchoscopy did not identify a fistula in the proximal pouch, and the operation was completed with end to end anastomosis of the esophagus. On the $7^{th}$ postoperative day, esophagography showed another tracheoesophageal fistula proximal to the esophageal anastomosis. A wire was placed in the fistula preoperatively under bronchoscopy. At the 2nd operation through the same thoracotomy incision the proximal fistula was identified and ligated. On the $12^{th}$ postoperative day, esophagography showed neither stricture nor leakage.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.424-430
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• 1993

Pulmonary eosinophilic granuloma or histiocytosis X is a chronic interstitial lung disease characterized by proliferations of Langerhans cells and, therefore, not truly histiocytosis. Both histiocytes and Langerhans cells are believed to be related to the mononuclear phagocyte system. In Eosinophilic granuloma, extra-pulmonary such as mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes involvement is very rare in adult. We report a case of young man with eosinophilic granuloma involving lung and anterior mediastinal lymph node simultaneously which is confirmed by open thoracotomy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.736-741
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• 1993

Pulmonary sequestration is the part of a spectrum of bronchopulmonary foregut anomalies in which a portion of lung parenchyma does not communicate with the tracheobronchial tree and usually receives its arterial supply from a systemic vessel. The sequestrated portion of the lung is susceptible to infection. The patient with this entity will have a paucity of symptoms and will present himself for treatment because of a persistent pneumonia. The associated aberrant systemic artery makes the preoperative diagnosis of the lesion imperative because of the life-threatening technical hazards posed by this artery. We experienced a case of intralobar pulmonary sequestration. Initially, the diagnosis of sequestration was unsuspected and open thoracotomy was done for management of homogenous cystic mass on left lower lobe, but one anomalous systemic artery from thoracic descending aorta to sequestrated lung was incidentally revealed. Then we underwent lower lobectomy and ligation of anomalous artery.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.747-750
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• 1993

A 51-year-old male was admitted due to mediastinal mass. Chest PA showed a $4{\times}5$ cm sized round mass on right lower paratracheal area. The chest computerized tomogram showed cystic mass located between superior vena cava and trachea. This cystic mass was composed of variable internal architecture with Hounsfield unit(HU) from -44.4 to +25.5. The resected cystic mass revealed ectodermal, mesodermal, and endodermal structures. We report a case of anterior mediastinal cystic teratoma confirmed by open thoracotomy.