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

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: 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