• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.358-363
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• 2004

Background : Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the use of photosensitizing agents for treatment of malignant disease. PDT is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the endobronchial microinvasive nonsmall cell lung cancer and for palliation in patients with obstructing tumors. We report our experience and results of PDT in lung cancer. Method : Ten patients with lung cancer who were diagnosed in Chosun university hospital by histologic confirm through bronchoscopy were included between August 2002 and May 2003. The photosensitizer (Photogem$^{(R)}$, Lomonosov institute of Fine Chemical, Russia/dose 2.0 mg/kg body weight) was injected 48 hours prior to the PDT session. For PDT with the photosensitizer (Photogem$^{(R)}$), Diode LASER system (Biolitec Inc., Germany, wavelength; 633nm) were used. PDTs were done at 48-72 hours after photogem injection. Follow up bronchoscopy and chest X-ray or thorax computerized tomography were done for evaluate PDT response. Results : 9 of 10 patients with endobronchial obstruction showed partial remission with bronchus opening after PDT. Direct reaction of the tumor to PDT was similar in despite of its localization. It was as follows; edema, hyperemia, in-situ bleeding, fibrin film occurrence. Any other complications such as sunburns of skin, inflammation within the PDT zone were not occurred by the end of the fourth week. Conclusion : In the advanced endobronchial disease, PDT has been shown to be useful in treating endobronchial tumors that are causing clinically significant dyspnea or are likely to progress and lead to further clinical complications, such as postobstructive pneumonia.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.742-755
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• 1997

Background : Endobronchial tuberculosis(ET) is still relatively common disease in Korea. We intended to evaluate the length of endobronchial lesion, peribronchial thickness, luminal irregularity and associated mediastinal lymph node enlargement with Chest CT to get information for such aggressive treatment as electrocautery, laser therapy and so on of bronchial stricture in ET, and also to compare the change of Chest CT finding with that of bronchoscopic finding after one month of anti-tuberculosis treatment. Method : We performed CT in 26 patients who were diagnosed as ET by bronchoscopy at Boramae Hospital from November 1991 to March 1996. After classifying ET into seven subtypes according to bronchoscopic finding, we analyzed the CT finding of each subtype. And we followed up the bronchoscopy, CT, and PIT after one month of anti-tuberculosis treatment, and compared the change of CT findings with those of bronchoscopic findings in nine patients. Results : Age of the patients was from 17 to 73 years old, and the ratio of male to female was 1 : 25 with absolute female predominance. The site(s) of bronchial involvement by tuberculosis is one in 14 cases, two in nine cases and three in one case, respectively, and the left main bronchus was the most frequently involved site (13 cases for multiple involvements and 7 cases for single involvement among 26 cases). The length of bronchial involvement by tuberculosis which was measured by CT was from 10 to 55 mm, and there was a tendency that the length of involved lesion in fibrostenotic type was shorter than that of actively caseating type. Bronchial stricture on CT was noticed in 25 (96%) cases and the range of severity was from total occlusion to near-normal and also showed wide variation even though the subtype of ET was same. The increase of peribronchial thickness which was measured by CT, was noticed in 21 cases (91%) among 23 cases (in which the measurement was possible), and there was no improvement of peribronchial thickness in those cases which showed little improvement in bronchial stricture despite anti-tuberculosis treatment. There was no difference in the luminal irregularity of involved bronchi on CT in relation to bronchoscopic subtypes. The mediastinal lymph node enlargement, defined as the diameter of lymph node was larger than 1cm on CT, was detected in 20 cases (77%), and right side was more frequently involved (L : R = 1 : 5.2). The CT finding usually showed extrinsic bronchial compression but showed direct invasion in two cases which were bronchoscopically classified as tumorous type. When follow-up bronchoscopy and CT was performed after one month of anti-tuberculosis treatment in nine patients, CT showed significant improvement in peribronchial thickness and mediastinal lymph node enlargement. Bronchial stricture was also improved in 6 cases but aggravated in 3 cases despite anti-tuberculosis therapy. In two cases which were classified as fibrostenotic type by bronchoscopy, CT showed significant improvement in bronchial stricture, interestingly. Conclusion : We concluded that the role of Chest CT was complimentary to bronchoscopy in ET, since CT was useful in evaluating the length of bronchial involvement, peribronchial thickness, and mediastinal lymph node enlargement.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.792-799
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• 1985

Primary neoplasms of the trachea are rare, but are a very serious critical life-threatening disease. Nearly all the lesions of the trachea are presented as obstructive lesions. Bronchoscopic examination including chest C-T, tomogram and air tracheogram are essential for the further definition of these lesions. The need for removal of tracheal tumors whether complete or incomplete, is clear enough regardless of the histology of the tumor. We have experienced 9 cases from Jan. 1965 to June, 1985. One patient with tracheal hamartoma was cured with complete resection through rigid bronchoscopy and another patient with fibrous histiocytoma was treated with re-excision and laser evaporation through superior mediastinotomy due to recurrence, 1 year later. The remaining patients were treated with mass excision or segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis through collar incision and superior mediastinal sternotomy. The remaining two patients were operated with and segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis of trachea using partial cardiopulmonary bypass. The histologic diagnosis were adenoid cystic Ca[5], fibrous histiocytoma[1], mucoepidermoid Ca[1]. hamartoma[1], anaplastic Ca.[1]. Three patients were treated post-operatively with radiation; with adenoid cystic Ca.[2] and anaplastic Ca.[1]. Their post-operative courses were uneventful during the follow-up from 2 months to 7 years.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2021

A foreign body in the airway can be a potentially life-threatening event. The diagnosis and treatment of foreign bodies in the airway are a challenge for otolaryngologists. Despite the improvements in medical care and public awareness, approximately 3,000 deaths occur each year from foreign body aspiration. A high degree of vigilance is required to ensure prompt treatment and avoid the complications of foreign body aspiration. The author encountered a case of a 77-year-old female patient who had aspirated an unknown foreign body that was fixed in her main bronchus. An initial attempt was made to remove it with a flexible bronchoscope but failed due to the patient's hypoxemic state during the procedure. Under general anesthesia, a rigid bronchoscopic examination was performed, but it was difficult to approach the object due to the bronchus curvature. Instead, a cryotherapy instrument of bronchoscopy was applied. The foreign body was frozen and removed to the carina, where a laryngoscope and laryngeal forceps were used to remove it.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.390-395
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• 2008

Background: Since the early 1980s, interferon-alpha ($IFN-{\alpha}$) has been used as adjuvant therapy in pediatric patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). However, its efficacy in adults needs to be validated. Since 2002, Samsung Medical Center's guidelines have mandated regular injection of $IFN-{\alpha}$ in patients with RRP to prevent recurrence. To evaluate these guidelines, patient data were investigated. Methods: Five patients diagnosed as having RRP by bronchoscopy and histopathology were included. After initial bronchoscopic intervention, including laser cauterization, all patients received subcutaneous injection of 6 million units of $IFN-{\alpha}$ every 2 months. Further bronchoscopic intervention was carried out as needed. Patients were regularly evaluated using bronchoscopy or computed tomography. Results: The median age of the patients was 44 years (range 13~68), and the median duration of papillomatosis was 31 years (range 1~45). Three and two patients had juvenile-onset and adult-onset disease, respectively. Two patients had a history of tracheostomy at the time of diagnosis. The median duration of $IFN-{\alpha}$ therapy was 56 months (range 12~66). Two patients showed complete remission at 12 and 36 months after $IFN-{\alpha}$ injection, respectively. The other three patients showed partial remission, and the number of laser therapy sessions was significantly reduced.Conclusion: Intermittent $IFN-{\alpha}$ injection is effective in patients with long-standing RRP and can reduce the number of laser therapy sessions required in their treatment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.72-77
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• 2004

Background : A tracheobronchial obstruction in lung cancer is associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, and recurrent respiratory infection. It is well known that one of standard treatments is photodynamic therapy (PDT) in tracheobronchial obstruction after radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and/or surgery. We reported here the role of PDT in airway obstruction in patients advanced lung cancer. Method : Pre-treatment protocol consisted of clinical, radiologic, and bronchoscopic examination, pulmonary function test, and assessment of Karnofsky performance status. A 2 mg/kg of porfimer sodium was injected intravenously, and then followed by cylindrical and/or interstitial irradiation with 630 nm of laser after 48 hours. The repeated bronchoscopy for debridement of necrotic tissue and re-illumination was performed after 48 hours. Result : Improved airway obstruction and selective tumor necrosis were achieved by photodynamic therapy in all cases. Dyspnea and performance status were improved in three cases. A purulent sputum, fever and hemoptysis were improved in one of five cases. After PDT, all patients showed temporarily aggravation of dyspnea, two of five showed febrile reaction for a few days and nobody presented photosensitivity reaction, hemoptysis and respiratory failure. Conclusion : Our experiences of PDT are effective in palliation of inoperable advanced lung cancer in terms of tracheobronchial obstruction.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.457-462
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• 2008

Background: Emergency airway access is essential when a patient has dyspnea that's due to tracheal or bronchial obstruction. Such methods as laser therapy and PDT are now being used for the treatment of tracheal obstruction that's due to benign diseases or nonsurgical malignant diseases. Cryotherapy is a method that uses extreme hypothermia for freezing a tumor to cause necrosis. In this study, we have evaluated the clinical effectiveness of performing endobronchial cryoablation through a flexible bronchoscope. Material and Method: 10 patients with tracheal obstruction that was due to endotracheal tumors were evaluated between May 2005 and May 2007. Eight were male and the mean age of the 10 patients was $59.4{\pm}18.4$ years. Three cases of tracheal obstruction were due to benign tumors and 7 were due to malignant tumors. The obstruction sites were 3 at the trachea, 3 at the carina and 4 at the bronchus. A flexible bronchoscope was inserted and the tumor was eliminated using a flexible cryoprobe. Follow up bronchoscopy was performed at 1 week and 1 month after cryoablation, and then we evaluated the decrease of dyspnea, the improvement of the performance and the complications of the procedures. Result: Complete remission was achieved in 4 patients and partial remission was achieved in 6 patients. Complications such as hemoptysis (100%), and cough (50%) were noted. Hemoptysis was spontaneously resolved in 3 to 8 days (mean: 4.9 days). A decrease in dyspnea and improvement in the performance was noted in all patients. Conclusion: Endobronchial stenosis plays a detrimental role in the life quality of a terminal cancer patient. Due to its simplicity and effectiveness for controlling bleeding, endobronchial cryoablation is considered to be a safe method that is clinically applicable to a wide range of tumors, including the removal of large tumors. We concluded that endobronchial cryoablation through a flexible bronchoscope is a safe, effective method for treating tracheobroncheal obstructions.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.495-500
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• 1993

Background: For the relief of the occlusion of major bronchi, laser therapy, radiation therapy or combined therapy is generally used. But the effect of radiation therapy is very slow and not consistent and laser therapy requires expensive equipments and technical expertise with occasional serious side effects. Direct ethanol injection has been widely used for the control of bleeding in gastrointestinal lesion, esophageal varices or renal cell carcinoma with good results. So we tried direct injection of ethanol into the tumor to relieve the obstruction of major bronchus in 11 patients. Method: All procedures were done under the fiberoptic bronchoscopy with continuous oxygen supplement and aliquoted 0.5-1.0 ml of absolute ethanol directly into the tumor through the endobronchial aspiration needle. The tumor was endoscopically removed with a biopsy forceps immediately after ethanol injection. The whole procedure was repeated 3-4 days interval until the lumen opens. Usually after 2-3 trials of ethanol injection, the lumen opened up. Results: The immediate effect of ethanol injection was whitening of the mucosa and prompt cessation of bleeding. The late effect was necrosis of the tumor. The final results of this procedure were improvement of symptoms and reexpnasion of the lung in all patients. $FEV_{1.0}$ and FVC were improved and $PaO_2$ was increased from $68.1{\pm}9.2$ mmHg to $83.9{\pm}8.1$ mmHg, $SaO_2$: from $94{\pm}8.5%$ to $96.6{\pm}1.1%$, and $AaDO_2$ was reduced from $26.5{\pm}8.5$ mmHg to $10.9{\pm}9.1$ mmHg. Conclusion: Direct ethanol injection into the tumor tissue is a rapid, cheap and relatively safe method of relieving the complete occlusion of major bronchus.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.6
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• pp.521-525
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• 2011

Bronchial carcinoid tumors are relatively uncommon neoplasms that are considered to be malignant tumors of low to intermediate grade. They are classified by pathologic features as typical or atypical carcinoids and have distinctly different prognoses and therapeutic options. Surgery is the treatment of choice in typical and atypical carcinoid tumors but the approach has been changing. Recently, several studies have described experiences using other technologies as adjuncts to bronchoscopic resection, technologies such as laser and cryotherapy with curative intent in endoluminal typical carcinoids. Here we present a case of atypical bronchial carcinoid that was treated with bronchoscopic cryotherapy.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.94-100
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• 1997

Background and Objectives : In children with tracheal stenosis, operative management remains a challenging problem due to difficulties of operative techniques and postoperative care. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of tracheal resection with end to end anastomosis as operative management for tracheal stenosis in children. Materials and Methods : 6 children with severe tracheal stenosis underwent tracheal resection with end to end anastomosis. Causes of stenosis were trauma in 1 case and prolonged intubation or tracheotomy in 5 cases. The diagnoses were made by radiologic evaluation (plain X-ray, CT, 3-Dimensional CT) and confirmed by direct laryngoscopy and ventilating bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. Thyroplasty and unilateral arytenoidectomy were performed in 1 case. Suprahyoid release was done in 1 case with severe adhesion. Decanulation was achieved following postoperative endoscopic examination and pulmonary function test. Postoperative physical and radiologic examinations were given at regular intervals. Results : Stenosis were improved from grade III grade I in 4 cases and from grade II to grade I in 2 cases. Decanulation was achieved on average postoperative 6 months in 5 cases, and 10 years in 1 case due to exertional dyspnea. There were 1 each case of immediate postoperative subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax and wound infection. Postoperative granulomas at anastomosis site were treated with laser vaporization under suspension laryngoscope and bronchoscope in 3 cases. There was 1 each case of delayed postoperative vocal cord palsy, aspiration pneumonia and loss of cough reflex. Conclusion In tracheal stenosis of children, tracheal resection with end to end anastomosis has good result with preservation of normal airway. Preoperative evaluation of local factors such as swallowing, vocal cord movement and cough reflex and general condition was important for successful treatment. As the cases in adults, authors considered this operation to be a curable operative management for tracheal stenosis.