Pyriform sinus fistula (PSF) is a persistent embryologic third or fourth pharyngeal pouch, which typically presents as a congenital sinus tract that originates from the pyriform sinus. PSF is among the most uncommon congenital malformation of the neck. The usual clinical manifestations are either acute thyroiditis or abscess, usually on the left side of the neck. We report a case of PSF in a 9-year old female with a left cervical abscess who had been diagnosed by barium esophagogram and treated endoscopically by injection of histoacryl.
Abscess ; Barium ; Child ; Enbucrilate* ; Female ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Neck ; Pyriform Sinus* ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis

Heat stroke, a medical emergency, occurs when the body's thermal regulation is upset and unable to dissipate adequate amounts of heat with a rise in body temperature. It is characterized by hyperyrexia, with a core temperature of 40degrees C or more, hot dry skin, and central nervous system disturbance and usually results in rhabdomyolysis and multiorgan failure. Our case, a 43-year-old healthy male, was caused by a marathon, half course, on a sunny day in late summer. He suddenly fell down on the road and was delivered to a nearby hospital, where a seizure developed. He was transfered to our hospital and then displayed Central Nervous System disturbance, hot dry skin, acute liver failure, rhabdomyolysis, anuric acute renal failure, and disseminated intravasculular coagulopathy. He was treated with general supportive care and hemofiltration. Despite the aggressive management, he died of shock on the fifth day after admission.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Body Temperature ; Central Nervous System ; Emergencies ; Heat Stroke* ; Hemofiltration ; Hot Temperature* ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; Male ; Rhabdomyolysis ; Seizures ; Shock ; Skin

No abstract available.
Population Characteristics* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis*

Esophageal perforation is a rare disease, which require emergent diagnosis and therapeutic procedure. In this paper, we present one case of esophageal perforation by traction of toothbrush which was swallowed during pharyngeal irritation. After the toothbrush was inserted to stomach by gastroscope, gastrostomy was performed for removal of toothbrush and the esophageal perforation was repaired by operation.
Diagnosis ; Esophageal Perforation* ; Gastroscopes ; Gastrostomy ; Rare Diseases ; Stomach ; Traction

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze factors affecting success of endotracheal intubation (ETI) in emergency department (ED) patients, and to investigate usefulness of expected difficult direct laryngoscopy for expectation of a bad Glidescope(R) view. METHODS: ETI data using Glidescope(R) were collected at two EDs over a period of 64 months. We accessed intubator's training level, expected difficulty with laryngoscopy, method, and glottis exposure grade. Based on these variables, we analyzed the intubation success rates. And we examined the correlation between glottis exposure grade using Glidescope(R) and factors for expectation of difficult direct laryngoscopy. RESULTS: A total of 613 ETIs attempts using Glidecope(R) were recorded. The overall success rate was 83.4%. In logistic regression analysis, expected difficult laryngoscopy, intubator's training level, and glottic exposure grade were independent predictive factors for successful ETI using Glidescope(R). The Cormack-Lehane grade I via Glidescope(R) was observed in 89.1% of total ETI attempts. In subgroup analysis, bad glottis exposure status showed a significantly low success rate irrespective of intubator's training level. Among the predicting factors for difficult laryngoscopy, morbid obesity, limited neck extension, and limited mouth opening showed an association with the degree of glottic exposure via Glidescope(R). CONCLUSION: The glottic exposure grade was the most important factor related to successful ETI using Glidescope(R). Morbid obesity, limited neck extension, and limited mouth opening showed a significant association with bad glottis exposure under Glidescope(R), Therefore, we need to identify these findings. Even if in good glottis view, junior physicians showed a lower rate of ETI success using Glidescope, therefore, measurements to improve the ability of junior physicians should be implemented.
Emergencies ; Glottis ; Humans ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngoscopes ; Laryngoscopy ; Logistic Models ; Medical Staff, Hospital ; Mouth ; Neck ; Obesity, Morbid

During thalamotomy, we have to use the various kinds of brain reference points. From 1989 to 1992, the authors performed streotactic thalamotomy or pallidotomy in 169 patients suffering from tremor. We measured and estimated the important intracerebral reference points. These data were very meaningful for stereotactic functional neurosurgery in the Korean medical community because it is obtained from Korean people. We have also estimated the average location of targets for tremor submission.
Brain ; Humans ; Neurosurgery ; Pallidotomy ; Statistics as Topic* ; Tremor

The diagnosis of acute inflammation of the placenta, represented as acute chorioamnionitis, is important in that it is associated with a poor clinical outcome for both the mother and the fetus, including major perinatal morbidities such as sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, and CNS damage. However, current medical trends in Korea seem to overlook the significance of a histopathological diagnosis of acute placental inflammation, mainly due to the indifferences of clinicians and pathologists. Since late 1993, histopathological examinations have been performed on preterm placentas at Seoul National University. These examinations have demonstrated acute placental inflammation in a significant number of cases. In the present study the incidence of acute placental inflammation was analyzed in 521 placentas which were submitted for pathological examinations in 1995. Examinations were performed to provide basic information on the incidence and profile of acute placental inflammation in this hospital and, thereby, to emphasize the significance of histopathological examinations of the placenta in the routine surgical pathology service. Among the 521 placentas, acute inflammation was found in 194 cases (37.2%). In preterm placentas acute inflammation was found in 39.6% of the cases (67/169), while 36.1% (127/352) of term placentas showed acute inflammation. Taking the delivery mode into account, 26.3% (49/186) of the placentas delivered by cesarean section showed acute inflammation, while 43.3% (145/335) of the transvaginally delivered placentas showed inflammation. The present analysis demonstrates the existence of acute inflammation in a significant proportion of placentas with different clinical settings. The importance of a histopathological examination in routine hospital practice should be emphasized.
Incidence

Spontaneous spinal epidural hemorrhage(SSEH) represent 0.3%~0.9% of spinal epidural-space-occupying lesions. The therapeutic outcome seems to be determined by the accuracy of the diagnosis and by the time interval between the onset of symptom and surgical decompression. Thus, SSEH is a rare spinal emergency and a diagnostic challenge. We experienced two such cases. In one case, the symptoms were confused with those for a ureter stone, aortic aneurysm, spinal cord infarction. That patient completely recovered spontaneously within 2 hours. In the other case, which was initially diagnosed incorrectly as a cerebral infarction, surgical decompression was performed. That patient recovered completely within 1 month.
Aortic Aneurysm ; Cerebral Infarction ; Decompression, Surgical ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Spinal Cord ; Ureter

PURPOSE: Barotrauma is one of the most important risk factors of chronic lung disease (CLD) in neonates. However, so-often called `high pressure' does not specify the magnitude or duration of positive pressure ventilation in relation to development of CLD. We investigated whether cumulative effect of positive pressure ventilation over time was more closely associated with CLD than the magnitude of maximal peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) or mean airway pressure (MAP). METHODS: Clinical data were collected from 53 very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (24; CLD and 29; non-CLD) who were treated with mechanical ventilation due to respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Yonsei University Medical Center. Areas under the pressure-time curve for peak inspiratory pressure (AUCPIP), mean airway pressure (AUCMAP), and FiO2 (AUCFiO2) were calculated from hourly changes of the ventilatory parameters plotted against time during the first 5 days of life, and were compared with the magnitudes of episodic, maximum PIP, MAP or FiO2. RESULTS: The AUCMAP and AUCPIP in CLD group was significantly higher than in non-CLD group (639.8+/-142.9 cmH2O hr vs. 474.2+/-148.0 cmH2O hr, P<0.001 1412.2+/-480.3 cmH2O hr vs. 992.7+/-517.0 cmH2O hr, P=0.004, respectively). But there were no significant differences between two groups in maximum MAP and maximum PIP (P> 0.05). After statistical correction for independent factors related to development of CLD, AUCMAP was shown to be most meaningful. CONCLUSION: Our data are suggestive of the importance of cumulative barotrauma over time in CLD rather than episodic barotrauma caused by cross-sectional or intermittent high peak pressures.
Academic Medical Centers ; Barotrauma ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Lung Diseases* ; Lung* ; Positive-Pressure Respiration* ; Respiration, Artificial ; Risk Factors

Total 28 patients with respectable, locally advanced gastric cancer were entered in our prospective randomized study from June 15, 1988 to Sep. 15, 1990 in Yeungnam University Hospital. This study consisted of curative resection, IORT, external irradiation and combination of chemotherapy. Twenty-four of 28 patients were treated with single dose of 1500 cGy per fraction, 5 days per week was started within 4th weeks postoperative days. Various chemotherapy with or without external irradiation were added for reducing hematogenous and/or peritoneal dissemination and determination of complication of each arm. Duration of follow up was 4~31 months. No serious complication related with radiation were reported compare to resection and chemotherapy only group. Although our follow up period is too short to draw any conclusion, IORT appears to improve local control, hopely further survival. Continuous follow up should be needed for evaluation of real therapeutic gain such as complication vs. improved survival.
Arm ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hope ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms*