• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.421-428
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• 1986

From January 1981 through December 1985, 481 thoracic civilian injuries were reviewed in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Paik Hospital in Seoul. Sixty two percent of the injuries were caused by traffic accident, 18% fall down, 15% blunt trauma, 2% crushing injury, 2% stab wound, and 0.4% gunshot wound. Peak incidence of the trauma victim was fourth and fifth decades revealing 22% and 27% respectively. Sex ratio was 3.5:1 with male predominance. Elapsed time before admission was less than one hour in 36% and one to six hour in 30%. The types of the injuries were as follows: Non-penetrating injuries were the most part of the wounded, 97.6%. Rib fracture was the most common lesion occupying 292 patient out of 481 [61%]. Of these 292 patients, 72% was multiple rib fracture. The incidence of hemothorax or hemopneumothorax was 19% [102 patients] [Table 4]. Most common associated condition was head injuries, 98 patients [14%]. Thoracoabdominal injuries were seen in 31 patients [0.6%]. Tube thoracostomy was the definitive measures in the 20% of the wounded. Open thoractomy was performed in 5%. Additional procedures for the associated condition were done in the 16% of the cases, for example, reduction of long bone fracture and trephination for the head injury. Among 481 wounded, fatal complication occurred in 13 patients [2.7%]. This paper has also compared two series of patients according to period; one from 1970 to 1980 and the present series [Table 8]. Conclusively, the fatal complications or trauma death may be reduced by the effort 1] rapid transport of the victim, 2] initial correction or resuscitative measures of the circulatory and ventilatory deficit 3] early decision of definitive thoracostomy or thoracotomy and 4] proper prioritizing for the care of the multiple critically injured patient.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.808-811
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• 2010

Simultaneous occurrence of the trachea, esophagus, and spinal cord injuries due to stabbing is rare. The incidence is decreasing, but early diagnosis and surgical treatment is important because it can be life-threatening. We present one case of simultaneous trachea, esophagus, and spinal cord injury caused by self-stabbing complicated with paraplegia.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 1970

Ascariasis symptoms penetrated into biliary tract are reported to be found much more in Korea than in foreign countries. And the present writer believes there are also many cases of biliary tract symptoms that are actually experienced but that are not reported. As a result of experiencing and nursing twenty cases of ascariasis symptoms of biliary tract, the present writer has got several conclusions, and reports them together with reference to sundry records. (1) The penetrating rate of ascariasis in male versus female was 1 to 1.5. Consequently the rate of female was higher than that of male. The highest age of the case was 67, the lowest 19, and the average age was 45.2. (2) As to symptoms, right upper quadrant abdomen pain and fat diet intolerance were the largest in number. By laboratory findings there were depressive pain on right upper quadrant abdomen in all the cases. (3) As to the location of ascariasis, choledochus occupied the largest part, and the longer illness history was, the more cases coexisting with calculus were found. (4) As to operative method, cholecystectomy and choledochotomy weres the largest in number, and choledochotomy T-tube was inserted in all cases. As to complication after operation, there were operative wound infection, excoriation through bile juice issue, etc. There were three cases of re-penetration of ascariasis and only one case of reoperation.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.125-128
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• 1988

A case of the left stellate ganglion block (SGB) with a warm serration of the left lower extremity in a 25-year-old male soldier is presented. During the Korean War, this patient received a penetrating gun shot wound from the right knee through the left abdominal wall, left upper arm and left thumb. He was evacuated to the a marine corps surgical hospital where amputation of the left thumb and an end-to-end anatomosis of the left brachial artery were performed. After surgery, left ulnar and median nerve paralysis and causalgia developed and about 9 months later an upper thoracic ganglionectomy was proposed at the Chin-Hae Navel Hospital. Before the ganglionectomy a stellate ganglion block for diagnostic and prognostic purposes was requested by the surgeon. This block was performed by the supraclavicular anterior approach using 10 ml of 2% procaine. The effect of the block including Horner's syndrome was confirmed 5 minute later in this patient. This patient returned to the ward by walking unassisted 10 minutes after the block, and complained of a warm sensation in the left lower extremity 20 minutes later as well as the left upper arm. This warm sensation in the lower extremity following ipsilateral stellate ganglion block indicates that the local anesthetics solution injected tinto the neck spread down to lumbar sympathetic ganalgion along the fascial membrane of the sympathetic chain as a consequence of the 10 minutes walk.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.80-84
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• 2018

Although uncommon, shark attacks can lead to devastating outcomes for victims. Surgeons also face unique challenges during operative management such as exsanguination, shock, specific injury patterns and infections. This case report presents the management of a 39-year-old previously healthy female attacked by a shark while on vacation in Mexico. The patient sustained severe injuries to her left arm and her left thigh. She was transferred to a Canadian institution after ambiguous operative management in Mexico and presented with no clear antibiotic coverage and a Volkman's contracture of the left upper extremity. In total, the patient underwent four washouts of wounds, two split-thickness skin grafts, one free anterolateral thigh flap, and one free transverse rectus abdominus myocutaneous flap for the reconstruction and salvage of the left lower extremity. This article highlights the specifics of this case and describes important points in managing these devastating injuries.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.300-303
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• 2018

Intraorbital wooden foreign bodies may present difficulties in diagnosis due to their radiolucent nature. Delayed recognition and management can cause significant complications. We present a case report that demonstrates these problems and the sequela that can follow. A 56-year-old man presented with a 3-cm laceration in the right upper eyelid, sustained by a slipping accident. After computed tomography (CT) scanning and ophthalmology consultation, which revealed no fractures and suggested only pneumophthalmos, the wound was repaired by a plastic surgery resident. Ten days later, the patient's eyelid displayed signs of infection including pus discharge. Antibiotics and revisional repair failed to solve the infection. Nearly 2 months after the initial repair, a CT scan revealed a large wooden fragment in the superomedial orbit. Surgical exploration successfully removed the foreign body and inflamed pocket, and the patient healed uneventfully. However, the prolonged intraorbital infection had caused irreversible damage to the superior rectus muscle, with upgaze diplopia persisting 1 year after surgery and only minimal muscle function remaining. We report this case to warn clinicians of the difficulties in early diagnosis of intraorbital wooden foreign bodies and the grave prognosis of delayed management.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.231-236
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• 2021

Mucormycosis is an invasive, rapidly progressive, life-threatening fungal infection, with a propensity for diabetic, immunosuppressed, and trauma patients. The classic rhinocerebral variation is most common in diabetic patients. While the cutaneous form is usually caused by direct inoculation in immunocompetent patients. Cutaneous mucormycosis manifests in soft tissue and risks involvement of underlying structures. Tibial osteomyelitis can also occur secondary to cutaneous mucormycosis but is rare. Limb salvage is typically successful after lower extremity cutaneous mucormycosis even when the bone is involved. Herein, we report two cases of lower extremity cutaneous mucormycosis in diabetic patients that presented as acute worsening of chronic pretibial ulcers. Despite aggressive antifungal therapy and surgical debridement, both ultimately required amputation. Such aggressive presentation has not been reported in the absence of major penetrating trauma, recent surgery, or burns.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.517-523
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• 1997

The records of 14 patients with traumatic diaphragmatic rupture seen at Dongguk University Hospital from February 1992 through December 1995 were reviewed. Ten patients were male and four were female(M:F=2.5:1). The age distribution ranged from 17 to 73 years with the mean age of 41.7 years. The 14 patients included 12 who had blunt trauma(traffic accident 11, crushing injury 1) and 2 with penetrating diaphragmatic rupture(stab wound 2). Of those 12 blunt trauma, 7 patients(58.3%) were left sided and 5(41.7%) involved the right hemidiaphragm. The diagnosis was made preoperatively in 8 patients (57.1%) and during surgery in 6(42.9%). All right-sided injuries were repaired through a thoracotomy and left-sided defects were corrected through a laparotomy in 6, laparotomy and thoracotomy in 1. There were 2(14.3%) operative deaths that were caused by myocardial infarction and the sequelae of combined injuries.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.33-40
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• 2017

Purpose: The role for minimally invasive surgery in chest trauma is vague, one that recently is more frequently performed, and one attractive option to be considered. Thoracoscopic surgery may improve morbidity, mortality, hasten recovery and shorten hospital stay. Methods: A total of 31 patients underwent video assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the treatment of blunt and penetrating chest trauma from June 9th, 2013 to March 21st, 2016 in Jeju, South Korea. Results: Twenty-three patients were males and eight patients were females. Their ages ranged from 23 to 81 years. The cause of injury was due to traffic accident in 17 patients, fall down in 5 patients, bicycle accident in 2 patients, battery in 2 patients, crushing injury in 2 patients, and slip down, kicked by horse, and stab wound in one patient each. Video assisted thoracoscopic exploration was performed in the 18 patients with flail chest or greater than 3 displaced ribs. The thoracoscopic procedures done were hematoma evacuation in 13 patients, partial rib fragment excision in 9 patients, lung suture in 5 patients, bleeding control (ligation or electrocautery) in 3 patients with massive hemothorax, diaphragmatic repair in two patients, wedge resection in two patients and decortication in 1 patient. There was only one patient with conversion to open thoracotomy. Conclusion: There is a broad range of procedures that can be done by thoracoscopic surgery and a painful thoracotomy incision can be avoided. Thoracoscopic surgery can be done safely and swiftly in the trauma patient.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.394-398
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• 1999

Background: According to the changes in the Environmental factors, traumatic diaphragmic rupture is seen in increasing frequency. Many reports described the early diagnostic methods and treatment modalities. In our institution, a study was retrospectively performed to obtain the early diagnostic and treatment methods of diaphragmic ruptures. Material and Method: From January 1994 to April 1998, 20 patients with traumatic rupture of the diaphragm were treated in our institution and We analyzed the patients in preoperative clinical presentations, diagnostic accuracies, associated injuries and postoperative complications. Result: Socially active male patients were affected most. 75% of patients had blunt trauma and 25% had penetrating injury. There were 16 cases of ruptured right diaphragm, 3 cases of left diaphragm and 1 case on both. Preoperative diagnosis were possible in 10 patients (50%) and 6 patients(30%) were diagnosed intraoperatively, but 4 patients (20%) were diagnosed in the late stages. Most common postoperative complication was wound infection, and two died of associated injuries. Conclusion: We conclude that if there is suspicion of diaphragmic rupture after a trauma, careful study and examination is essential and interdepartmental collaboration is very important.