• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.124-127
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• 2008

Injury to the inferior vena cava (IVC) is associated with a high mortality rate, and little progress has been made for improving the treatment for this since the 1970s. Injury to the retrohepatic IVC, in particular, has been associated with up to a 75% mortality rate due to the difficulty in gaining adequate exposure and controlling the bleeding. Both the severity of injury and anatomic accessibility has been directly correlated with survival in IVC injury. We have experienced a patient with retrohepatic IVC that was ruptured by a penetrating gunshot injury and we managed to save this patient's life.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.242-247
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of associated injuries in patients with spine trauma. Methods: Data of 3,920 consecutive patients admitted to a regional trauma center during a 3-year period were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Of the 3,920 patients who were admitted to the trauma center during the 3-year study period, 389 (9.9%) had major spinal injuries. Among these 389 patients, 303 (77.9%) had associated injuries outside the spine. The most common body region of associated injuries was the extremities or pelvis (194 cases, 49.4%), followed by the chest (154 cases, 39.6%) and face (127 cases, 32.6%). Of these 303 patients, 149 (64%) had associated injuries that required surgical treatment such as laparotomy or internal fixation. Associated injuries were more common in patients with lumbar injuries (93.3%) or multiple spinal injuries (100%) than in those with lower cervical injuries (67.4%). There was a significant correlation between the location of the spinal injury and the body region of the associated injury. However, distant associated injuries were also common. Conclusions: Associated injuries were very common in spinal injury patients. Based on demographic groups, the trauma mechanism, and the location of spinal injury, an associated injury should be suspected until proven otherwise. Using a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to treat trauma victims is of the paramount importance.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2010

Purpose: Whole-body CT is a very attractive diagnostic tool to clinicians, especially, in trauma. It is generally accepted that trauma patients who are not alert require whole-body CT. However, in alert trauma patients, the usefulness is questionable. Methods: This study was a retrospective review of the medical records of 146 patients with blunt multiple trauma who underwent whole body CT scanning for a trauma workup from March 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009. We classified the patients into two groups by patients' mental status (alert group: 110 patients, not-alert group: 36 patients). In the alert group, we compared the patients' evidence of injury (present illness, physical examination, neurological examination) with the CT findings. Results: One hundred forty six(146) patients underwent whole-body CT. The mean age was $44.6{\pm}18.9$ years. One hundred four (104, 71.2%) were men, and the injury severity score was $14.0{\pm}10.38$. In the not-alert group, the ratios of abnormal CT findings were relatively high: head 23/36(63.9%), neck 3/6(50.0%), chest 16/36(44.4%) and abdomen 9/36(25%). In the alert group, patients with no evidence of injury were rare (head 1, chest 6 and abdomen 2). Nine(9) patients did not need any intervention or surgery. Conclusion: Whole-body CT has various disadvantages, such as radiation, contrast induced nephropathy and high medical costs. In multiple trauma patients, if they are alert and have no evidence of injury, they rarely have abnormal CT findings, and mostly do not need invasive treatment. Therefore, we should be cautious in performing whole-body CT in alert multiple trauma patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.188-191
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• 2006

Tricuspid regurgitation after blunt chest trauma is rarely seen in the emergency department. A 19-year-old patient visited our emergency department with chest discomfort after collision with his brother while skiing. Recently, Skiing as a winter sports has become popular with the Korean people, so there is an increasing tendency for patients with diverse traumas associated with ski accidents to visit the emergency department. From simple abrasions or contusions to deadly injuries with unstable vital signs, we are seeing many kind of injuries in the emergency department. We present the case report of a patient with tricuspid regurgitation after a blunt chest trauma during the skiing.

• Journal of Auto-vehicle Safety Association
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.34-41
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• 2011

Side collisions (or side crash) account for 51.6% of all car to car accidents occurred in 2010. It is necessary to analyze those vehicles' structure deformation and passengers' injuries in the side collisions. A moving barrier (950kg) is currently used in the KNCAP side impact test. However, in order to enhance a passengers' safety in the side collisions, we introduce an AE-MDB (1500kg) which provides more severe conditions for this test. In this study, the test results using both barriers are compared and analyzed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.189-194
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• 1973

A cardiac injury is one of the most dramatic and demanding emergencies than may be cared by the surgeon. Four patients who sustained penetrating wound of the heart have been experienced in the Depart-ment of Thoracic Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital. They were 3 males and one female. The age was between 21 and 25. All of this series had stab wounds on the heart by instruments of scissors, gimlet, kitchen knife and glass. Injured sites were two cases of right ventricle, one of the right atrium and one of indifinitive with pericardial laceration. Three of these patients have been successfully treated by emergency thoracotomy with 3-0 silk sutures for myocardial penetrating wounds. One of these patients occurred cardiac arrest during surgery and expired, who was in penetrated right ventricular injury through which massive bleeded. The classic clinical description of tamponade, Beck`s triad, seemed to be useful for making diagnosis of the tamponade but not entirely reliable as diagnostic criterion of the tamponade. In the studing of 3 tamponade cases in these series, the triad of Beck was presented in only two cases. Elevated venous pressure was thought to be a valuable diagnostic factor in pericardial tamponade.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.842-846
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• 1995

Recently, the trauma patients have been markedly increasing due to the vast increase of traffic accident, industrial disaster, incidental accident and violence. The authors have analysed of 22 patients of thoracic injuries combined with abdominal injuries and summarized as follows. The ratio of male to female was 3.4:1 and their age distribution was from 5 years to 68 years and mean age was 34.4 years. The etiologies of injury were traffic accident, stab wound, fall down and violence. Associated injuries were fractures, bowel perforation, kidney rupture, head injury, liver laceration, spleen rupture and so forth. The modes of treatment were closed thoracostomy, repair of diaphragm, ruptured bowel repair, explo-thoracotomy, splenectomy, hepatic lobectomy in this order of frequency. The postoperative complications were atelectasis, wound infection, pneumonia, empyema, acute renal failure, respiratory failure and bleeding. The mortality rate was 13.6% [3/22 and the causes of death were respiratory failure 1 case, acute renal failure 1 case and hypovolemic shock 1 case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.199-201
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• 1987

We have recently experienced a rare case of abdominal aortic injury caused by deceleration force during fall in upright position. The patient was 43-year-old brick-layer fell from 12 meter height and sustained compression fracture of the spine and both legs. The aortic injury was unnoticed at that time. About 2 years later, marked stenosis of the distal abdominal aorta was found together with clinical manifestations of ischemia of both legs. Aorto-femoral bypass on both sides has completely relieved the symptoms, Similar type of abdominal aortic injuries could not be found in the literatures.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.488-491
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• 1984

Vascular injuries from gun shot wound is rare in these days, in Korea. A Case of false aneurysm of the right common carotid artery due to penetrating injury to the neck by carbine. The confirmatory diagnosis was made by right carotid angiogram which revealed bean-sized aneurysmal sac at the mid-portion of the right common carotid artery. Despite of no symptoms, emergency false aneurysmectomy and reconstruction with on-lay vein patch graft using left greater saphenous vein for threat of rupture and embolization from mural thrombi. During repair of common carotid artery, cerebral circulation was maintained with internal shunt. The postoperative course was uneventful except limit of motion of right upper extremity due to initial injury.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.888-892
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• 1994

Acquired, traumatic tracheoesophageal fistula [TEF] is rare and difficult problem to manage. This 55 years old man met with a roller accident of a tractor. During accident, he received a penetrating injury on the left upper sternal border. At local clinic, he received closed thoracotomy drainage [CTD]for relief of pneumothorax[left]. Three days after CTD, he complained abdominal pain and hematemesis. The endoscopy revealed large ulcer at the stomach, so he received subtotal gastrectomy. On 10th day post subtotal gastrectomy, he developed aspiration and coughing from a TEF. The esophagogram showed large TEF at the mid-trachea level. So he transfered to our hospital for operation. This patient was operated on for late TEF three weeks after injury. We have used absorble 4-0 Vicryl sutures to repair trachea. We repair all esophageal injuries with two layers of nonabsorbable silk suture. Where suture line on the esophagus, the strap muscle was interposed for reinforcement. And for feeding, the feeding jejunostomy was performed. Postoperatively the osteomyelitis of the manubrium site was developed, so on the 30th postoperative day, an ostectomy of manubrium, both clavicle and fight 1st, 2nd ribs, and the pectoralis major musculo-cutaneous flap coverage were performed.