Smoking is one of the most important leading causes of lung cancer. Smoking habit is recognized as nicotine dependence, which consists of physical and psychosocial dependence. To evaluate social nicotine dependence, the Kano Test for Social Nicotine Dependence (KTSND) working group developed a new questionnaire. We examined the social nicotine dependence among high school students, university students and patients with lung cancer.

We applied Korean version of KTSND(KTSND-K) questionnaire to high school students, university students and patients with lung cancer. Complete data obtained from the 1333 responders were analyzed.

Among the responders, current smokers, past-smokers, and never-smokers were 17.3%, 16.4%, and 66.3% respectively. According to smoking status, the total KTSND-K scores of current smokers were significantly higher than those of past-smokers, and of never-smokers (17.7±6.6 versus 13.7±5.7, and 10.9±5.15, P<0.001). The total KTSND-K scores of males were higher than those of females, suggesting that males have a propensity for depending nicotine socially much more than females (13.2±6.2 and 11.7±5.7 respectively, P<0.05). And the total KTSND scores of the patients with lung cancer, medical students, nursing students, and high school students were 11.2±3.8, 14.9±4.8, 14.6±5.8 and 15.6±5.9 respectively. The scores of patients with lung cancer were significantly lower than non-cancer people(P<0.01). Our study suggested that the KTSND-K questionnaire could be a useful method to evaluate psychosocial aspects of smoking in patients with lung cancer and non-cancer people.

Endobronchial foreign body impaction is a medical emergency because of the air way obstruction. Therefore, immediate foreign body removal is crucial in such situations. Recently, there have been several reports about cryoprobe use as a tool for removal of foreign bodies. In this study, we determined the efficacy and complications of foreign body removal using a cryoprobe during flexible bronchoscopy.

This is a retrospective review of 27 patients who visited Kosin University Gospel Hospital from August 2007 to August 2010 with respiratory symptoms due to a foreign body in the airway. There were 17 males and 10 females, aged from 7 to 78 years. The foreign bodies were more frequently located (55%) in the right bronchus. The cryoprobe was inserted through the forceps channel of the flexible bronchoscope under local anesthesia. The lesion was quickly frozen for 5 seconds at -80℃, and the bronchoscope was removed with the probe after crystal formation on the contacted area.

The success rate of removal of foreign bodies was 85% (23/27) using the cryoprobe. One case of broncholith did not undergo attempted removal because of the possibility of excessive hemorrhage by the tight bronchus impaction, and three cases (plastic, silicon, and implant) failed due to limited crystal formation. There were no severe hemorrhages, arrhythmias, or casualties during the procedure.

The removal of foreign body using a cryoprobe during flexible bronchoscopy was shown to be safe and effective. The nature of the material should be attempted before removing a foreign body.