A Case of Sinochoanal Polyp Originating From the Ethmoid Sinus

A nasal polyp is a distinct mucosal pathology that obstructs the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, with various phenotypes and endotypes. Nasal polyps should be distinguished from inverted papillomas, squamous cell carcinomas, juvenile angiofibromas, lymphomas, and olfactory neuroblastomas. A choanal polyp is a solitary benign lesion that originates in the paranasal sinus and extends to the choana through the natural ostium of the sinus. Choanal polyps usually originate from the maxillary sinus; however, we recently experienced the case of 41-year old women with sinochoanal polyp originated from the ethmoid sinus. As choanal polyps can recur even after appropriate surgery, complete resection, including the surrounding mucosa at the site of origin, is required. Therefore, it is essential to consider anatomical differences in polypectomy. We recently diagnosed and successfully performed surgery on an ethmochoanal polyp; herein, we report our experience and present a literature review.

The Significance of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Acute Low Tone Sensorineural Hearing Loss / 대한이비인후과학회지

Background and Objectives@#Acute low tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL), an acuteonset hearing loss limited to low tone, was thought to be a subtype of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) but also considered as new disease entity because it shows quite different symptoms, progress, and prognosis. More recently, however, it is thought that SSNHL results from chronic inflammation and thrombosis. Some studies have reported that neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were high in SSNHL patients, and that they were significant as prognostic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of NLR and PLR in ALHL.Subjects and Method From January 2009 to June 2019, we retrospectively studied 58 patients who were diagnosed with ALHL. Characteristics of patients such as sex, age, symptoms and signs, the results of serologic test and pure tone audiometry were evaluated for recovery and for recurrence. Also, we selected 58 people with the same age as control group. @*Results@#A total of 167 patients were identified, of whom a half was diagnosed with ALHL and the other half with were the control group. Among the 58 patients, the mean age was 38.0±14.5 years old, and 10 (17.2%) patients were male and 48 (82.8%) patients were female. Among the patients, 35 (60.3%) were hospitalized and 23 (39.7%) were outpatients. For recovery, 38 (65.5%) patients fully recovered while 11 (19.0%) partially recovered, and 9 (15.5%) did not recover. Additionally, 16 (27.6%) patients recurred later with similar symptoms. Between the patient group and control group, there were significant differences in the total white blood cell count, neutrophil count, NLR and PLR (p=0.015, 0.001, 0.002, and 0.025), but there was no significant differences between the recovery group and non-recovery group in any laboratory findings. Also, NLR and PLR showed no significant differences between the recurred group and non-recurred group. @*Conclusion@#NLR and PLR in ALHL patients were relatively high compared to the control group, but there were no significant differences between the recovery group and non-recovery group. Furthermore, there was no correlation between NLR and PLR with recurrence. High NLR and PLR values in ALHL patients might reflect its inflammatory etiology, but there is lack evidence for them to serve as prognostic factors.

The Effect of Sodium Selenite on Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of complex decongestive physiotherapy (CDPT) with sodium selenite compared to the effects of CDPT without sodium selenite for the treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). METHOD: Patients (n=40) who were diagnosed with BCRL were randomly assigned to the two groups: sodium selenite group or the non-sodium selenite group. In the sodium selenite group, sodium selenite was administered for 100 days concurrently with CDPT. In the non-sodium selenite group, only CDPT was administered. The main outcome measurements included limb circumference (proximal, distal and total) to indicate volume changes, the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the short form-36 version 2 questionnaire (SF-36) scores to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) pre-treatment, 100 days post-treatment and 130 days post-treatment for each patient. RESULTS: The sodium selenite group experienced volume reduction of 8.22% and 9.21%, at 100 and 130 days post-treatment, respectively. The non-sodium selenite group experienced 5.57% and 6.11% reduction in swelling at the same periods. Between the two groups, more significant volume reduction was observed in the affected distal limbs of patients assigned to the sodium selenite group compared to patients in the non-sodium group. However, the VAS and the SF-36 scores were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Sodium selenite therapy in combination with CDPT is effective in reducing the volume of upper limb in BCRL, and significantly reduce the volume of the affected distal upper limb compared to CDPT alone.

Penetrating Vascular Trauma to Zone One of the Neck: A report of two cases / 대한흉부외과학회지

Penetrating vascular trauma to zone one of the neck is potentially life-threatening. Trauma in this anatomical location is difficult to access and manage because the neck is a small anatomic area with the anatomical proximity of vital structures. An accurate diagnosis and aggressive surgical intervention are critical to the successful outcome of penetrating zone one vascular trauma in the neck. Here we report two cases with review of the medical literature.

Chronic Traumatic Femoral Arteriovenous Fistula after Gunshot Vascular Injury: A case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

A 60-year-old man with a history of gunshot vascular injury on the right inguinal area, and this happened in the military service 40 years ago, was admitted to our hospital with claudication and dyspnea on exertion. The patient was diagnosed with a chronic traumatic femoral arteriovenous fistula. The patient underwent a successful operation for arteriovenous fistula closure with bovine pericardium and for femoropopliteal bypass with using a right greater saphenous vein graft. The patient is well at 14 months after the operation.

Surgical Treatment of Bilateral Coronary to Pulmonary Artery Fistulae with a Saccular Aneurysm: A case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

A 76-year-old woman with a history of chest pain and palpitation, was diagnosed with bilateral coronary to pulmonary artery fistulae with a concomitant saccular aneurysm, which is quite rare. Suture closure of the fistular vessels around the pulmonary artery root, the removal of a saccular aneurysm, and the transpulmonary closure of coronary to pulmonary artery fistulae were performed. The patient was well at 4 months after surgery.

Combined Repair of Coronary Artery Disease and Left Subclavian Artery Occlusion / 대한흉부외과학회지

A 47-year-old male with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and heavy smoking, but no anginal symptoms, presented with claudication of the lower extremities. Extremity angiography with coronary angiography revealed peripheral arterial lesions including a left subclavian artery occlusion with coronary artery disease. The patient underwent an initial off-pump coronary artery bypass with an ascending aorto-axillary bypass. The right internal mammary artery was anastomosed to the left anterior descending coronary artery. The greater saphenous vein graft was connected from the ascending aorto-axillary bypass graft to the diagonal branch. At postoperative day 18, femorofemoral and bilateral femoropopliteal bypasses were performed. We report a case of the combined repair of coronary artery disease and a left subclavian artery occlusion.

A Clinical Investigation of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Mokpo Area / 결핵

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia(CAP) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recently, the evolution of drug-resistant microorganisms has become a serious problem in CAP management. Specific antimicrobial therapy is the cornerstone of CAP management. However, obtaining an accurate etiologic diagnosis clinically is not easy and empirical antimicrobial treatment is usually administered prior to the correct microbiologic diagnosis. In this study, the clinical usefulness of empirical CAP treatment was investigated. METHODS: A total 35 cases were studied prospectively over a 16-month period in Mokpo Catholic Hospital from Dec. 1995 to Mar. 1997. The microbiologic diagnosis was made by sputum, blood culture, a specific serum antibody test and an immunologic study. RESULTS: The causative organisms were isolated in 10 (30%) out of 33 cases: 8 cases and 1 case on the sputum culture and blood culture respectively, and 1 case by an indirect hemagglutinin test. 12 cases had underlying diseases: pulmonary tuberculosis 4, alcoholism 4, diabetes mellitus 3, and liver cirrhosis 1. Antimicrobial treatment was given empirically and all cases recovered. CONCLUSION: A definite microbiologic diagnosis before commencing the appropriate treatment in CAP is not straightforward. Empirical therapy according to a clinical assessment is important and helpful. However, every effort to make the correct etiologic diagnosis should be taken.

Comparison of Inflammatory Response and Myocardial injury Between Normoxic and Hyperoxic Condition during / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Hyperoxemic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has been recognized as a safe technique and is widely used in cardiac surgery. However, hyperoxemic CPB may produce higher toxic oxygen species and cause more severe oxidative stress and ischemia/reperfusion injury than normoxemic CPB. This study was undertaken to compare inflammatory responses and myocardial injury between normoxemic and hyperoxemic CPB and to examine the beneficial effect of normoxemic CPB. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirty adult patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were randomly divided into normoxic group (n=15), who received normoxemic CPB (about PaO2 120 mmHg), and hyperoxic group (n=15), who received hyperoxemic CPB (about PaO2 400 mmHg). Myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and troponin-T (TnT) concentrations in coronary sinus blood were determined at pre- and post-CPB. Total leukocyte and neutrophil counts in arterial blood were measured at the before, during, and after CPB. Lactate concentration in mixed venous blood was analyzed during CPB, and cardiac index (CI) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were evaluated pre- and post-CPB. All of the parameters were compared between the groups. RESULT: Normoxic group at post-CPB had lower MDA (4.79+/-0.7 vs 5.86+/-0.65 micromol/L, p=0.04) and MPO levels (5.38+/-1.01 vs 8.73+/-0.90 ng/mL, p=0.02), decreased total leukocyte counts (10,484+/-836 vs 13,572+/-1167/mm3, p=0.04) and higher AMP concentrations(1.23+/-0.07 vs 1.00+/-0.04 nmol/L, p=0.05), as well as a reduction in PVR (90.37+/-16.36 vs 118.12+/-12.21 dyne/sec/cm5, p=0.04) compared to hyperoxic group. There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to TnT, lactate concentrations, and CI. CONCLUSION: Normoxic CPB provides less myocardial and lung damage related to oxygen free radicals and low inflammatory responses compared to hyperoxic CPB at post-CPB. Therefore, these results suggest that normoxemic CPB is a safe and salutary technique that could be applied in all cardiac surgery.

Endobronchial Leiomyoma: A Case Report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Endobronchial leiomyoma is extremely rare and accounts for less than 2% of benign tumors of the lower respiratory tract. Leiomyomas are predominantly found in the young and the middle aged : of the average age being 35 years for bronchial and lung parenchymal lesions and 40.6 years for tracheal lesions. The symptom depends on the location of the tumor, its size, and changes in the lung distal to the lesion. A 37-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of coughing. Bronchoscopy revealed complete obstruction of the right main bonchus at the carina by an oval-shaped, nonulcerative, smooth, and pinkish-tan tumor with a broad margin and extended to the left main bronchus. A biopsy was performed and showed a benign spindle cell tumor. A right pneumonectomy was performed because of chronic infection, and the lung could not expanded during aeration. The histological diagnosis of the resected specimen was leiomyoma. The postoperative course was uneventful.

Acoustic Rhinometry in Nasal Provocation Test

A nasal provocation test is the most reliable diagnostic test to confirm allergen in allergic rhinitis. However, there are neither specific objective methods nor a standardized method and interpretation. In 20 normal subjects and 86 allergic rhinitis patients, we applied acoustic rhinometry as a new objective method to assess changes in nasal patency induced by nasal allergen challenge, a procedure which is used for confirming allergic rhinitis. The result shows that a minimal cross-sectional area (MCA) and volume from the nose tip on back to 7 cm (nasal cavity volume) after allergen challenge were significantly decreased in allergic rhinitis patients in comparison with the control subjects. We conclude that acoustic rhinometry can provide a sensitive index for evaluating the results of a nasal provocation test.

A Case of Epidermoid Cyst in Interhemispheric Fissure: Case Report

A Case of the epidermoid cyst with highly unusual location which is occurred in the interhemispheric fissure is reported. Intracranial epidermoid tumor develops predominantly in the cerebellopontine angle and parasellar regions. There has been no literally reported case the epidermoid developed in the interhemispheric fissure. The patient was 31-year-old man with the chief complaint of generalized seizure which was the first attack occurred one day before admission. The lesion with the size of about 3cm in diameter demonstrated by MRI was completely removed through posterior interhemispheric approach. The patient's postoperative recovery was unremarkable and without neurological deficit.