• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.421-426
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• 2007

Portopulmonary hypertension (PPHTN) is a clinically and pathophysiologically distinct complication of advanced liver disease. PPHTN is characterized by the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension in association with advanced hepatic disease-related portal hypertension. A characteristic feature of PPHTN is an obstruction to the pulmonary artery flow caused by vasoconstriction, the proliferation of the endothelium and smooth muscle components of the vascular wall, as well as in situ thrombosis. This disorder is commonly underdiagnosed but the clinical implications are significant because it has substantial effects on survival and requires special treatment. We report a case of portopulmonary hypertension in a 53-year-old woman with primary biliary cirrhosis who presented with exertional dyspnea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.914-921
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• 1997

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia(Osler-Rendu-Weber Syndrome) is characterized by telangiectasia of the skin and mucous membranes and intermittent bleeding from vascular abnormalities. About 20% of patients with this syndrome have pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas. Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is uncommon malformation which has an abnormal connection between the pulmonary capillary bed, in which venous blood in the pulmonary artery is shunted through the fistula into the pulmonary vein without exposure to alveolar oxygen and result in unoxygenated, desaturated systemic arterial blood, polycythemia, cyanosis and clubbing. Death often results from cerebral abscess and rupture of the malformation with massive hemorrhage. Therapeutic intervention is recommended for all symptomatic patients because of the risk of those serious complications. Treatment options include surgery and transcatheter obliteration with steel coils or detachable balloons. Therapeutic embolization has the advantages that multiple bilateral pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas can be occluded and also that the procedure can be repeated if necessary. Recently we experienced a case of the multiple bilateral pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas associated with telangiectatic change of hepatic artery and multiple angiodysplasia on the gastric mucosa in 41 years old female patient who had mild dyspnea of exertion(NYHA class II). clubbing finger, severe iron deficiency anemia. She was treated with embolization technique using steel coils and iron replacement. After the therapeutic embolization. significant improvement of dyspnea of exertion with disappearance of multiple pulmonary nodule on follow-up simple chest x-ray was noted. During the subsequent six months follow-up period, she had the improvement of symptoms and iron deficiency anemia.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.550-554
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• 2004

A paragonimiasis infestation is caused by the paragonimus species. It is commonly found in the lung but has also been found to exist extrapulmonary infestations including cerebral, spinal, subcutaneous, hepatic, splenic, abdominal, urinary, and gynecologic infestation. On the other hand, a cutaneous infestation is extremely rare. Human infestation is caused by ingesting raw or undercooked intermediate hosts. Because paragonimus westermani larva mature to an adult worm in the lung, the possibility of identifying the adult worm of paragonimus westermani at extrapulmonary region is very rare. Case : After ingesting a fresh-water crab 1 month prior to the hospital visit, a 45-year old female patient was suffering from right pleuritic chest pain during that 1 month. The patient also complained of a palpable mass that was movable and migrating, and it was localized at the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The eosinophil fraction of the white blood cell of peripheral blood and pleural fluid was elevated to 55.1% and 90%, respectively. Parasite eggs were not found in her sputum and stool examination. By using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the paragonimus-specific IgG antibody titer was elevated to 0.28. During incisional biopsy, we were able to find the young adult worm of paragonimus westermani. We experienced the rare case of ectopic paragonimiasis with pleural effusion that was confirmed by identifying the adult worm of paragonimus westermani within the abdominal subcutaneous tissue. We report a case with brief literature reviews.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.546-552
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• 1998

Background: Up to 90% of a theophylline dose is biotransformed, by interaction with one or more the variants of the cytochrome P-450 drug metabolism system. Macrolides affect the elimination of theophylline by influencing on the microsomal enzyme systems. We evaluate the effect of erythromycin and new macrolides on the serum theophylline level and clearance. Method : Subjects consisted of moderate asthmatic patients with normal renal and hepatic functions. All subjects were non-smokers and treated with oral theophylline 400 mg per day. We randomly assigned 53 patients into four groups. Each group was treated with one macrolides, the first group erythromycin(n:19, 500 mg bid), second roxithromycin (n:14. 150 mg bid), third clarithromycin (n:10, 250 mg bid) and fourth azithromycin(n:10, 250 mg bid). We measured the serum theophylline level and clearance at three intervals, at pretreatment, after the first and fourth week after receiving the following macrolides, erythromycin, roxithromycin and clarithromycin. When azithromycin was administered, the serum theophylline level was measured at pretreatment and after one week of treatment They were measured by a computerized program of Bayesian method. Results : When compared with control, erythromycin and roxithromycin-treated groups had a significantly elevated serum theophylline level and decreased clearance. However, there were no significant changes of the serum theophylline level and clearance in clarithromycin and azithromycin-treated groups. Conclusion : These results suggest that theophylline dose may need to be readjusted and have periodic drug monitoring when erythromycin or roxithromycin is administered concurrently.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.103-110
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• 1999

A thromboembolic event in patients later given a diagnosis of cancer is the result rather than the cause of the cancer. The risk of hidden cancer is significantly higher for patients with recurrent idiopathic thromboembolism compared to those with secondary deep vein thrombosis. Microemboli from hepatic or adrenal metastases and large-sized emboli from the great veins invaded by the tumor are the sources of tumor embolization The intraarterial tumor emboli less likely invade the arterial wall. Thrombus formation and organization may be capable of destroying tumor cells within pulmorlary blood vessels. Therefore, all tumor emboli are not true metastases. The treatment of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in patients with cancer consists of anticoagulation with heparin and warfarin, venacaval filters, appropriate anti-neoplastic agents, and surgical methods(embolectomy, thromboendarterectomy). However, considerable literatures suggest that oral anticoagulant such as warfarin is ineffective in the treatment of those. We report a case of primary unknown squamous cell carcinoma incidentally found in the thrombus after pulmonary embolectomy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.318-322
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• 2007

Although reports of multiple primary malignant tumors have increased recently, cases of synchronous double primary tumors of lung and liver are rare. A 73-year-old man suffered from chronic cough. His chest x-ray showed segmental atelectasis of the right upper lobe. Bronchoscopy revealed a mass occluding the orifice of the anterior segmental bronchus of the right upper lobe, and a biopsy showed a squamous cell carcinoma. A synchronous hepatic mass was found by ultrasonography. However, F18-FDG-PET showed no evidence of a distant metastasis. The liver biopsy revealed a hepatocellular carcinoma. A right upper lobe lobectomy and a sleeve resection were performed for the lung cancer, and radiofrequency ablation was performed for the hepatocellular carcinoma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.973-979
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• 2000

A glycogen storage disease(GSD) type I is a metabolic disease caused by a deficiency in one of the components of the glucose-6-phosphatase(G-6-Pase) system. This disorder results in hypoglycemia, hepatomegaly, lactic acidemia, hyperlipidemia, and hyperuricemia. Comon long(-)term complications include growth retaradation, gout, hepatic adenomas, osteoporosis and renal disease. However the cardiovascular system is rarely involved, and only six cases of pulmonary hypertension associated with GSD I have been reported in the literature. We experienced a case of pulmonary hypertension with type I GSD. A 31-year-old rnan, who had discovered type I GSD and received portocaval shunt operation 22 years ago, was admitted to the hospital with the chief complaint of dyspnea. Echocardiographic examination and cardiac catheterization revealed severe pulmonary hypertension. Nitric oxide and oral prostacycline derivative(beraprost) were tried without acute favorable response. After one year with beraprost, dyspnea, exercise capacity and hemodynamic parameters were improved. We report this case with a review of the literature.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.2
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• pp.62-66
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• 2010

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during severe acute respiratory failure helps to recover the pulmonary function. This study evaluated our experience with veno-venous ECMO in adult patients with acute respiratory failure. Methods: From January 2007 to July 2009, ECMO was used on 54 patients. Of these 54 patients, 7 were placed on veno-venous ECMO for acute respiratory failure. The indications of ECMO were based on the lung dysfunction measured as a $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio <100 mm Hg on $FiO_2$ of 1.0, or an arterial blood gas pH <7.25 due to hypercapnia despite the optimal treatment. $EBS^{(R)}$, $Bio-pump^{(R)}$, and Centrifugal Rotaflow $pump^{(R)}$ were used and all cannulations were performed percutaneously via both femoral veins. When the lung function was improved, an attempt was made to wean on ECMO at moderate ventilator settings followed by decannulation. Results: Five of the 7 patients were male and the mean age was $46.3{\pm}18.3$. The causes of acute respiratory failure were 3 cases of pneumonia, 2 near-drownings, 1 pulmonary hemorrhage due to acute hepatic failure and 1 mercury vapor poisoning. The mean support time of ECMO was $17.3{\pm}13.7$ days. Of the 7 patients implanted with ECMO, 5 patients (71%) were weaned off ECMO and 3 patients (43%) survived to hospital discharge after a mean 89.6 hospital days. Conclusion: The early use of ECMO for acute respiratory failure in adults due to any cause is a good therapeutic option for those unresponsive to the optimal conventional treatments.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.2
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• pp.119-123
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• 2010

Bronchobiliary fistula is a rare disorder consisting of an abnormal communication between the bronchial tree and the biliary duct. In Western countries, trauma, postoperative biliary stenosis, and biliary lithiasis are the predominant causative factors of bronchobiliary fistula. Bilioptysis (bile stained sputum) is a pathognomic finding for bronchobiliary fistula. To date, there are just a few reported cases of bronchobiliary fistula after sclerosis of a liver cyst. We describe the case of a 74-year-old woman who developed bronchobiliary fistula after sclerosing therapy of a liver cyst. The diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of bilioptysis and the chest and dynamic liver CT findings. The patient was successfully treated with antibiotics and percutaneous transhepatic catheter drainage.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.516-522
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• 1978

In spite of recent improvement of the medical and surgical treatments, there are many significant problems in the management of thoracic empyema. This is a clinical analysis of 49 cases of thoracic empyema who underwent lung decortication for a period of 6 years and 5 months extending from May, 1972 to Aug. 1975. The following results were obtained: Male to female ratio was 2. S to 1. The age ranged between Sand 69, bnt was mostly 2r.d and 5th decade. The underlying diseases were pulmonary tuberculosis (30 cases, 61. 1 SO, , ), posttraumatic hemothorax (7 cases, 14.396). pneumonia (6 cases, 12.2%), lung abscess (2 cases, 4.2%), paragonimiasis (2 cases, 4.2%). spontaneous pneumothorax (1 case, 2.1%), and unknown origin (1 case, 2.1%). In 13 cases (26.5%), positive bacterial growth on culture was reported. There were single infection in 11 cases and mixed infection in 2 cases. The organisms grown were Staphylococcus, alpha-hemolytIc Streptococcus, Alkaligenes fecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas, SerratIa, Enterobacter agglomerans, and Enterococcus in order of frequency. Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Serratia were sensitive to several different kinds of antibiotics. But Pseudomonas, Escherichia co:i, and Enterococcus were sensitive to only one or two antibiotics. Leukocytosis was observed In acute empyema, but not in chronic empyema. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were all within normal limits. Preoperative liver function tests were within normal limits in most of the cases. In 49 cases, lung decortication alone was performed in 40 cases (S1. 696), and for the remaining 9 cases (1S. 4%), additional surgical procedures were necessary, i. e., lobectomy (6cases). partial thoracoplasty (2 cases), and lobectomy & partial thoracoplasty (1 cases). The results of lung decortication in thoracic empyema were goed. 38 cases (77.5%) healed with no complication, and 10 cases (20.4%) were complicated by bleeding, wownd infection, pleural infection, chondritis, and psychosis. These complications resolved ultimately leaving no sequelae. One death was recorded (2.1%), and the causes of death were postoperative pleural infection, sepsis and hepatic insufficiency.