Esophageal leiomyoma is a benign tumor that accounts for two-thirds of esophageal benign tumors. In general, patients with esophageal leiomyoma are asymptomatic; however, as the tumor grows in size, symptoms such as dysphagia, chest discomfort, obstruction, or bleeding can appear. A 65-year-old man visited our clinic to receive treatment for a subepithelial tumor in the lower esophagus, which was incidentally found during endoscopy for work-up of chest discomfort and indigestion. On endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), the tumor was 2.6×1.9 cm in size, with a cystic lesion located in the submucosal and proper muscle layers and thick cystic wall. Therefore, it was highly likely to be a duplication cyst. As the patient had symptoms such as chest discomfort, surgical resection was performed. The tumor was finally diagnosed as a leiomyoma with cystic degeneration. Leiomyoma with cystic change that has similar EUS features to duplication cyst is rare. Thus, we report the case with a literature review.

Esophageal leiomyoma is a benign tumor that accounts for two-thirds of esophageal benign tumors. In general, patients with esophageal leiomyoma are asymptomatic; however, as the tumor grows in size, symptoms such as dysphagia, chest discomfort, obstruction, or bleeding can appear. A 65-year-old man visited our clinic to receive treatment for a subepithelial tumor in the lower esophagus, which was incidentally found during endoscopy for work-up of chest discomfort and indigestion. On endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), the tumor was 2.6×1.9 cm in size, with a cystic lesion located in the submucosal and proper muscle layers and thick cystic wall. Therefore, it was highly likely to be a duplication cyst. As the patient had symptoms such as chest discomfort, surgical resection was performed. The tumor was finally diagnosed as a leiomyoma with cystic degeneration. Leiomyoma with cystic change that has similar EUS features to duplication cyst is rare. Thus, we report the case with a literature review.

Esophageal duplication cyst is a rare congenital gastrointestinal malformation. It is the second most common duplication cyst following small bowel duplication cyst in the gastrointestinal tract. Patients with an esophageal duplication cyst are generally asymptomatic; however, some patients may present the following symptoms: dysphagia, chest pain, stridor, unproductive cough, and epigastric discomfort by compression of the surrounding structures. Surgical removal is the treatment of choice in symptomatic cases and can be considered in asymptomatic cases if they are at risk for developing complications, such as ulceration or perforation. Herein, we report a case of hemorrhage of an esophageal duplication cyst, which was improved by endoscopic drainage.
Chest Pain ; Cough ; Deglutition Disorders ; Drainage* ; Endosonography ; Esophagus ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Respiratory Sounds ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: Perigraft seroma and excessive fluid leaks are well known complications after the use of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene(ePTFE, Gore-Tex(R)) graft. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of precoating the grafts with fibrin glue in the patients underwent a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt. METHODS: Among 51 consecutive infants underwent modified Blalock-Taussig shunt between June 2000 and August 2003, 49 patients underwent 53 shunt procedures through thoracotomy were included for analysis. Their median age was 0.9 months(2 days-5.9 months), median body weight was 3.5(2.2-7.9) kg. The ePTFE grafts precoated with fibrin glue were used in 20 procedures. Perioperative variables of the precoated group were compared with those of a control group(n=33) using t-test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: There was no operative mortality in the both groups. No significant difference between the groups could be found in the preoperative variables, postoperative morbidity, and the incidence of perigraft seroma, which developed only in 1 case in the control group. The size of the grafts was significantly smaller in the precoated group(P<0.01). The total amount of pleural drainage per body weight of the precoated group was significantly less than that of the control group(19.7+/-25.2 versus 5.5+/-4.9 mL/kg; P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Precoating an ePTFE graft with fibrin glue may reduce perigraft leak after a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, although the impact of the size of the graft used and the native pulmonary artery requires further investigation.
Blalock-Taussig Procedure ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Body Weight ; Drainage ; Endoleak* ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Mortality ; Polytetrafluoroethylene* ; Postoperative Complications ; Pulmonary Artery ; Seroma ; Thoracotomy ; Tissue Adhesives ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Surgical correction needs to be considered when diaphragm eventration leads to impaired ventilation and respiratory muscle fatigue. Plication to sufficiently tense the diaphragm by VATS is not as easy to achieve as plication by open surgery. We used pneumatic compression with carbon dioxide (CO2) gas in thoracoscopic diaphragmatic plication and evaluated feasibility and efficacy. METHODS: Eleven patients underwent thoracoscopic diaphragmatic plication between January 2008 and December 2013 in Pusan National University Hospital. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, and compared between the group using CO₂ gas and group without using CO2 gas, for operative time, plication technique, duration of hospital stay, postoperative chest tube drainage, pulmonary spirometry, dyspnea score pre- and postoperation, and postoperative recurrence. RESULTS: The improvement of forced expiratory volume at 1 second in the group using CO₂ gas and the group not using CO₂ gas was 22.46±11.27 and 21.08±5.39 (p=0.84). The improvement of forced vital capacity 3 months after surgery was 16.74±10.18 (with CO₂) and 15.6±0.89 (without CO₂) (p=0.03). During follow-up (17±17 months), there was no dehiscence in plication site and relapse. No complications or hospital mortalities occurred. CONCLUSION: Thoracoscopic plication under single lung ventilation using CO₂ insufflation could be an effective, safe option to flatten the diaphragm.
Busan ; Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Chest Tubes ; Diaphragm ; Diaphragmatic Eventration ; Drainage ; Dyspnea ; Fatigue ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Insufflation ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Methods ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Operative Time ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Muscles ; Retrospective Studies ; Spirometry ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracoscopy ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; Ventilation ; Vital Capacity

With advancement of the technique of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), some surgeons have made great efforts to reduce the number of incisions in the conventional three- or four-port approach. Several studies on cases treated by single-incision VATS and their short-term outcomes were reported. Here, we present our experience with single-incision VATS for the treatment of benign mediastinal diseases.
Mediastinal Diseases ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted

BACKGROUND: The surgical treatment of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) can be complicated by fragile lung parenchyma. The preoperative prediction of air leakage could help prevent intraoperative lung injury during manipulation of the lung. Common sites of bulla development and ruptured bullae were investigated based on computed tomography (CT) and intraoperative findings. METHODS: The study enrolled 208 patients with SSP who underwent air leak control through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). We retrospectively reviewed the sites of bulla development on preoperative CT and the rupture sites during VATS. RESULTS: Of the 135 cases of right-sided SSP, the most common rupture site was the apical segment (31.9%), followed by the azygoesophageal recess (27.4%). Of the 75 cases on the left side, the most common rupture site was the apical segment (24.0%), followed by the anterior basal segment (17.3%). CONCLUSION: The azygoesophageal recess and parenchyma along the cardiac border were common sites of bulla development and rupture. Studies of respiratory lung motion to measure the pleural pressure at the lung surface could help to determine the relationship between cardiogenic and diaphragmatic movement and bulla formation or rupture.
Humans ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Pneumothorax* ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted

Malignant pleural mesothelioma(MPM) is an uncommon neoplasm which is originated from pleural mesothelial cells. The majority of MPM is associated with prior asbestos exposure. Patients often present with chest pain and dyspnea due to pleural effusion, which might be diagnosed with tuberculous pleurisy especially in Korea. MPM is well known for its poor prognosis with a median survival time of less than 12 months after diagnosis and no established standard treatment modality. We report 3 cases of MPM confirmed by video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy first misdiagnosed as tuberculous pleurisy.
Asbestos ; Biopsy ; Chest Pain ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Korea ; Mesothelioma* ; Pleural Effusion ; Prognosis ; Thoracoscopy ; Tuberculosis, Pleural*

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive interventional therapy has been performed for main bronchial obstruction by endobronchial tuberculosis because of the risk of main bronchial reconstruction regardless of the pulmonary function. But, effects of the interventional therapy are attacked by arguments. This study was aimed at interpreting the risk and effectiveness of bronchoplasty for benign bronchial stenosis over the last ten years in our hospital by reviewing the results based on clinical progression. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records and out-patient medical records including 21 consecutive patients who underwent main bronchial reconstruction for obstruction by endobronchial tuberculosis. All of them had past medical history of anti-tuberculosis medication. They were preoperatively evaluated by bronchoscopy and chest computed tomography. RESULT: There were no incidences of postoperative mortality and significant morbidity. There were 2 cases of retained secretions but these problems were resolved by therapeutic bronchoscopy or intubation. All of the patients are still alive without obstructive airway problem. CONCLUSION: Bronchoplasty should be considered as one of the primary treatment modalities, if it is anatomically feasible.
Bronchi* ; Bronchial Diseases ; Bronchoscopy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intubation ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Outpatients ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis*

BACKGROUND: The standard operative treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is thoracoscopic wedge resection, but necessity of pleurodesis still remains controversial. Nevertheless, pleural procedure after wedge resection such as pleurodesis has been performed in some patients who need an extremely low recurrence rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2000 to July 2010, 207 patients who had undergone thoracoscopic wedge resection and pleurodesis were enrolled in this study. All patients were divided into two groups according to the methods of pleurodesis; apical parietal pleurectomy (group A) and pleural abrasion (group B). The recurrence after surgery had been checked by reviewing medical record through follow-up in ambulatory care clinic or calling to the patients, directly until January 2011. RESULTS: Of the 207 patients, the recurrence rate of group A and B was 9.1% and 12.8%, respectively and there was a significant difference (p=0.01, Cox's proportional hazard model). There was no significant difference in age, gender, smoking status, and body mass index between two groups. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the risk of recurrence after surgery in PSP is significantly low in patients who underwent thoracoscopic wedge resection with parietal pleurectomy than pleural abrasion.
Ambulatory Care ; Body Mass Index ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Pleurodesis ; Pneumothorax ; Recurrence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Thoracoscopy