Bilateral tension pneumothoraces in a preterm low-birthweight newborn: tube thoracostomy using four 7-French latex catheters performed by an emergency physician

Neonatal tension pneumothorax is life-threatening. A tension pneumothorax on the right side was detected on a newborn boy weighing 2,380 g, who was born at 35 weeks of gestation. Given the unavailability of an on-duty thoracic surgeon and appropriately sized chest tubes in the neonatal intensive care unit, an emergency physician performed closed thoracostomy using two 7-French latex catheters. Immediately after the re-expansion of the right lung, left tension pneumothorax was newly detected. Two more 7-French latex catheters were inserted, relieving the left lesion. We consider that the right pneumothorax occurred due to the mixture of spontaneous rupture of the subpleural blebs and barotrauma during the initial positive pressure ventilation, while the left lesion did due to the high-flow oscillatory ventilation. Despite the limited availability of devices in the present case, a favorable outcome was achieved by the use of alternative catheters, which were chosen by the emergency physician.

Transpedal lymphatic embolization for lymphorrhea at the graft harvest site after coronary artery bypass grafting / 영남의대학술지

Lymphorrhea is a rare but potentially severe complication that occurs after various surgical procedures. Untreated lymphorrhea may lead to wound dehiscence, infection, and prolonged hospital stay. Currently, there is no standard effective treatment. Early management usually includes leg elevation, drainage, and pressure dressing. However, these methods are associated with prolonged recovery and high recurrence rates. We report a case of lymphorrhea from a calf wound after endoscopic great saphenous vein (GSV) harvesting for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The patient presented with intractable oozing from the postoperative wound on the right calf. Lymphorrhea perGsisted for 6 weeks despite negative-pressure wound therapy with a long-acting somatostatin. We performed unilateral pedal lymphangiography that confirmed wound lymphorrhea, followed by glue embolization. No recurrence was observed after 8 months of follow-up. This case report demonstrates the successful use of lymphangiography with glue embolization in the control of lymphorrhea after GSV harvesting for CABG.

Successful Treatment Using Endoluminal Vacuum Therapy after Failure of Primary Closure in Boerhaave Syndrome / 대한소화기학회지

Boerhaave syndrome is a transmural perforation of the esophagus and typically occurs after forceful emesis. Boerhaave syndrome is a destructive disease with a high mortality rate, though surgical intervention within 24 hours has a beneficial effect. On the other hand, late surgical intervention is associated with poorer prognoses. Several therapeutic strategies, ranging from medical to surgical management, are available for Boerhaave syndrome. Recently, endoscopic endoluminal vacuum therapy (EVT) was introduced as a treatment option. Here, we report the case of a 56-year-old male patient with Boerhaave syndrome who was successfully treated by EVT after primary closure failure. The patient recovered without complication.

Traumatic Right Pulmonary Artery Rupture after Accidentally Being Stepped on the Chest / 대한흉부외과학회지

Traumatic pulmonary artery rupture is a rare, life-threatening injury. Currently, no strict guidelines for its management exist. Herein, we report a successful surgical repair of a right pulmonary artery rupture caused by being stepped on.

Traumatic Right Pulmonary Artery Rupture after Accidentally Being Stepped on the Chest

Traumatic pulmonary artery rupture is a rare, life-threatening injury. Currently, no strict guidelines for its management exist. Herein, we report a successful surgical repair of a right pulmonary artery rupture caused by being stepped on.

Delayed Ascending Aorta Replacement in Blunt Chest Trauma with Aortic Injury

Ascending aortic injury after blunt chest trauma is an emergency condition that requires urgent diagnosis and treatment. The authors report the case of a patient with traumatic ascending aortic injury who received ascending aorta replacement under cardiopulmonary bypass after failure of primary repair.

Phlegmonous Esophagitis Treated with Internal Drainage and Feeding Jejunostomy

We report the case of a 67-year-old woman presenting with epigastric pain. Computed tomography identified diffuse phlegmonous esophagitis. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed multiple perforations in the mucosal layer of the esophagus. A large amount of pus was drained internally through the gut. The patient was treated with antibiotics and early jejunostomy feeding. Although phlegmonous esophagitis is a potentially fatal disease, the patient was successfully treated medically with only a minor complication (esophageal stricture).

Successful Management of Delayed Esophageal Rupture with T-Tube Drainage Using Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery

Spontaneous perforation of the esophagus after forceful vomiting is known as Boerhaave syndrome, a rare and life-threatening condition associated with a high rate of mortality. The management of Boerhaave syndrome is challenging, especially when diagnosed late. Herein, we report the successful management of late-diagnosed Boerhaave syndrome with T-tube drainage in a 55-year-old man. The patient was transferred to our institution 8 days after the onset of symptoms, successfully managed by placing a T-tube, and was discharged on postoperative day 46 without complications.

Combined Bilateral Lung Transplantation and Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass

Coronary artery disease has historically been a contraindication to lung transplantation. We report a successful combined bilateral lung transplantation and off-pump coronary artery bypass in a 62-year-old man. The patient had a progressive decline in lung function due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and a history of severe occlusive coronary artery disease.

Direct Axillary Arterial Cannulation Using Seldinger's Technique in Aortic Dissection

BACKGROUND: The axillary artery is frequently used for cardiopulmonary bypass, especially in acute aortic dissection. We have cannulated the axillary artery using a side graft or by directly using Seldinger's technique. The purpose of this study was to assess the technical problems and complications of both cannulation techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2003 to December 2009, 53 patients underwent operations using the axillary artery for arterial cannulation. The axillary artery was cannulated with a side graft in 35 patients (side graft group) and directly using Seldinger's technique in 18 patients (direct group). RESULTS: The results were compared between two groups, focusing on cannulation-related morbidities including neurologic morbidity. Arterial damage or dissection of the axillary artery occurred in 1 (2.9%) patient in the side graft group and in 1 (5.6%) patient in the direct group. Malperfusion and insufficient flow did not occur in either group. There were no postoperative complications related to axillary cannulation, such as brachial plexus injury, compartment syndrome, or local wound infection, in either group. CONCLUSION: Technical problems and complications of the axillary arterial cannulation in both techniques were rare. Direct arterial cannulation using Seldinger's technique was done safely and more simply than the previous technique. It was concluded that both axillary arterial cannulation techniques are acceptable and it remains the surgeon's preference which technique should be used.

Diagnostic Methods of Traumatic Tracheobronchial Injury / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify the distinguishing clinicoradiologic findings of traumatic tracheobronchial injury. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between January 2003 and December 2009, six patients who underwent surgical repair for traumatic tracheobronchial injury due to blunt trauma were included in this study. We evaluated the mechanism of the injury, the coexisting injuries, the time until the making diagnosis and treatment, the diagnostic methods, the anatomic location of the injury and the surgical outcomes. RESULT: The mechanisms of injury were traffic accident and crushing forces. The frequent symptoms were subcutaneous emphysema, dyspnea and pain, and the common radiologic findings were pneumothorax, mediastinal emphysema, rib fracture and lung contusion. Only 2 patients were diagnosed by chest CT and the others were not diagnosed preoperatively. The location of injury was the trachea in 2 patients and the bronchial tree in 4 patients. There was no postoperative mortality or anastomotic leak; however, vocal cord palsy occurred in one patient. The most distinguishing sign was persistent lung collapse even though the chest tube was connected with negative pressure. CONCLUSION: Although it was not easy to diagnose traumatic tracheobronchial injury without a clinical suspicion, the distinguishing clinical symptoms and CT findings could help to make an early diagnosis without performing bronchoscopy.

Stent-graft Insertion in High Risk Patients with Aortic Dissection Including Intimal Tear of the Aortic Isthmus: A case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Recently, stent-graft insertion has been widely used along with surgery for treatment of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysm. However, use of stent-graft insertion is controversial in descending aortic dissection. We report here on our experience of a patient who received a stent-graft for descending aortic dissection that nearly ruptured. Based on CT findings at three months follow up, results were satisfactory.

Intrapericardial Pericardial Cyst / 대한흉부외과학회지

Pericardial cyst is an uncommon congenital mediastinal tumor. The majority of pericardial cysts are located in the right cardiophrenic angle, but rarely they can be located intrapericardially. We now present a case of a huge intrapericardial pericardial cyst excised with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum Accompanied by Bleomycin-Induced Lung Toxicity / 대한흉부외과학회지

Pneumomediastinum is a rare, but well recognized complication of bleomycin-induced lung toxicity. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum has to be considered as one of the causes when the dyspnea becomes aggravated in patients with bleomycin induced lung toxicity. We describe here two patients who suffered with germ cell tumor and they developed spontaneous pneumomediastinum without pneumothorax, and this was caused by bleomycin-induced lung toxicity.

Effects of Intra-Operative Intravenous Clonidine on Cardiovascular Responses to Extubation / 대한마취과학회지

Increases in heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) are common during light planes of anesthesia at the end of operation and just prior to extubation. This study was undertaken to investigate and compare HR and BP responses to endotracheal extubation during light general anesthesia with and without prior intravenous administration of clonidine. Eighty hypertensive patients aged 45-65 yr were undergoing a variety of operations. In this study, the BP of hypertensive patients was well controlled on antihypertensive regimens before anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced by the injection of thiopental sodium, diazepam, fentanyl and vecuronium, and maintained with enflurane (0.8-2.5 per cent) and nitrous oxide (50 per cent) in oxygen. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of 40 each with regard to management of endotracheal extubation at the end of operation. Patients in clonidine group received an izv injection of clonidine (0.75 ug/kg) 30 min. prior to extubation. One minute prior to extubation, baseline arterial BP and HR were recoreded. Single measurement of systolic and diastolic BP and HR were obtained during the study and were recorded at 30 seconds, 1 min., 2 min., 3 min., 4 min. and 5 min. after extubation, and upon entrance to the postanesthetic recovery room (6-10 min. after extubation). Patients in control group received no injection prior to extubation, but were otherwise treated similarly and had data recorded at the same times as those in clonidine group. The results were as follows ;1) No significant differences were noted in BP and HR prior to clonidine administration between patients in the two groups. 2) Thirty seconds after extubation, both BP and HR increased significantly in both group (p< 0.05) but the increasing rate in clonidine group was significantly less than in control group (p<0.05). 3) Patients in control and clonidine group sustained a significant elevation in both BP and HR which persisted for 3 and 1 min after extubation (p<0.05), respectively. 4) Changes in both BP and HR in patients of clonidine group became significantly less than control group every time intervals after extubation (p<0.05). In conclusion, the result of this study demonstrate that iv injection of clonidine (0.75 ug/kg) administered 30 min. before endotracheal extubation prevents increases in BP and HR before and after extubation and in the recovery room. The data suggest that iv clonidine injection prior to extubation should be of advantage to patients with hypertension who may not be able to tolerate the increased hemodynamics which usually accompany endotracheal extubation.

The Comparison of Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Changes with Extubation of the Endotracheal Tube and the Laryngeal Mask Airway / 대한마취과학회지

When the endotracheal tube is removed, blood pressure elevates and heart rate increases. In order to evaluate the hemodynamic changes after removal of a new developed device-laryngeal mask airway, we measured the change of the systolic & diastolic blood pressure and heart rate of 120 patients undergoing general anesthesia. The results were elevation of blood pressure and heart rate after extubation or removal on both groups immediately. But the degree of changes were 18.7+/-1.6% in the endotracheal tube groups and 12.3+/-1.4% in the laryngeal mask airway groups in systolic blood pressure respectively. Therefore the degree of changes of the laryngeal mask airway groups was significantly small (p<0.05). The comparison of the change of diastolic blood pressure was not significant. The degree of the change in heart rate was 19.6+/-2.8% in the endotracheal tube groups and 9.2+/-2.2% in the laryngeal mask airway groups. Therefore the degree of the ehange in blood pressure and heart rate of the laryngeal mask airway groups was significantly small (p<0.05).