• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to investigate the appropriate management of severe radionecrotic wounds of the anterior chest wall associated with infection of the soft tissues and ribs and exposure of vital structures(heart and lung), and present our strategies for reconstruction of these complicated patients. 9 patients have undergone radical debridement and immediate microsurgical reconstruction for severe radionecrotic wounds of the anterior chest wall over last 7 years. All patients had extensive osteomyelitis of the ribs or sternum, and chronic infection or cutaneous fistulae. 2 patients had pericardial effusions due to longstanding inflammation, and 6 patients had pleural effusions. 2 patients had ipsilateral lung collapse. 10 free flaps were performed for coverage of the huge defects. One patient required 2 free flaps to control the inflammation. 8 free TRAM flaps were used for coverage of the defects and in addition, the rectus abdominis muscle was packed into any deep cavity. 1 patients underwent latissimus dorsi muscle free flap because of previous abdominal surgery. After extensive debridement of the infected, radionecrotic wounds, all 10 free flaps were successful. All the extensive radionecrotic defects of the anterior chest wall were completely healed. Free flaps successfully covered the exposed vital structures of the heart and lungs. Patients with severe radionecrotic defects of the anterior chest wall after ablative breast cancer surgery and radiotherapy were successfully treated by radical debridement and immediate free flap surgery. The TRAM flap together with the rectus muscle is the treatment of choice for these huge defects. The latissimus dorsi muscle flap was the second choice in patients with previous abdominal surgery. The recipient vessel should be carefully selected because of possible radiation damage and inflammation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.579-583
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• 2004

Actinomycosis is an indolent infectious disease characterized by pyogenic response and necrosis, followed by intense fibrosis. The main forms of human actinomycosis are cervicofacial, pulmonary, and abdominopelvic type. Pulmonary actinomycosis accounts for 15% to 20% of total cases and unfortunately, clinical manifestations and radiologic findings are nonspecific. Small pleural effusion or empyema may develop in advanced disease but massive empyema is infrequent and rarely reported. We report a case of huge empyema caused by pulmonary actinomycosis in a 55 year-old man, presented with one-month history of productive cough and fever. The CT scan revealed a huge cavity with air-fluid level occupying the left hemithorax. Empyema caused by actinomycosis was confirmed microscopically by demonstration of sulfur granules in empyema sac through thracotomy. Decortication and surgical resection of empyema sac and destructed lung was accomplished and followed by intravenous infusion of penicillin G.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.262-266
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• 2011

A 4-year-old intact male, Maltese dog weighing 2.2 kg was presented for evaluation of tachypnea and hyperthermia. On initial evaluation, the dog was dyspneic, but alert and responsive. Muffled heart sound was noted with auscultation of the right hemithorax. The radiographic findings were consolidation of the right middle lung lobe, pleural effusion, and abdominal fluid accumulation. Thoracic computed tomography confirmed a contrast-enhancing mass within the right middle lung lobe. Surgical exploration of the thoracic cavity was performed using a right fifth intercostal thoracotomy. Examination of the right lung lobe revealed $360^{\circ}C$ torsion of the right middle lung lobe at the level of the hilus, in a clockwise direction. Lung lobectomy was performed using a thoracoabdominal stapling device with 2.5-mm vascular staples. Full-thickness intestinal biopsy by exploratory laparotomy was taken from the jejunum for histological assessment. Histopathologic examination of the full-thickness intestinal biopsy revealed distended lacteal located within the submucosa of the jejunum. Intestinal lymphangiectasia was resolved with prednisone and low fat diets. Subsequent communication with the owner revealed that the patient was in good health 6 months post-discharge.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.291-292
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• 2001

We report a case of malignant pericardial effusion originated from adenocarcinoma of the lung incidentally diagnosed by bone scintigraphy, prior to echocardiographic detection. A 76 year-old man with adenocarcinoma of the lung underwent Tc-99m MDP bone scintigraphy to evaluate skeletal metastasis. Anterior images of the chest of the bone scintigraphy unexpectedly showed diffuse increased activity in the region of the heart surrounded by an oval-shaped band of increased activity corresponding to the periphery of the cardiac silhouette (Fig. 1). There was no evidence of bony metastasis. Pericardial effusion was confirmed by echocardiography (Fig. 2) and malignant cells were revealed by subsequent microscopic examination of the pericardial fluid. Bone scintigraphy using Tc-99m phosphate compounds is commonly used to detect bony metastasis in cancer patients. Tc-99m phosphate compounds occasionally accumulate in extra-osseous sites, including $pleural^{1,2)},\;pericardial^{3,4)},\;and\;ascitic\;fluids^{5,6)}$. It has been reported that their accumulation in serous effusions should strongly suggest $malignancy^{1-6)}$. The exact mechanism for accumulation of Tc-99m phosphate compounds in serous effusions is unclear. Several investigators have proposed that the radiopharmaceuticals exuded directly from peripheral vessels to the serous cavity due to increased vascularity and vascular permeability, and bleeding by disruption of blood vessels due to cancerous $infiltration^{5,6)}$.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.197-205
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• 2022

Background: The integrated design of the HeartMate 3 (Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL, USA) affords flexibility to place the pump within the pericardium or thoracic cavity. We sought to determine whether the presence of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in either location has a meaningful impact on overall patient outcomes. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all 165 patients who received a HeartMate 3 LVAD via a median sternotomy from November 2014 to August 2019 at our center. Based on operative reports and imaging, patients were divided into intrapleural (n=81) and intrapericardial (n=84) cohorts. The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality, while secondary outcomes included postoperative complications, cumulative readmission incidence, and 3-year survival. Results: There were no significant between-group differences in baseline demographics, risk factors, or preoperative hemodynamics. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 6%, with no significant difference between the cohorts (9% vs. 4%, p=0.20). There were no significant differences in the postoperative rates of right ventricular failure, kidney failure requiring hemodialysis, stroke, tracheostomy, or arrhythmias. Over 3 years, despite similar mortality rates, intrapleural patients had significantly more readmissions (n=180 vs. n=117, p<0.01) with the most common reason being infection (n=68/165), predominantly unrelated to the device. Intrapleural patients had significantly more infection-related readmissions, predominantly driven by non-ventricular assist device-related infections (p=0.02), with 41% of these due to respiratory infections compared with 28% of intrapericardial patients. Conclusion: Compared with intrapericardial placement, insertion of an intrapleural HM3 may be associated with a higher incidence of readmission, especially due to respiratory infection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.588-595
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• 2010

Background: Base on types of tumor, the types of expressed tumor is diverse and the difference in its expression rate is even more various. Due to such reasons an animal model is absolutely needed for a clinical research of lung cancer. The author attempted oncogenesis by cultivating a cell line of non-small cell carcinoma and then injecting it inside thoracic cavities of nude mice. The author conducted quantitative analyses of HER2/neu tumor gene - an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) related to lung cancer, and TGF-${\beta}_1$, which acts as a resistance to cell growth inhibition and malignant degeneration. In order to investigate achievability of the oncogenesis, histological changes and the expression of cancer gene in case of orthotopic lung cancer is necessary. Material and Method: Among 20 immunity-free male BALB/c, five nude mice were selected as the control group and rest as the experimental group. Their weights ranged from 20 to 25 gm (Orient, Japan). After injection of lung cancer line (SW900 G IV) into the pleural cavity of nude mice, They were raised at aseptic room for 8 weeks. HER2/neu was quantitatively analyzed by separating serum from gathered blood via chemiluminiscent immunoassay (CLIA), and immunosandwitch method was applied to quantitatively analyze TGF-${\beta}_1$. SPSS statistical program (SPSS Version 10.0, USA) was implemented for statistical analysis. Student T test was done, and cases in which p-value is less than 0.05 were considered significant. Result: Even after lung cancer was formed in the normal control group or after intentionally injected lung cancer cell line, no amplification of HER2/neu gene showed reaction. However, the exact quantity of TGF-${\beta}_1$ was $28,490{\pm}8,549pg/mL$, and the quantity in the group injected with lung cancer cell was $42,362{\pm}14,449pg/mL$, meaning 1.48 times highly Significant (p<0.483). It proved that HER2/neu gene TGF-${\beta}_1$ had no meaningful interconnection. Conclusion: TGF-${\beta}_1$ gene expressed approximately 1.48 times amplification in comparison to the control group. The amplification of TGF-${\beta}_1$ meant somatic recuperation inhibition mechanism due to carcinogenesis in nude mice was definitely working. It may be implemented as a quantitative analysis that allows early detection of lung cancer in human body.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.1083-1093
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• 1997

Background : So far, there have been numerous reports on organ damage due to cryptococcosis, however, cases of lung localization have been infrequently reported. Recently pulmonary cryptococcosis has been reported more frequently than before due to enhanced diagnostic techniques and increased underlying diseases. Method : The author, therefore, analyzed the clinical manifestations of 5 cryptococcosis cases that we experienced at Hanyang University Hospital from 1985 to 1996 and 9 cases reported in Korea from 1984 and 1996 retrospectively. The following results were obtained. Results : Cryptococcosis occurred frequently over sixth decade and the male to female ratio was 3.6 : 1. Underlying diseases included acute rejection after kidney transplantation, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune hepatitis, diabetes mellitus and state of bilateral adrenalectomy. Remaining 8 cases had no evidence of an underlying disease. Because the symptoms were subacute & nonspecific, and not improved by conventional antibiotics, 6 patients of 14 pulmonary cryptococcosis patients were treated as pulmonary tuberculosis before correct diagnosis was made. There were three asymptomatic cases. According to the results of CXR, solitary alveolar consolidation was the most common finding(8 cases) followed by diffuse infiltration(5 cases). It also showed pleural effusion, hilar lymphadenopathy and cavity formation that was rarely reported in world literature. The diagnasis was made through fine needle aspiration biopsy in 10 cases, open thoracotomy in 2 cases, transbronchial lung biopsy in 1 case. and thoracentesis with pleural biopsy in 1 case. Only one case showed positive result in sputum stain and culture, serum latex agglutination test for cryptococcus neoformans. Treatment modalities were various such as fluconazole, amphotericin B, flucytosine, ketoconazole, surgery and it's combination. After 1990 year, there was a trend that fluconazole or ketoconazole are more used than other therapeutic modalities. Conclusion : Because the symptoms are subacute & nonspecific and not improved by conventional antibiotics, pulmonary cryptococcosis is likely to misdiagnosis as pulmonary tuberculosis in Korea. Because the diagnosic yield of sputum stain, culture and serologic test for pulmonary cryptococcosis is low, histologic diagnosis is need in most pulmonary cryptococcosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.536-542
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• 1999

Background: The purpose of this study is to improve the quality of the diagnostic procedures in the preoperative evaluation so as to reduce the unnecessary thoracotomy and to ensure resectability in non-small cell lung cancer. Material and Method: Of 616 patients who underwent thoracotomy for primary lung cancer from January 1990 to December 1996, 59 patients(9.6%) turned out to have inoperable lesions after the thoracotomy. We reprospectively reviewed the bronchoscopic findings, methods of tissue diagnosis, CT scans, pulmonary function test and lung perfusion scan, reasons for nonresectability, and adjuvant therapy, and then followed up on the survival rate after exploratory thoracotomy. Result: The cell types were squamous cell carcinoma in 38, adenocarcinoma in 15, large cell carcinoma in 3 and others in 3. Primary loci were RUL in 20, RML in 6, RLL in 8, LUL in 13, LLL in 4 and others in 8. The reasons for non-resectability were various; direct tumor invaison to mediastinal structures(n=41), seeding on pleural cavity(n=8), poor pulmonary function(n=2), invasions to extranodal mediastinal lymph node(n=2), technical non- resectability due to extensive chest wall invasion (n=3), small cell carcinoma (n=1), malignant lymphoma(n=1), and multiple rib metastases(n=1). In the follow-up of 58 patients, 1-year survival rate was 55.2% and 2-year survival rate was 17.2% and the mean survival time was 14 months. When compared according to cell types or postoperative adjuvant therapeutic modalities, no significant difference in the survival rates were found. The squamous cell carcinoma was frequently accompanied by local extension to contiguous structures and was the main cause of non-resectability. In adenocarcinoma, pleural seeding with malignant effusion was frequently encountered, and was the major reason for non-resectability. Conclusion: These data revealed that if appropriate preoperative diagnostic tools had been available, many unnecessary thoracotomies could have been avoided. Both the use of thoracoscopy in selected cases of adenocarcinoma and the more aggressive surgical approach to the locally advanced tumor could reduce the incidence of unnecessary thoracotomies for non-small cell lung cancers.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 1975

Authors have reviewed the records of seven patients of multiple rib fractures with severe flail chest who were admitted to Hanyang University Hospital during the 3 years period from 1972 through 1975. Of the seven patients studied, automobile accidents led to the injuries in 4 cases, two patients were injured in fall from a tree and on the ox-heading. All who had a blunt trauma without any open wound on the chest. The numbers of the fractured ribs accounted for 6 to 9 of the ribs including double fractures from 3 to 5 ribs. The left side fractures occurred in the 6 patients and in the right only one patient. Thus the flail segment was more often located in the left antero-lateral position than in the right lateral position [the ratio was 6:1].. All cases had associated injuries. The injuries and multiple fractures were the most common associated injuries occurring in four and five of the patients respectively. The patients were classified as having associated head injuries when they were admitted in comatose or semicomatose state. When a major degree of instability of the thoracic cage exists, adequate respiratory change is not possible. For this reason the tracheostomy was performed in five patients in an acutely injured patient with flail chest only after an endotracheal tube has been inserted or after an endotracheal suction. All patients had secondary complications in the pleural cavity, such as hemothorax or hemopneumothorax with or without intrapulmonary hemorrhage and subcutaneous emphysema. Therefore, closed thoracostomy was performed in five patients in the emergency room. The thoracotomy was required in four patients: immediate operation without closed thoracostomy was performed in two patients and the thoracotomy was indicated in two patients after closed thoracostomy, because of increasing intrathoracic hemorrhage. As to the fixation of the flail segments, authors employed two techniques; one was towel clip traction of the flail segments and the other was intramedullary insertion of Kirschner`s wire in to the double fractured rib fragments for the fixation of the flail segments [Kirschner`s wire fixation]. Because` of an different results in the course of treatment between two techniques, data from patients with towel clip traction was compared with those from patients with thoracotomy and Kirschner`s wire fixation of the flail segments. Of the three patients with towel clip traction, two patients required bronchoscopic toilet due to lung atelectasis which developed because of inadequate motion of thoracic cage and poor expectoration. This was in contrast to the four patients with thoracotomy and Kirschner`s wire fixation, who didn`t these complication because of adequate motion of the thoracic cage and subsequent good expectoration.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.389-393
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• 1999

Endometriosis is defined as an extrauterine growth of endometrial tissue and it is primarily limited in the pelvis but it can also occur in the pleural cavity as well as pulmonary parenchyme. The diagnosis of pulmonary endometriosis is usually based on the clinical history of recurrent hemoptysis in association with menstrual cycle and by histopathologic confirmation of endometrial tissue in the lung parenchyme. Pulmonary endometriosis was first reported by Lattes in 1956. and dozens of cases have been reported so far. We experienced a case of 25 year old single woman with a history of hemoptysis in association with her menstruation. The bleeding focus was localized with chest CT scan and repeated fibrooptic bronchoscopy and basal segmentectomy of the right lower lobe was performed. The resected specimen shows endometrial stroma and glands of early proliferative phase with respiratory epithelium on the laterobasal bronchus. Her postoperative course was uneventful with no recurrence of hemoptysis during 6 months of follow-up in the outpatient clinic.