Delayed Presentation of Traumatic Diaphragmatic Hernia / 대한흉부외과학회지

Between January 1976 and March 1997, six patients with delayed presentation of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia occured among the 52 patients of traumatic diaphragm rupture, of whom four males and two females, five by blunt trauma and one by stab wound, one was right side and the rest were left side. In all patients, reduction of herniated organs was accomplished by thoracotomy or thoracotomy with extension to abdomen. Suspicion of the diaphragmatic ruture from the acute traumatic chest injured patient is important and we can use the videothoracoscopy for evaluation and treatment of the traumatic diaphragm rupture.

A Surgical Treatment of the Esophageal Foreign Body: 10 cases report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Ten cases with esophageal foreign body were treated surgically from July 1980 to October 1995 at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital. The mean age was 45.3 years, with a range from 25 to 71. Out of ten cases, 6 were female and four were male. Common symptoms were dysphagia, fever, foreign body sensation and neck pain. Three cases of foreign bodies were of fish bones, two of bubble package of drugs, one case of a beer bottle cap, one of a piece glass, one of a bathtub plug, one of chicken and one of a bean. The diagnosis was established by esophagography using a water soluble contrast material and esophagoscopy. Among of ten cases, two had esophageal stricture due to the ingestion of lye at a young age. One case had experienced psychological problems. All foreign bodies were removed by surgical procedures. Five cases were treated by cervical esophagostomy, one case by right thoracotomy, one case by retrograde bougienation through gastrostomy and two cases by cervical incision and drainage for cervical abscess. Three cases developed post operative esophageal leaks which healed spontaneously and transient hoarseness developed in one case. One case developed traumatic pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema which was treated by closed thoracostomy. There were no operative deaths.

Malignant Schwannoma on the Right Chest Wall: 1 Case Report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Malignant schwannoma is rare tumor which is derived from schwan cells or nerve sheath cells, and it is frequently associated with Von Rechlinghausen's disease. We experienced one case of malignant schwannoma on the right chest wall without Von Rechlinghausen's disease. Patient was 64-year-old man who presented painless palpable mass on the right lower chest wall for about 2 months. On chest computed tomography, the mass which was 6 X 6 cm in size and had central necrosis, involved 11th rib with destruction, invaded the diaphragm and displaced the kidney anteriorlly. He underwent en-bloc resection of the tumor and discharged without any problem after 20 days.

Arterioesophageal Fistula Due to an Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery: A case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

A case of fatal hematemesis due to an aberrant right subclavian arterioesophageal fistula which is a rare complication of the vascular ring is presented. A 42-year-old man with multiple injury by traffic accident presented severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding and was taken emergent operation. He was keeping tracheostomy tube and nasogastric tube for 7 weeks. We could find an aberrant right subclavian arterioesophageal fistula through left thoracotomy which was made by irritation of the prolonged nasogastric tube. We carried division of the aberrant right subclavian artery and fistulectomy. He was doing well postoperatively. But massive bleeding occurred at the fifth postoperative day. We performed emergent reoperation at CCU and found the tear point on the suture site of the aorta, which might be developed due to irritation of the chest tube and/or infection of the surrounding tissues. He was expired at the 8th postoperative day due to ischemic brain damage.