MyMedR

Fulltext A case report of airway stenting in tracheal compression secondary to right subclavian artery pseudo-aneurysm

Muhammad Naimmuddin Abdul Azih, Aishah Ibrahim, How, Soon Hin, Kuan, Yeh Chunn

International Medical Journal Malaysia, 2018;17(1):141-144.

MyJurnal

We report a 55-year old lady with the presentation of stridor and type II respiratory failure requiring tracheal intubation. She had right Horner’s syndrome associated with pleural effusion. Her chest radiograph revealed right upper zone lobulated opacities and therefore right Pancoast tumor was the initial diagnosis. However, her CECT thorax revealed a huge right subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm with severe tracheal compression. This rare condition imposed a significant diagnostic as well as therapeutic challenge. Vascular surgery is the definitive treatment but it is associated with high risks. The exact role of rigid bronchoscopy for airway stenting is unknown due to limited evidence available. Indeed, this form of central airway obstruction may benefit from temporary tracheal stenting whilst the surgical repair of the lesion is planned. It may facilitate early weaning and allows less complicated airway control.

Fulltext Massive hemothorax following administration of intrapleural streptokinase

Chai FY, Kuan YC

Ann Thorac Med, 2011 Jul;6(3):149-51.

PMID: 21760848 DOI: 10.4103/1817-1737.82451

The administration of intrapleural streptokinase (IPSK) is widely practiced in the management of loculated empyema thoracis. To our knowledge, there have been only 4 cases of hemorrhagic complications attributed to the administration of IPSK reported in the literature. In this article, we report a case of a 17-year-old girl who received IPSK and developed shock, anemia, coagulopathy and massive hemothorax. Our discussion focuses on the hemorrhagic complication of chest tube insertion and the role of IPSK in blood clot lysis and inhibition of local hemostasis.

Fulltext A case of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with novel H1N1 treated with intravenous immunoglobulin G

Chong JL, Sapari S, Kuan YC

J Microbiol Immunol Infect, 2011 Aug;44(4):319-22.

PMID: 21524955 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2010.07.001

Influenza A "novel H1N1" with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a serious illness that poses a challenge to clinicians managing such cases. This case report reveals a patient with ARDS secondary to influenza A with deteriorating clinical status, who improved tremendously after intravenous immunoglobulin G (IV IgG). Patients with H1N1 associated with ARDS may be given a trial of IV IgG. More case reports and trials are required to ascertain the efficacy of IV IgG and the best dosage and timing of starting IV IgG in relation to antiviral therapy.

Fulltext Intrapleural streptokinase for the treatment of chylothorax

Kuan YC, How SH, Ng TH, Abdul Rani MF

Respir Care, 2011 Dec;56(12):1953-5.

PMID: 21682984 DOI: 10.4187/respcare.01207

Chylothorax is suspected when milky white turbid fluid is obtained from thoracocentesis. Conservative management usually involves intercostal tube drainage, dietary restriction, and total parenteral nutrition. Surgery is indicated when conservative management fails. We describe a young woman with idiopathic chylothorax who failed conservative therapy but refused surgery. We instilled intrapleural streptokinase, which improved her condition.

Fulltext Asthma control in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan, Malaysia: a cross-sectional study

Kuan YC, Tan CH, Hong CM, How SH

International Medical Journal Malaysia, 2015;14(2):41-44.

MyJurnal

Introduction: Various initiatives and medications have been introduced to achieve better control of bronchial asthma. However total control according to Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) remains elusive even at tertiary referral hospitals. Our study is to determine the level of asthma control (according to GINA 2009), Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores and the types of medications used among patients with bronchial asthma in a large tertiary hospital.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of all patients with bronchial asthma who attended the Chest Clinic at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) from 2009 to 2011. Patient demographics, self-administered ACT scores, GINA-defined level of asthma control and medications were documented.
Results: 208 patients were recruited. There were 23.2%, 46.3% and 30.5% of patients with controlled, partly controlled and uncontrolled asthma respectively. The median ACT scores was 19 [inter quartile range (IQR) 6]. The most frequently used preventer therapy was inhaled long-acting β-agonist/corticosteroids (LABA/ICS) fixed-dose combination (61.7%), and 9.6% were not on preventer therapy. 75% of patients with controlled asthma were on LABA/ICS compared to 58.5% of the partly controlled and uncontrolled groups (p=0.039).
Conclusion: The majority of the asthmatic patients attending the Chest Clinic at HTAA did not have GINA-defined controlled asthma. Patients with higher ACT scores had better control of asthma. There were more patients with controlled asthma who were on LABA/ICS combination.
KEYWORDS: Bronchial asthma, level of control, Asthma Control Test
Study site: Chest Clinic, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA), Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
Device, Questionnaire & Scale: Asthma Control Test (ACT)

Survival of lung cancer patients in a resource-limited country

How SH, Ng TH, Kuan YC, Jamalludin AR, Fauzi AR

Asia Pac J Clin Oncol, 2015 Sep;11(3):221-7.

PMID: 24575820 DOI: 10.1111/ajco.12179

Data on lung cancer survival are lacking in developing countries. Our objectives were to describe the survival of our lung cancer patients and to determine independent prognostic factors affecting survival.

Empyema thoracis complicated by pneumothorax necessitans manifesting as lobulated, localized subcutaneous emphysematous swellings

Kuan YC, How SH, Yeen WC, Ng TH, Fauzi AR

Ann Thorac Surg, 2011 Jun;91(6):1969-71.

PMID: 21619994 DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2010.11.075

We describe a patient with empyema thoracis that had eroded through the apical chest wall to the supraclavicular fossa and lung parenchyma, ultimately leading to a bronchopleural fistula manifesting as lobulated, localized subcutaneous emphysematous swellings over the chest wall and supraclavicular fossa. This is a rarely reported phenomenon and the reason why the lobulated subcutaneous emphysematous swellings remained localized is unknown.

Fulltext Bone mineral density in asthmatic patients on inhaled corticosteroids in a developing country

Kuan YC, How SH, Azian AA, Liam CK, Ng TH, Fauzi AR

Ann Thorac Med, 2012 Apr;7(2):69-73.

PMID: 22558010 DOI: 10.4103/1817-1737.94522

Prolonged use of oral corticosteroids is a risk factor for osteoporosis. However, the effect of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on bone mineral density (BMD) of asthmatic patients remains controversial.

Epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in non- small cell lung cancers in a multiethnic malaysian patient population

Liam CK, Leow HR, How SH, Pang YK, Chua KT, Lim BK, et al.

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(1):321-6.

PMID: 24528049

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are predictive of response to EGFR-targeted therapy in advanced stages of disease. This study aimed to determine the frequency of EGFR mutations in NSCLCs and to correlate their presence with clinical characteristics in multiethnic Malaysian patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, EGFR mutations in exons 18, 19, 20 and 21 in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens of consecutive NSCLC patients were asessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS: EGFR mutations were detected in NSCLCs from 55 (36.4%) of a total of 151 patients, being significantly more common in females (62.5%) than in males (17.2%) [odds ratio (OR), 8.00; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.77-16.98; p<0.001] and in never smokers (62.5%) than in ever smokers (12.7%) (OR, 11.50; 95%CI, 5.08-26.03; p<0.001). Mutations were more common in adenocarcinoma (39.4%) compared to non-adenocarcinoma NSCLCs (15.8%) (p=0.072). The mutation rates in patients of different ethnicities were not significantly different (p=0.08). Never smoking status was the only clinical feature that independently predicted the presence of EGFR mutations (adjusted OR, 5.94; 95%CI, 1.94- 18.17; p=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS: In Malaysian patients with NSCLC, the EGFR mutation rate was similar to that in other Asian populations. EGFR mutations were significantly more common in female patients and in never smokers. Never smoking status was the only independent predictor for the presence of EGFR mutations.

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