• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.257-262
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• 1984

Acute purulent pericarditis, though not common in incidence after introduction of antibiotics, is still potentially life treating isease. Since 1971, we have experienced 14 cases of acute purulent pericarditis with successful treatment. Among these 14 cases, 9 cases were male and they had high occurrence on their third to fifth decades in age distribution. Isolation of causative organisms were obtained in 11 cases through the bacterial culture of infectious source which was mainly pericardial effusion or blood, and the most frequently recovered organism was the staphylococcus aureus. Pre-existing inflammatory disease preceding to pericarditis, named as antecedent disease, were proved in 12 cases, and among which contiguous extension from the intrathoracic infection such as pneumonia or empyema accounted for the majority of antecedent disease. Pericardiocentesis with administration of antibiotics were tried in all cases, but result in recovery in 1 patient only. Remaining 13 cases had persistent picture of pericarditis and necessitated surgical drainage procedure. Ten of these 13 cases were underwent the open pericardial window using a mode of anterior approach in 4 and subxiphoid approach in 6 cases respectively. Two cases of subxiphoid group were reoperated by the anterior interphrenic pericardiectomy, due to insufficient drain of too thick effusion. In remaining 3 cases, anterior interphrenic pericardiectomy was performed initially because of purulent effusion already changed into fibrinopurulent peel with thickened pericardium. Through the experience of this series, we recommended that pericardiectomy should not be reluctant in purulent pericarditis as a initial surgical procedure for advantage of complete removal of infected space and avoidance of late constrictive pericarditis.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.202-207
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• 2004

Group A streptococcus, also known as Streptococcus pyogenes, is a common bacterial pathogens of the upper respiratory tract and skin infections in children, but this organism is a less common cause of pneumonia, pericarditis. However, pneumonia that is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, may be rapidly progressive course with developing severe consequences. It may be focal but often is bilateral and diffuse involvement of lung. Empyema is commonly developed, and pleurocentesis often yields thin, watery fluid that continues to flow out when a chest tube is inserted. Antimicrobial resistance to the ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotics has not been reported against group A streptococci, whereas increasing resistance to the macrolides seems to be directly related to the consumption of specific antimicrobial agent use in the community. Clindamycin resistance is uncommon but does occur. We experienced one case of group A streptoccoccal pneumonia with empyema and pericardial effusion, and treated successfully with amoxicillin-clavulanate, clindamycin and roxithromycin.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.407-411
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• 2014

A 12-year-old castrated male Pekingese dog was presented with weakness, exercise intolerance, and an episode of coughing started 2 weeks earlier upon presentation. Physical examination revealed a grade II/VI left systolic heart murmur. Echocardiographic examination revealed a pericardial effusion and a mass at the heart base located beside the left atrium. The mass beside the left atrium was also visible on the thoracic radiograph after drainage of the pericardial effusion. An aortic body tumor was definitely diagnosed based on postmortem histopathological examination and immunohistochemical staining for specific markers. The dog lived 234 days after diagnosis with only medical management and without recurrence of the pericardial effusion.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.574-577
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• 2007

Primary malignant neoplasm of the pericardium is very rare, Neoplastic involvement of the pericardium may result in rapidly developing hemorrhagic effusion. A 30-year-old male who occasionally suffered from chest tightness was referred to our hospital under the diagnosis of unstable angina. He presented with acute chest pain and severe dyspnea that had developed one day previously. The diagnostic investigations such as echocardiography, chest CT and magnetic resonance image suggested cardiac tamponade that was caused by rupture of the pericardial teratoma. An operation to remove the tumor and effusion was performed. The pericardial mass was completely excised, and the result of the frozen biopsy favored malignancy. The final pathologic report was malignant fibrosarcoma of the pericardium and no malignant cells were found on the cytology of the pericardial effusion. The patient had a smooth postoperative course and was referred to another hospital for additional radiation therapy. We report here on this case of cardiac tamponade that was caused by primary pericardial fibrosarcoma, and this required urgent diagnosis and surgical management.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.337-350
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• 2020

The clinical manifestation of pericardial disease is similar to that of coronary artery disease and aortic disease. Therefore, a timely and accurate diagnosis is necessary. The pericardium is a 2-layered membrane that envelops the heart and great vessels, and there are numerous anatomic variations and pathologic conditions. Large or unusually located pericardial recesses can be easily mistaken for abnormal findings. Additionally, primary pericardial diseases resulting from infections, tumors, and injuries are possible; further, diseases can quickly spread along the pericardium. Echocardiography is generally the first imaging tool used to evaluate the pericardium. However, it has limited windows and poor resolution. Besides, the evaluation of postoperative echocardiography is sometimes limited. Currently, CT and MR imaging are useful for evaluating pericardial diseases. Detailed knowledge of the pericardium is important for interpreting the images and clinical results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.317-322
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• 1987

Records of 15 patients who underwent operation for constrictive pericarditis at this department from 1976 through 1984 were reviewed. All had hemodynamically significant pericardial constriction preoperatively, and pericardial disease was confirmed at operation. There were 12 males and 3 females in this series. Range of age varied from 7 years to 51 years. Clinical and histological study revealed granulomatous pericarditis compatible with the diagnosis of tuberculosis in 5 patients, non-specific chronic inflammatory changes in 6 patients and pyogenic pericarditis in 2 patients. Pericardiectomy was performed through a median sternotomy [11 cases] or bilateral anterior thoracotomy [4 cases]. The postoperative complications were observed in 4 patients. Low cardiac output was the most common complication [2 patients]. In 13 cases, excluding 2 operative deaths, preoperatively all were in New York Heart Association Class III or IV. At the time of discharge II [85%] were in Class I or II. 4 Cases were reoperated after original pericardiostomy and all resulted in marked improvement. Early surgical intervention is advisable in all patients in whom cardiac constriction is caused by either a thickened pericardium or a pericardial effusion before myocardial dysfunction occurs.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.sup1
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• pp.112-115
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• 2016

Noonan syndrome is an autosomal dominant, multisystem disorder. Autoimmune thyroiditis with hypothyroidism is an infrequent feature in patients with Noonan syndrome. A 16-year-old boy was admitted because of chest discomfort and dyspnea; an echocardiogram revealed pericardial effusion. Additional investigations led to a diagnosis of severe hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto thyroiditis. The patient was treated with L-thyroxine at 0.15 mg daily. However, during admission, he developed symptoms of cardiac tamponade. Closed pericardiostomy was performed, after which the patient's chest discomfort improved, and his vital signs stabilized. Herein, we report a case of an adolescent with Noonan syndrome, who was diagnosed with Hashimoto thyroiditis with an unusual presentation of cardiac tamponade.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.661-668
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• 1997

The majority of lung cancers associated with hyperamylasemia are adenocarcinomas. Here we report an unusual case of a 54-year-old male patient who complained of dyspnea, anterior chest wall discomfort and facial edema for one month, presenting with a huge mediastinal mass and hyperamylasemia complicated by pericardial effusion. Histological evaluation of mediastinal mass revealed small cell carcinoma and pericardium showed nonspecific inflammation with fibrosis. The serum amylase had an electrophoretic mobility similar to that of salivary gland enzyme. There were no evidence of a salivary or pancreatic causes of hyperamylasemia. After chemotherapy, parenchymal lung lesions improved and hyperamylasemia disappeared. For the management of pericardial effusion, a pericardial window was formed. We concluded that the striking increase in serum amylase was due to the ectopic production of this enzyme by the tumor.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 1997

The authors reviewed 167 malignant effusions from 110 patients, of which the primary site was established on the basis of either biopsy or surgical resection of the primary neoplasm. Main factors analysed were the distribution of primary organs and the cytohistoiogic correlation of body cavity effusions. The 167 fluid specimens from 110 patients consisted of 90 cases(53.9%) of pleural, 68(40.7%) of peritoneal, and 9(5.4%) of pericardial origins. Histologically they consisted of 82 cases(74.5%) of adenocarcinoma, 8(7.3%) of malignant lymphoma, 6(5.5%) of squamous ceil carcinoma, and 3(2.7%) of small cell carcinoma. The most common site among the primary lesions was the stomach in 25 cases(22.7%) followed by the lung in 21(19.1%), ovary on 17(15.5%), and breast in 7(6.4%). As for the distribution of primary tumors in adenocarcinoma, the most common site was lung un 16 cases (48.5%) in pleural fluid and stomach in 22(48.9%) in peritoneal fluid. In pericardial effusions, all 5 cases were from the lung. As a whole, the cytologic findings of malignant effusion were fairly representative of histologic characteristics of primary lesions. Thus, when the primary lesion Is unknown, careful evaluation of effusion cytology is presumed to be a helpful tooi for tracing the primary tumor.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1354-1359
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• 1996

Few observation have been made on the pericardial pressure and little is known about the composition of he pericardial fluid. So we studied the basic qualitative and quantitative analysis of the pericardial fluid in the patients with cardiac disease either congenital heart diasese(group A) or acquired heart disease(group B). The pressure of the pericardial cavity was measured by the method of open tipped water filled small polyethylene catheter connecting to the standardized monitor, which was introduced into pericardium of the patients who were performed pericardial incision for the heart or pericardial surgery. All of the data was compared to the simultaneously checked hematologic value of the same patient. The mean pressure of the pericardial cavity was 2.4mmHg and the amount of the pericardial fluid was 13cc/m2 of body surface for the group A and 17.7cc for the group B. And the cell count was 138$\pm$l16/1 in group A and 230$\pm$135/1 in group B and the pH was 7.83$\pm$0.40 in group A. 7.80$\pm$0.52 in group B. Pericardial fluid revealed satisfactically significant alkaline pH than plasma. The fundamental electrolyte, Wa+, K+, Cl and glucose were identical to the hematologic values of the same patient, but the protein concentration was 2.Bg/dL for group A and 3.Ig/dL for group B heart disease and those were remarkable low concentration compared to the hematologic value of the same patient. LDH and amylase were identical to the value of the serum of the same patient, but the concentration of LDH of group B was slightly higher than that of the group A.