[Low body mass index and exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)].

This study examined retrospectively the relationships between body weight and exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Seventeen patients with a %FEV1 less than 55% (mean +/- SD 36% +/- 8.8%) and minimum body weights of the body mass index (BMI) less than 20 (17.

[Mycobacterial infection within a pulmonary bulla].

The patient was a 31-year-old man. Chest X-ray films and computed tomographic (CT) scans disclosed fluid retention within an 11-cm diameter pulmonary bulla that had been detected in the upper lobe of his left lung 1 year earlier. CT films also disclosed a 1.

[Clinical investigation of pulmonary tuberculomas diagnosed by video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy].

We investigated the clinical characteristics of pulmonary tuberculomas and discussed strategies for their diagnosis. We compared a group of patients with lesions that had been diagnosed by bronchoscopy (the BF group: 15 patients, 17 lesions) with a group whose lesions had been diagnosed by thoracoscopy (the VATS group: 19 patients, 20 lesions). The VATS group included patients with lesions that could not be diagnosed by bronchoscopy alone.

[Relationship between diabetes mellitus-associated obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and hyperinsulinemia].

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of sleep disordered breathing and background factors, especially hyperinsulinemia, in diabetic patients. The subjects were 70 patients randomly selected from 143 noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients hospitalized for educational purposes. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) was diagnosed in 13 subjects, equivalent to a prevalence of 18.

[Intrapulmonary hematoma surrounding the stapled line after video-assisted thoracoscopic bullectomy for spontaneous pneumothorax].

A 52-year-old man presented at our hospital with hemoptysis three months after undergoing a video-assisted thoracoscopic bullectomy for spontaneous pneumothorax. A chest X-ray showed a localized infiltrative shadow in the right upper lobe of the lung. The chest CT findings revealed a mass-like lesion surrounding the staple which had been used during the bullectomy.

[Bronchial dilatation due to broncholithiasis mimicking lung abscess].

A 61-year-old man who had been treated for pneumonia several times was examined because radiographs and computed tomograms disclosed a mass-like shadow associated with a cavity in the left lingular segment. The lesion was resected by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery because it was suspected of being a lung abscess that had caused repeated episodes of inflammation. The resected specimen revealed a severely dilated peripheral bronchus due to broncholithiasis.

Serum surfactant protein A levels in healthy individuals are increased in smokers.

Serum levels of surfactant protein A (SP-A) were studied in 237 healthy subjects in relation to sex, age, and smoking habits. SP-A values in male smokers were significantly higher than those in male nonsmokers (p < 0.001).

[A case of pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma diagnosed by video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy].

A regular annual physical checkup for a 46-year-old man revealed multiple small nodules, which were less than 1 cm in diameter, in both lungs. Metastatic lung tumors were suspected, but no primary lesion was found in the general examination. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) diagnosed multiple pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (PEH), so no treatment was performed.

Limited axillary thoracotomy vs video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for spontaneous pneumothorax.

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been reported to have a higher pneumothorax recurrence rate than limited axillary thoracotomy (LAT). We investigated the cause of pneumothorax recurrence after VATS by comparing surgical results for VATS and LAT.

Methods: Ninety-five patients with spontaneous pneumothorax underwent resection of pulmonary bullae by VATS (n = 51) or LAT (n = 44).

Fatal alveolar hemorrhage in a patient with mixed connective tissue disease presenting polymyositis features.

A 22-year-old female with Raynaud's phenomenon, swollen hands and a high titer of anti-RNP antibodies developed fever and myositis. Prednisolone (40 mg/day) was considered effective for myositis since circulating myogenic enzymes rapidly decreased. However, she suddenly developed respiratory distress with bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and bloody sputum.

Lung adenocarcinomas diagnosed by open lung or thoracoscopic vs bronchoscopic biopsy.

Study Objectives: To examine the characteristics of peripheral lung adenocarcinomas diagnosed by open lung or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) biopsy.

Design: We used retrospective analysis to compare tumor stage, pleural involvement, central tumor fibrosis, and the number of bronchi or vessels involved with tumors of small peripheral lung adenocarcinomas diagnosed by bronchoscopic biopsy.

Patients: Subjects had lung adenocarcinomas diagnosed by open lung or VATS (n=22) and those diagnosed by bronchoscopic biopsy (n=22), which were matched by tumor size.

[Usefulness of marking with colored collagen to localize small pulmonary nodules for thoracoscopic biopsy].

We examined the usefulness of marking with colored collagen to localize small pulmonary nodules (less than 10 mm in diameter) for thoracoscopy. Before using colored collagen, 2 of 6 lesions (33%) could be localized. It was possible to localize 14 of 15 lesions (93%) for thoracoscopy after marking with colored collagen, a percentage that is significantly higher than localization without such marking (P < 0.

Contacting metastasis of a fibrous tumor of the pleura.

A 26-year-old female with a fibrous tumor of the pleura that metastasized to the other site of the pleura due to contact is reported. The primary lesion was a 6-cm pedunculated tumor originating from the diaphragm; the metastasis was a broad-based 1-cm tumor located on the parietal pleura of the lateral thoracic wall, within an area in contact with the primary tumor. The surrounding pleura around the small tumor and the diaphragm-the area that contacted the large tumor-was resected with both of the tumors under a thorascope.

Opening of infectious giant bulla with use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

In 5 cases, an infectious giant bulla was opened with the use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Because all bullae adhered to the thoracic wall and were noncommunicating with the airway, they were opened without complete resection, leaving their inside walls at the lung and lateral walls on the thoracic wall. The expansion of remnant lung was excellent, and postoperative air leakage did not occur in any case.

[Long-term survival after multimodal therapy for lung cancer with pleural dissemination].

A 56-year-old man with peripheral T1N0M0 lung cancer underwent thoracotomy. Pleural dissemination was recognized intraoperatively. We performed wedge resection of the lung including the primary tumor, and applied hypotonic cisplatin treatment.

[A case of mediastinal ganglioneuroma in an elderly patient].

A 64-year-old woman was found to have a posterior mediastinal mass. X-ray findings revealed a neurogenic tumor, i.e.

Non-serratus-sparing antero-axillary thoracotomy with disconnection of anterior rib cartilage. Improvement in postoperative pulmonary function and pain in comparison to posterolateral thoracotomy.

To examine the usefulness of non-serratus-sparing antero-axillary thoracotomy (AAT) with disconnection of anterior rib cartilage for curative resection of lung cancer, we used retrospective analysis to compare mortality, morbidity, hospital stay, time for thoracic opening, postoperative pulmonary function, and chest pain between AAT and posterolateral thoracotomy (PLT). Subjects were 50 lung cancer patients who underwent lobectomy via AAT (n = 25) or PLT (n = 25), who were matched by sex and age. Chest pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale, a McGill pain questionnaire, and analgesic requirements up to 6 months after surgery.

[Exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia after lobectomy for lung cancer].

A 51-year-old man was found to have cancer in the left lung during treatment for idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. He underwent a left upper lobectomy because pulmonary function was judged to be adequate and because the interstitial pneumonia was not severe. After the operation, acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia occurred, and respiratory failure developed.

[Use of an expandable metallic stent in patients with superior vena cava syndrome--comparison of angiographic findings and autopsy findings].

To evaluate the usefulness of expandable metallic stens (EMS) in patients with superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome, we compared venographic findings obtained before EMS insertion with findings at autopsy. Stents were inserted into the SVC in 10 patients. An autopsy was done in 7 of the 10 patients.

[A case of tracheal stenosis caused by invasion of recurrent lung cancer palliated with dumon stent after Nd-YAG laser and bouginage using of tracheal tube].

The patient was 67 year-old male with tracheal stenosis caused by invasion of recurrent lung cancer after right upper sleeve lobectomy. He visited to our hospital for the purpose of palliation with tracheal stent. But rigid bronchoscope cannot be passed through its lesion because of severe stenosis.

[A case of bronchogenic carcinoma associated with pulmonary infarction which showed a tumorous shadow].

The patient was 69-year-old male with bronchogenic carcinoma associated with another abnormal shadow in the same left lower lobe. Its shadow was considered whether obstructive pneumonia or intrapulmonary metastasis before thoracotomy. Pathological examination revealed that this lesion was pulmonary infarction.

Respiratory muscle strength after lung resection with special reference to age and procedures of thoracotomy.

Changes in respiratory muscle strength after lung resection were examined concerning age and procedures of thoracotomy. Maximum inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) mouth pressure were measured before operation and 1, 2, 4, and 12 weeks after operation in 81 patients undergoing lung resection. In 48 patients undergoing pneumonectomy, lobectomy, or segmentectomy, patients older than 70 showed a significantly lower MIP and MEP before operation and throughout the postoperative period compared to younger ones (P < 0.

[Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung associated with palmo-plantar hyperkeratosis].

Palmo-plantar hyperkeratosis (PPH) is a diffuse keratoderma of the palms and soles that has been reported to be associated with internal malignancies such as lung and esophageal carcinomas. When PPH is associated with malignancy the prognosis is poor. The present patient was a 48-year-old man with PPH who suffered from squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

MR appearance of pulmonary metastatic calcification.

We report a case of metastatic pulmonary calcification that showed hyperintense signal on T1-weighted MRI. This uncommon MR appearance of calcification is similar to the MR characteristics of calcification in the brain due to abnormal calcium metabolism.

Comparison of carboplatin/etoposide/vincristine with cisplatin/etoposide as combination chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer.

We compared the efficacy and toxicity of the CEV regimen (carboplatin at 300 mg/m2 on day 1, etoposide at 100 mg/body on days 1 to 3, and vincristine at 1 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8) with the PVP regimen (cisplatin at 80 mg/m2 on day 1 and etoposide at 100 mg/body on days 1 to 3) in patients with untreated small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Of the 13 patients treated with the PVP regimen, two achieved complete response (CR, 15.4%) and eight partial response (RP, 61.