• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2012

Background: A lung bulla may rarely shrink as a result of an inflammation within the bulla or a closing of a bronchus involved in the inflammation process, which is termed 'autobullectomy'. The purpose of this study was to describe clinical features of patients with regressions of bullae during follow-up. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the cases and individuals who showed unequivocal evidence of interval regressions in a pre-existing bulla. A total of 477 cases with a bulla >5 cm in diameter were screened manually. Thirty cases with bullae that showed regression during follow-up were selected. Results: Regressions of large bullae occurred in 30 of 477 cases (6.3%). The median age of those patients was 61 (range, 53~66) years and 87% of those patients were men. The main cause of a bulla was emphysema (80%). Among 30 cases, 16 cases had pneumonia in the lung parenchyma of the peribullous area. Another 7 cases had a regressed bulla accompanied by an air-fluid level within the bulla. The remaining 7 cases showed a spontaneous regression of the bulla without such events. Complete regression of a bulla occurred in 25 cases. A follow-up chest-X ray showed that in all cases except one, the bulla remained in a collapsed state after 24 months. Forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$) improved in 3 cases and the other 2 cases had increased forced vital capacity (FVC). In addition, total lung capacity (TLC) and residual volume (RV) decreased in another 2 cases. Conclusion: Regression of a lung bulla occurred not only after pneumonia or the presence of air-fluid level within the bulla, but also without such episodes. The clinical course of regression of a lung bulla varied. After regression of a bulla, lung function could be improved in some cases.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.176-181
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• 2008

Fluid accumulation within the tympanic bulla is an important diagnostic indicator of canine otitis media although its identification can be a challenge using currently available imaging techniques. The purpose of this study was to compare radiography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the identification of fluid accumulation within canine tympanic bulla. Unilateral tympanic bulla in 10 beagles were experimentally filled with blood or saline. Quantitative analysis of CT images were obtained by using Hounsfield unit (HU). MR signal intensity was obtained by using region of interesting (ROI) and compared with those of gray matter. On the CT image, the presence of blood or saline produced a fluid opacity occupying the tympanic bulla. On the MR image, the appearance of blood in the tympanic bulla was isointense in T1-weighted images and hyperintense in T2-weighted images. However, the appearance of saline in the tympanic bulla was hypointense in T1-weighted images and hyperintense in T2-weighted images. This study suggest that CT and MR imaging are useful methods for detection and differentiation of fluid in canine tympanic bulla.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.455-460
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• 1996

In general, a bulla of the lung is large, air contained sac and it is more than 1cm in diameter, and its wall is well defined and less than 2mm thick. The natural course of bulla of the lung is said to follow a pattern of progressive deterioration. It is a progressive disease, and spontaneous resolution of bulla is very unusual. In the world only two cases of spontaneous resolution of bulla have been reported. We experienced a case of bullous lung disease complicated from miliary tuberculosis in which the bulla was disappeared spontaneously following bulla infection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.383-387
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• 1999

Background: We analysed simple chest PA and high-resolution CT findings in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax in order to help selecting the kind of treatment, provide a guidline during surgical treatment, and to recognize the bulla which may not be detected by simple radiographs or may be a potential cause of recurrence. Material and Method: We retrospectively analysed the presence and number of bulla in each side, combined pulmonary disease on simple chest films and high-resolution CT, and methods and frequency of the treatment in 70 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax excluing traumatic origin. Result: 45 patients were revealed primary spontaneous pneumothorax, and the remaining 25 patients were revealed secondary spontaneous pneumothorax. All secondary spontaneous pneumothorax were from the longstanding sequelle of pulmonary tuberculosis. The patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax group was younger(mean:26.0 years old) than secondary group (mean: 44.1 years old). On simple radiography, bulla was detected in 16 patients(30.2%). On HRCT, the bulla was detected in 53 patients(75.7%) of the total 70 patients. In 48 patients(68.6%), the bulla or bleb was noted in ipsilateral side to the pneumothorax, and 34 patients(48.6%) of them showed bulla or bleb bilaterally. 39 patients(55.7%) showed bulla or bleb in contralateral side. The number of bulla or bleb was variable. In secondary spontaneous pneumothorax group, the incidence of multiple(more than 10) bulla or bleb was higher than primary type. Most of the patients were treated by thoracostomy(36 patients) or bullectomy( 7 patients). Conclusion: HRCT was superior to detect bulla and analyse the combined pulmonary disease than simple radiography. Therefore, HRCT can help to determine the mothod of treatment, provide a guidline during surgical treatment, and notify the bulla as a possible cause of recurrent pneumothorax.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.408-411
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• 2021

Tuberculosis (TB)-infected giant bullae are rare. A 55-year-old man was referred when an infected bulla did not respond to empirical treatment. Computed tomography showed a giant bulla in the right upper lobe with an air-fluid level and surrounding infiltrate. Sputum culture, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for TB were negative. Percutaneous drainage of the bullous fluid was performed. AFB stain and PCR were positive in the drained fluid. The patient was given anti-TB drugs and later underwent obliteration of the pulmonary cavity using talc. To summarize, we report a patient with a TB-infected giant bulla that was treated successfully with anti-TB drugs and obliteration of the pulmonary cavity using talc.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.216-219
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• 2023

Pulmonary bullae usually grow slowly and have thin walls. However, we have observed 2 cases of abrupt bulla formation immediately after lobectomy and during surgery. The pathologic findings of what can be called visceral pleural detachment are quite distinctive: these bullae had a broad base connected to the lung, and their walls were thick, including the full extent of visceral pleural and peripheral alveolar tissues, which suggests that the visceral pleura were detached from the distal alveoli. High transpleural pressure might be the key factor in the pathogenesis of this type of bulla, unlike previously known types of bullous lung disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.44-46
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• 1993

There are several methods for managing pneumothorax through thoracoscope. Among them, electric cautery of bleb or bulla is very simple to do and can be done through the conventional thoracoscope. It is cosmetically excellent because it needs only incision. It is economically cheap comparing other methods because it does not need staplers or clips and other disposables. However, this method has been controversial for its success rate because of the ability of sealing off the air-leaking from the lung tissue. To evaluate the success rate, 29 cases of pneumothorax treated by electric cautery and instillation of oxytetracyline solution through the thoracoscope were analyzed. Among 29 patients, 18 were male and 11 female ranging 17 to 43 years old. The indications for thoracoscopy were recurrence in 20 cases and persistence in 9 cases. The underlying casuses of pneumothorax were bleb in 10 cases and bulla with bleb or not in 19 cases. Twenty one cases were successful [4%] and 8 cases were failed. The failed 8 cases were explored from 14 to 28 days after thoracoscopy.Six cases were explored through transaxillary minithoracotomy and 2 were done through limited posterolateral thoracotomy. The causes of failure were the necrotic lung tissue occured by excessive electric cautery in 6 cases and the necrotic lung tissue and residual bulla in two cases. In 10 bleb cases, 9 were successful [90.0%]. But in 19 cases of bulla, 12 were successful [63.2%]. In conclusion, the success rate of electric cautery through thoracoscope was 72. 4% and the causes of failure were lung necrosis and residual bulla. The success rate of the bleb cases was higher than that of the bulla cases.

• Kosin Medical Journal
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.409-414
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• 2018

Giant pulmonary bulla (GPB) is a rare manifestation of emphysema and usually enlarges gradually over time, occasionally resulting in complications. Hence, more often than not, the surgical intervention of a Bullectomy is the standard method of treatment for GPB. However, there are case reports that show the complete resolution of GPB after its inflammation process even without surgical intervention. A 51-year-old man was admitted to our clinic due to pleuritic pain. After a chest X-ray and CT scan, a new air-fluid level within the GPB was revealed in the right upper lobe of his lung. His clinical status had improved promptly with intravenous antibiotics. A one-year follow-up study showed the GPB was completely resolved.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.97-101
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• 2004

This study was aimed for ultrasonographic assessment of the tympanic membrane and the tympanic bulla in five healthy Beagle dogs. To improve an ultrasonographic image, the ear canal was filled with warm saline, and an 11 MHz linear probe and a 6.5 MHz convex probe were used. The structures of ear component such as ear canal, ear cartilage and tympanic membrane were easily identified. Especially, tympanic membrane was presented as a reflaction surface which was resulted from the different acoustic impedence between the fluid-filled anechoic ear canal and the gas-filled hyperechoic tympanic cavity in normal dogs. In five left-side ears, the saline was infused into the external ear canal after the tympanic membrane had been ruptured experimentally. Both anechoic fluid-filled ear canal and tympanic cavity were clearly identified. In five right-side ears, the surgically fluid-filled tympanic cavity was imaged as a hypoechoic oval shaped structure. When tympanic cavity and ear canal have been contained with fluid, it was difficult to identify whether the tympanic membrane was ruptured or not. For assessment of the ear structure with ultrasonography, the 11 MHz linear probe was considered as an optimal equipment for a serial assessment of ear canal, tympanic membrane and tympanic bulla whereas the 6.5 MHz convex probe was suitable to assess the tympanic cavity. The results suggest that ultrasonography with saline infusion into the ear canal can be used to find the intactness of the tympanic membrane and to assess the fluid- filld tympanic bulla.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.305-307
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• 2017

Patients with severe emphysema have a higher risk of developing lung cancer, and their surgical risk increases when emphysema is accompanied by a giant bulla. Here, we describe a patient who had an emphysematous giant bulla in the right upper lobe that was treated with an endobronchial valve placement. Subsequently, a cancerous lesion on the contralateral lung was successfully removed by lobectomy.