• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.26-29
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• 2013

We describe the case of a 56-year-old man who had been shot by a pneumatic nail gun in the chest during work. He had removed the nail by himself immediately at the accident field. He visited to the emergency department of a local hospital and, after a simple dressing and simple history had been taken, he was referred to our emergency department for penetrating thoracic injury. Immediately, Transthoracic echocardiography were done and showed moderate hemopericardium. Patient had been hydrated and transported to the operating room. After cardiac wound repaired by midsternotomy, the patient was discharged on the 13th postoperative day without complications except mild mitral valve regurgitation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.406-408
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• 2014

A 66-year-old male patient arrived at the emergency room with a crush injury to his chest. Multiple rib fractures, hemothorax on both sides, left scapular fracture, liver laceration, and retroperitoneal hematoma were found upon the radiologic examination. After closed thoracostomy, the patient had been initially admitted to the intensive care unit, but he was transferred to the general ward on the next day. On the 4th post-trauma day, the patient complained of severe pain and there was bloody drainage through the chest tube. This case is an exploration with the consideration of the possibility of major bleeding and the subsequent repair of the descending thoracic aorta. This case is regarded as a case in which the aorta wall was damaged as the sharp margin of the fractured ribs caused continuous irritation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.399-402
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• 2017

We report the case of a patient with penetrating chest trauma (right chest) who had undergone a left pneumonectomy due to pulmonary tuberculosis 24 years ago. We performed an emergent thoracotomy, finding an opening of the penetrating wound in a lower-lobe basal segment of the right lung. A stapled tractotomy was performed along the tract. Bleeding control and air-leakage control was done easily and rapidly. The patient was discharged without any complications on the seventh day of admission. Tractotomy can be a good option for treating penetrating lung injuries in patients with limited lung function who need emergent surgery.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.87-90
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• 2017

Purpose: Nowadays, Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) is widely used for its benefits, low post-operative pain, excellent anesthetic result and complete visualization of intrathoracic organs. Despite of these advantages, VATS has not yet been widely used in trauma patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the usefulness of VATS in the chest trauma area. Methods: From January 2016 to December 2016, 203 patients underwent surgical treatment for chest trauma. Their medical records were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Eleven patients underwent thoracic surgery by VATS. Six patients were unstable vital sign in the emergency room. Two patients underwent emergency surgery and the rest patients underwent planned surgery. The common surgeries were VATS hematoma evacuation and wedge resection. There was no conversion to thoracotomy. The surgery proceeded without any problems for all patients. Conclusions: VATS would be an effective diagnostic and therapeutic modality in chest trauma patients. It can be applied to retained hemothorax, persistent pneumothorax, suspicious diaphragm injury and even coagulation of bleeder.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.182-185
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• 1998

Recently, The non-penetrating injury of bronchus has been increased, especially by traffic accident. Early diagnosis and primary repair of bronchial injury not only restore normal lung function but also avoid the difficulties and complications associated with delayed diagnosis and repair. This report describes about a case of total collapse and consolidation of left lung with the complete transection of nearly bifurcated portion of left main bronchus , lasted for 2weeks after traffic accident. This was diagnosed by fiberbronchoscopy and 3-D chest computed tomography(CT). She underwent the sleeve resection and end to end anastomosis, and postoperative PEEP for 2 days, suctioning twice by fiberbronchoscopy, continue postural drainge and physiotherapy were applied. She had almost full expansion of the left lung at discharge.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.422-427
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• 1982

A clinical analysis of 82 cases who were sustained the penetrating gun-shot wound in the chest by 8 bullets was done during 4~ year-period from January 1978 to August 1982 in the department of thoracic surgery, CA FGH. Among 82 cases, 61 cases [74.4%] of them were brought to the Hospital by ambulance, 21 cases [25.6%] were by Helicopter and 76 cases [92.7%] of them were admitted within 4 hours after wounding. Thirty eight [46.3%] patients were treated by closed thoracotomy only, 19 cases [23.2%]by open thoracotomy, 18 cases [22.0%] by primary closure with debridement, and 7 cases [8.5%] by vascular surgery. Causes of open thoracotomy were due to massive intrapleural bleeding in 16 cases, rupture of diaphragm in 2 Gases, and heart injury in one case. Among 25 cases of surgical complications, wound infection was most common in 16 cases [53.5%] and recurrent pneumothorax in 3 cases [10%], empyema in 3 cases [10%], and BPF in one case [3.3%]. Hospital mortality was seen in 6 cases due to hypovolemic shock and respiratory insufficiency in 4 cases, spinal shock in 2 cases due to spinal injury.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.334-337
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• 2012

Since the advent of percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS), its application has been extended to massively injured patient. Cardiac injury following blunt chest trauma brings out high mortality and morbidity. In our cases, patients had high injury severity score by blunt trauma and presented sudden hemodynamic collapse in emergency room. We quickly detected cardiac tamponade by focused assessment with sonography for trauma and implemented PCPS. As PCPS established, their vital sign restored and then, they were transferred to the operation room (OR) securely. After all injured lesion repaired, PCPS weaned successfully in OR. They were discharged without complication on day 26 and 55, retrospectively.

• Journal of Auto-vehicle Safety Association
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.22-26
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• 2014

Fatality of accidents on curved roads where rollover accidents are likely to take place was higher than that on straight roads. We ought to investigate factors affecting injury severity of occupant in a vehicle rollover accident. From January 2011 to December 2013, we collected data about rollover motor vehicle crash accident. We surveyed occupant's injury, vehicle type, safety devices, type of rollover accident and the number of turn in accident. Of the 132 subjects, 56.1% were males, 50.8% were drivers, 48.5% fastened seat belt, and air bag deployed in 12.1%. Among injuries sustained head, chest and abdomen were major sites of severe injury(Abbreviated injury scale>2). Seat belt use, rollover type, and the number of 1/4 turn were found to have significant positive correlations with Injury Severity Score. The regression analysis herein found significance in safety belt use and the number of 1/4 turn. Seat belt use was a significant factor affecting injury severe of occupant in rollover accident.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.78-84
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• 2008

Purpose: Recently, the incidence of blast injury has been on the increase worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyze blast injuries in South Korea. Methods: This was a retrospective multi-center study of blast injuries in three tertiary military centers. The medical records of patients with blast injuries from January 2003 to December 2007 were reviewed. The injury severity was evaluated according to the Injury Severity Score (ISS), the Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and the Trauma Score and the Injury Severity Score (TRISS). Results: This study revealed epidemiological data of blast injury in the three tertiary military hospital. A total of 94 cases of blast injury had occurred. Various body regions were involved. The most frequently injured site was the upper extremity (52.1%). The mechanisms for the blast injuries were primary (41.5%), secondary (74.5%), tertiary (7.4%), and quaternary (29.8%). The mean injury-to-hospital arrival time was $3.2{\pm}1.7hour$. The rate of admission was 88.3%, and the rate of ICU admission was 32.5%. Thirty-six (36) cases required an emergency operation. Most were performed by an Orthopedist (55.6%), an Ophthalmologist (19.4%), or a general surgeon (13.9%). The mortality rate from blast injury was 4.3%. Conclusion: This was the first paper to present data on the type of injury, the site of injury, the cause of death, and the mortality from blast injury in South Korea. Chest injury, brain injury, tertiary injury mechanisms, $ISS{\geq_-}16$, and a Maximal Abbreviated Injury Scale Score $(ABI){\geq_-}4$ were significantly associated with death.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.248-255
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• 2015

Purpose: study of the mutual influence of the individual anatomical regions damage in patients associated with falls from heights. Methods: 561 medical reports of patients associated with falls from heights admitted to Republican Research Center of Emergency Medicine (RRCEM), in period of 2010-2013 yy, were analyzed retrospectively. Patient's age range was from 15 to 89. Treatment of these patients held in three stages: period of acute disorders of vital functions; relative stabilization period; stabilization of vital functions. The scope and content of medical diagnostic procedures performed on pre-hospital and intensive care stages. The severity of each injury was scored according to the AIS scale, the total severity of lesions was scored by points due to ISS. Digital material is treated by methods of mathematical statistics. Results: Falls from heights leads to associated injuries for 4 times more than isolated trauma, and increases according to height of fall and falling surface. Patients with TBI+chest trauma, are most serious contingent that has highest mortality and complications (36.8%). TBI+musculoskeletal system trauma are characterized by high blood loss, traumatic shock and fat embolism, forming a vicious circle. Conclusion: in patients associated with falls from heights clinical manifestations of injuries mutual aggravation syndrome will be seen. TBI leads to complication of chest trauma, delayed diagnostics of abdominal and chest trauma, aggravation of coma condition. Developing of high blood loss and fat embolism in musculoskeletal system trauma leads to shock and pulmonary embolism, which increases probability of death in the presence of abdominal or chest trauma, but abdominal trauma or chest trauma has no significant effect on the severity of the musculoskeletal system trauma.