The diaphragmatic injury results from blunt or penetrating thoracoabdominal trauma. The diagnosis of diaphragmatic injury is difficult in the immediate postinjury period and is often delayed by late visceral herniation. Accurate diagnosis of diaphragmatic injuries is important, because overlooked and delayed diagnosis commonly lead to incarceration and strangulation of bowel. Despite of various diagnostic methods, the diagnosis is often missed and delayed. The development of video-assisted thoracoscopy can make it possible to diagnose the diaphragmatic injury safely and accurately. We experienced two cases of diaphragmatic injuries diagnosed by thoracoscopy. In first case, We found the rupture of the right diaphragm with herniation of liver in a 33-year-old female by thoracoscopic examination. She had visited Emergency Room, complaining of abdominal and pelvic pain and mild dyspnea after traffic accident. Chest X-ray showed elevation of the right hemidiaphragm. Chest CT and ultrasonogram revealed no abnormality except for diaphragmatic elevation. Another case was a 24-year-old female with laceration of diaphragm by stab wound on the left lower chest. With suspicion of diaphragmatic injury, thoracoscopic examination was performed. Both patients were successfully treated by a repair of injured diaphragm by approach via thoracotomy. The postoperative courses were uneventful.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adult ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragm ; Dyspnea ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Lacerations ; Liver ; Pelvic Pain ; Rupture ; Thoracoscopy* ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Wounds, Stab ; Young Adult

To evaluate the hypotensive effect of dilevalol which has a nonselective blocking action on beta receptors with selective beta2 agonist actcvity, We performed a prospective clinical study for 8 weeks in 31 patients with essential hypertension(mean age : 52+/-9, mean sitting blood pressure : 158/101mmHg) without concomitant heart failure, coronary heart disease, conduction disturbance or renal impairment. The daily dose of dilevalol was 200-400mg. The results were as follows ; 1) After 8 weeks of treatment with dilevalol, average sitting systolic and diastolic blood pressures reduced to 138+/-8mmHg(13%), 84+/-5mmHg(17%) respectively(p<0.01, 0.01). 2) After 8 weeks of treatment with dilevalol, 28(90%) out of the 31 hypertensives showed good hypotensive effect ie, : sitting diastolic blood pressure decreased to below 90mmHg. 3) Pulse rate decreased slightly from pretreatment average of 75+/-8 beats per minute to 70+/-6 beat per minute at the end of 6 weeks of treatment but went back to pretreatment value lastly. 4) Average body weight, serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, AST, ALT, BUN, creatinine, sodium and potassium were not significantly changed from the pretreatment values. 5) A few side effects in order of frequency were epigastralgia, fatigue, cold extremities and dizziness. These results suggest that dilevalil may be used as an effective first line monotherapeutic antihypertensive agent in mild to moderate hypertensives without significant limitations.
Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Coronary Disease ; Creatinine ; Dizziness ; Extremities ; Fatigue ; Heart Failure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Labetalol* ; Potassium ; Prospective Studies ; Sodium ; Triglycerides

To evaluate the changes of Doppler echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular(LV) filling in hypertensive subjects, 34 patients(M : F=17 : 17) with and without LV hypertrophy and 19 healthy, age-matched control subjects(M : F=10 : 9) were examined by M-mode, 2 dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. From the Doppler recording, A2 D(time from second heart sound to the onset of early diastolic mitral flow), peak velocity at early diastole(E) and late diastole(A), ratio of E to A velocity, diastolic filling times, early diastolic deceleration rate(EDDR) and flow velocity integral(FVI) were measured. In the patients without LV hypertrophy, A2 D only was significantly prolonged(127+/-21 vs 83+/-24 msec P<0.01) as compared with the normal subjects, but the patients with LV hypertrophy had more prolonged A2 D(149+/-31 vs 83+/-24 msec P<0.01), higher late diastolic peak velocity(A : 0.58+/-0.17 vs 0.47+/-0.09m/sec, P<0.01) and lower E/A velocity ratio(0.95+/-0.19 vs 1.24+/-0.29, P<0.01) than the normal subjects. There was a significant correlation between A2 D and LV muscle mass index in entire patients with hypertension(r=0.42P<0.01). These data suggest that A2D is the earliest parameter indicating abnormality of LV diastolic function and E/A ratio is not likely to be a definite index of LV diastolic dysfunction but rather be a reliable index of LV hypertrophy in hypertensive patients with preserved LV systolic funtion.
Deceleration ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Sounds ; Humans ; Hypertrophy

Traumatic optic neuropathy is one of true ophthalmic emergencies and there is no proven form of treatment for traumatic optic neuropathy. 82 cases of traumatic optic neuropathy were investigated to evaluate the effectiveness of high dose corticosteroid for the visual improvement. Age, sex, initial visual acuity, final visual acuity, interval to treatment, the type of trauma and the affected region were studied retrospectively.250 mg of Methylprednisolone was administered intravenously every 6 hours for 3 days, and then followed by tapering using oral prednisone The vision was improved in 36 of 82 cases[43.9%]. It was difficult to interpret the relation-ships between the affected region and visual improvement, the interval for each treatment and final visual acuity. However, the vision was improved in 45 of 50 cases who had an initial visual acuity of above light perception, but in the two of 32 cases with no light perception. If indicated, fifteen cases were treated with a combination of high dose corticosteroid and optic nerve decompression. In initial treatment of traumatic optic neuropathy, high dose corticosteroid was effecive. Whether or not initial visual acuity was better than light perception was a key risk factor in the outcome.
Decompression ; Emergencies ; Methylprednisolone ; Optic Nerve ; Optic Nerve Injuries* ; Prednisone ; Risk Factors ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) and surgical septal myotomy-myectomy are two treatment options for patients with drug-resistant hypertrophic cardiomyopathy & a left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. The clinical courses, after nonsurgical and surgical septal myotomy-myectomy, are described in 3 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that continued to be symptomatic following medical management. SUBJECTS AND MEHTODS: 3 patients (2 women, 1 man), with symptomatic drug-refractory obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, were the subjects of this study. One patient underwent a PTSMA by injection of ethanol into the septal perforator branches of the left anterior descending coronary artery, and 2 a surgical myotomy-myectomy. Examinations of the early and late follow-up echocardiographic results were performed. RESULTS: Both treatment modalities significantly reduced the peak gradient across the LVOT (ablation : 85 to 7.7 mmHg, myectomy : 104 to 10 mmHg), and led to similar improvements in the New York Heart Association class (ablation : NYHA IV to II, myectomy : NYHA III or IV to NYHA I or II). One patient, who underwent a successful PTSMA, showed a temporary right bundle branch block on the ECG for several days following the PTSMA. At the 1-year follow-up, 2 patients were observed to have persistent symptomatic improvements, with no cardiac complications. CONCLUSION: Both a percutaneous septal myocardial ablation and a surgical myotomy-myectomy resulted in similar degrees of significant improvements of the left ventricular outflow tract obstructions, with improvements of the symptoms. Prospective studies are necessary to compare the long-term efficacy of these two treatment modalities.
Bundle-Branch Block ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Catheter Ablation ; Coronary Vessels ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Ethanol ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Humans ; Ventricular Outflow Obstruction*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The relationship of cold pressor, hyperventilation and exercise test responses to circadian patterns and types of angina in vasospastic angina have still not been known. The aim of this study was to identify subgoups of patients who have similar clinical features and provocation test response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one consecutive patients with pure vasospastic angina were studied. Six exercise tests were performed in the early morning, late morning, and late afternoon in consecutive days, and 2 hyperventilation tests and 2 cold pressor tests in the early morning. Circadian distribution and types of angina(at rest, on physical activity or both) were evaluated by clinical history, clinical records and ambulatory ECG recordings during admission and follow-up periods(mean 19+/-9 months). RESULTS: Three patterns of circadian distribution of anginal attacks were identified during all observation periods together(morning and night: MN n=, morning and afternoon or evening: M+/E n=, morning, night and afternoon and/or evening: MN+/E n=1). Exercise test was positive in 36%(40/111) without circadian variation, hyperventilation test in 66%(23/35) and cold pressor test in 6%(2/33). Neither hyperventilation test nor cold pressor test was related to circadian patterns, types or activity of angina, or numbers of spastic artery. But positive exercise test increased significantly in patients with angina on physical activity(43% vs 21%, p<0.05), high activity(57% vs 18%, p<0.01), multivessel spasm(50% vs 27%, p<0.05 ) and circadian patterns of M+/E and MN+/E(29%, 55% vs 4%, p<0.05, p<0.01). All patients with MN had rest angina and single vessel spasm. All 6 patients with M+/E had angina both at rest and on physical activity and 5 single vessel spasm. Eight of 11 patients with MN+/E had angina both at rest and on physical activity and 8 multivessel spasm. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that hyperventilation test is highly sensitive in vasospastic angina without any relationship to clinical features, but exercise test response is related well to circadian patterns of angina attacks which are associated with characteristic clinical features.
Arteries ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperventilation ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Spasticity ; Spasm

Mass electrocardiographic (ECG) examination was performed on 13,801 children (male 7,526 and female 6,275) of elementary and middle school in Taegu from May 1. 1986. to April 30. 1987. We read their ECG according to the “pediatric Electrocardiography”1) The results were as following: The incidence of ECG abnormality was 1.05% (male 1.3% and female 0.75%). Fifty eight children (0.42%) had atrial and ventricular hypertrophy; two right atrial hypertrophy, five left atrial hypertrophy, thirty five right ventricular hypertrophy and sixteen left ventricular hypertrophy respectively. Ectopic beats occurred in 25 children (0.18%); They were atrial in 12 children, ventricular in 8 children and junctional in 5 children. There were 62 children (0.45%) of conduction disturbance; They were first degree atrioventricular (A-V) block in 21 children, type I second degree A-V block in 1 child, A-V dissociation in 1 child, right, right bundle branch block in 36 children, left bundle branch block in 1 child and WPW syndrome in 2 children. Nonspecific ST, T changes and sinus tachycardia were found in 3 and one children respectively.
Bundle-Branch Block ; Child* ; Daegu ; Electrocardiography* ; Female ; Heart Block ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular ; Incidence ; Tachycardia, Sinus ; Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome

This experiment was performed to elucidate the cytologic origin of chemically induced MFH in Wistar rats. The tumor was produced by injections of DMBA(9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene). With the produced MFH, cell culture and cloning were performed, followed by establishment of a cell strain, which was investigated by immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies. The results were as follows. A) By immunohistochemistry of the tumor tissue, fibroblastic cells were positive for MEP-1(specific antibody for fibroblastlike cell of MFH, Takeya, 1993) and Anti-hPH(beta)(Anti-prolyl 4-hydroxylase beta), but negative for TRPM-3 and F4/80. Histiocytelike cells were positive for TRPM-3 and F4/80, but negative for MEP-1 and Anti-hPH(beta). In immunoelectron microscopy, normal spleen macrophage showed linear reactivity in cell membrane for TRPM-3, whereas histiocytelike cells of the tumor disclosed negative reaction. B) At 5 weeks of the primary tumor cell culture, the cells exhibited typical storiform pattern of MFH. C) The established cell strain revealed immunoreactivity for MEP-1 and Anti-hPH(beta), but negative for TRPM-3. The cloned tumor cells showed morphologic characteristics of undifferentiated fibroblastic cell. Latex particle (0.80 micrometer size) phagocytosis was negative in the cloned cell strain. The results of the current study support the concept that principal component cells of MFH is of fibroblastic cell origin.
9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene* ; Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques* ; Cell Membrane ; Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Fibroblasts ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Macrophages ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Microspheres ; Phagocytosis ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar ; Spleen

No abstract available.
Diabetes Insipidus* ; Diagnosis*

BACKGROUND: This study tested the efficacy of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate for improving oral hygiene in intubated intensive care patients. METHODS: In a group of 57 ventilated patients, 29 received normal saline (NS) for oral hygiene, and 28 were treated with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG). Data on oral bacterial colonization was collected for 11 months from October 2005 to August 2006. Tests of oral hygiene and oral microorganism culture were performed on the day of the ventilation, and repeated on days 4, 8, and 12. RESULTS: Oral hygiene was significantly improved in the CHG group compared to that in the NS group (P<.001). Further, all patients (100%) in the NS group tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus on the 12th day after the endotracheal intubation, whereas only 42.9% (P=0.026) of the CHG group were positive. The NS group also had higher isolation rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 66.7% on the 8th day after intubation and 87.5% on the 12th day. At these same intervals, the CHG group had isolation rates of 29.4% (P=.028) and 14.3% (P=.010) respectively. CONCLUSION: The longer the period of endotracheal intubation, the more effective the 0.12% CHG treatment was for improved oral hygiene and reduction of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa colonization when compared to treatment with NS.
Chlorhexidine ; Colon ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Oral Hygiene ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Sodium Chloride ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Ventilation