• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.408-411
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• 2021

Tuberculosis (TB)-infected giant bullae are rare. A 55-year-old man was referred when an infected bulla did not respond to empirical treatment. Computed tomography showed a giant bulla in the right upper lobe with an air-fluid level and surrounding infiltrate. Sputum culture, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for TB were negative. Percutaneous drainage of the bullous fluid was performed. AFB stain and PCR were positive in the drained fluid. The patient was given anti-TB drugs and later underwent obliteration of the pulmonary cavity using talc. To summarize, we report a patient with a TB-infected giant bulla that was treated successfully with anti-TB drugs and obliteration of the pulmonary cavity using talc.

• Kosin Medical Journal
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.409-414
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• 2018

Giant pulmonary bulla (GPB) is a rare manifestation of emphysema and usually enlarges gradually over time, occasionally resulting in complications. Hence, more often than not, the surgical intervention of a Bullectomy is the standard method of treatment for GPB. However, there are case reports that show the complete resolution of GPB after its inflammation process even without surgical intervention. A 51-year-old man was admitted to our clinic due to pleuritic pain. After a chest X-ray and CT scan, a new air-fluid level within the GPB was revealed in the right upper lobe of his lung. His clinical status had improved promptly with intravenous antibiotics. A one-year follow-up study showed the GPB was completely resolved.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.305-307
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• 2017

Patients with severe emphysema have a higher risk of developing lung cancer, and their surgical risk increases when emphysema is accompanied by a giant bulla. Here, we describe a patient who had an emphysematous giant bulla in the right upper lobe that was treated with an endobronchial valve placement. Subsequently, a cancerous lesion on the contralateral lung was successfully removed by lobectomy.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.541-544
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• 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia is a recent outbreak in mainland China and has rapidly spread to multiple countries worldwide. Pulmonary parenchymal opacities are often observed during chest radiography. Currently, few cases have reported the complications of severe COVID-19 pneumonia. We report a case where serial follow-up chest computed tomography revealed progression of pulmonary lesions into confluent bilateral consolidation with lower lung predominance, thereby confirming COVID-19 pneumonia. Furthermore, complications such as mediastinal emphysema, giant bulla, and pneumothorax were also observed during the course of the disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.773-776
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• 2000

Accidental or suicidal fatalities of paraquat(Gramoxon) poisong are occasionally seen in the emergency room or intensive care unit in this country. In most cases, respiratory symptoms and eventual death by respiratory distress occur within several days. The most striking pathologic change is fibrosis of the lung due to widespread proliferation of fibroblastic cell. We experience a 21-year-old woman with huge bulla on left lung and diffuse fibrosis in other site, who ingested paraquat 10 months ago. After thoracoscopic removal of bulla, the patient survive without progression of pulmonary complication till now.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.78-82
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• 1976

Bullous emphysema is usually associated with extensive chronic obliterative pulmonary disease. It is the disease of old age but rare in children or infancy. The bulla in this disease is acquired one. In general the symptoms are due to not the mere presence of the bulla but the extent of underlying lung pathology as emphysema or bronchitis. Occassionally giant bulla of great size may cause symptoms and in this occassion it should be differentiated from other diseases. Especially in children or infancy pneumothorax, congenital pulmonary cyst of lobar obstructive-emphysema should be excluded. Recently we experienced 2 cases of bullous emphysema in infancy with severe respiratory symptoms because of bullae of great size. We felt difficulties in differentiating with other conditions. The purpose of this report is to review our cases thoroughly and enhance considerations of this disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.416-418
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• 2021

Placental transmogrification is a peculiar clinical entity of the lung of uncertain etiology. We report 2 cases of pulmonary placental transmogrification in 2 patients of different nationalities. Both of them had no history of smoking or chronic lung disease. The main presentations were dyspnea and chest pain. Radiologic studies showed a unilateral giant bulla in both patients; additional pneumothorax was present in only 1patient. They underwent surgical bullectomy. Histopathologic studies revealed the presence of intracystic placenta-like villous structures and a diagnosis of placental transmogrification was made. Placental transmogrification should be considered in cases of unilateral bullae.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.216-219
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• 2009

A bronchial obstruction of the remaining lung is a rare complication of thoracic surgery. We report a case of this rare complication after a right upper lobectomy due to a giant bulla. Post-resectional angulation of the bronchus intermedius caused the bronchial obstruction. An intrabronchial stent was inserted into the bronchus intermedius, which relieved the obstruction.