Clinical photodynamic therapy was introduced in the 1970s and has been shown to be an effective treatment modality in a variety of fields in oncology. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a local therapy such as radiation and surgery, which involves the photosensitization of neoplastic cells and tissues with porphyrins or related structures that catalyze, upon irradiation by laser, formation of reactive oxygen species. A photosensitizing agent is administered to the patient and after a period of 24-72 h when the concentration of the photosensitizer is maximized in tumor tissue compared with normal tissue, and then the neoplastic mass is exposed to the laser light, which initiates the necrotic process. Despite the ability of PDT to destroy the tumor selectively, it has not been applied widely due to the lack of understanding of its therapeutic mechanism and clinical experiences as well as some limitations of currently available photosensitizers. Nowadays, the number of scientific articles on PDT, regarding clinical applications as well as basic science, made its application increasing. In one of the most suitable indications, lung cancer, PDT is a minimally invasive therapeutic option for the treatment of early cancer in airway and palliation for the endobronchial obstruction from central lung cancer. In esophageal cancer, PDT can also be applied to treat in early stage without muscle invasion or remnant cancer after endoscopic mucosal resection. Besides, PDT can be applied as a part of combined modality such as a neoadjuvant or adjuvant PDT. With the advances of new sensitizers and energy delivery system, clinical application of PDT will expand in near future. This review article will focus on the basic mechanism and the clinical investigations of PDT for the clinicians.
Esophageal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Photochemotherapy* ; Photosensitivity Disorders ; Photosensitizing Agents ; Porphyrins ; Reactive Oxygen Species

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

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) as potential therapeutic agents of acute lung injury, we analyzed the morphology in vivo of the pulmonary microstructure using intravital videomicroscopy in a rat model of acute lung injury. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups: a control group that underwent normal saline aspiration, an acute lung injury (ALI) group that underwent hydrochloric acid aspiration, and three treatment groups that underwent hydrochloric acid aspiration and were administered therapeutic agents- the S1P group, the NO group, and the S1P+NO group (n=7 per group). To quantify alveolar compliance and interstitial edema, the diameters of all measurable alveoli and interalveolar septa were averaged at one and two hours after aspiration. Alveolar compliance was determined according to diameter changes during the respiratory cycle and the change in tidal volume. RESULT: At two hours after aspiration, the mean alveolar compliance (% change) in the ALI group decreased significantly versus the control group of rats (respiratory cycle: 1.9% for the ALI group vs 6.5% for the control group, p=0.03; tidal volume: 3.2% for the ALI group vs 9.1% for the control group, p=0.003) and versus the NO group (tidal volume: 3.2% for the ALI group vs 16.9% for the NO group, p=0.001). At two hours after aspiration, the mean interalveolar septal thickness in the NO group tended to be smaller as compared to that in the ALI group (15.2micrometer for the ALI group vs 12.3micrometer for the NO group, p=0.06). S1P did not exert a significant effect on the pulmonary microstructure of the injured rat lung. CONCLUSION: Improved alveolar compliance and reduced interstitial edema, observed by intravital videomicroscopy, suggest that inhaled NO ameliorates lung injury.
Acute Lung Injury ; Animals ; Compliance ; Edema ; Hydrochloric Acid ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Lysophospholipids ; Microscopy, Video ; Nitric Oxide ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sphingosine ; Tidal Volume

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) is a rare entity, characterized by the occurrence of multiple smooth muscle nodules in the lung with histologically benign leiomyoma. Both the uterine and pulmonary tumors have been found to express estrogen and progesterone receptors, which suggest that the pulmonary lesions represented metastases from leiomyoma. We experienced a 41-year-old female patient with BML and report here with the literature review.
Adult ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Metastasectomy ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Receptors, Progesterone

Recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax associated with menstrual cycle was described first by Maurer in 1958. Lilington and colleague established the term 'catamenial pneumothorax' and reported 5 patients in 1972. Catamenial pneumothorax is defined as recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax occurring within 72 hours before or after the onset of menstruation, but the pathophysiology is not clearly understood. We report a recent experience of 37 years-old woman with catamenial pneumothorax, who was treated by thoracoscopic surgery.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation ; Pneumothorax* ; Thoracoscopy*

BACKGROUND: Protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury is crucial for successful transplantation of the lung. It has been known that nitric oxide has many favorable effects on the donor lungs but at the same time, has some potential side effects of cytotoxicity. In this regards, we investigated whether the administration of nitroglycerin could decrease ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated rat lung reperfusion model for the confirmation of the effect of nitroglycerin, a donor of nitric oxide, on lung transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 35 Sprague-Dawley species male white rats were used for this experiment. For nitroglycerin group (n=18), nitroglycerin was administered intravenously followed by mixed in flushing solution for preservation. As a control group (n=17), we used the same amount of normal saline. To evaluate the effect of nitroglycerin on the lung, heart-lung block was obtained, weighed and stored in University of Wisconsin Solution at 10oC for 24 hours. In each group of the isolated lungs, reperfusion was carried out with Krebs-Hensleit-diluted human blood for 60 minutes. As parameters of the state of the isolated lung, peak inspiratory and pulmonary arterial pressures were continuously recorded. Oxygen and carbon dioxide tension of reperfusing blood were measured before and after 30, 60 minutes of reperfusion. After sixty minutes of reperfusion, protein content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was measured also for the evaluation of the degree of alveolar flooding. Lung myeloperoxidase activity was determined to verify the accumulation of neutrophils. RESULTS: Although statistically significant differences were not noted in peak inspiratory and pulmonary arterial pressure between control and nitroglycerin group, latter group showed lowering tendency of pulmonary arterial pressure during the entire reperfusion period. Oxygen tension was higher (p<0.05) in nitroglycerin group compared with that of the control group, in contrast, there were no differences in carbon dioxide tension, protein content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and myeloperoxidase activity between the groups. In the examination of ultrastructural changes, nitroglycerin denoted the protective effect on the pulmonary architecture compared with that of control group. CONCLUSION: Collectively, on the bases of these experimental results, prior treatment of donor lung with nitroglycerin could result in better preservation of the lung. Consequently, these nitroglycerin preserved lungs are thought to be more suitable for successful transplantation of the lung.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Carbon Dioxide ; Flushing ; Humans ; Lung Transplantation ; Lung* ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitroglycerin* ; Organ Preservation ; Oxygen ; Peroxidase ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; Tissue Donors ; Wisconsin

The operation for esophageal cancer is both complex and challenging, and may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality compared to other oncologic surgeries. Minimally invasive surgeries have been applied on various kinds of surgery to enhance better recovery with minimal surgical complications. But for the esophageal cancer, it has not been actively applied yet. With improvement in instrumentations and increasing experience with endoscopic surgical techniques, minimally invasive surgical approaches to esophageal cancer are being explored to determine feasibility, results and potential advantages. We experienced eight cases of minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer and report here focusing on surgical techniques and tips.
Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Laparoscopy ; Mortality ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive* ; Thoracoscopy

Esophageal perforation is relatively uncommon but it often cause fatal if not properly treated, and it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We report here on two cases of esophageal perforation caused by Boerhaave syndrome or pneumatic dilatation for treating achalasia. The patients were successfully treated with thoracoscopic primary repair and esophagomyotomy.
Dilatation ; Esophageal Achalasia* ; Esophageal Diseases ; Esophageal Perforation* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Thoracoscopy*

No abstract available.
Thoracoscopy*

BACKGROUND: The various pathogeneses of acute respiratory distress syndrome have been suggested but not established yet. In the present study, the role of group II phospholipase A2(PLA2) in the pathogenesis of gut ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) induced acute lung injury (ALI), especially in the pulmonary oxidative stress with infiltration of neutrophils was investigated. MATERIAL AND METHOD: To induce ALI, reperfusion of mesentery was done for 120 min after clamping of superior mesenteric artery for 60 min in Sprague-Dawley rats that weighed about 300g. To exmaine the role of group II PLA2 in ALI, especially endothelial injury associated with the action of neutrophils, lung myeloperoxidase activity, lung leak index, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid protein were measured, and pulmonary PLA2 activity changes in gut I/R were also measured. The role of group II PLA2 in the neutrophilic generation of free radicals was assessed by inhibiting group II PLA2 with rutin, manoalide and scalaradial. Furthermore, to verify the oxidative stress in the lung, histologic and free radical detecting cytochemical electron microscopy were done. RESULT: After reperfusion, ALI was developed with accumulation of neutrophils in the lung, which was confirmed by the increase of myeloperoxidase activity, lung leak index and bronchoalveolar lavage protein (p<0.001). The pulmonary and intestinal group II PLA2 activities significantly increased after gut I/R which were reversed by rutin(p<0.001). In vitro, cytochrome-c reduction assay denoted the inhibitory effects of rutin, scalaradial and manoalide on the production of free radicals from isolated human neutrophils. Histologically, neutrophilic accumulation and pericapillary edema in the lung after gut I/R was detected by light microscopy which was suppressed by rutin. In CeCl3 cytochemical electron microscopy, the increased production of hydrogen peroxide in the lung after gut I/R was confirmed and also the production of hydrogen peroxide was decreased by rutin. CONCLUSION: On the basis of these experimental results, the inhibition of group II PLA2 seemed to mitigate gut I/R-induced ALI by suppressing the production of free radicals from the infiltrated neutrophils. Collectively, group II PLA2 seems to play a crucial role in gut I/R-induced ALI by neutrophilic oxidative.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Constriction ; Edema ; Free Radicals ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Lung ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Mesentery ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Neutrophils ; Oxidative Stress* ; Peroxidase ; Phospholipases A2* ; Phospholipases* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Rutin