Chang-Kwon Park

Azygos Vein Aneurysm - A Case for Elective Resection by Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery

An azygos vein aneurysm is a very rare cause of a posterior mediastinal mass. Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, no treatment is usually required. However, the aneurysm can thrombose, and this may lead pulmonary thromboembolism, or the aneurysm may rupture. In these instances, the excision of the mass is recommended. Video-assisted thoracic surgery techniques have considerably improved. If it is necessary to remove the aneurysm, video-assisted thoracic surgery may be a good option for surgical treatment. We report a case of an aneurysm of the azygos arch that was successfully resected by video-assisted thoracic surgery.

Immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing disease invading the trachea and superior vena cava in mediastinum

It is well known that immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related sclerosing disease usually occurs in the pancreas, bile duct and gall bladder, but not in the mediastinum, trachea or superior vena cava (SVC). In this case, a patient underwent mediastinal mass excision and trachea resection and repair for a mediastinal and intratracheal mass 15 years ago. This mass was diagnosed postoperatively as an inflammatory pseudotumour (plasma cell granuloma). Subsequently, a mass was found to have recurred in the SVC. We performed a mass excision and innominate vein to the right atrium auricle bypass operation. The mass was diagnosed as IgG4-related sclerosing disease. This patient is now disease and recurrence free.

Bronchogenic Cyst of the Right Hemidiaphragm Presenting with Pleural Effusion

Bronchogenic cysts are developmental foregut anomalies usually located within the mediastinum or lung parenchyma. An isolated bronchogenic cyst of the diaphragm is very rare. Our case was a 56-year-old female patient who presented with pleuritic chest pain in her right chest. Chest and abdominal computed tomography revealed a large lobulated cystic mass that was accompanied with pleural effusion in the right lower hemithorax. The tumor showed focally calcified areas in the wall and abutted against the diaphragm. We performed complete excision of the cyst including a portion of the diaphragm attached to it. The pathological diagnosis was established as the bronchogenic cyst originating from the diaphragm. We report this case with a review of the literature.

Clinical Characteristics and Management of Intrathoracic Bronchogenic Cysts: A Single Center Experience

Background The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics and management of intrathoracic bronchogenic cysts. Materials and Methods Twenty-four (n=24) patients with intrathoracic bronchogenic cysts were treated surgically between August 1990 and December 2009 at our institution. Patients were divided into two groups by bronchogenic cyst location: mediastinal or intrapulmonary. Symptoms at diagnosis, radiologic findings, locations, surgical methods, pathological findings, and surgical outcomes were investigated retrospectively from consecutive patient medical records. Results There were 12 females (50.0%). The mean age was 26.8 (range, 5 to 64) years. The mean follow-up period was 27.3 (range, 1 to 121) months. There were 15 (62.5%) mediastinal and 9 (37.5%) intrapulmonary bronchogenic cysts. Symptoms occurred in 8 patients with mediastinal bronchogenic cysts (53.3%) and 5 patients with intrapulmonary bronchogenic cysts (55.6%) (p=1.000). On computed tomography (CT), 7 patients (46.7%) showed homogenous solid masses in mediastinal bronchogenic cysts and five (55.6%) patients exhibited heterogeneous cystic masses with air-fluid levels in intrapulmonary bronchogenic cystic masses. Open thoracotomy was performed in 17 (70.8%) patients, and video-assisted thoracic surgery was performed in 7 (29.2%) patients. On pathological findings, there were 16 (66.7%) complicated cysts, and in 13 symptomatic patients, 11 (84.6%) patients had complicated cysts. There was no operative death in this study. During the follow-up period, no recurrence was detected. Conclusion Intrathoracic bronchogenic cysts have a wide variety of clinical characteristics and radiologic findings. Even though some patients do not experience symptoms and signs caused by bronchogenic cysts, serious symptoms and complications may develop with the passage of time.

The Management of Delayed Post-Pneumonectomy Broncho-Pleural Fistula and Esophago-Pleural Fistula

Broncho-pleural fistula (BPF) and esophago-pleural fistula (EPF) after pulmonary resection are challenging to manage. BPF is controlled by irrigation and sterilization, but such therapy is not sufficient to promote closure of EPF, which usually requires surgical management. However, it is generally difficult to select an appropriate surgical method for closure of BPF and EPF. Here, we report a case of concomitant BPF and EPF after left completion pneumonectomy, in which both fistulas were closed through a right thoracotomy.

Leiomyosarcoma of the Posterior Mediastinum Extending into the Adjacent Spinal Canal

Leiomyosarcoma of the mediastinum and primary leiomyosarcoma of the spine are exceedingly rare. In most cases, spinal leiomyosarcoma is metastatic. In this report, we describe the case of a 58-year-old man who presented with a large leiomyosarcoma of the posterior mediastinum that extended into the adjacent spinal canal. The tumor was completely resected from the mediastinum, but only subtotally removed from the spinal canal because the spinal mass had tightly invaded the spinal cord. Because the patients postoperative condition was poor, no adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy was administered. He expired 3 months after the surgery due to relapse; the spinal and mediastinal tumor remained at the preoperative size.

Development of a prognosis-prediction model incorporating genetic polymorphism with pathologic stage in stage I non-small cell lung cancer: A multicenter study

This multicenter study was performed to develop a prognosis‐prediction model incorporating genetic polymorphism with pathologic stage for surgically treated non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.