A 62-year-old male was admitted to our hospital for operation for Aspergillus empyema with a fungus ball in the right upper lobe. We performed a right upper lobectomy and decortication of the middle and lower lobes through a standard posterolateral thoracotomy with dissection of the latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior muscles, in October 2000. Twenty-one days postoperatively (POD), he develo...

Studies of the activity of accessory respiratory muscles were conducted in 30 normal subjects (15 male and 15 female subjects, age 5 to 62 years). Electromyograms were recorded over the right serratus anterior muscle and the adjacent sixthe intercostal space, and the results were correlated with tidal volume. Phasic respiratory activity in the serratus anterior muscle was detected in every subj...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of our study was to identify the suitability of various skeletal muscles as reference regions for calculating the T2 SI ratio for a semiautomated quantification of the extent of myocardial edema with T2-weighted images. METHODS Thirty-four patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) were enrolled. The extent of myocardial edema was determined by T2 SI ratio map, usin...

[Purpose] This study aimed to clarify the relationship between scapular dyskinesis and shoulder external rotation strength and muscle activity. [Subjects and Methods] Both shoulders of 20 healthy males were evaluated. They were classified into 19 normal, 8 subtly abnormal, and 13 obviously abnormal shoulders using the scapular dyskinesis test. Subtly abnormal shoulders were subsequently exclude...

[Purpose] Scapular stabilizer strengthening exercise is crucial for shoulder rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to compare two types of push-up plus exercises, on a stable and unstable bases of support, using surface electromyography (EMG), to suggest an effective shoulder rehabilitation program. [Subjects and Methods] Ten healthy men volunteered for this study. All volunteers perfor...

The subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) was introduced to reduce acute transvenous leadrelated complications, such as pneumothorax, endocarditis, cardiac perforation, and lead dislodgements, as well as the complications related to chronic indwelling leads, such as lead failure, venous obstruction, and bacteremia. The standard implantation technique of the S-ICD involves ...

[Purpose] This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the push-up plus while using a balance ball, a sling, and a sling with a pulley in a creeping position on an unstable floor. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were divided into three groups of 15 members each who performed the different three type methods of push-up plus (with scapulae protruding) in a random order while in a cr...

[Purpose] This study aimed to clarify activation of the infraspinatus and scapular stabilizing muscles during shoulder external rotation at various shoulder elevation angles. [Subjects] Twenty subjects participated in this study and all measurements were performed on the right shoulder. [Methods] Isometric shoulder external rotation strength and surface electromyographic data were measured with...

The standard surgical approach for closed heart procedures in small infants and children is to use a posterolateral thoracotomy incision, which results in the division of the latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior muscles. The aim of our study was to determine the frequency and type of musculoskeletal deformities in children undergoing surgery with this approach for congenital cardiac disease. ...