• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.188-193
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• 2007

Lung cancer, breast cancer and lymphoma are the common oncologic causes of malignant pleural effusion, comprising more than the half of the causes. However, an endocrinologic carcinoma associated malignant effusion is very rare. Recently, we encountered a case of papillary thyroid carcinoma causing malignant effusion. An 83-year-old female patient presented with dyspnea due to massive pleural effusion in her left side. The pleural biopsy, pleural fluid cytology and breast needle aspiration biopsy results were consistent with a metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid ultrasonography showed two thyroid masses, but the patient refused a thyroid biopsy. This case highlights the need for considering the possibility of papillary thyroid carcinoma when the cause of malignant pleural effusion cannot be found because one of the rare clinical manifestations of a papillary thyroid carcinoma can be dyspnea due to malignant effusion.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.290-295
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• 2002

Backgroud: Pneumonectomy carries the possibility of numerous dangerous complications as well as the vast effect the operation itself has on the cardiopulmonary function. Most of operations are done with the insertion of the chest tubes upon completion, but because of the high incidence of pyothorax as its complications, we have tried to analyze and compare the cases without inserting the chest tubes. Material and Method: During a 5 year period from January, 1996 to December 2000, 100 cases, which were operated at the Hanyang University Hospital, were selected using the patient's charts. The age, gender, indication of operation, associated diseases, and operation site(left or right) were classified accordingly and the postoperative complications and mortality were statistically analyzed using the $\chi$ 2-test. After resecting the lung, the intrathoracic pressure was set at -15 ~ -20cm $H_2O$ using the nelaton catheter, and the thoracotomy site was then closed. The gradual collection of the fluid and blood in the thorax of the operated side, as well as the mediastinum location, were observed carefully for 4~5 days postoperatively with the aid of the simple chest x-rays. Result: Of the 100 cases, 16 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis(16%), 81 cases of lung tumor(81%), 2 cases of bronchiectasis(2%), and 1 case of aspergilloma associated bronchiectasis were noted. There were 8 mortality cases(8%), and of the 34 cases(34%), 44 complications were noted. The age, sex, and operation site(left or right) were not statistically significant with the complications. 7 of the 16 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis(44%) and 27 of the 81 cases of lung tumor(33%) had complications, but they were found not to be statistically significant. The increase of the complication rate in the pulmonary tuberculosis patients was 3.86. The evidence of postoperative bleeding was observed in 6 cases with the 3 cases being the pulmonary tuberculosis patients and the 3 cases were others. This shows that the increase in postoperative bleeding in the pulmonary tuberculosis is statistically significant(p=0.019). Of the 100 cases, there were 8 mortality cases(8%), with 5 cases from the 81 cases of the lung tumor group(6.1%), 3 cases from the 16 cases of pulmonary tuberculoses group(18.7%).

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.311-321
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• 1998

Background: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lung arises from submucosal gland of tracheobronchial tree. Histologically, the tumor is composed of mucin-secreting cells, squamous cells, and intermediated cells, which show no particular differentiating characteristics, in varying proportions. The tumor is divided into low grade and high grade depending on the proportion of cells, and the degree of the mitotic activity, cellular necrosis and nuclear pleomorphism. While favorable prognosis of low grade tumor, high grade tumor, which is very difficult to differentiate from adenosquamous carcinoma, has an aggressive clinical course. The tumor is rare, comprising 0.1 to 0.2% of primary lung cancers and 1 to 5% of bronchial adenomas. Method: A retrospective clinical study was done on 17 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The study investigated the clinical features, radiologic findings, bronchoscopic findings, histology and clinical courses. Results: Age ranged between second to seventh decade with a mean age of 42 years. Twelve out of 17 cases were male. Five out of 17 cases were smokers with a mean 11 pack-years. Common symptoms included dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, and wheezing. Two out of 17 cases was asymptomatic. Atelectasis or mass was common radiologic finding. Plain chest radiography was normal in one patient whom the tumor was located in upper trachea. Bonchoscopy revealed exophytic mass in 12 cases and nodular infiltrations in 4 cases. One case having solitary pulmonary nodule in the right lower lung was normal on bronchoscopy. Histologically, ten out of 17 cases were low grade, and seven out of 17 cases were high grade. Among 10 patients with low grade tumor,9 patients were performed operation and have been alive without recurrence during a mean follow-up of 30 months. Two out of 7 patients with high grade tumor were performed pneumonectomy and have been alive during a follow-up of 3 and 8 months, respectively. Conclusion: Most of mucoepidermoid carcinoma is located at central airway and is presented symptoms by mucosal irirtation. Although atelectasis or mass is common radiologic finding. chest X -ray can be normal. The histologic grading and the extent of tumor are two most important factors for prognosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.340-343
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• 2010

Gastropleural fistula is a rare complication of prior lung surgery, gastric ulcer, trauma and malignancy. A 62 year old female patient who had received surgical repair of a perforated gastric wall 10 years prior, underwent open pleural decortication. At 4 days after surgery, food residuums were noticed at the chest bottles. Hence, an emergency esophagogram was done. The esophagogram revealed a gastropleural fistula. The patient received a total gastrectomy, intra-abdominal diaphragmatic repair and massive thoracic saline irrigation through a previous thoracic wound. The patient was discharged 11 days after surgery without other morbidity.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.118-121
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• 2003

A 25-year-old female patient was adimitted due to discomfort in the right chest and left epigastric area. Chest X-ray and chest CT showed a round 4$\times$4$\times$4cm sized mass located in the right lower lobe and abutted on the right diaphragm and metastatic lesions in the right lower lobe and right middle lobe. In exploratory thoracotomy, we discovered a mass originating from the right diaphragm which directly invaded the right lower lobe and metastatic subpleural lesions in the right lower lobe and right middle lobe. The mass was diagnosed as sarcoma by frozen section biopsy and we removed the mass by on bloc resection of the right diaphragm and right lower lobe. Metastatic subpleural lesions in the right lower lobe and right middle lobe were removed by wedge resection. The mass was malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the diaphragm in permanent pathologic examination and chemotherapy was done as adjuvant measure. We report one extremely rare case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the diaphragm with literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.1 s.270
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• pp.74-78
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• 2007

Systemic artery to pulmonary vessel fistula (SAPVF) is an abnormal communication between the systemic arterial circulation and the pulmonary circulation. Most SAPVF are congenital, but some SAPVF may also develop as a consequence of trauma, neoplasm, and inflammation of pleura or lung parenchyma. A 38-year-old man was referred to our department for hemoptysis. He underwent an operation for traumatic diaphragm rupture 16 years ago. Chest CT scan and angiography revealed SAPVF between several intercostal arteries and pulmonary vessels. He had an angiographic transcatheter embolization and the SAPVF disappeared at follow-up chest CT. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of traumatic SAPVF in Korea.

• Korean journal of aerospace and environmental medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.57-59
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• 2021

For nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), surgery is indicated only for stage 3 as a curative measure. Even so, there is a high risk of recurrence following stage 3 lung cancer surgery, a third (33.9%) of patients experienced a cancer recurrence mostly within 2 years after surgery. The median survival time for all stages reaches only 21.9 months. For people undergoing surgery for stage 3A NSCLC, a pre-operative course of (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) can improve survival times, by improving the resectability and lowering the risk of recurrence. Pleural metastases are frequently associated with tumors of the lung and breast. Chest radiographs and computed tomography scans of pleural metastases can present as an effusion or smooth or nodular pleural thickening. In the absence of irregular or nodular pleural thickening, it is difficult to distinguish a benign from a malignant pleural effusion. To treat lung cancer, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) recently have been used to cope with genetic mutations, apart from cytotoxic anticancer drugs. Compared to cytotoxic drugs, they are effective, have fewer side effects, and are easy to administer. Airman must have no cancer disease to apply for Class-I medical certification. Specifically, if previously operated on cancer, the cancer should not remain in the body at present, and the disease free state should persist at least one year after all kinds of anti-cancer treatments including adjuvant chemotherapy are completed. Here, this case deals with a 41-year-old pilot who has ATP license who had stage 3A NSCLC. The pilot underwent curative lung cancer surgery (lobectomy) a year ago and showed suspicious pleural metastasis at the time of his application for certification and was still using an unauthorized TKI agent alectinib (Alecensa; Roche, Basel, Switzerland).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.4
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• pp.826-837
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• 2021

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a chronic inflammatory condition involving multiple organs, including the salivary or lacrimal glands, orbit, pancreas, bile duct, liver, kidney, retroperitoneum, aorta, lung, and lymph nodes. It is histologically characterized by tissue infiltration with lymphocytes and IgG4-secreting plasma cells, storiform fibrosis, and obliterative phlebitis. In the thoracic involvement of IgG4-RD, mediastinal lymphadenopathy and perilymphangitic interstitial thickening of the lung are the most common findings. Peribronchovascular and septal thickening and paravertebral band-like soft tissue are characteristic findings of IgG4-RD. Other findings include pulmonary nodules or masses, ground-glass opacity, alveolar interstitial thickening, pleural effusion or thickening, mass in the chest wall or mediastinum, and arteritis involving the aorta and coronary artery. Radiologic differential diagnosis of various malignancies, infections, and inflammatory conditions is needed. In this review, we describe the imaging findings of IgG4-RD and the radiologic differential diagnoses in the thorax.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1143-1147
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• 1996

Video-assisted thoracic surgery(VATS) is emerging as a potentially less invasive means of managing a wide variety of thoracic disorders. VATS was performed in 46 cases, in the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery of Chonbuk national University Hospital from August 1992 to July 1995. There were 20 men and 26 women, whose age ranged from 14 to 56 years. They were diagnosed hyperhidrosis in 21 cases, mediastinal tumor in 12 cases, pneumothorax in· 10 cases, and one case each of lelomyoma of the esophagus, Raynaud's syndrome, Burger's disease. Operation time averaged 89.7 minutes, and no patient was converted to d thoracotomy. The number of troche used, period of chest tube drainage, and postoperative hospitalization were 3, 1.8 days, and 4.B days, respectively. The postoperative complication ocurred in 5 cases (remnant pneumothorax 1 case, phrenic nerve aralysis 1 case, persistant air leakage 2 cases, compensatory hyperhidrosis 1 case). One patient with persistent air leak was managed by thoracotomy on postoperative) days, and the other patient by chemical pleurodesis. One patient diagnosed pathologically as thymic carcinoma, was managed by radiation therapy. There was no postoperative death. VATS has the benefits of reduced postoperative pain and postoperative hospitalization, and good cutsmetic effect.

• 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.