• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2011

Purpose: A rib fracture secondary to blunt thoracic trauma continues to be an important injury with significant complications. Unfortunately, there are no definite treatment guidelines for severe multiple rib fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the result of early operative stabilization and to find the risk factors of surgical fixation in patients with bilateral multiple rib fractures or flail segments. Methods: From December 2005 to December 2008, the medical records of all patients who underwent operative stabilization of ribs for severe multiple rib fractures were reviewed. We investigated patients' demographics, preoperative comorbidities, underlying lung disease, chest trauma, other associated injuries, number of surgical rib fixation, combined operations, perioperative ventilator support, and postoperative complications to find the factors affecting the mortality after surgical treatment. Results: The mean age of the 96 patients who underwent surgical stabilization for bilateral multiple rib fractures or flail segments was 56.7 years (range: 22 to 82 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 3.6:1. Among the 96 patients, 16 patients (16.7%) underwent reoperation under general or epidural anesthesia due to remaining fracture with severe displacement. The surgical mortality of severe multiple rib fractures was 8.3% (8/96), 7 of those 8 patients (87.5%) dying from acute respiratory distress syndrome or sepsis. And the other one patient expired from acute myocardial infarction. The risk factors affecting mortality were liver cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, concomitant severe head or abdominal injuries, perioperative ventilator care, postoperative bleeding or pneumonia, and tracheostomy. However, age, number of fractured ribs, lung parenchymal injury, pulmonary contusion and combined operations were not significantly related to mortality. Conclusion: In the present study, surgical fixation of ribs could be carried out as a first-line therapeutic option for bilateral rib fractures or flail segments without significant complications if the risk factors associated with mortality were carefully considered. Furthermore, with a view of restoring pulmonary function, as well as chest wall configuration, early operative stabilization of the ribs is more helpful than conventional treatment for patients with severe multiple rib fractures.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.905-915
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• 1990

A clinical evaluation was performed on 545 cases of the chest trauma those had been admitted and treated at the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery in Chosun University Hospital during the past 11 years 5 months period from January 1978 to may 1989. Obtained results were as follows: 1. The ratio of male to female was 3.9: 1 in male predominance, and the majority[66.6%] was distributed from 3rd to 5th decade. 2. Nonpenetrating chest trauma was more common than penetrating about 4.6 times, and the most common cause of the nonpenetrating injuries was traffic accident[241/448, 53.8%] and of the penetrating injuries was stab wound[88/97, 90.7%]. 3. Only 79 cases[14.5%] were arrived to our emergency room within one hour after trauma. 4. The most common lesion due to trauma among these admitted patients was rib fracture[390/545, 71.6%], and the others were lung contusion[217/545, 39.8%], hemothorax[35%], hemopneumothorax[19.6%], and pneumothorax[11.8%] et al in decreasing order. 5. The associated injuries those required special treatment of other departments were 223 cases and its distributions were bone fractures[178/545, 32.7%], head injury[5.3%], and abdominal injury[6.6%]. 6. The others, but interesting chest injuries were follows: sternum fracture[3.1%], diaphragm rupture[2.6%], myocardial laceration and rupture[2 cases], bronchial rupture and laceration[2 cases], and traumatic thymoma rupture[1 case]. 7. The incidence of flail chest was 5.8%a[26/448] in the nonpenetrating injury, and the causes were multiple rib fracture which was in rows more than 4 rib fracture[20 cases], and sternum fracture[6 cases]. 8. We could managed the most of the patient with conservative treatment[43.1%] or closed tube thoracostomy[52.7%], but required emergency open thoracotomy in 64 cases

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.431-434
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• 2023

Background: The first 3 ribs are anatomically well-protected, shielded by the large thoracic muscles, the shoulder girdle, and the arm. A significant force is required to fracture these ribs; thus, such fractures suggest a high-energy trauma and are associated with injuries to vital organs of the thorax, such as the aorta, the heart, the lungs and the great vessels. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted over a 10-year period at a single hospital. The study assessed patients with fractures of the second rib, including their concurrent injuries and the overall severity of their trauma. Results: Among the 76 patients included in the study, the average age was 47.35 years, 81.5% were men, and 19.5% were women. Thirteen patients (17.1%) survived their injuries. The most common causes of injury were road traffic accidents (63%) and pedestrian injuries (22%). The patients who did not survive sustained injuries to an average of 5 additional organs, while survivors had injuries to an average of 2.07 additional organs. Left rib fractures were the most frequently observed (46%). The most serious concurrent injuries reported were to the aorta (5.26%), heart (10.52%), lung (52.36%), head (57.89%), liver (30.2%), spleen (26.31%), and kidney (17.1%). Conclusion: As indicators of serious injury to vital endothoracic organs, isolated fractures of the second rib should be considered equal to first rib fractures in clinical importance.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.128-136
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• 1990

A Clinical analysis was performed on 717 cases of the chest trauma experienced at department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Soonchunhyang Chunan Hospital from Mar. 1985 to Jun. 1989. 1. The sex ratio was 2.89:1 with male predominance. The patients in 75 % of total cases was between 3rd to 5th decade. 2. The most common causes were traffic accident in non-penetrating thoracic injury and stab wound by knife in penetrating injury. 3. The hemothorax, pneumothorax and hemopneumothorax were observed in 306 cases[42.7 %]. 4. The left thorax was the preferred site of penetrating and non-penetrating thoracic injury. The rib fracture was prevalent between 4th to 8th rib. 5. The open thoracotomy was performed in 55 cases[7.7 %] 6. The overall mortality was 3.07 %[22 cases] and causes of death were hypovolemic shock, adult respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, renal failure and pneumonia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.38-40
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• 1976

Rupture of a bronchus is an unusual result of nonpenetrating trauma to the chest. This case was a 19 year old male who was a worker in the mine. The patient had sustained a compression chest injury without external wound or rib fracture. At five days after trauma, he was suffered from dyspnea and the symptom was progressively increased. Two weeks after the chest trauma, a diagnosis of left main bronchial obstruction due to traumatic bronchial rupture was made by means of bronchoscopy and bronchography. He was operated upon. The left lung was completely atelectatic and the left main bronchus was found to be transected at the level of 3cm from carina. End-to-end anastomosis of the bronchus was performed and the left lung was aerated very well. postoperative course was uneventful.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.138-141
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• 1997

Rib fracture due to intense pain, may restrict patients from inadequate coughing. These conditions may produce varying degrees of complications such as atelectasis, pneumonia and arterial hypoxemia. Thoracic epidural analgesia has been used to treat pain associated multiple rib fractures because of its marked improvement in vital capacity and dynamic lung compliance. However, there are complications related to thoracic epidural analgesia which may include damage to spinal cord, perforation of dura, respiratory depression, decrease heart rate and arterial blood pressure. We experienced such a case of cardiac arrest during thoracic epidural analgesia while treating a patient for multiple rib fractures.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.944-949
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• 1993

Clinical analysis were performed on 247 cases of thoracic trauma, those were admitted & treated at the department of thoracic & cardiovascular surgery,Hanyang University Hospital during the period from Jan,1989 to June,1992. Age distribution of those was from 2 to 80 years old & mean age was 38 years old. The ratio of male to female patient was 186:61 [3:1].This ratio revealed high incidence in male patient. The most common cause of trauma was traffic accident in this series.The modes of injury were as follows: traffic accident 124 cases[50.2%],fall down 52 cases[21.05%], stab wound 47 cases[19.03%] and gun-shut wound 1 case.Ellapse time from accident to admission were 141 cases [57.09%] under 6 hr.Rib fracture were observed in 159 cases[64.37%], hemo or pneumothorax were observed 134 cases[54.25%] of total cases and location distributed Right:Left:Both[74:112:37], in left predominant. Conservative,non-operative treatment were performed in 128 cases and operation[open thoracotomy] 32 cases.Mortality was 1.6%[4 cases] & most common cause of death were due to irreversible shock with brain edema. Conclusively, more evaluation & co-operation of other department were expected treatment & better prognosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.51-54
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• 2014

Primary tumors of the lung are uncommon in pediatric patients, particularly bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC). An 11-year-old female suffering from back pain for 1 month was referred to Seoul St. Mary's Hospital for treatment of a pathologic fracture of the lumbar spine. Comprehensive evaluation disclosed numerous pulmonary metastases of rhabdomyosarcoma (stage IV). During chemotherapy, most of the lung lesions regressed, with the exception of two nodules. Wedge resections, intended for diagnosis and cure, yielded a histologic diagnosis of BAC.

• 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.10 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 1977

In order to evaluate the therapeutic effect of thoracostomy on the patients with pathological changes in pleural cavity which were caused by various etiological factors, a clinical study was carried out during a period of 5 and half years from May 1972 to September 1977 in the department of thoracic surgery, Hanyang University Hospital, and the following results were obtained. Of a total of 264 patients, 205 cases were male, and 59 female, exhibiting the ratio of male to female being 3.5 to 1. The pathological changes in pleural cavity could occur at any age from 4 months after birth to 76 years old, the peak incidence being in the third decade in either male or female. The incidence decreased in the second, fifth and fourth decade in order. The type of pathological changes observed and their frequencies of occurrences were 93 cases [35.2%] in pneumothorax, 62 cases [23.5%] in hemothorax, 48 cases [18.2%] in pyothorax, 46 cases [17. 4%] in hemopneumothorax, 13 cases [4.9%] in hydropneumothorax, and one case each in hydrothorax and chylothorax. The incidence of the primary diseases which predisposed the pathological changes in pleural cavity were, 119 cases [45-1%] in trauma, 64 cases [24.2%]in lung tuberculosis, 38 cases [14.4%] in pneumonia or empyema, 14 cases [5.3%] in lung emphysema and blebs, 13 cases [4.9%] in process after thoracotomy, 3 cases [1.1%] each in lung malignant tumor and lung paragonimiasis, one case in mechanical ventilator and 9 cases [3.4%] in unknown origin. The pathological changes in pleural cavity were located in the right side of the cavity in 124 cases, in the left side in 133 cases and in both sides in 7 cases, indicating that the difference between the incidence of the left and rightside occurences was insignificant. Of 93 cases of pneumothorax studied, 63 cases were found to have been tension pneumothorax and 30 cases non-tension pneumothorax, showing greater prevalence of tension type over non-tension type. Of 119 cases of trauma observed, 82 cases were accompanied with rib fractures and 37 cases were without any fracture [non-bone fracture]. Patients with the rib fractures were characterized by multiple rib fractures and multiple double fractures of ribs, accompanying with or without fracture of bones other than ribs, and patients with non-bone fracture were characterized by penetrating stab wound and blunt trauma. Of 264 cases who received thoracostomy, 207 cases [78.4%] demonstrated that their pathological changes in pleural cavity were removed and subsided by a simple measure of thoracostomy. In 43 cases [16.3%], various surgical measures including radical operation and thoracotomy were required for complete healing, since their pathological changes were not abolished by thoracostomy alone. The rest 14 cases [5.3%] were expired following thoracostomy.