• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.561-565
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• 1990

We experienced thymolipoma which is a rare benign mediastinal tumor, an admixture of atrophic thymic tissue and matured adipose tissue. The patient was, 13 years old boy, admitted due to anterior mediastinal mass on routine chest X-ray and complained of mild exertional dyspnea. The physical examination revealed percussion dullness, decreased breathing sound at right anterior hemithorax. The chest PA and lateral views showed both paracardiac mass density and obliteration of retrosternal clear space. The chest CT Scan showed tubular structure containing of thymic tissue and enhanced fatty tissue, suggested thymolipoma. Operation was performed under the impression of thymolipoma. Through median sternotomy, the huge mass was resected. Grossly, the mass was yellowish fatty colored, measured 15X12X10cm, weighed 600gm. Light microscopic examination showed that thymic tissue containing of Hassal`s corpuscles were surrounded by matured adipose tissue, as the characteristic finding of thymolipoma. The postoperative course was uneventful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.487-490
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• 2002

A 60-year-old female was admitted to our hospital complaining of dyspnea. In the past history, she had received tracheal diversion due to recurrent aspiration after brain surgery and tracheostomy. Emergency three dimensional spiral tracheal computed tomograhpy revealed distal tracheal stenosis. The operation was performed by anterior tracheoplasty using glutaraldehyde-soaked autologous pericardium through median sternotomy. Herein we report a case of anterior tracheoplasty using glutaraldehyde-soaked autologous pericardium.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.399-402
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• 2018

A 61-year-old woman who presented with claudication and dyspnea on exertion was found to have severe calcified narrowing of the descending aorta and severe insufficiency of the aortic valve. These findings were compatible with Takayasu arteritis. To treat these hemodynamic abnormalities, extra-aortic bypass surgery combined with replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta-to-hemiarch replacement was performed through a separated upper hemi-sternotomy and limited median laparotomy. We present our successful surgical experience with this case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.174-176
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• 2022

Mediastinal paragangliomas are rare tumors that have only been reported in individual cases or limited case series. Surgical resection of these tumors can be challenging, as they are highly vascular and intimately related to the great vessels. Surgery is usually performed via median sternotomy with or without cardiopulmonary bypass. We present the case of a mediastinal paraganglioma that was resected via a left-sided posterolateral thoracotomy. Histopathology revealed a completely resected 38-mm paraganglioma with a positive station 5 lymph node, indicative of locally aggressive disease. Hereditary paragangliomas are associated with malignant transformation; therefore, genetic testing is important. These tumors do not respond well to chemoradiotherapy, and consequently lifelong surveillance for early detection of recurrence is recommended.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.478-481
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• 2022

The innominate artery is an uncommon site for an aneurysm, and tracheal compression caused by an innominate artery aneurysm is a very rare occurrence. An innominate artery aneurysm can cause catastrophic complications, such as rupture or thromboembolism. The most common surgical approach for open repair is median sternotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass, but cerebral ischemic injury and thromboembolism can occur during surgery. We present the case of a male patient who had an isolated giant innominate artery aneurysm causing tracheal compression, which was successfully managed by surgical repair.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.286-289
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• 2023

Torso stab injuries near the cardiac box may present unique challenges due to difficulties in hemorrhage control. For a stab injury to the heart, the repair is straightforwardly performed via median sternotomy. In contrast, injuries to the inferior vena cava are challenging to repair, especially when they are close to the diaphragm, and the bleeding can be torrential. Herein, we describe a case of a self-inflicted stab wound within the "cardiac box." The trajectory of the stab injuries went below the diaphragm and injured the infradiaphragmatic inferior vena cava. Successful emergent repair via the thoraco-laparotomy approach revived the young man. In this report, we revisit and discuss previous large series of patients with this rare vena cava injury.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.722-725
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• 1999

Background: To secure a rapid and safe approach which is at the same time cosmetically appealing, we employed the right anterolateral thoracotomy incision for repair of atrial septal defects and valvular heart diseases in the adult. Material and method: Between October 1989 and June 1998, 44 adult patients underwent open heart surgery through right anterolateral thoracotomy at our institution. Operative time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross clamp time, blood loss until chest tube removal, length of ICU stay, days to discharge, and survival were compared with those that received cardiac surgery via conventional sternotomy. Result: No significant differences were observed between the two groups. There was no death and no additional morbidity directly related to this approach. Cosmetically satisfying results were obtained with safety using the right anterolateral thoracotomy approach. Conclusion: Our data show that the right anterolateral thoracotomy approach is a safe alternative to conventional median sternotomy as it offers excellent exposure and aesthetically more acceptable wounds while not adding on to the operative risks.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.161-165
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• 2012

Background: Median sternotomy can weaken the upper abdominal wall and result in subxiphoid incisional hernia. We evaluated risk factors associated with the development of subxiphoid incisional hernias after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Materials and Methods: Of 1,656 isolated CABGs performed between January 2001 and July 2010, 1,599 patients who were completely followed up were analyzed. The mean follow-up duration was $49.5{\pm}34.3$ months. Subxiphoid incisional hernia requiring surgical repair developed in 13 patients (0.8%). The hernia was diagnosed $16.3{\pm}10.3$ months postoperatively, and hernia repair was performed $25.0{\pm}26.1$ months after the initial operation. Risk factors associated with the development of subxiphoid incisional hernia were analyzed with the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: Five-year freedom from the hernia was 99.0%. Univariate analysis revealed that female sex (p=0.019), height (p=0.019), body surface area (p=0.046), redo operation (p=0.012), off-pump CABG (p=0.049), a postoperative wound problem (p=0.041), postoperative bleeding (p=0.046), and low cardiac output syndrome (p<0.001) were risk factors for the development of the hernia. Multivariable analysis showed that female sex (p=0.01) and low cardiac output syndrome (p<0.001) were associated with subxiphoid hernia formation. Conclusion: Female sex and postoperative low cardiac output syndrome were risk factors of subxiphoid hernia. Therefore, special attention is needed for patients with high-risk factors.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.438-441
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• 1999

Background: Minimally invasive cardiac surgery has emerged as a new approach to the conventional median sternotomy. The suggested advantages of the minimally invasive technique includes improved cosmesis, simplicity of opening and closing the chest, less postoperative pain, less risk of infection and bleeding, early rehabilitation, and reduced length of hospital stay. Material and Method: Between March 1997 and December 1997, we performed 36 cases of minimally invasive cardiac surgery via three different approaches ; right paramedian, transverse sternotomy and mini-sternotomy with upper sternal split. Result: There was no operative mortality. Postoperative complications were atrial fibrillation in 4 patients, bleeding that required reoperation in 1 patient, and delayed wound closure in 1 patient who underwent 3rd redo operation. Average length of skin incision was 9.1${\pm}$0.9 cm. Average duration of stay in the intensive care unit was 48${\pm}$29 hours and the patients were discharged 10${\pm}$7 days after the operation. Conclusion: In spite of the difficulties in defibrillation, deairing, and cardiac decompensation, minimally invasive approaches will be applied increasingly because of the suggested advantages.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.166-172
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• 2017

Purpose: Thoracic traumas represent 10-15% of all traumas and are responsible for 25% of all trauma mortalities. Traumatic cardiac injury (TCI) is one of the major causes of death in trauma patients, rarely present in living patients who are transferred to the hospital. TCI is a challenge for trauma surgeons as it provides a short therapeutic window and the management is often dictated by the underlying mechanism and hemodynamic status. This study is to describe our experiences about emergency cardiac surgery in TCI. Methods: This is a retrospective clinical analysis of patients who had undergone emergency cardiac surgery in our trauma center from January 2014 to December 2016. Demographics, physiologic data, mechanism of injuries, the timing of surgical interventions, surgical approaches and outcomes were reviewed. Results: The number of trauma patients who arrived at our hospital during the study period was 9,501. Among them, 884 had chest injuries, 434 patients were evaluated to have over 3 abbreviated injury scale (AIS) about the chest. Cardiac surgeries were performed in 18 patients, and 13 (72.2%) of them were male. The median age was 47.0 years (quartiles 35.0, 55.3). Eleven patients (61.1%) had penetrating traumas. Prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPR) were performed in 4 patients (22.2%). All of them had undergone emergency department thoracotomy (EDT), and they were transferred to the operating room for definitive repair of the cardiac injury, but all of them expired in the intensive care unit. Most commonly performed surgical incision was median sternotomy (n=13, 72.2%). The majority site of injury was right ventricle (n=11, 61.1%). The mortality rate was 22.2% (n=4). Conclusions: This study suggests that penetrating cardiac injuries are more often than blunt cardiac injury in TCI, and the majority site of injury is right ventricle. Also, it suggests prehospital CPR and EDT are significantly responsible for high mortality in TCI.