We report a rare case of rhabdomyosarcoma spontaneously arising in an anterior mediastinal teratoma in a 47-year-old male. The patient was found to have an anterior mediastinal mass on a chest X-ray, which was taken two months before his presentation to Asan Medical Center. A subsequent computed tomography scan revealed an 8.9x7.1x8.0 cm heterogeneous mass in the anterior mediastinum. He underwent an excision via median sternotomy. The histopathologic study identified a mature teratoma with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.
Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Mediastinum ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal ; Sternotomy ; Teratoma ; Thorax

Owing to varying clinical definitions of anastomotic stricture following esophageal reconstruction,its reported incidence rate varies from 10% to 56%. Strictures adversely impactpatients’ quality of life. Risk factors, such as the anastomosis method, leakage, ischemia,neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, and underlying disease have been mentioned, but conflictinginformation has been reported. Balloon dilation is regarded as a safe and effectivetreatment method for patients with benign anastomotic strictures. Reoperations are seldomrequired. The etiology and management of anastomotic strictures are reviewed inthis article.

Background: In the treatment of esophageal cancer, a gastric conduit is typically the first choice. However, when the stomach is not a viable option, the usual alternative is a colon conduit. This study compared the long-term surgical outcomes of gastric and colon conduits over the same interval and aimed to identify factors influencing the prognosis. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of patients who underwent esophagectomy followed by reconstruction for primary esophageal cancer between January 2006 and December 2020. Results: The study included 1,545 patients, with a gastric conduit used for 1,429 (92.5%) and a colon conduit for 116 (7.5%). Using propensity-matched analysis, 116 patients were selected from each group for comparison. No significant difference was observed in longterm survival between the gastric and colon conduit groups, irrespective of anastomosis level and pathological stage. A higher proportion of patients in the colon conduit group experienced postoperative complications compared to the gastric conduit group (57.8% vs. 25%, p<0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed that age over 65 years, body mass index below 22.0 kg/m 2 , neoadjuvant therapy, postoperative anastomotic leakage, and renal failure were risk factors for overall survival in patients with a colon conduit. Regarding conduit-related complications, cervical anastomosis was the only significant risk factor among those with a colon conduit. Conclusion Despite the association of colon conduits with high morbidity rates relative to gastric conduits, the long-term outcomes of colon conduits were acceptable. More consideration should be given perioperatively to the use of a colon conduit, particularly in cases involving cervical anastomosis.

BACKGROUND: Postpneumonectomy empyema(PPE) is an infrequent but potentially life-threatening complication. To date, various surgical efforts have been made to manage this complication. We reviewed our 20-year surgical experience of PPE and long-term follow-up data. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Total of 37 patients who were treated for PPE between Jan, 1980 and Jun, 2000 were included. Various clinical factors such as micro-organism, operative method and timing, presence of bronchopleural fistula(BPF), underlying disease and fate of empyema cavity were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. RESULT: Majority of patients(34) underwent Eloesser operation for effective drainage. There was only one operative mortality. The causative organisms were Staphylococcus species and Pseudomonas species in 46%. BPF was found in 20 cases, among which spontaneous closures took place in 4 cases. The chest wall was closed in 40%(8/20) of patients with BPF, compared to 59%(10/17) without BPF. The closure rate was statistically better in patients without BPF(p=0.006). Even though the patients with benign disease showed higher closure rate(50%) than those with lung cancer (31%), the difference was not significant(p=0.25). CONCLUSION: Eloesser procedure was an effective method for initial drainage of PPE cavity with low operative mortality. Given the findings of low spontaneous closure rate of BPF, aggressive approach to close the BPF is mandatory to achieve the final goal of chest wall closure. It was found that majority of patients still left their chest cavity opened, even after controlling the active inflammation of the empyema cavity. More aggnessive approach for chest wall closure is recommended in all patents with benign disease and in selective patients with lung cancer if there is no evidence of recurrence at several years after the initial operation.
Drainage ; Empyema* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mortality ; Pneumonectomy ; Pseudomonas ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax

Pulmonary artery sarcoma is a rare disease and hard to diagnose; therefore, suspicion is very important for the diagnosis and treatment. Surgical resection is almost always needed because of progressive right heart failure. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy are still controversial. We report a case of a 42-year-old man who had a right pulmonary arterial tumor. Curative resection was impossible because the tumor invaded the left pulmonary artery. Palliative endarterectomy was performed followed by radiation therapy. The patient refused the chemotherapy. Until the postoperative 6th month, the residual tumor was stable. However, 15 months later, follow-up chest computed tomography revealed a metastatic pulmonary nodule at left lower lobe and the increased residual tumor. The patient received chemotherapy with limited tumor response. The metastatic nodule and residual tumor did not increase but bone scan revealed a rib metastasis at postoperative 24 months. He will be receiving additional chemotherapy.
Adult ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Endarterectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Rare Diseases ; Ribs ; Sarcoma* ; Thorax ; Vascular Neoplasms

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are frequently observed on MRI in ischemic stroke patients as well as in normal elderly individuals. Besides the progression of WMH, the regression of WMH has been rarely reported. Thus, we aimed to investigate how WMH change over time in patients with ischemic stroke, particularly focusing on regression. METHODS: We enrolled ischemic stroke patients who underwent brain MRI more than twice with at least a 6 month time-interval. Based on T2-weighted or FLAIR MRI, WMH were visually assessed, followed by semiautomatic volume measurement. Progression or regression of WMH change was defined when 0.25 cc increase or decrease was observed and it was also combined with visible change. A statistical analysis was performed on the pattern of WMH change over time and factors associated with change. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were enrolled. Their age (mean+/-SD) was 67.5+/-11.8 years and 63 were male. The imaging time-interval (mean) was 28.0 months. WMH progressed in 27, regressed in 9 and progressed in distinctive regions and regressed in others in 5 patients. A multiple logistic regression model showed that age (odds ratio[OR] 2.51, 90% confidence interval[CI] 1.056-5.958), male gender (OR 2.957, 95% CI 1.051-9.037), large vessel disease (OR 1.955, 95% CI 1.171-3.366), and renal dysfunction (OR 2.900, 90% CI 1.045-8.046) were associated with progression. Regarding regression, no significant factor was found in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In 21.5% of ischemic stroke patients, regression of WMH was observed. WMH progression was observed in a third of ischemic stroke patients.
Aged ; Brain ; Humans ; Leukoaraiosis ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Stroke*

Extrauterine epithelioid trophoblastic tumors constitute an extremely rare gestational trophoblastic disease. We report the case of an extrauterine trophoblastic tumor that was incidentally detected in the left lung. Squamous cell carcinoma was suspected after microscopically examining the specimen obtained upon preoperative needle biopsy. After surgery, the tumor was confirmed by microscopic findings and immunohistochemical features.
Adult* ; Biopsy, Needle ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Female ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Trophoblastic Neoplasms* ; Trophoblasts*

We report a rare case of granular cell tumor arising in the left lower lobe (LLL) bronchus with secondary obstructive change in a 60-year-old male. The patient was found to have a nodule in the LLL on a computed tomography scan, three months prior to his presentation to the Asan Medical Center. Bronchoscopic biopsies revealed a granular cell tumor. After undergoing LLL lobectomy with bronchoplasty, the patient has not experienced any tumor recurrence.
Adult* ; Biopsy ; Bronchi* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Granular Cell Tumor* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: To identify the fracture configuration and treatment results for patients with triplane and Tillaux fractures in the ankle joint. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 14 patients with a more than one year follow-up. This study investigated the fracture configuration, concomitant fibula fracture, treatment methods and complications. The treatment outcomes were analyzed using modified Weber protocol. RESULTS: Among the 14 cases, 11 were triplane fractures and 3 were Tillaux fractures. Seven were two part triplane fractures, and 4 were three part triplane fractures. Eight were lateral triplane fractures, and 3 were medial triplane fractures. A fibula fracture was accompanied by 7. The fibular fracture comprised of oblique fractures in all cases. A closed and open reduction was performed in 6 and 8 cases, respectively. All but one showed excellent treatment outcomes at the final follow-up. Traumatic arthritis developed in 1 case. CONCLUSIONS: Precisely detecting the fracture configuration by computed tomography and understanding the injury mechanism have greatly improved the outcomes of triplane fractures and Tillaux fractures of the ankle in adolescent patients.
Adolescent ; Ankle Injuries/diagnosis/radiography/*surgery ; Arthroscopy ; Child ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Intra-Articular Fractures/diagnosis/radiography/*surgery ; Male ; Tibial Fractures/diagnosis/radiography/*surgery ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Carinal resection is technically demanding and the surgical risk is relatively high. When tumor is confined around the carina, then lung parenchymal sparing surgery is technically feasible in selected cases. We performed carinal resection and reconstruction without pulmonary resection for a patient suffering with squamous cell carcinoma that involved the carina and this patient had undergone right upper lobectomy 19 months previously due to lung cancer.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Stress, Psychological