[Prediction of the need for mechanical ventilation after transsternal thymectomy in patients with myasthenia gravis].

Between June 1992 and May 2000, transsternal extended thymectomy was performed for 70 patients with myasthenia gravis in our hospital. We were able to evaluate 64 of them in terms of prediction of the need for postoperative mechanical ventilation using the score systems reported by Leventhal et al., Kimura et al.

[The analysis of surgically treated pulmonary tuberculosis].

Between January 1990 and December 1999, thirteen patients with pulmonary tuberculosis underwent surgical management in our hospital. The purpose of surgery was classified into three groups: drug-resistant or persistent disease (7 patients), hemoptysis (3), and the others. We have no operative death, but have two late deaths due to postoperative persistent positive sputum and progressive tuberculosis infection.

[A resected case of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma].

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare lung cancer and it has a poor prognosis. We describe our experience with a patient in whom LCNEC was diagnosed. 38-year-old woman who complained of a cough and low grade fever up was admitted to our hospital.

[Postoperative interstitial pneumonia: 2 cases after lobectomy].

Two patients with postoperative interstitial pneumonia are reported. Preoperative diagnosis was primary lung cancer without idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). Within one week after operation acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) occurred on the nonoperated side and developed.

[Surgical management of pulmonary disease due to nontuberculous mycobacteria].

Between 1983 and 1998, 9 patients with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM) underwent pulmonary resection. 8 patients were men and 1 was woman. Mean length of preoperative period was 20.

[Evaluation on the clinical background on early death in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis during the past five years].

We evaluated the clinical background of early death (within 3 months after admission to our hospital) in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis during the past five years (1992-1996). Among 65 active pulmonary tuberculosis patients who died during the past five years, 32 (49%) died directly of tuberculosis. Thirteen (41%) of those 32 patients died of acute respiratory failure and 9 patients (28%) died in emacitation state.