• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.78-81
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• 2015

This study reports our early experience with thoracoscopic division of vascular rings. Three patients were reviewed; their ages at surgery were 25 months, 4 years, and 57 years. All patients were suffering from complete vascular rings involving combinations of the right aortic arch, left ligamentum arteriosum, Kommerell's diverticulum, and retroesophageal left subclavian artery. The median surgical time was 180.5 minutes, and the patients showed immediate recovery. Three complications, namely chylothorax, transient supraventricular tachycardia, and left vocal cord palsy, were observed. Our early experience indicates that thoracoscopic division of a vascular ring may provide early recovery and could be a promising operative choice.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.313-316
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• 2014

Airway obstruction after esophageal surgery is quite rare, and few such cases have been reported. A 57-year-old woman who underwent the Ivor Lewis procedure for esophageal carcinoma complained of a sudden onset of severe dyspnea on postoperative day 3. Chest computed tomography scan revealed that the collection of a large volume of mediastinal fluid caused marked luminal compression on the trachea and the gastric conduit. Explorative thoracotomy revealed a clear serous fluid in the space between the trachea and the gastric conduit, and all respiratory symptoms were relieved after the fluid was drained. The possibility of tracheal compression by loculated effusion, such as chyloma, should be considered in a patient who complains of respiratory deterioration after esophageal surgery.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.191-199
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• 2020

Surgeons recommend dissecting lymph nodes in the thorax, abdomen, and neck during surgery for esophageal cancer because of the possibility of metastasis to the lymph nodes in those areas through the lymphatic plexus of the esophageal submucosal layer. Extensive lymph node dissection is essential for accurate staging and is thought to improve survival. However, it can result in several complications, including chyle leakage, which refers to continuous lymphatic fluid leakage and can occur in the thorax, abdomen, and neck. Malnutrition, fluid imbalance, and immune compromise may result from chyle leakage, which can be potentially life-threatening if it persists. Therefore, various treatment methods, including conservative treatment, pharmacological treatment such as octreotide infusion, and interventions such as thoracic duct embolization and surgical thoracic duct ligation, have been applied. In this article, the risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment methods of chyle leakage after esophagectomy are reviewed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.44-46
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• 2019

Gorham-Stout disease (GSD) was first described by Gorham and colleagues in 1954, but its precise mechanism and cause remain to be elucidated. In this condition, voluminous and potentially fatal chylous effusions into the thorax can occur. Herein, we describe a case of GSD in which the patient presented with massive pleural effusions and mottled osteolytic bone lesions. We performed multiple operations, including thoracic duct ligation using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and thoracotomic decortication, but these procedures did not succeed in preventing recurrent pleural effusion and chest wall lymphedema. After administering sirolimus ($0.8mg/m^2$, twice a day) and propranolol (40 mg, twice a day), the process of GSD in this patient has been controlled for more than 2 years.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 1981

Three cases of tricuspid atresia were treated by Fontan varieties of operation in this department in 1980. The first case was 19 year old girl who underwent Glenn operation at the age of 6 years. Her second operation was done with ASD closure and 16mm Ionescu-Shiley valved conduit insertion between right atrium and main pulmonary artery. The second case was a 5 year old boy who underwent Kreutzer operation successfully utilizing 14mm Ionescu-Shiley va]ved conduit. The above mentioned 2 cases were Type Ib after Keith`s classification, whose immediate postoperative courses were complicated by pleura] effusion [in 2nd case chylothorax] hepatomegaly, and ascites. Those complications were relieved completely by medical treatment and closed thoractomy; Postoperative follow-up up to 11 months and 1 year periods were satisfactory with disappearance of cyanosis and dyspnea. The third case was a 8 year old boy who had complete TGA with TA [Keith`s Type IIb] who underwent Kreutze`s operation utilizing 14mm Ionescu-Shiley valved conduit, he died of low cardiac output Immediately after open heart surgery.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.433-437
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• 1992

Tuberous sclerosis is a syndrome characterized by the facial skin lesion, epilepsy, and mental retardation. Pulmonary involvement is uncommon, but when the lung is involved by tuberous sclerosis it shows characteristic reticulonodular infiltration and cystic changes. We experienced a 34-year-old female patient of known tuberous sclerosis admitted due to pneumothorax. Chest PA showed diffuse fine reticulonodular infiltration and chest CT revealed diffuse cystic changes of the lung. Pleurodesis with tetracycline was done to prevent recurrence, but chylothorax occurred four months after the treatment. Pleurosis was tried again and anti estrogen treatment began.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.285-298
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• 1990

The records of 67 patients who had been operated as an esophageal cancer during the period from 1973 to 1989 at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The results were summarized as follows ; The age ranged from 28 years old to 80 years old. The highest incidence was 5th decades, then 6th decades, and the incidence of male was 10 times as the incidence of female[M:F= 10.16: 1]. The locations were lower esophagus 44%, middle esophagus 38.8%, upper esophagus 11.9% and cervical esophagus 4.4% The frequent symptoms were dysphagia [88%], epigastric or substernal pain and discomfort [29.8%], weight loss [20.8%], and laryngeal dryness [1.4%]. The most common interval between the onset of dysphagia and admission was 2-3 months; 82% of patients was within 6 months, The cancer consisted of stage I [3%], stage II [11.9%], stage III[47.6%], and stage IV [33.7%] The resectability of cancer was 67%. The organs of substitute were stomach in 21 cases, right colon 6 cases, and jejunum in 8 CRSCS. The relation between invasion of tumor and lymph node metastasis was analyzed: mucosal involvement: 1 case/2case, muscle invasion; 0/2 full thickness; 4/6, adjacent structure 7/12. Postoperative complications were pneumonia, pleural effusion, hoarseness, mediastinitis, anastomosis site leakage, reoperation due to stenosis, chylothorax, empyema, mechanical ileus, wound infection, meat impaction at anastomosis site, and repair of gastrostomy site leakage. Adjuvant therapies were irradiation [15cases], chemotherapy [14cases], and Bougie dilatation [4 cases],

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 2014

We present a case of a 13-year-old boy with Gorham's disease involving the thoracic and lumbar spine, femur, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which was complicated by recurrent chylothorax and GI bleeding. The presenting symptoms were intermittent abdominal pain, back pain, and melena. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy showed no abnormal lesions, but duodenal biopsy showed marked dilation of the lymphatics in the mucosa and submucosa, which revealed positive staining with a D2-40 immunohistochemical marker. In cases of GI bleeding with osteolysis, the expression of a D2-40 marker in the lymphatic endothelium of the GI tract may help to diagnose GI involvement in Gorham's disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report to pathologically demonstrate intestinal lymphatic malformation as a cause of GI bleeding in Gorham's disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.170-176
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• 1995

Fourty nine patients out of 127 esophageal cancer were managed surgically from January 1986 to December 1991, at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Jeonbuk National University Hospital. Most frequent preoperative symptom was dysphagia and its mean duration was 3.1 months. In histopathologic examination, squamous cell carcinomas were 44 cases [89.8% , and adenocarcinomas 5 [10.2% . The tumor location were the upper esophagus in 6.1%, middle esophagus in 57.2%, lower and cardiac portion of stomach in 36.7%. Involved and metastatic organs, which were detected perioperatively, were celiac lymph nodes in 6 cases, aorta 2, stomach 2, pericardium 2, cervical lymph node 1. The esophagus was resected radically, and the procedures for esophageal replacement were performed with esophagogastrostomy in 45 cases, esophagocologastrostomy 3, and esophagojejunostomy 1. Postoperative complications occurred in 16 cases [hospital morbidity = 32.6% ,anastomotic leak 3, anastomotic stricture 2, respiratory insufficiency 2, hemoperitoneum 1, chylothorax 1, intussusception 1, empyema 1, non-A,non-B hepatitis 1, and mediastinitis 1. Hospital deaths were experienced 3 cases [ hospital mortality = 6.1% . The 6 month, one, two, and five year actuarial survival rates were 85.7%, 71.4%, 57.1%, and 27.9%, respectively. One year survival rates of stages were 100% in stage I, 90.9% in stage IIa, 63.6% in stage IIb, 25.0% in stage III, and 7.2% in stage IV.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.221-223
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• 2005

Congenital pleural effusions are uncommon. The majority of cases are due to chylothorax, hydrops fetalis, and infection. Effusions of this nature are, for the most part, self-limited. We experienced a rare case of a congenital unilateral pleural effusion due to an extralobar sequestraion with pulmonary lymphangiectasia. Pleural effusion was found by antenatal ultrasonography and confirmed by CT scans and CT angiography of the chest in the neonatal period. The patient underwent an open thoracotomy where extralobar sequestraion located between the diaphragm and the left lower lobe was removed. His postoperative course was uncomplicated and there was complete resolution of the pleural effusion.