A 69-year-old male was admitted for dyspnea and chest pain. The patient had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery and tube thoracostomy three years ago. The chest radiograph showed pleural effusion, which was drained using a percutaneous catheter with CT guidance. However, residual pneumothorax was observed four days later. Despite insertion of the 12 Fr trocar-type tube, pneumothorax did not improve and air leaks were observed. Chest CT showed that the tube was placed in the left main bronchus. After removal of the tube, the patient recovered uneventfully from pulmonary hemorrhage and bronchial perforation without complications.
Aged ; Bronchi ; Catheters* ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Dyspnea ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; Male ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumothorax ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thoracostomy* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Transplants

A 67-year-old female presented to the emergency department with complaints of dyspnea and chest wall pain after a fall from a cultivator. Initial chest CT showed multiple left rib fractures, a loculated hematoma without active bleeding, and hemothorax. On the third day of admission, the chest X-ray showed an abrupt aggravation of haziness and the chest CT showed that the size of the hematoma had increased with active bleeding from the pulmonary artery. In cases of loculated hematomas adjacent to the hilum on CT scan, the diagnosis of pulmonary artery injury should be considered.
Aged ; Delayed Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Lung* ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Rib Fractures ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The shortage of available organ donors is a significant problem and various efforts have been made to avoid the loss of organ donors. Among these, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been introduced to help support and manage potential donors. Many traumatic brain injury patients have healthy organs that might be eligible for donation for transplantation. However, the condition of a donor with a fatal brain injury may rapidly deteriorate prior to brain death determination; this frequently results in the loss of eligible donors. Here, we report the use of venoarterial ECMO to support a potential donor with a fatal brain injury before brain death determination, and thereby preserve donor organs. The patient successfully donated his liver and kidneys after brain death determination.
Brain Death* ; Brain Injuries* ; Brain* ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Tissue and Organ Procurement ; Tissue Donors*

Twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence is a rare specific anomaly of twin gestation with fused placenta and umbilical anastomosis. This syndrome occurs once in about 34,600 births and reported first by Beneditti in 1533. We report on prenatal diagnosis of a case of TRAP sequence with color Doppler sonography, this case is presented with a brief review of the literature.
Humans ; Parturition ; Perfusion ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis*

A 48-year old man presented with left popliteal pain. A 2.2×1.6 cm sized saccular aneurysm at the level of the left popliteal fossa was diagnosed by ultrasonography. Tangential aneurysmectomy and popliteal vein repair was performed uneventfully. The patient fared well for a year without symptoms. Popliteal vein aneurysms are rare and typically found in patients with fatal thromboembolic features without warning symptoms. Fortunately, our patient had localized pain which was helpful in its early diagnosis and treatment.
Aneurysm* ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Popliteal Vein* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Spinal Fractures*

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive, treatment-resistant, and generally fatal disease. A 68-year-old male who was diagnosed with MPM at another hospital came to our hospital with dyspnea. We advised him to take combination chemotherapy but he refused to take the treatment. That was because he had already received chemotherapy with supportive care at another hospital but his condition worsened. Thus, we recommended photodynamic therapy (PDT) to deal with the dyspnea and MPM. After PDT, the dyspnea improved and the patient then decided to take the combination chemotherapy. Our patient received chemotherapy using pemetrexed/cisplatin. Afterwards, he received a single PDT treatment and then later took chemotherapy using gemcitabine/cisplatin. The patient showed a survival time of 27 months, which is longer than median survival time in advanced MPM patients. Further research and clinical trials are needed to demonstrate any synergistic effect between the combination chemotherapy and PDT.
Aged ; Drug Therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Male ; Mesothelioma* ; Photochemotherapy* ; Pleura

The shortage of available organ donors is a significant problem and various efforts have been made to avoid the loss of organ donors. Among these, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been introduced to help support and manage potential donors. Many traumatic brain injury patients have healthy organs that might be eligible for donation for transplantation. However, the condition of a donor with a fatal brain injury may rapidly deteriorate prior to brain death determination; this frequently results in the loss of eligible donors. Here, we report the use of venoarterial ECMO to support a potential donor with a fatal brain injury before brain death determination, and thereby preserve donor organs. The patient successfully donated his liver and kidneys after brain death determination.
Brain Death ; Brain Injuries ; Brain ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Tissue and Organ Procurement ; Tissue Donors

BACKGROUND: Maintenance of adequate vascular access for hemodialysis is important in patients with end-stage renal disease. Once arteriovenous fistula (AVF) occlusion occurs, the patient should be treated with rescue therapy. This study was performed to evaluate the results of a rescue therapy for AVF occlusion. METHODS: From January 2008 to December 2012, 47 patients who underwent surgical rescue therapy for AVF occlusion after graft AVF formation, were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups, namely the graft repair group (group A, n=19) and the thrombectomy group (group B, n=28). Postoperative results of both groups were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the clinical characteristics between the two groups. In terms of the duration of AVF patency after the first rescue therapy, group A showed a longer AVF patency duration than group B (24.5+/-21.9 months versus 17.7+/-13.6 months), but there was no statistically significant difference (p=0.310). In terms of the annual frequency of AVF occlusion after the rescue therapy of group A was lower than that of group B (0.59 versus 0.71), but there was no statistically significant difference (p=0.540). The AVF patency rates at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years after the first rescue therapy in group A were 52.6%, 31.5%, 21.0%, and 15.7%, respectively, and those in group B, they were 32.1%, 25.0%, 17.8%, and 7.14%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference (p=0.402). CONCLUSION: Graft repair revealed comparable results. Although there was no statistically significant difference, the patent duration and annual frequency of AVF occlusion of group A were better than those of group B. Therefore, graft repair is considered as a safe and useful procedure for maintaining graft AVF.
Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Psychotherapy, Group ; Renal Dialysis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombectomy ; Transplants*

BACKGROUND: Open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms was initiated by Dubost in 1952. Despite the rapid expansion of percutaneous endovascular repair, open surgical repair is still recognized for curative intent. We retrospectively analyzed surgical outcome, complications, and mortality-related factors for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms over a 6 year period. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We analyzed 18 patients who underwent surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysms between March 2002 and March 2008. The indications for surgery were rupture, a maximal aortic diameter >60 mm, medically intractable hypertension, or pain. RESULT: The mean age was 66.6+/-9.3 years (range, 49~81 years). Twelve patients (66.7%) were males and 6 patients were females. Extension of the aneurysm superior to the renal artery existed in 6 patients (33.3%), and extension to the iliac artery existed in 13 patients (72.2%). Five patients (27.8%) had ruptured aortic aneurysms. The mean maximal diameter of the aorta was 72.2+/-12.9 mm (range, 58~109 mm). Surgery was performed by a midline laparotomy, and 6 patients underwent emergency surgery. The mean total ischemic time from aorta clamping to revascularization was 82+/-42 minutes (range, 35~180 minutes). The mortality rate was 16.7%; the mortality rate for patients with ruptured aneurysms was 60%, and the mortality rate for patients with unruptured aneurysms was 0%. The postoperative complications included one each of renal failure, femoral artery and vein occlusion, and wound infection. The patients who were discharged had a long-term survival of 34+/-26 months (range, 4~90 months). Rupture and emergency surgery had a statistically significant mortality-related factor (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Emergency surgery for ruptured aortic aneurysms continues to have a high mortality, but unruptured cases are repaired with relative safety. Successfully operated patients had long-term survival. Even though endovascular aortic repair is the trend for abdominal aortic aneurysms, aggressive application should be determined with care. Experience and systemic support of each center is important in the treatment plan
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Aortic Rupture ; Constriction ; Emergencies ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Iliac Artery ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; Renal Artery ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Veins ; Wound Infection