Trends and an Online Survey on the Use of Rigid Bronchoscopy in Korea

Background@#Although almost all interventional pulmonologists agree that rigid bronchoscopy is irreplaceable in the field of interventional pulmonology, less is known about the types of diseases that the procedure is used for and what difficulties the operators face during the procedure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate what diseases rigid bronchoscopy is used for, whether it is widely used, and what challenges the operators face in Korea. @*Methods@#We enrolled 14 hospitals in this retrospective cohort of patients who underwent rigid bronchoscopy between 2003 and 2020. An online survey was conducted with 14 operators to investigate the difficulties associated with the procedure. @*Results@#While the number of new patients at Samsung Medical Center (SMC) increased from 189 in 2003–2005 to 468 in 2018–2020, that of other institutions increased from 0 to 238.The proportion of SMC patients in the total started at 100% and steadily decreased to 59.2%.The proportion of malignancy as the indication for the procedure steadily increased from 29.1% to 43.0%, whereas post-tuberculous stenosis (25.4% to 12.9%) and post-intubation stenosis (19.0% to 10.9%) steadily decreased (all P for trends < 0.001). In the online survey, half of the respondents stated that over the past year they performed less than one procedure per month. The fewer the procedures performed within the last year, the more likely collaboration with other departments was viewed as a recent obstacle (Spearman correlation coefficient, r s = −0.740, P = 0.003) and recent administrative difficulties were encountered (r s = −0.616, P = 0.019). @*Conclusion@#This study demonstrated that the number of patients undergoing rigid bronchoscopy has been increasing, especially among cancer patients. For this procedure to be used more widely, it will be important for beginners to systematically learn about the procedure itself as well as to achieve multidisciplinary consultation.

Prevalence of Respiratory Viral Infections in Korean Adult Asthmatics With Acute Exacerbations: Comparison With Those With Stable State

PURPOSE: Viral infections are involved in ~50% of exacerbations among Caucasian adult asthmatics. However, there have been few reports on the causative virus of exacerbations in Korean adult asthmatics. Thus, we compared frequencies and types of viruses between lower respiratory tract illnesses (LRTIs) with exacerbations (exacerbated LRTIs) and those without exacerbations (stable LRTIs) to evaluate contribution of respiratory viruses to exacerbations. METHODS: Viral RNA was extracted from sputum using the Viral Gene-spin™ Kit. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to detect adenovirus (ADV), metapneumovirus (MPV), parainfluenza virus (PIV) 1/2/3, influenza virus (IFV) A, IFV B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A/B, and rhinovirus (RV) A. RESULTS: Among the 259 patients, 210 underwent a single sputum examination, and the remaining 49 underwent 2 to 4 sputum examinations. Virus was detected in 68 of the 259 exacerbated episodes and in 11 of the 64 stable episodes. Among the exacerbated episodes, RV was the most frequently detected virus, followed by influenza A, parainfluenza, RSV A/B, and ADV. Among the 11 stable episodes, RV was most frequently detected. Detection rates of these viruses did not differ between the 2 groups (P>0.05). Thirty-five patients underwent the virus examination at 2 episodes of exacerbation, while 14 patients underwent at each time of exacerbated and stable episodes. Virus detection rate at the second examination was significantly higher in cases with 2 exacerbation episodes than in those with initial exacerbation and sequential stable episodes (P=0.003). A seasonal pattern was noted in the detection rates of RV (September to December), IFV (January to April), PIV (May to September), and RSV A/B (September to April). CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory viruses were identified in approximately 20% of LRTI irrespective of the presence of asthma exacerbation. RV and IFV A/B were most frequently detected. A group of patients experienced frequent viral infections followed by asthma exacerbations.

A Rare Radiological Presentation of Pulmonary Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma as Bronchovascular Thickening and Ground Glass Opacities with Concurrent Pancreas Involvement

Pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a rare disease and usually presents as pulmonary masses, mass-like consolidation, or pulmonary nodules on chest images. We report a case of a 43-year-old man with symptoms of chronic cough for 1 year, showing bilateral diffuse bronchovascular bundle thickening and focal ground glass opacities on a chest computed tomography scan. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed and the final pathologic diagnosis was pulmonary MALT lymphoma. Concurrent involvement of the pancreas was discovered during staging workup. After diagnosis, he was treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy and rituximab and showed improvements in his lung lesion and pancreas.

Epidemiological Aspects of Pertussis among Adults and Adolescents in a Korean Outpatient Setting: A Multicenter, PCR-Based Study

Epidemiological data of Bordetella pertussis infection among adolescents and adults are limited in Korea. Patients (> or = 11 yr of age) with a bothersome cough for less than 30 days were enrolled during a 1-yr period at 22 hospitals in Korea. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and for bacteriologic culture. In total, 490 patients were finally enrolled, and 34 (6.9%) patients tested positive for B. pertussis; cough duration (14.0 days [7.0-21.0 days]) and age distribution were diverse. The incidence was the highest in secondary referral hospitals, compared to primary care clinics or tertiary referral hospitals (24/226 [10.6%] vs. 3/88 [3.4%] vs. 7/176 [4.0%], P = 0.012), and the peak incidence was observed in February and August (15.8% and 15.9%), with no confirmed cases between March and June. In the multivariate analysis, post-tussive vomiting was significantly associated with pertussis (odds ratio, 2.508; 95% confidence interval, 1.146-5.486) and secondary referral hospital showed a borderline significance. In conclusion, using a PCR-based method, 6.9% of adolescent and adult patients with an acute cough illness had pertussis infection in an outpatient setting. However, hospital levels and seasonal trends must be taken into account to develop a better strategy for controlling pertussis.

A Case of Favorable Responses after Gefitinib in a Patient with EGFR Mutated Adenosquamous Lung Carcinoma

In patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, the epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are used as first treatment option. Because adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) is a rare histologic subtype, evidences about EGFR-TKIs as first treatment option for advanced ASC are lacking. We report a case of an advanced ASC patient with the EGFR mutation, who showed good responses during 4-month treatment with gefitinib. And we will review about a necessity of EGFR mutation test and efficacy of EGFR-TKIs in ASC patients from the recent studies.

Risk Factors Influencing Rebleeding after Bronchial Artery Embolization on the Management of Hemoptysis Associated with Pulmonary Tuberculosis / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Hemoptysis due to pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) frequently develops in Korea where the prevalence of TB is intermediate. The effect of bronchial artery embolization (BAE) on the control of massive hemoptysis has been well known. This study is designed to identify the risk factors contributing to rebleeding after BAE in patients with TB. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated risk factors and the time for rebleeding after BAE in 72 patients presenting with hemoptysis. RESULTS: The overall immediate success rate of BAE was 93.1% (67 of 72 patients). Of the 29 patients (40.3%) who showed rebleeding after BAE, 13 patients experienced rebleeding within 1 month, and 14 patients between 1 month to 1 year. The existence of a shunt in angiographic finding, aspergilloma, and diabetes mellitus were risk factors of rebleeding after BAE in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: BAE was very effective for obtaining immediate bleeding control in hemoptysis associated with active TB or post-TB sequelae. It is important to observe whether or not rebleeding occurs up to 1 year of BAE especially in TB patients with aspergilloma, DM, or a shunt. Even rebleeding can be managed well by second BAE.

The Effect of Post-Treatment N-Acetylcysteine in LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury of Rats / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Oxidation plays an important role in acute lung injury. This study was conducted in order to elucidate the effect of repetitive post-treatment of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in lipopolysaccaride (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) of rats. METHODS: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups. LPS (Escherichia coli 5 mg/kg) was administered intravenously via the tail vein. NAC (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 3, 6, and 12 hours after LPS injection. Broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were obtained to evaluate the ALI at 24 hours after LPS injection. The concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) were measured in BALF. Nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured using lung tissues. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) images were examined in each group at 72 hours apart from the main experiments in order to observe the delayed effects of NAC. RESULTS: TNF-alpha and IL-1beta concentration in BALF were not different between LPS and NAC treatment groups. The concentration of LPO in NAC treatment group was significantly lower than that of LPS group (5.5+/-2.8 nmol/mL vs. 16.5+/-1.6 nmol/mL) (p=0.001). The activity of MPO in NAC treatment group was significantly lower than that of LPS group (6.4+/-1.8 unit/g vs. 11.2+/-6.3 unit/g, tissue) (p<0.048). The concentration of NF-kappaB in NAC treatment group was significantly lower than that of LPS group (0.3+/-0.1 ng/microL vs. 0.4+/-0.2 ng/microL) (p=0.0001). Micro-CT showed less extent of lung injury in NAC treatment than LPS group. CONCLUSION: After induction of ALI with lipopolysaccharide, the therapeutic administration of NAC partially attenuated the extent of ALI through the inhibition of NF-kappaB activation.

The Effect of Post-Treatment N-Acetylcysteine in LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury of Rats / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Oxidation plays an important role in acute lung injury. This study was conducted in order to elucidate the effect of repetitive post-treatment of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in lipopolysaccaride (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) of rats. METHODS: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups. LPS (Escherichia coli 5 mg/kg) was administered intravenously via the tail vein. NAC (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 3, 6, and 12 hours after LPS injection. Broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were obtained to evaluate the ALI at 24 hours after LPS injection. The concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) were measured in BALF. Nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured using lung tissues. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) images were examined in each group at 72 hours apart from the main experiments in order to observe the delayed effects of NAC. RESULTS: TNF-alpha and IL-1beta concentration in BALF were not different between LPS and NAC treatment groups. The concentration of LPO in NAC treatment group was significantly lower than that of LPS group (5.5+/-2.8 nmol/mL vs. 16.5+/-1.6 nmol/mL) (p=0.001). The activity of MPO in NAC treatment group was significantly lower than that of LPS group (6.4+/-1.8 unit/g vs. 11.2+/-6.3 unit/g, tissue) (p<0.048). The concentration of NF-kappaB in NAC treatment group was significantly lower than that of LPS group (0.3+/-0.1 ng/microL vs. 0.4+/-0.2 ng/microL) (p=0.0001). Micro-CT showed less extent of lung injury in NAC treatment than LPS group. CONCLUSION: After induction of ALI with lipopolysaccharide, the therapeutic administration of NAC partially attenuated the extent of ALI through the inhibition of NF-kappaB activation.

A Multicenter Study of Pertussis Infection in Adults with Coughing in Korea: PCR-Based Study / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Limited data on the incidence and clinical characteristics of adult pertussis infections are available in Korea. METHODS: Thirty-one hospitals and the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated to investigate the incidence and clinical characteristics of pertussis infections among adults with a bothersome cough in non-outbreak, ordinary outpatient settings. Nasopharyngeal aspirates or nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture tests. RESULTS: The study enrolled 934 patients between September 2009 and April 2011. Five patients were diagnosed as confirmed cases, satisfying both clinical and laboratory criteria (five positive PCR and one concurrent positive culture). Among 607 patients with cough duration of at least 2 weeks, 504 satisfied the clinical criteria of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (i.e., probable case). The clinical pertussis cases (i.e., both probable and confirmed cases) had a wide age distribution (45.7+/-15.5 years) and cough duration (median, 30 days; interquartile range, 18.0~50.0 days). In addition, sputum, rhinorrhea, and myalgia were less common and dyspnea was more common in the clinical cases, compared to the others (p=0.037, p=0.006, p=0.005, and p=0.030, respectively). CONCLUSION: The positive rate of pertussis infection may be low in non-outbreak, ordinary clinical settings if a PCR-based method is used. However, further prospective, well-designed, multicenter studies are needed.

Single Small Bowel Metastasis after Curative Operation in a Pleomorphic Lung Carcinoma / 결핵및호흡기질환

Small bowel metastasis of pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung is very rare. A 58-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with abdominal palpable mass in the right upper quadrant area. He underwent right middle and lower lobectomy for early stage pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung approximately 3 months ago. USG-guided biopsy was performed for abdominal mass. Pathologic examination revealed a metastatic pleomorphic carcinoma from the lung. He received chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy but died due to septic shock caused by intestinal stenosis and adhesion. We report the first case of small bowel metastasis by pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung after curative surgery.

One Case of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Removal of Acupuncture Needle in Lung Parenchyma / 결핵및호흡기질환

We report the case of a 32-year-old woman presenting with intermittent chest pain resulted from a migratory acupuncture needle. The patient received acupuncture treatment approximately 3 years prior to this presentation, for the treatment of chronic left shoulder and lumbar pain after delivery. Chest radiography revealed a retained needle in the lingular segmental area. Video-assisted thoracoscopy was then used to remove the migratory acupuncture needle attached between the lingular segmental lobe and the pericardial fat. The patient recovered without complications and was discharged home.

Coexistence of Intrapulmonary Bronchogenic Cyst and Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation: A Case Report

Congenital cystic lesions of the lung are uncommon and a conjunction of two or more lesions is very rare. We report here on a case of coexisting intrapulmonary bronchogenic cyst and congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation in a 13-year-old female with a cystic mass in the right upper lobe of the lung. Computed tomography showed a cystic lesion measuring 2.5 cm with an air fluid level and surrounding multicystic lesions in the right upper lobe. On gross examination, the cut surface showed a cystic mass containing inspissated mucinous material, and the cystic mass was surrounded by multiple small cysts. Microscopically, the larger cystic cavity was lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium. The submucosal tissue contained mucinous glands and plates of cartilage. The surrounding smaller cysts or irregular spaces were lined with bronchiolar-type respiratory epithelium. We propose that this hybrid lung lesion may represent the missing link in a common embryologic pathway determined by the timing of mesenchymal and epithelial interactions.

A Case of Sweet's Syndrome with Pulmonary Infiltration and Pleural Effusion in Myelodysplastic Syndrome / 대한내과학회지

Sweet's syndrome is characterized by a constellation of clinical symptoms, physical features, and pathologic findings, which include fever, leukocytosis, tender erythematous skin lesions, and a diffuse infiltrate consisting predominantly of mature neutrophils in the upper dermis. Pulmonary involvement in Sweet's syndrome is rare. In addition, a pleural effusion has been rarely reported in the pulmonary involvement of Sweet's syndrome. We report a case of Sweet's syndrome presenting with pulmonary involvement and a bilateral pleural effusion in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Korea: The Result of Forth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality throughout the world and is the only major disease that is continuing to increase in both prevalence and mortality. The second Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey revealed that the prevalence of COPD in Korean subjects aged > or =45 years was 17.2% in 2001. Further surveys on the prevalence of COPD were not available until 2007. Here, we report the prevalence of spirometrically detected COPD in Korea, using data from the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES IV) which was conducted in 2007~2009. METHODS: Based on the Korean Statistical Office census that used nationwide stratified random sampling, 10,523 subjects aged > or =40 years underwent spirometry. Place of residence, levels of education, income, and smoking status, as well as other results from a COPD survey questionnaire were also assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of COPD (defined as forced expiratory volume in 1 sec/forced vital capacity or =40 years) was 12.9% (men, 18.7%; women, 7.5%). In total, 96.5% of patients with COPD had mild-to-moderate disease; only 2.5% had been diagnosed by physicians, and only 1.7% had been treated. The independent risk factors for COPD were smoking, advanced age, and male gender. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of COPD was 12.9% in the KNHANES IV data. Most patients with COPD were undiagnosed and untreated. Based on these results, a strategy for early COPD intervention is warranted in high risk subjects.

Natural Course of Benign Pulmonary Metastasizing Leiomyoma / 대한내과학회지

Benign metastasizing pulmonary leiomyoma is a rare disease that is usually detected several years after hysterectomy or myomectomy. Recently, we experienced two cases, one with monthly chest pain and the other without symptoms, which were diagnosed with benign metastasizing leiomyoma in the lung. A 48-year-old woman who underwent hysterectomy 12 years earlier was referred to us because of multiple pulmonary nodules on chest radiography, and chest pain for 6 months. Thoracoscopic tumor excision was performed. Pathologically, she was diagnosed with benign metastasizing leiomyoma in the lung. After that, chest computed tomography showed tumors with a progressive reduction in size. The other 48-year-old woman, who had undergone myomectomy for uterine leiomyoma 8 years before, visited our hospital for evaluation of incidentally revealed bilateral multiple nodules on chest radiography. The microscopic finding of percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy revealed a benign pulmonary metastasizing leiomyoma originating from uterine leiomyoma. Multiple nodules on chest radiography were more increased than those performed 1 year and 3 months prior to admission. However, chest X-ray showed tumors that had progressively decreased in size at 6 months after diagnosis of menopause.

Lymphoid Interstitial Pneumonia Associated with Primary Sjogren's Syndrome: A Case Report / 결핵및호흡기질환

Lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP) is a rare benign lymphoproliferative interstitial lung disease. LIP has been associated with autoimmune disorders, HIV, viral infections, and so on. Once underlying systemic diseases have been excluded, a diagnosis of idiopathic LIP can be made. Although 6 cases of pathologically confirmed LIP have occurred in Korea, thus far none has been associated with primary Sjogren's syndrome. A 44-year-old man was admitted to hospital due to a dry cough and dypsnea on exertion that had been ongoing for 2 months. A chest radiography showed multiple and variable-sized cystic lesions, on both lungs and both interstitial infiltration and consolidation in both lower lung fields. Tests for autoantibody showed positive results of anti-nuclear antibody and anti-Ro/La antibody. The patient underwent a video assisted thoracoscopic surgery biopsy and pathologically confirmed LIP. We report the first known case of LIP-associated with primary Sjogren's syndrome in Korea.

A Case of Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation of the Lng with Atypical Adenomatous Hyperplasia in Adult / 결핵및호흡기질환

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM), which is classified into five types according to size and bronchial invasion, is a rare type of developmental anomaly of the lung. CCAM is occasionally accompanied by malignancy, such as bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) or rhabdomyosarcoma. As defined by the WHO, atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH) is a non-invasive spread of atypical epithelial cells in single rows along the alveolar wall, within a lesion that is usually less than 5 mm in diameter. AAH was also regarded as a pre-invasive neoplasia, especially associated with BAC and adenocarcinoma. We report a case of type II CCAM with AAH in adults, with a review of the references.

Two Cases of Endobronchial Actinomycosis that were Cured by Operation and Short Term Antibiotics Therapy / 결핵및호흡기질환

Endobronchial actinomycosis is a rare chronic suppurative granulomatous infection of the bronchus, and this is sometimes related with a foreign body or a broncholith. The traditional treatment of endobroncial actinomycosis is intravenous antibiotics for 2 to 6 weeks and then oral antibiotics therapy for 6 to 12 months. We report here on 2 cases of endobronchial actinomycosis that were associated with a broncholith and a foreign body, respectively. Surgery followed by short term antibiotics therapy for only 20 days and 34 days, respectively, was effective as treatment for the endobronchial actinomycosis in our cases. After treatment, there were no complications or recurrence during the following period. We suggest that short term antibiotics therapy combined with a surgical operation might be effective as treatment for primary endobronchial actinomycosis, and especially when this illness is combined with a foreign body or a broncholith, as compared with traditional long term antibiotic therapy.

A Case of Adenocarcinoma Presenting a Solitary Pulmonary Nodule that Grows Slowly Over 10 Years / 결핵및호흡기질환

It is difficult to distinguish a lung cancer from a pulmonary tuberculoma or other benign nodule. It is even more difficult to identify the type of lesion if the mass shows no change in size or demonstrates slow growth. Only a pathological confirmation can possibly reveal the nature of the lesion. A 61-year-old-woman was referred for a solitary pulmonary nodule. The nodule showed no change in size for the first two years and continued to grow slowly. Pathological and immunological analyses were conducted for confirmation of the nodule. The nodule was identified as a well-differentiated primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma. An LULobectomy was performed, and the post surgical stage of the nodule was IIIA (T2N2M0). Even though there are few risk factors, there is still the possibility of a malignancy in cases of non-growing or slow growing solitary pulmonary nodules. Therefore, pathological confirmation is encouraged to obtain a firm diagnosis.

A Case of Lung Involvement Showing Multiple Lung Cysts in Primary Sjogren's Syndrome / 결핵및호흡기질환

No abstract available.