• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.39 no.6 s.263
• /
• pp.462-469
• /
• 2006

Background: Pneumonectomy for inflammatory lung disease has been of major concern because of its associated morbidity and mortality, particularly with respect to pleuropneumonectomy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the surgical outcomes, and identify the risk factors contributing to postoperative complications in patients undergoing pleuropneumonectomy. Material and Method: Ninety-eight patients underwent pneumonectomy for benign inflammatory lung disease were retrospectively analyzed. Pleuropneumonectomy (Group A) was done in 48 patients and standard pneumonectomy (Group B) was done in 50 patients. Clinical characteristics, postoperative complications were examined and compared between 2 groups. In pleuropneumonectomy group, postoperative risk factors affecting morbidity were evaluated. Result: There was one in-hospital death. Twenty-three major postoperative complications occurred in 21 patients (21.4%). The common complications were empyema and bronchopieural fistula (BPF) in 8 (8.4%), re-exploration due to bleeding in 8. At least one postoperative complication occurred in 14 of 48 patients from Group A (29.2%) and in 7 of 50 patients from Group B (14%). In Group A, empyema and BPF encountered in 6 and re-exploration for bleeding in 6 were the most common complication. In univariate analysis, right pneumonectomy, completion pneumonectomy, large amount of blood loss (>1,000 mL), and intrapleural spillage were risk factors contributing to postoperative complications in Group A. In multivariate analysis, intrapleural contamination during operation was a risk factor of postoperative complication. Conclusion: The morbidity and mortality rates of pneumonectomy for chronic inflammatory lung disease are acceptably. However, we confirm that pleuropneumonectomy is a real technical challenge and a high-risk procedure and technically demanding. Meticulous surgical techniques are very important in preventing serious and potentially lethal complications.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.65 no.3
• /
• pp.216-221
• /
• 2008

A chronic expanding hematoma (CEH) in the thorax is a rare and specific condition of chronic empyema. CEHs in the thorax are often associated with tuberculosis and/or previous surgical procedures. While the incidental detection of a pleural mass and dyspnea are common clinical manifestations, a few cases present with hemoptysis. We encountered a case of CEH in the thorax. This case is unique in that it developed without a prior history of tuberculosis or surgery and presented with massive hemoptysis accompanied by bronchopleural fistula. We report the third case of CEH in the thorax in Korea with a summary of the clinical characteristics of previous cases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.66 no.2
• /
• pp.127-131
• /
• 2009

Most mediastinal teratomas are histologically well-differentiated tumors and benign. The majority of patients with a mediastinal teratoma are asymptomatic and their tumors are usually discovered incidentally on chest radiography. On rare occasions this tumor will rupture spontaneously into the adjacent organs. A 72-year-old female patient was admitted for dyspnea and she had a multiloculated pleural effusion in the left lung field. Although repeated pleural biopsy and pleural fluid cytology did not prove the presence of malignancy, we assumed that this was a malignant effusion because it revealed consistently high levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9, and the chest CT scan did not show typical fat or bone density in the mass. Secondary infection and an uncontrolled septic condition due to pleural empyema finally compelled the patient to undergo a surgical operation. Mature teratoma was the final diagnosis and she has done well without recurrence for 2 months.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.57 no.5
• /
• pp.484-488
• /
• 2004

In adults, aspiration of foreign bodies into tracheobronchus is sometimes presented atypically, mimicking chronic pulmonary diseases such as bronchial asthma, pneumonia, or empyema, especially without notice of aspiration or choking. In such cases, diagnosis and adequate treatments are often delayed. Suspicion of foreign body aspiration and computed tomography and bronchoscopic examination make correct diagnosis more early. We report a case of bronchial foreign body, which had been misdiagnosed as bronchial asthma with wheezing in the whole lung filed, and reversible airway obstruction in the spirometry.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.438-442
• /
• 1992

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative infection characterized by extensive necrosis, fibrosis and sinus formation without regard to normal tissue planes. The causative organism in human infection is Actinomyces israelii. Thoracic actinomycosis is diagnosed in the presence of poor oral hygiene, pulmonary infiltrate, empyema, sinus tract and osteomyelitis of ribs. However, in the absence of chest wall involvement, the diagnosis of pulmonary actinomycosis is difficult and its initial clinical manifestations may lead physicians to suspect tuberculosis or neoplasm. It could not be distinguished from tuberculosis or neoplasm radiologically. We report a case of pulmonary actinomycosis in a 64 year old woman with a review of the literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.39 no.5 s.262
• /
• pp.403-406
• /
• 2006

Infarction of the lung usually results from pulmonary arterial obstruction. Pulmonary infarcts often become infected from bronchial contamination and may become lung abscesses, empyema, or bronchopleural fistula causing sepsis. Diagnosis is important for intensive therapy, since infection is prone to spread. Resection of the infarcted lung should be considered early in an attempt to control infection. A sixty-seven-year-old man was hospitalized with dyspnea. A computed tomographic scan of the chest showed left lower lobe infiltration and mild pleural effusion with pleural thickening. There was a thrombus in the left pulmonary artery leading from the lower lobe to the upper lobe artery. At operation, the left lower lobe was found to have complete hemorrhagic infarction. The left lower lobectomy was performed. The remaining thrombus was removed after the left main pulmonary arteriotomy. He has been followed up for 15 months and has done well with no recurrence of thrombus and infarction of the lung.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.436-442
• /
• 2005

Objective: The detection rate of traumatic subdural hygroma(TSH) has increased after the development of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The treatment method and the mechanism of development of the TSH have been investigated, but they are still uncertain. This study is performed to evaluate the effectiveness of subduroperitoneal shunt in traumatic subdural hygroma. Methods: Five hundred thirty six patients were diagnosed as TSH from 1996 to 2002, among them, 55 patients were operated with subduroperitoneal shunt. We analyzed shunt effect on the basis of clinical indetails, including the patient's symptoms at the diagnosis, duration from diagnosis to operation, changes of GCS, hygroma types. We classified the TSH into five types (frontal, frontocoronal, coronal, parietal and cerebellar type) according to the location of the thickest portion of TSH. Results: The patients who have symptoms or signs related to frontal lobe compression (irritability, confusion) or increased intracranial pressure (headache, mental change), had symptomatic recovery rate above 80%. However, the patients who have focal neurological sign (hemiparesis, seizure and rigidity), showed recovery rate below 30%. The improvement rate was very low in the case of the slowly progressing TSH for over 6weeks. We experienced complications such as enlarged ventricle, chronic subdural hematoma, subdural empyema and acute SDH. Conclusion: Subduroperitoneal shunt appears to be effective in traumatic subdural hygroma when the patients who have symptoms or signs related to frontal lobe compression or increased ICP and progressing within 5weeks.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.3-12
• /
• 1969

Prior to availability of antibiotics, lung abscess has been recognized as one of the most serious pulmonary disease, and despite of diminished morbidity and mortality rate with the advent of antibiotics and development of better technique in the fields of surgery on pulmonary disease it continues to be a virulent form of pulmonary supuration. It is the purpose of this paper to present a clinical review of 115 lung abscess treated by surgically at "The National Medical Center" during past 9 years. 1. The most common age of occurrence is between the age of 30 and 50, and 105 cases were male and 31 cases occurred in female. 2. Numerous etiological factors may play a role in the formation of a pulmonary abscess; aspiration in 36 patients of which 2 patients had diabetes, 54 patients had preceding URI or pneumonia, and 5 patients followed liver abscess, one of which in hematogenous route. In 20 patients, no predisposing factor could be determined- 3. Clubbing digits were presented in 26 of 1315 patients suggesting chronicity of the disease, and gastric ulcer were combined in 3 of 136 patints. 4. Apparently the onset was insidious, and the progress was masked by indiscriminate administration of antibiotics for URI and TB remedies under impression of pul. tbc. Previous TB treatments were done in 56.%[76 cases] for one week to two years and administration of antibiotics in 51 cases. 5. 89 cases were on tbe right and 2t5 cascs were on the left side. 51 cases of pneumonectomy and 8 of open drainage, of which 4 of Monaldi procedure, were made and operative mortality rate was 5.2%. Numerous complications such as 8 of empyema, 4 of each bleeding and atelectasis, 2 of BPF, 1 of esophageal fistula and one of pneumothorax which were responded well to prolonged treatment with good results, were obtained. 6. The incidence of Klebsiella and Pseudomonas were increased recently. In these results, we submit the surgery should be performed if the conservative therapy had failed. The resection was most favorable operation for pulmonary abscess though drainage procedure may be of value in certain patients with grave systemic menifestations. In chronic long standing abscess, more complications and high mortality rate were assumable although the prognosis has been improved with the advent of antibiotics, the development of improved surgical technique and complete preoperative care.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.81 no.5
• /
• pp.1109-1120
• /
• 2020

Pleural masses may be caused by various conditions, including benign and malignant neoplasms and non-neoplastic tumorlike conditions. Primary pleural neoplasms include solitary fibrous tumor, malignant mesothelioma, and primary pleural non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Metastatic disease is the most common neoplasm of the pleura and may uncommonly occur in patients with hematologic malignancy, including lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. Pleural effusion is usually associated with pleural malignancy. Rarely, pleural malignancy may arise from chronic empyema, and the most common cell type is non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (pyothorax-associated lymphoma). Non-neoplastic pleural masses may be observed in several benign conditions, including tuberculosis, pleural plaques caused by asbestos exposure, and pleural loose body. Herein, we present a review of benign and malignant pleural neoplasms and tumorlike conditions with illustrations of their computed tomographic images.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.542-549
• /
• 2002

Purpose : The purpose of our study was to assess the usefulness of the Tl-201 SPECT for the detection of the postoperative tumor recurrence on chest wall. Methods: 28 patients including 14 with suspected recurrence of tumor in the chest wall on postoperative chest cr scan, 10 with postoperative pleural effusion which proved benign on radiologic, cytologic and laboratory findings, and 4 with chronic tuberculous empyema as control group were included. All patients underwent SPECT 30 minutes and 4 hours after intravenous injection of 111MBq of Tl-201. Tumor uptake was visually graded by two interpreters and scored as follows : no uptake:0, similar to contralateral lung: 1, higher than contralateral lung but less than heart:2 and similar to heart:3. Results : Markedly increased (grade 3 or 2) Tl-201 uptake was noted in patients with suspected recurrence of tumor in the chest wall (13/14) whereas no (8/10) or minimal (2/10) uptake along the collapsed lung in patients with postoperative benign pleural effusion. In two patients, Tl-201 SPECT revealed additional recurrent tumor mass lesions that were barely perceptible on chest cr scan. Patients with chronic tuberculous empyema showed relatively smoothly marginated increased uptake along the chest wall 4/4), but lesser in degree (grade 1 or 2), when compared to recurrent tumor uptake. Conclusion : Tl-201 lung SPECT seems to be useful to detect postoperative tumor recurrence on chest wall and to differentiate malignant from benign pleural effusion and may provide additional information to the morphologic data obtained by CT.