• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.759-762
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• 1996

Fifteen patients with esophageal perforation were treated at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovacular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital during the period from June, 1985 to September, 1995. The ratio between male and female patients was 9 : 6, their age ranged from 19 years to 71 years old(a erage : 49 years old). The causes of the perforation were various, spontaneous in 4 cases, foreign body in 4 cases, instrumental trauma in ) cases, chest trauma in 1 case, drug ingestion (chlorocalchi) induced in 1 case, tracheostomy induced in 1 case, unknown in 1 case. The perforation sites were intrathoracic esophagus in 9 cases and cervical in 6 cases. The Patients complained of chest or cervi- cal pain in 11 cases, fever in 9 cases, dysphagia in 8 cases and dyspnea in 5 cases. We have performed the following surgical procedures : incision and drainage, primary repair, gastrostomy for cervical esophageal perf'oration and primary repair, primary repair and pleural flap reinforcement, gastrostomy for thoracic esophageal perforation. A patient died of sepsis.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2001

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are common after general anesthesia and patient controlled analgesia (PCA) using opioids. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of ondansetron plus dexamethasone versus ondansetron alone in the prevention of PONV in a patient undergoing a PCA. Methods: We studied 166 ASA I, and II in-patients undergoing general anaesthesia for major gynecological surgery. After induction of anesthesia, Group 1 (n = 64) received intravenous (IV) dexamethasone 10 mg and Group 2 (n = 102) received IV saline 2 ml before the surgical incision. Each patient received IV meperidine 50 mg as a loading dose. Meperidine 5 mg/kg, ketorolac 3.6 mg/kg and ondansetron 8 mg diluted in 40 ml solutions were connected to PCA pump for postoperative pain control. Mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, pain score and symptom-therapy score were checked at 1, 4, 8, 16, 24, and 36 hours after the PCA connection. Results: For Group 1 and Group 2, respectively, the overall incidence of PONV was 12.5% and 23.5%. The pain scores were lower in patients receiving a combination of ondansetron and dexamethasone than those on ondansetron alone at 4 hr (P < 0.05), 8 hr (P < 0.05) and 16 hr (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This study suggests that the combination of ondansetron and dexamethasone is not more effective than ondansetron alone in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in women having PCA following major gynecological surgery but is more effective for pain control.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.137-140
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• 2011

Background: Although early reviews of clinical findings were mostly negative, there is still a widespread belief for the efficacy of preemptive analgesia among clinicians. In this study, we evaluated whether the preemptive use of ketamine decreases post operative pain in patients undergoing appendectomy. Methods: In double-blind, randomized clinical trials, 80 adult male patients undergoing an operation for acute appendicitis were studied. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups. In the operating room, patients in the ketamine group received 0.5 mg/kg of ketamine IV 10 minutes before the surgical incision. In the control group, 0.5 mg/kg of normal saline was injected. The pain intensity was assessed at time 0 (immediately after arousal) and 4, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively using the 10 points visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: Eighty patients (40 for both groups) were enrolled in this study. For all of the evaluated times, the VAS score was significantly lower in the ketamine group compared to the control. The interval time for the first analgesic request was $23.1{\pm}6.7$ minutes for the case group and $18.1{\pm}7.3$ minutes for the control (P = 0.02). The total number of pethidine injections in the first 24 hours postoperatively was $0.6{\pm}0.6$ for the case group and $2.0{\pm}0.8$ for the controls (P = 0.032). There were no drug side effects for the case group. Conclusions: A low dose of intravenously administered ketamine had a preemptive effect in reducing pain after appendectomy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.58-62
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• 2006

Objective : Development of diagnostic tools has resulted in early detection of thoracic disc herniations[TDH] even when the herniated disc is soft in consistency. In some of the cases, it is considered better not to opt for surgical treatment due to the unduly high morbidity and potential complications associated with conventional approaches. The authors have applied percutaneous endoscopic thoracic discectomy[PETD] technique to soft TDHs in order to avoid the morbidity associated with conventional approaches. Methods : Eight consecutive patients [range, 31 to 75 years] with soft lateral or central TDH [from T2-3 to T11-12] underwent PETD between May 2001 and June 2004. The patient was positioned in a prone position with intravenous sedation and local anesthetic infiltration. The authors introduced a cannula into the thoracic intervertebral foramen using endoscopic foraminoplasty technique. Discectomy was performed with mechanical tools and a laser under continuous endoscopic visualization and flu oroscopic guidance. Functional status was assessed preoperatively and postoperatively using the Oswestry Disability Index[ODI]. Results : The mean ODI scores improved from 52.8 before the surgery to 25.8 at the final follow-up. In cases of myelopathy, long tract signs showed improvement. The mean operative time was 55 minutes, and no patient required conversion to open surgery. Conclusion : The technique allows a smaller incision and less morbidity. Soft TDH is amenable to this minimally invasive approach in selected patients with myeloradiculopathy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.244-250
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• 2010

Objective : Adequate management of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is critical in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), and decompressive craniectomy is widely used to treat refractory increased ICP. The authors reviewed and analyzed complications following decompressive craniectomy for the management of TBI. Methods : A total of 89 consecutive patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy for TBI between February 2004 and February 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. Incidence rates of complications secondary to decompressive craniectomy were determined, and analyses were performed to identify clinical factors associated with the development of complications and the poor outcome. Results : Complications secondary to decompressive craniectomy occurred in 48 of the 89 (53.9%) patients. Furthermore, these complications occurred in a sequential fashion at specific times after surgical intervention; cerebral contusion expansion ($2.2{\pm}1.2$ days), newly appearing subdural or epidural hematoma contralateral to the craniectomy defect ($1.5{\pm}0.9$ days), epilepsy ($2.7{\pm}1.5$ days), cerebrospinal fluid leakage through the scalp incision ($7.0{\pm}4.2$ days), and external cerebral herniation ($5.5{\pm}3.3$ days). Subdural effusion ($10.8{\pm}5.2$ days) and postoperative infection ($9.8{\pm}3.1$ days) developed between one and four weeks postoperatively. Trephined and post-traumatic hydrocephalus syndromes developed after one month postoperatively (at $79.5{\pm}23.6$ and $49.2{\pm}14.1$ days, respectively). Conclusion : A poor GCS score ($\leq$ 8) and an age of $\geq$ 65 were found to be related to the occurrence of one of the above-mentioned complications. These results should help neurosurgeons anticipate these complications, to adopt management strategies that reduce the risks of complications, and to improve clinical outcomes.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.5
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• pp.640-644
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the safety and function of the newly developed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reservoir called the V-Port. Methods : The newly developed V-Port consists of a non-collapsible reservoir outlined with a titanium cage and a connector for the ventricular catheter to be assembled. It is designed to be better palpated and more durable to multiple punctures than the Ommaya reservoir. A total of nine patients diagnosed with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis were selected for V-Port insertion. Each patient was followed up for evaluation for a month after the operation. Results : The average operation time for V-Port insertion was 42 minutes and the average incision size was 6.6 cm. The surgical technique of V-Port insertion was found to be intuitive by all neurosurgeons who participated in the pilot study. There was no obstruction or leakage of the V-Port during intrathecal chemotherapy or CSF drainage. Also, there were no complications including post-operative intracerebral hemorrhage, infection and skin problems related to the V-Port. Conclusion : V-Port is a safe and an easy to use implantable CSF reservoir that addresses problems of other implantable CSF reservoirs. Further multicenter clinical trial is needed to prove the safety and the function of the V-Port.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.962-967
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• 1990

The anomalous pulmonary venous return of the entire left lung was an extremely rare congenital anomaly. The reported surgical experience with correction of this disorder was limited. The 3-year-old female patient underwent an operation upon the unilateral total anomalous pulmonary venous return from the left lung, in which the left superior pulmonary vein drained into innominate vein and the left inferior pulmonary vein into the coronary sinus, in Yeungnam University Hospital. The symptoms were nonspecific except frequent upper respiratory infection. Cyanosis was not seen. On auscultatory findings, a grade 2/6 systolic ejection murmur was audible over left second intercostal space of left sternal border and second heart sound had an increased pulmonary component which was widely splitted. The electrocardiogram demonstrated a right ventricular hypertrophy and right axis deviation and chest X-ray showed slightly increased pulmonary vascularity and bulged pulmonary conus. The echocardiogram demonstrated increased right atrial, ventricular, and pulmonary arterial dimension, and also secundum atrial septal defect and enlarged coronary sinus. The cardiac catheterization confirmed the left-to-right with a Qp/Qs of 2.0: 1 and oxygen step-up was seen in pulmonary artery, right ventricle, right atrium, and left innominate vein, and the catheter was not been introduced into the left pulmonary vein. A median sternotomy incision was done. Left superior pulmonary vein was drained to the innominate vein through anomalous vertical vein and the left inferior pulmonary vein drained to right atrium through the coronary sinus. The diversion of the left inferior pulmonary vein to posterior wall of left atrium was done after division in the proximity of coronary sinus. The anomalous vertical vein was diverted to base of left atrial auricle and then a atrial septal defect was sutured directly. The postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged on the eleventh postoperative day. In the postoperative follow-up-2 months, she has been well without specific problems.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.724-728
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• 1997

We experienced a case of thoracic aortic aneurysm combined with coronary artery disease. A 68-year-old man complained of anginal pain in the left anterior chest and nonspecific pain in the posterior chest. The aneurysm was extending from left subclavian artery to the diaphragm and sign of impending rupture was noted in the chest CT. Coronary angiograms r vealed significant obstruction of left circumflex coronary artery(>95%) and left anterior descending artery(>50%). Exposure was obtained through the left posterolateral thoracotomy incision in the 4th intercostal space and then partial femoro-femoral cardiopulmonary bypass was established. After aortic cross clamping, the aneurysmal sac was opened and repaired with interposition of 26 mm Hemashield graft. Under the beating heart with femoro-femoral cardiopulmonary bypass, aorto-left circumflex coronary bypass with autogenous saphenous vein used as conduit was performed. Postoperatively multiple cerebral infarction ensued due to intraoperative hypovolemic shock and hypoxic brain damage during cardiopulmonary bypass. Currently, the patient's mental status is drowsy and in an improving state.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.747-750
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• 2008

Although surgical closure is the standard approach for a muscular ventricular septal defect, the procedure may be complicated by poor visualization and the need for incision on the ventricle. Another approach is, catheter-based intervention. However, it also has limitations. A hybrid procedure, the intraoperative combined use of an interventional device may reduce the procedure's invasiveness. We successfully managed two cases of muscular ventricular septal defect with a hybrid procedure. We report here on these 2 cases along with a review of the literature.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.67-70
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• 2000

Osgood-Schlatter's disease is generally treated conservatively. However, surgical treatment is necessary for some patients with recurrent or persistent pain that does not respond to conservative treatment. Most authors recommend the excision of the loose ossicles present around the distal end of the patellar tendon. The authors report the technique of arthroscopic removal of the ossicles for Osgood-Schaltter's disease instead of the conventional technique through the incision at the tibial tuberosity. The advantages of this technique are less damage to the patellar tendon, early postoperative recovery, making no incisional scar in front of the tuberosity which causes the scar discomfort in kneeling, and more cosmetic result.