• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.439-443
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• 2003

A lower laryngeal and upper tracheal stenosis that is of idiopathic origin is occasionally seen. It is called an idiopathic tracheal stenosis. These circumferential fibrous stenosis is rare and they are most often located in the subglottic larynx and extend to varying distances predominantly in young women. Because of the unknown nature of the disease process and uncertainty about its future progression, patients were approached conservatively. Recently, surgical resection and reconstruction have been increasingly performed, as favorable results were obtained. Three female patients with dyspnea were admitted. For two patients, they were diagnosed this conditions as bronchial asthma by mistake. All patients were performed computed tomography and bronchoscopy. For two patients with subglottic stenosis, subglottic resection was performed by cervical collar incision, and for the other one patient with distal tracheal stenosis, tracheal resection was performed by right posterolateral thoracotomy. A diagnosis of idipathic tracheal stenosis was confirmed by postoperatively pathologic finding. For one case, because of anastomosis site infection and restenosis, a whole tracheal exposure was performed by cervical collar incision and median sternotomy. And reoperation was peformed successfully.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.9 s.254
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• pp.622-626
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• 2005

Background: Non-invasive interventional therapy has been performed for main bronchial obstruction by endobronchial tuberculosis because of the risk of main bronchial reconstruction regardless of the pulmonary function. But, effects of the inteeventional therapy are attacked by arguments. This study was aimed at interpreting the risk and effectiveness of bronchoplasty for benign bronchial stenosis over the last ten years in our hospital by reviewing the results based on clinical progression. Material and Method: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records and out-patient medical records including 2f consecutive patients who underwent main bronchial reconstruction for obstruction by endobronchial tuberculosis. All of them had past medical history of anti-tuberculosis medication. They were preoperatively evaluated by bronchoscopy and chest computed tomography. Result: There were no incidences of postoperative mortality and signifcant morbidity. There were 2 cases of retained secretions but these problems were resolved by therapeutic bronchoscopy or intubation. All of the patients are still alive without obstructive airway problem. Conclusion: Bronchoplasty should be considered as one of the primary treatment modalities, if it is anatomically feasible.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.343-348
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• 2009

Kaposi's sarcoma was first descrided by Kaposi in 1872 as an idiopathic multiple hemorrhagic sarcoma. Its clinical features revealed to be erythematous red or purple macule started out, and developing into palpable dome-shaped nodules. Etiology is not defined to detail at present. Kaposi's sarcoma is classified to 4 categories; Classical, African, Epidemic and Immunosuppressive type. Epidemic categories is found approximately 20% of all AIDS patients and has strong predilection for head and neck region. The first case of immunosuppresive type Kaposi's sarcoma in patients with kidney transplants was reported in 1969. Kaposi's sarcoma accounts for 5% of all tumors associated with transplanted patients. The most common site of Kaposi's sarcoma in immunosuppressed patients are extremities, but rare in head and neck area. A 42 years old woman who had systemic lupus erythematosus visited to our clinic because of gingival hyperplasia, and excisional biopsy revealed Kaposi's sarcoma. We experienced a case of favorable results using excision and chemotherapy, so we report with review of literatures.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.690-695
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• 2005

Nitric acid is an oxidizing agent used in metal refining and cleaning, electroplating, and other industrial applications. Its accidental spillage generates oxides of nitrogen, including nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$), which cause chemical pneumonitis when inhaled. The clinical presentation of a nitric acid inhalation injury depends on the duration and intensity of exposure. In mild cases, there may be no symptoms during the first few hours after exposure, or the typical symptoms of pulmonary edema can appear within 3-24 hours. However, in cases of prolonged exposure, progressive pulmonary edema develops instantaneously and patients may not survive for more than 24 hours. We report a case of a 44-year-old male who was presented with acute respiratory distress syndrome after nitric acid inhalation. He complained of cough and dyspnea of a sudden onset after inhaling nitric acid fumes at his workplace over a four-hour period. He required endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation due to fulminant respiratory failure. He was managed successfully with mechanical ventilation using positive end expiratory pressure and systemic corticosteroids, and recovered fully without any deterioration in his pulmonary function.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.392-396
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• 2002

Background: Video-thoracoscopy is known to be an useful method to provide accurate pre-resectional staging in patients with lung cancer in addition to the conventional radiologic studies and mediastinoscopy, for the pleural cavity is inspected directly and biopsy specimens call be obtained. This study is undertaken to evaluate how video-thoracoscopy can be used in deciding pre-resectional stage Material and Method: Video-thoracoscopy was performed in patients with lung cancer who were scheduled for surgical resection based on the radiologic staging and mediastinoscopic biopsy. 37 patients were included in this study. Pre-thoracoscopically 18 cases were in TNM stage 1, 7 in stage 2, and 12 in stage 3. Result: In 15 of 37 cases, video-thoracoscopy could not be performed effectively due to heavy adhesions in the pleural cavity, diaphragmatic and chest wall invasion of tumor and bulky tumor mass es. Mediastinal lymph nodes were positive postresectionally in 6 of these 15 cases. In 22 cases, video-thoracoscopy was performed as usual. Positive mediastinal lymph nodes were identified in 2 cases and exploratory thoracotomy was prevented. Surgical resection were carried out in remaining 20 cases and 5 cases among them had positive mediastinal lymph nodes. Conclusion: We believe that it is difficult to perform pre-thoracotorny video-thoracoscopy for all lung cancer patients for there were many cases that thoracoscory could not be undertaken doe to heavy adhesions in the pleural cavity, tumor involvement of the chest wall and/or diaphragm and bulky tumor mass. However we think it is helpful in preventing unnecessary exploratory thoracotomy for some patients with lung cancer whom pre-thoracotomy video-thoracoscopy was carried out.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 2012

This paper analyzes changes in the external radiation dose rate of PET-CT test patients as a part of providing basic materials for reduction of radiation exposure to PET-CT test patients. In theory the measurement of external radiation dose rate of PET-CT test patients shows that the further the distance from the patient injected with radioactive pharmaceutical and a longer time elapsement from the injection leads to a smaller amount of radiation. Particularly, the amount of radiation marked the highest in the chest was at 4.17 minutes immediately after the intravenous injection and in the head after 77.47 minutes after urination in advance to the PET-CT test. As in the generalized information, it is desired to keep distance between the patient and caretakers or professionals to reduce the amount of radiation exposure from PET-CT test patients and to resume contact the patient after the time when the radiation has reduced. If contact is unavoidable, it is desired to keep at least 200cm from the patient. In addition, the amount of radiation reached the highest in the chest at first and then in the head from 77 minutes after injection. Accordingly, it would be helpful in achieving the optimization if contact is made based on the patient's physical characteristics. This study is significant as it measures changes in radiation the dose rate by; distance from the PET-CT test patient, time elapsed, and specific parts of body. Further studies based on the findings in this paper are required to analyze changes in radiation dose rate in accordance with individual characteristics unique to PET-CT patients and to utilize the results to reduce the amount of radiation patient, caretakers and professions are exposed.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.231-236
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• 2000

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma usually occurs in women and is associated with a past hysterectomy in 80% of the cases, which is a rare entity. The patient was a 39-year-old woman who complained of cough and sputum. She underwent hysterectomy because of benign leiomyoma ten years ago. Chest X-ray showed nodular lesion in the left lung field. Chest CT showed a 3cm sized round well defined mass at left hilum with mild indentation of segmental bronchi of left upper lobe and a small tiny nodule in right lower lung field. Nodular lesion of left upper 1000 was resected by thoracotomy. Pathological evaluation showed benign spindle-like cells having nuclei without cytotic atypia similar to those of benign leiomyoma. Immunohistochernical stainings for desmin and smooth muscle actin were positive. Therefore these nodules are considered as benign metastasizing leiomyoma from a uterine leiomyoma. We report this case with the review of literature.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.192-196
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• 2007

Background: Right middle lobe syndrome (RMLS) is defined as transient or chronic and recurrent atelectasis of the right middle lobe. Although numerous conditions are associated with RMLS, there are very few recent reports in Korea. This study evaluated the causes of RMLS in a local tertiary hospitalover a period of 42 months. Method: Eighty-eight patients (M:F=64:22, mean age: $67.2{\pm}10.3years$), who had consistent chest radiography findings and underwent bronchoscopy in Gyeongsang University Hospital from January 2003 to July 2006, were enrolled in this study. The clinical characteristics and causes of RMLS in these patients were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The most common symptoms fo RMLS were cough, dyspnea and sputum. Tuberculosis was the most common cause (endobronchial tuberculosis in 22 and pulmonary tuberculosis in 1) The other causes were bronchial stenosis by benign fibrotic changes in 22 cases (25%), anthracofibrosis in 13 cases (14.8%), pneumonia in 11 cases (12.5%), lung cancer in 10 cases (11.4%), mucus impaction in 3 cases (3.4%), bronchiectasis in 2 cases (2.3%) and no demonstrable causes in 7 cases (8%). The bronchoscopy findings were mucosal edema with hyperemic changes in 38 cases (43.2%), mucosal edema with anthracotic pigmentation in 16 cases (18.2%), mucus impaction in 13 cases (14.8%), fibrotic stenosis in 13 cases (14.8%), a mass like lesion in 8 cases (9.1%), exudative necrotic material in 4 cases (4.5%), narrowing as a result of extrinsic compression in 2 cases (2.3%) and no demonstrable abnormalities in 12 cases (13.6%). Conclusion: Right middle lobe syndrome was observed more frequently in patients over the age of 65. The causes were mainly benign diseases with endobronchial tuberculosis being the most common.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 1993

Background: To evaluate the risk factor of pneumothorax (PNX) which is the most common complication of CT-guided needle aspiration of the lung, we have examined the frequency of PNX according to the presence of obstructive ventilatory impairment determined by pulmonary function tests. Methods: A comparative study of analysis of forecd expiratory volume and folw-volume curves, and determinations of diffusing capacity taken before procedure were made between each 16 cases with PNX and controls with no PNX. Each of the control group was matched for sex, age, height, and size and depth of lesion with the former. Results: 1) In comparison of vital capacity and parameters derived from forced expiratory volume curve between two groups, VC and FVC were not significantly different, whereas $FEV_1$, $FEV_1$/FVC%, and FEF25-75% showed a significant decrease in the PNX gorup. Also, in the PNX group, all the observed values of parameters analyzed from flow-volune curve were siginificantly reduced in the PNX group compared with those in the control group. 2) The diffusing capacity tended to decrease along with varying individual differences in the PNX group. 3) Patients who had obstructive ventilatory impairment according to the results of pulmonary function tests experienced a twofold increase in the frequency of PNX and a sixfold increase in the frequency of chest tube drainage for treatment of PNX compared with those whose results were normal. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the exact evaluation of obstructive lung disease determined by pulmonary function test be considered assessing a pastient's risk for PNX in the patients who will take the CT-guided needle aspiration of the lung.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2003

Background : A CT scan is a useful modality for the diagnosis and evaluation of disease activity in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. However, the CT diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis is sometimes difficult in patients with an atypical CT pattern, especially with lobar consolidation mimicking pneumonia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and CT features of pulmonary tuberculosis, simulating pneumonia, from a CT scan. Materials and Methods : The clinical and CT features in 21 patients, where the CT diagnosis was pneumonia, or the CT differential diagnosis included pneumonia, were retrospectively analyzed. Results : Of the 21 patients, 6 were immunocompromised, 15 presented with fever or leukocytosis and 15 showed positive sputum smear test for acid fast bacilli. Also, 17 of the 21 patients showed a positive sputum culture test. On the CT scan, consolidation was noted in all patients (100%), volume loss of the involved lobe or segment in 12 (57%), bronchogenic spread in 15 (71%), a cavity in 7 (33%) and bronchial wall thickening also in 7 (33%). The location of the consolidation revealed a relatively even distribution, with no specific predilection site. The other associated pulmonary diseases included ARDS, bronchiectasis, severe pulmonary emphysema, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Conclusion : In the immunocompromised patients, or patients with an underlying pulmonary disease, whose CT scans showed pulmonary consolidation, especially in association with findings of bronchogenic spread, a cavity or bronchial wall thickening, meticulous examination for pulmonary tuberculosis is recommended.