• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.800-804
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• 2001

The intractable pneumothorax with continuous air leakage, emphysematous lung and high operative risk treated by selective bronchial occlusion has been seldomly reported abroad. The bronchus responsible for air leakage was occluded with such materials as fibrin glue, gelatin sponge and oxidized regenerated cellulose(surgicel). We performed selective bronchial occlusion by flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy with gelfoam in two cases. There was no complication after the procedure; therefore, we report the treatment for intractable pneumo- thorax by bronchoscopy with gelfoam packing.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.725-729
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• 1993

A case of cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis with persistent positive bacilli due to resistant strain was treated successfully with artificial pneumothorax with antituberculosis chemotherapy. Negative conversion of Tubercle bacilli was noticed by four months on sputum smears and by 11 months on sputum cultures after the starting of artificial pneumothorax. The cavitary lesion was collapsed by 13 months. Artificial pneumothorax is one of the collapse therapies of pulmonary tuberculosis which had been used widely in the early 20th century before the era of antituberculosis chemotherapy. Nowadays, this method is almost neglected due to its inferiority in efficacy as compared to chemotherapy and complications. But we recommend considering this method when no other measure is likely to be useful in open cavitary lesion.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.732-738
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• 1999

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has become a standard therapy for several diseases such as pneumothorax, hyperhidrosis, mediastinal mass, and so on. These methods usually required single-lung ventilation with double-lumen endobronchial tube to collapse the lung under general anesthesia. However, risks of general anesthesia itself and single-lung ventilation must be considered in high-risk patients. Material and method: Between December 1997 and July 1998, eight high-risk patients (6: empyema, 1: intractable pleural effusion, 1: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) with underlying pulmonary disease and poor general condition were treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgerys under epidural anesthesia and spontaneous breathing. Result: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgerys were successfully per formed in 7 patients. Conversion to general anesthesia was required in 1 patient because of decrease in spontaneous breathing. But, conversion to open decortication was not required. In two patients with chronic empyema, one patient required thoracoplasty as a second procedure and one patient required re-video-assisted thoracoscopic procedure due to a recurrence. The mean operative time was 31.8$\pm$15.2 minutes. No significant postoperative respiratory com plication was encountered. Conclusion: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgerys can be per formed safely under epidural anesthesia for the treatment of empyema and diagnosis of pulmonary abnormalities in high-risk patients.