• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.183-186
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• 2021

Cardiac tamponade is an acute life-threatening condition that predominantly involves the intra-pericardial space; however, an expanding mediastinal hematoma can also sometimes cause cardiac tamponade. Here we describe the case of a 45-year-old male driver in whom a traffic accident resulted in rupture of the left internal thoracic artery (ITA), extra-pericardial hematoma, and sternal fracture. After resuscitation, he was scheduled to undergo angio-embolization to repair the ruptured left ITA, but he suddenly developed cardiac tamponade that required a decompressive sternotomy. Nevertheless, the patient had an uncomplicated recovery, and this case suggests that extra-pericardial cardiac tamponade should be considered as a possible consequence of retro-sternal hematoma due to traumatic ITA rupture.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.937-943
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• 2001

Background: The aims of this study are to determine the predicting factors related with cardiovascular injuries in sternal fractures and to suggest the indication of emergency echocardiography. Material and Method: A retrospective review of the Ewha Womans University Mok-Dong Hospital trauma registry revealed 40 patients, that visited the hospital with a sternal fracture a over 5-year period. We analyzed 4 factors as predicting factors; 1) presence of restraint, 2) presence of associated injuries, 3) presence of a past medical history involving cardiovascular system, and 4) Revised Trauma Score(RTS). We, also, assessed the utility of conventional study methods involving cardiovascular injuries, such as ECG, chest X-ray, and enzyme level. Based on the methods, we inferred an indication for emergency echocardiography in sternal fractures. Result: Statistically significant predicting factors were the presence of a past medical history involving cardiovascular system and abnormal RTS on admission. Usage of emergency echocardiography depended upon the predicting factors and the results from conventional evaluations. We can now suggest the indications of emergency echocardiography in sternal fractures as 1) if more than two studies reveal abnormality without any significant predicting factors, and 2) if more than one study reveals abnormality with any significant predicting factors. Conclusion: The past medical history involving cardiovascular system and initial vital signs imply the presence of cardiovascular injuries in sternal fractures. And if needed, emergency echocardiography should be performed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.833-837
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• 1994

Lung contusion due to blunt chest trauma is the most common lung injury and correlated with the clinical course and prognosis. Its diagnosis by CT[Computerized Tomogram] gives a more clear and understandable three dimensional view, by which we are able to measure the volume of the contused and entire lung. Other variables are arterial blood gas, number of rib fracture, presence of hemopneumothorax, sternal fracture and clavicle fracture, number of associated non-thoracic injuries, ventilator time and presence of pulmonary complication. Percentage[%] of lung contusion are expressed as mean $\pm$ standard deviation and data analysis was performed by means of multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance to detect significant differences in variables between positive thoracic injury group and negative group. The paired t-test was used. Differences of percentage of lung contusion between groups were assessed by one-way analysis of variance. Simple linear regression was used to perform correlation analysis in the number of rib fracture and ventilator time. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Pneumothorax and the number of associated other injuries affect the amount of lung contusion and pulmonary complication group has more contused lung volume. Arterial blood gas study shows no correlation with the amount of lung contusion statistically. The number of rib fracture correlated with the amount of lung contusion, which also correlated with ventilator time[r=0.56, p<0.05]. In conclusion, quantitative anlysis of lung contusion by CT predicts the clinical course and treatment such as ventilator care.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.715-722
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• 1984

From 1978 to April 30 84 thirteen cases of cardiac injured patients were operated under general anesthesia at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Chonnam National University. These patients were divided Into two groups according to their cause of trauma: Group 1, penetrating cardiac injury and Group II, blunt cardiac injury. 1.In 7 cases of Group 1, 6 cases were stab wound and one case was gunshot wound, and among 6 cases of Group II, 3 cases traffic accident, 2 cases pedestrian, 1 case agrimotor accident. 2.The sites of cardiac injury in penetrating trauma were right ventricle mainly and the next left ventricle and in blunt trauma right ventricle, myocardial contusion, right atrium, and inferior vena cava in order. 3.In most of cases central venous pressure was elevated above 15 cmH2O and in 5 of 13 cases revealed cardiomegaly in simple chest X-ray. 4.The relationship between the condition on arrival and the time to operation is not significant. 5.Associated injuries in penetrating cardiac trauma were hemothorax, pneumothorax, laceration of lung and in blunt trauma hemothorax, sternal fracture, rib fracture and pneumothorax in order. 6.One case of gunshot injury died after operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1085-1088
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• 1998

Background: In trauma patients, bony thorax are exposured to the trauma in many cases. With simple x-ray, we can not detect all definitive bony abnormalities, especially in less severe cases. Bone scan is very sensitive diagnostic method in such cases. Materials and methods: We experienced 680 cases and results were as follows. Results: 1. Diagnostic sensitivity was 97.4% and false negative rate was 2.6%. 2. In sensitivity study, the time factor(when we perform bone scan) was the most important thing according to trauma pattern. In rib fracture, sensitive test time was after 1 week. In sternal fracture, sensitive test time was after 1 week, too. In costochondral junction fracture and combined cases, it was after 3 days. Conclusions: We recommend timely using of bone scan as definitive diagnostic method in bony thorax trauma patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.760-765
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• 1989

Cardiac injury remains one of the most spectacular injuries which the present day cardiac surgeon is called upon to treat. Eight consecutive patients with penetrating or blunt injury to the heart underwent operation at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Masan Koryo General Hospital from April 22 88 to April 6 89. l. Among the 8 cases of cardiac injured patients, 7 cases were penetrating injury [stab injury] and one case was blunt injury [traffic accident]. 2. The site of cardiac injury was LV mainly and the next RV, SVC-RA junction in order. 3. The all patients were admitted to our hospital via ER and most of cases, CVP was elevated above 15 cmH2O and 7 of 8 cases were shock state. 4. In 6 of 8 cases revealed cardiomegaly in simple chest X * ray. 5. 7 cases were operated through the median sternotomy, 1 case the right anterolateral thoracotomy. 6. Associated injuries in penetrating cardiac injury were hemothorax, pneumothorax, sternal fracture, lung laceration, LAD transaction in blunt injury, hemoperitoneum.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.162-164
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• 2019

A male patient weighing 2.5 kg was admitted for respiratory difficulty, and a large ventricular septal defect (VSD) was diagnosed. During care, sudden right leg swelling with a femur shaft fracture occurred. The patient's father had a history of recurrent lower extremity fractures; thus, osteogenesis imperfecta was considered. The patient's respiratory difficulty became aggravated, and VSD repair in the neonatal period was therefore performed with gentle sternal traction and great vessel manipulation under total intravenous anesthesia to prevent malignant hyperthermia. The patient was discharged without notable problems, except minor wound dehiscence. Outpatient genetic testing revealed that the patient had a COL1A1/COL1A2 mutation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.346-354
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• 2017

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common disease that may contribute to morbidity and mortality among trauma patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study evaluated the associations between trauma factors and the development of VAP in ventilated patients with multiple rib fractures. Methods: We retrospectively and consecutively evaluated 101 patients with multiple rib fractures who were ventilated and managed at our hospital between January 2010 and December 2015, analyzing the associations between VAP and trauma factors in these patients. Trauma factors included sternal fracture, flail chest, diaphragm injury, traumatic aortic dissection, combined cardiac injury, pulmonary contusion, pneumothorax, hemothorax, hemopneumothorax, abbreviated injury scale score, thoracic trauma severity score, and injury severity score. Results: Forty-six patients (45.5%) had at least 1 episode of VAP, 10 (21.7%) of whom died in the ICU. Of the 55 (54.5%) patients who did not have pneumonia, 9 (16.4%) died in the ICU. Using logistic regression analysis, we found that VAP was associated with severe lung contusion (odds ratio, 3.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.12 to 8.39; p=0.029). Conclusion: Severe pulmonary contusion (pulmonary lung contusion score 6-12) is an independent risk factor for VAP in ventilated trauma patients with multiple rib fractures.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 1980

We have experienced 2 cases of the hunshot wound sof the chest involving cardiac injuries at department of the thoracic surgery, Capital Armed Forces General Hospital during I year from April I 1979 to Jan. 1980. In one case of two patients , he was a 22 years old man who was transported to this emergency room 4 hour 10 minutes after having gunshot wound of the left chest by helicopter. Physical examination showed small inlet in left 3rd ICS and left parasternal border, large outlet in left 8th ICS and left scapular line, no breath sound on left side and distant heart sound. chest roentgenography demonstrated marked pleural effusion in left side and mediastinum shifted to right. As soon as chest X-ray was taken, the bleeding through penetrating wound became profuse and cardiac arrest ensued. Closed chest cardiac massage was started and vigorous transfusion continued, but no effective cardiac activity could not be obtained. The patient was pronounced dead due to exsanguinating hemorrhage from wuwpected cardiac wounds. In this critically injured patient with evidence of intrathoracic hemorrhage and suspected cardiac penetration, only emergency thoracic exploration and immediate surgical control of bleeding points might offer the maximum possibility of survival. The other case was a 23 years old man who was transferred to the emergency room 4 hours 50 minutes after having kmultiple communicated fractures of sternum and linear fracture of right mandible by a missile. Examination revealed about 30% skin loss of the anterior chest wall, weak pulse of 96 beats/min., distant heart sound and decreased breath sounds bilaterally. finding on the chest X-ray films showed multiple sternal fractures, marked pericardial effusion indicating hemopericardium. So, the patient was moved immediately to the operation room where, after endotracheal tube inserted, a median sternotomy was performced. A hemorrhagic congestion of the right upper lobe and marked bulging pericardium were disclosed. The pericardium was opened anterior to right phrenic nerve and exsanguinating hemorrhage ensued from the 0.5cm lacerated wound in the auricle of right atrium. The rupture site of right atrium was occluded with non-crushing vascular clamps and then was over sewn with interrupted sutures. It was thought to be highly possible that he was alive long enough to have cardiorrhaphy because of cardiac tamponade, which prevented exsanguinating hemorrhage. He was taken closed reduction for linear fracture of right mandible 2 weeks after repair of ruptured right auricle in dental clinic. This patient's post-operative course was not eventful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.270-275
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• 1999

Background: In the patients with thoracic injury, we suspect simultaneous cardiac contusion or concussion. We analyzed the patients with possible cardiac injury by electrocardiography, serum creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme fraction (CK-MB) screening, followed by two dimentional echocardiogram (2-DE) to access the severity of injury. Material and Method: From January 1997 to April 1998, 15-month retrospective study of suspicious myocardial injury was undertaken in including 24 patients admitted for suspected cardiac injury. All patients with history or signs of blunt chest injury were checked serially and the serial CK, CK-MB fraction, electrocardiography (EKG) analysis screening were followed by 2-DE. Result: The age range was between 20-40 years and were predominant male patients in(M:F=3:1). Most common causes of injury were traffic accidents, 15 patients(62.5%). Associated injuries involved multiple rib fractures, sternal fracture and such. EKG findings on the cardiac concussion were within normal limits, EKG findings on the cardiac contusion were nonspecific ST and T wave abnormality. In cardiac contusion patients, CK-MB fraction did not increase significantly on admission but on 2nd, 3rd, 4th hospital days, it increased significantly (p=0.0080, 0.0130, 0.0130). The average admission days were 9.22 in concussion and 26.18 in contusion patients(p=0.0075). Most common complication was the adult respiratory distress syndrome(7 cases), 5 out of the patients with ARDS were mechanically ventilated. There were no deaths. Conclusion: We believe the serial checks of CK-MB, EKG and subsquent two-dementional echocardiographic sector scanning are presently the most sensitive indicators available for structural and functional cardiac injury.