• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.176-178
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• 2009

Traumatic brainstem hemorrhage after blunt head injury is an uncommon event. The most frequent site of hemorrhage is the midline rostral brainstem. The prognosis of these patients is poor because of its critical location. We experienced a case of traumatic brainstem hemorrhage. A 41-year-old male was presented with drowsy mentality and right hemiparesis after blunt head injury. Plain skull radiographs and brain computerized tomography scans revealed a depressed skull fracture, epidural hematoma, and hemorrhagic contusion in the right parieto-occipital region. But, these findings did not explain the right hemiparesis. T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) image of the cervical spine demonstrated a focal hyperintense lesion in the left pontomedullary junction. Brain diffusion-weighted and FLAIR MR images showed a focal hyperintensity in the ventral pontomedullary lesion and it was more prominent in the left side. His mentality and weakness were progressively improved with conservative treatment. We should keep in mind the possibility of brainstem hemorrhage if supratentorial lesions or spinal cord lesions that caused neurological deficits in the head injured patients are unexplainable.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.172-175
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• 2019

Although thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has grown to become the standard of care to treat blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI), the long-term effects of TEVAR are still unclear. We here present a 72-year-old man with BTAI due to a traffic accident. He successfully underwent TEVAR and was transferred to another rehabilitation hospital 2 months after the accident. However, 1 month later, he underwent gastroscopy with fever and hematemesis and was diagnosed with aorto-esophageal fistula (AEF). After being re-transferred to Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, we tried to convince him to undergo surgical treatment, but he strongly refused. He received palliative care and died due to rupture of the aortic pseudoaneurysm 3 days after the hospital transfer. Fatal complications like AEF may occur after TEVAR, so clinicians need to carefully follow patients who underwent TEVAR.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.170-174
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• 2010

Purpose: As techniques and instruments for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) have been evolving, attempts to perform VATS for chest trauma have been increasing. Several studies have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of VATS for thoracic trauma. We reviewed our experience to evaluate the clinical feasibility and safety of VATS for thoracic trauma. Methods: Fifty-two patients underwent thoracic surgery for chest trauma in Asan Medical Center from January 1990 to December 2009. VATS was performed in 21 patients who showed stable vital signs. We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of those patients to investigate the results of VATS for thoracic trauma. Results: Thoracic exploration for chest trauma was performed in 52 patients. There were 46 males (88.5%) and 6 females (11.5%). The median age was 46.0 years (range: 11~81 years). There were 39 blunt and 13 penetrating traumas. A standard posterolateral thoracotomy was performed in 31 patients, and VATS was tried in 21 patients. We performed successful VATS in 13 patients; 11 males (84.5%) and 2 females (15.5%) with a median age of 46.0 years (range: 24~75 years). The indication of VATS was persistent intrathoracic hemorrhage in 10 patients and clotted hemothorax in 3 patients. There were no complications, but there were two mortalities due to multiple organ failure after massive transfusion. In 8 patients, VATS was converted to a standard posterolateral thoracotomy for several reasons. The reason was inadequate visualization for bleeding control or evacuation of the hematoma in 5 patients. In 3 patients, VATS was performed to evaluate diaphragmatic injury. After the diaphragmatic injury had been confirmed, a standard posterolateral thoracotomy was performed to repair the diaphragm. Conclusion: VATS should be safe and efficient method for diagnostic evaluation and surgical management of stable patients with thoracic trauma.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.134-141
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• 2018

Purpose: Postoperative pancreatic fistula is a serious and fatal complication of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Blunt trauma to the parenchyma of the pancreas can result from an assistant's forceps compressing and retracting the pancreas, which in turn may result in pancreatic juice leakage. However, no published studies have focused on blunt trauma to the pancreas during laparoscopic surgery. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between compression of the pancreas and pancreatic juice leakage in a swine model. Materials and Methods: Three female pigs were used in this study. The pancreas was gently compressed dorsally for 15 minutes laparoscopically with gauze grasped with forceps. Pancreatic juice leakage was visualized by fluorescence imaging after topical administration of chymotrypsin-activatable fluorophore in real time. Amylase concentrations in ascites collected at specified times was measured. In addition, pancreatic tissue was fixed with formalin, and the histology of the compressed sites was evaluated. Results: Fluorescence imaging enabled visualization of pancreatic juice leaking into ascites around the pancreas. Median concentrations of pancreatic amylase in ascites increased from 46 U/L preoperatively to 12,509 U/L 4 hours after compression. Histological examination of tissues obtained 4 hours after compression revealed necrotic pancreatic acinar cells extending from the surface to deep within the pancreas and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Conclusions: Pancreatic compression by the assistant's forceps can contribute to pancreatic juice leakage. These findings will help to improve the procedure for lymph node dissection around the pancreas during laparoscopic gastrectomy.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.172-174
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• 2005

Trauma of the vascular structure is not poplular event. In obstructive atherosclerotic vascular disease, we sometimes have needed bypass surgery. The long length subcutaneous prosthetic vascular graft are vulnerable to injury. But prosthetic vessel rupture after trauma has been rare report. A 68-year-old man was referred to Department of Emergency of the Gyeongsang National University Hospital. After he had had a blunt trauma, he found a newly appearing pulsating mass of 10 cm diameter on his right chest wall. The lesion had a turbulent blood flow in the cavity of the mass by ultrasonographic finding. The lesion was a rupture of superficial prosthetic vascular graft under the skin.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.100-104
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• 1993

Carotid-cavernous sinus fistula(CCSF) is an abnormal arterio-venous communication between the cavernous sinus and the internal carotid artery. It is usually caused by craniofacial trauma and a very rarely encountered complication, but it may also occur spontaneously. The most common cause of traumatic CCSF is blunt trauma, which usually associated with a skull base, frontal or midfacial fracture. The common clinical feature of CCSF are orbital bruit, headache, exophthalmos, chemosis, diplopia, visual disturbance and others. This dramatic ocular-orbital symptoms are principally due to orbital venous hypertension. The symptoms occured within a few hours to a maximum of a year after injury, usually within several weeks. The patient, 33-year-old female, developed a carotid-cavernous sinus fistula after only minimal closed trauma We present a rare case of CCSF associated facial bone fracture that was successfully treated by detachable balloon embolization with a review of the literature.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.242-247
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• 2009

Purpose: Trauma is an important cause of death in children. In particular, the liver is the second most commonly organ injured by blunt abdominal trauma. Treatment of patients with liver injury is has changed, and non-operative treatment is the major treatment method at present. In this study, we reviewed traumatic liver injury in pediatric patients. Methods: Seventy-seven patients younger than 16 years of age with traumatic liver injury were assessed for 10 years from July 1999 to June 2009 at Wonju Christian hospital. Records of the patients were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed. Results: The median age was 6 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.2 : 1. The most common injury grade was grade I. The majority of injuries were caused by was traffic accidents, and the second most common cause of injuries was falls. Twenty-four patients had liver injuries alone, and the most common accopaning injury was a lung injury. The average hospital stay was 20.7 days, and the average ICU stay was 4.8 days. Four patients died (5.2%). There were 6 patients with under 10 points on the Glasgow coma scale (GCS). Among these patients, three died. All mortality cases had over 16 points on the Injury Severity Score (ISS). Two patients were treated surgically, one of whom died. Of the 75 patients with non-operative management, three died due to associated injuries. Conclusion: Most pediatric patients with liver injury have good results with non-operative management. Associated injuries and hemodynamic instability are predictive of patient outcome, and those with isolated liver injuries can be successfully managed non-operatively.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.361-365
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• 2016

Background: Sternal fractures are relatively rare, and caused mainly by blunt anterior chest wall trauma. In most cases, sternal fractures are treated conservatively. However, if the patient exhibits problematic symptoms such as intractable chest wall pain or bony crepitus due to sternal instability, surgical correction is indicated. But no consensus exists regarding the most appropriate surgical method. We analyzed the results of surgical fixation in cases of sternal fracture in order to identify which surgical method led to the best outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with sternal fractures from December 2008 to December 2011, and found 19 patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation of the sternum with a longitudinal plate (L-group) or a T-shaped plate (T-group). We investigated patients' characteristics, clinical details regarding each case of chest trauma, the presence of other associated injuries, the type of open reduction and fixation, whether a combined operation was performed, and postoperative complications. Results: Of the 19 patients, 10 patients (52.6%) were male, and their average age was 56.8 years (range, 32 to 82 years). Seven patients (36.8%) had isolated sternal fractures, while 12 (63.2%) had other associated injuries. Seven patients (36.8%) were in the L-group and 12 patients (63.2%) were in the T-group. Three patients in the L-group (42.9%) showed a loosening of the fixation. In all patients in the T-group, the fracture exhibited stable alignment. Conclusion: Open reduction and internal fixation with a T-shaped plate in sternal fractures is a safer and more efficient treatment method than treatment with a longitudinal plate, especially in patients with a severely displaced sternum or anterior flail chest, than a longitudinal plate.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.371-375
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• 2019

The role of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) in hemodynamically unstable pancreatic trauma is unclear. We report here a case of traumatic pancreatic bleeding controlled with REBOA and angioembolization of the splenic artery before surgery. A 65-year old man experienced blunt trauma upon falling from a height of 20 m. Computed tomography (CT) revealed distal pancreatic trauma (grade III) and contrast extravasation around the splenic artery. Shortly after CT, his systolic blood pressure was 60 mmHg and REBOA was performed for hemodynamic stability. His systolic pressure increased to 130 mmHg after balloon inflation and angioembolization of the splenic artery was performed. On angiography, no further arterial bleeding was identified and the balloon was removed. Subsequently, the patient underwent emergent laparotomy with distal pancreatectomy. There was no active bleeding during surgery and distal main pancreatic duct injury was identified. After surgery, the patient recovered without complication. In this case, hemodynamically unstable hemorrhagic pancreatic trauma was treated effectively and safely with distal pancreatectomy after REBOA with angioembolization.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2006

Purpose: The liver is one of the most commonly injured organs by blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma. Patients with liver injury can be treated by using nonoperative or operative management. The aim of this study was to study patients with traumatic liver injury who were treated by using operative management. Methods: Ninety-eight patients with traumatic liver injury underwent surgical treatment from January 1995 to December 2004 at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan hospital. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively, and demographic, clinical, operative, and postoperative datas were collected and analyzed. Results: Among the patients with operative management, the peak incidence was in the third and the fourth decades. The male-to-female ratio was 1.9:1. The most frequent injury mechanism was blunt trauma (85.7%). Abdominal computed tomography was the diagnostic modality used most frequently. Severe liver injury above Grade III was seen in 80.6% of all patients, and long bone fracture was the most common combined injury. Patients were managed by using various techniques, including simple closure, liver resection, and perihepatic packing. Pulmonary complications were the most common postoperative complications (35.7%). the overall mortality rate was 17.3%. Between the survival group and the expired group, the amount of transfusion for the expired group was statistically more than that for the survival group. Conclusion: Operative management is an effective treatment modality for hemodynamically unstable patients with severe traumatic liver injury. The amount of transfusion is a significant prognostic factor for survival.