BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recently, the result of total correction in tetralogy of Fallot(TOF) is improved dramatically. But, residual anatomical changes of right ventricular outflow tract(RVOT) and pulmonary artery junctional stenosis result in bad prognosis. Therefore we sought to analyze risk factors for pulmonary artery junctional stenosis after correction of TOF. METHODS: From 1991 to 1998, 146 patients underwent the follow-up catheterizations after total correction of TOF in our institution and were analysed risk factors for pulmonary artery junctional stenosis. Of this patients group [age on operation 20.119.8 months, follow-up duration after operation 13.95.0 months, male(64%)], 20 cases(13.7%) had a PDA and 26 cases(17.8%) had a systemic-to-pulmonary shunt operation before total correction of TOF. RESULTS: 1) Residual PS is correlated significantly with post-operative RVP/LVP(r=.776, p<0.01) and post-operative RVEDP(r=.196, p<0.05). 2) Post-operative RVP/LVP and residual PS increased significantly in grade II of residual PI than grade III~IV. 3) The left pulmonary artery junctional stenosis(LPAJS) was observed in 31 cases, this group decreased significantly in pre-operative LPA diameter(p<0.01), increased in post-operative RVP/LVP(p<0.01), and increased in post-operative RPA diameter(p<0.01), decreased in post-operative LPA diameter(p<0.01) and was more severe in post-operative PI(p<0.01) than the other group respectively. 4) Of the patients group which went patch enlargement of RVOT to LPA junction, the pressure gradient on LPA junction increased significantly in PDA and false aneurysmal change. 5) Factors significantly associated with pulmonary artery junctional stenosis were patch enlargement of RVOT to LPA junction, aneurysmal change of RVOT, PDA, systemic-to-pulmonary shunt and pre-operative LPAJS. 6) LPAJS(P, mmHg) =5.43 +16.24*[false aneurysmal change of RVOT] +14.13*[RVOT patch enlargement to LPA] +16.89*PDA. CONCLUSION: Several factors significantly associated with pulmonary artery junctional stenosis influenced each other. And the LPAJS led to secondary changes (volume overload of RV, increasing diameter of RPA, et. al) therefore more active diagnosis and treatment after total correction is recommended.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Risk Factors* ; Tetralogy of Fallot*

PURPOSE: We evaluated the influence of urinary stone components on the outcomes of ureteroscopic removal of stones (URS) by electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) in patients with distal ureteral stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with a single distal ureteral stone with a stone size of 0.5 to 2.0 cm that was completely removed by use of EHL were included in the study. Operating time was defined as the time interval between ureteroscope insertion and complete removal of ureteral stones. Ureteral stones were classified into 5 categories on the basis of their main component (that accounting for 50% or more of the stone content) as follows: calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM), calcium oxalate dihydrate, carbonate apatite (CAP), uric acid (UA), and struvite (ST). RESULTS: A total of 193 patients (131 males and 62 females) underwent EHL. The mean operating time was 25.1+/-8.2 minutes and the mean stone size was 1.15+/-0.44 cm. Calcium oxalate stones accounted for 64.8% of all ureteral stones, followed by UA (19.7%), CAP (8.3%), and ST (7.2%) stones. The mean operating time was significantly longer in the UA group (28.6+/-8.3 minutes) than in the COM group (24.0+/-7.8 minutes, p=0.04). In multivariate analyses, the stone size was negatively associated with the odds ratio (OR) for successful fragmentation. UA as a main component (OR, 0.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.20 to 0.89; p=0.023) was also found to be significantly important as a negative predictive factor of successful fragmentation after adjustment for stone size. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that successful fragmentation by URS with EHL could be associated with the proportion of the UA component.
Accounting ; Apatites ; Calcium Oxalate ; Carbon ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Magnesium Compounds ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Phosphates ; Ureter ; Ureteroscopes ; Ureteroscopy ; Uric Acid ; Urinary Calculi

BACKGROUND: Severe mitral regurgitation is a common clinical entity that can lead to progressive, irreversible left ventricular dysfunction, and thus should be corrected in proper stage of life. Authors have conducted this investigation to assess left ventricular function after mitral valve operation and to determine the predicting factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: The echocardiographic parameters, specifically left ventricular ejection fraction, shortening fraction, end-systolic dimension and volume, and end-diastolic dimension and volume were measured in preoperative and postoperative period of congenital mitral regurgitation patients (n=60), between March 1992 and March 1998. After correction of severe mitral regurgitaion, left ventricular ejection fraction and shortening fraction decreased significantly (p<0.001 and p<0.05 respectively). Furtheremore, after reoperation of recurred mitral regurgitation, left ventricular ejection fraction and shortening fraction decreased significantly (p<0.05). Left ventricular ejection fraction and shortening fraction in mitral valve reoperation group (n=23) is significantly lower than those in non-reoperation group (n=37) in both preoperative and postoperative period (p<0.05). Left ventricular ejection fraction and shortening fraction is also significantly lower in mitral valve replacement group (n=20) than in mitral valvuloplasty group (n=40)(p<0.05). Severe postoperative left ventricular dysfunction led to dilated cardiomyopathy in 5 patients. Postoperative left ventricular end systolic dimension increased significantly in reoperation group and DCMP group respectively (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: After surgical correction of mitral regurgitation, left ventricular dysfunction is frequent and carries a poor prognosis. Postoperative left ventricular dysfunction can be predicted by preoperative ejection fraction, shortening fraction and systolic diameter. Therefore surgical therapy before the onset of left ventricular dysfunction is recommended.
Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; Deoxycytidine Monophosphate ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mitral Valve* ; Postoperative Period ; Prognosis ; Reoperation ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Ventricular Function, Left*

BACKGROUND: Surveillance of surgical site infection is a main component of nosocomial infection surveillance. To perform a valid comparison of rates among hospitals, among surgeons, across time, surgical site infection rates must account for the variation in patient's underlying severity of illness and other important risk factors. So, a risk index was developed to predict a surgical patient's risk of acquiring a surgical site infection. The risk index score, ranging from 0 to 3, was the number of risk factors present among the following: (1) a patient with an American Society of Anesthesiologists preoperative assessment score of 3,4,5, (2) an operation classified as contaminated or dirty-infected, and (3) an operation lasting over T hours, where T depends upon the operative procedure being performed. METHOD: We performed surgical site infection surveillance according to patient risk index after cardiovascular surgery from Mar 1, 1997 to May 31, 1997. In addition, we also monitored nosocomial infection of all patients after cardiovascular surgery Data was collected prospectively, Surgical site infection rate was classified according to patient risk index and compared with NNIS (National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance) semiannual report of 1995. RESULT: Overall nosocomial infection rate was 18.9% and among all patients detected by surveillance protocols, pneumonia was the most common (6.3%) nosocomial infection after cardiovascular surgery, and the remaining infections were distributed as follows: surgical site infection 45%, urinary tract infection 3.2%, bloodstream infection 3.2%. Surgical site infection rate for patient with scores of 0, 1, 2 and 3 were 0%, 3.1%, 4.6%, 66,7%, respectively and increased according to patient risk index (P<0.05). There is no statistical difference between our surgical site infection rate and 1995 NNIS semiannual report of surgical site infection rates (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The patient risk index is a better predictor d surgical site infection risk than the traditional wound classification system and surgical site infection surveillance with patient risk index is useful for nosocomial infection surveillance after surgery.
Classification ; Cross Infection ; Humans ; Operative Time ; Pneumonia ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: To report our technique for and experience with robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RARC) with orthotopic neobladder (ON) formation in a cohort of bladder cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between December 2007 and December 2011, a total of 35 patients underwent RARC. The patients' mean age was 63.3 years and their mean body mass index was 23.7 kg/m2. Thirty patients had a clinical stage of T2 or higher. Postoperative mean follow-up duration was 25.5 months. In 5 patients, a 4-cm midline infraumbilical skin incision was made for an ileal conduit (IC) and the stoma formation was similar to the open procedure. In 30 patients undergoing the ON procedure, the skin for specimen removal and extracorporeal enterocystoplasty was incised infraumbilically in the early 5 cases with redocking (ON-I) and suprapubically in the latter 25 cases without redocking (ON-S). RESULTS: The mean operative times of the IC, ON-I, and ON-S groups were 442.5, 646.0, and 531.3 minutes, respectively (p=0.001). Mean console and lymph node dissection time were not significantly different between the groups. Mean urinary diversion times in each group were 68.8, 125.0, and 118.8 minutes, respectively (p=0.001). In the comparison between the ON-I and ON-S group, only operative time was significant. Four patients required a blood transfusion. We had no cases of intraabdominal organ injury or open conversion. Thiry-three patients (94.2%) had a pathologic stage of T2 or higher. Two patients (5.7%) had lymph node-positive disease. Postoperative complications included ileus (n=4), stricture in the uretero-ileal junction (n=2), and vesicovaginal fistula (n=1). CONCLUSIONS: Our robotic neobladder-suprapubic incision without redocking procedure is easier and more rapid than that of infraumbilical incision with redocking.
Blood Transfusion ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Cystectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ileus ; Lymph Node Excision ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Skin ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Diversion ; Vesicovaginal Fistula

PURPOSE: To report our technique for and experience with robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RARC) with orthotopic neobladder (ON) formation in a cohort of bladder cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between December 2007 and December 2011, a total of 35 patients underwent RARC. The patients' mean age was 63.3 years and their mean body mass index was 23.7 kg/m2. Thirty patients had a clinical stage of T2 or higher. Postoperative mean follow-up duration was 25.5 months. In 5 patients, a 4-cm midline infraumbilical skin incision was made for an ileal conduit (IC) and the stoma formation was similar to the open procedure. In 30 patients undergoing the ON procedure, the skin for specimen removal and extracorporeal enterocystoplasty was incised infraumbilically in the early 5 cases with redocking (ON-I) and suprapubically in the latter 25 cases without redocking (ON-S). RESULTS: The mean operative times of the IC, ON-I, and ON-S groups were 442.5, 646.0, and 531.3 minutes, respectively (p=0.001). Mean console and lymph node dissection time were not significantly different between the groups. Mean urinary diversion times in each group were 68.8, 125.0, and 118.8 minutes, respectively (p=0.001). In the comparison between the ON-I and ON-S group, only operative time was significant. Four patients required a blood transfusion. We had no cases of intraabdominal organ injury or open conversion. Thiry-three patients (94.2%) had a pathologic stage of T2 or higher. Two patients (5.7%) had lymph node-positive disease. Postoperative complications included ileus (n=4), stricture in the uretero-ileal junction (n=2), and vesicovaginal fistula (n=1). CONCLUSIONS: Our robotic neobladder-suprapubic incision without redocking procedure is easier and more rapid than that of infraumbilical incision with redocking.
Blood Transfusion ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Cystectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ileus ; Lymph Node Excision ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Skin ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Diversion ; Vesicovaginal Fistula

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The diagnostic proton pump inhibitor test (PPI test) is a method used in diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This study aimed to determine the appropriate dose of lansoprazole for use in the diagnostic test for GERD. METHODS: This study was a randomized, controlled, multicenter trial in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk area. Patients with typical reflux symptoms such as regurgitation and heartburn for at least three months were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into two groups, the erosive reflux disease (ERD) group and the non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) group, and randomized to 14 days of treatment with lansoprazole at a dose of 15 mg, 30 mg or 60 mg once daily. The PPI test was considered positive if the patient's symptoms improved by more than 50%. RESULTS: A total of 218 patients were enrolled, and analysis was performed on the 188 patients who completed the study. The PPI test was positive in 93.2% of the ERD group and 87.2% of the NERD group. A positive PPI test was observed in 91.7%, 89.4%, and 87.2% of the 15 mg, 30 mg, and 60 mg groups, respectively. Significant symptom score changes were observed starting on day 8 for the 15 mg, 30 mg, and 60 mg groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this multicenter, randomized study of Korean patients, the standard dose of lansoprazole was as effective as a high dose of lansoprazole in relieving the symptoms of GERD, regardless of the presence of ERD, by day 14 of treatment.
2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Heartburn ; Humans ; Proton Pumps

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy in erosive reflux disease (ERD) patients by comparing endoscopic healing rates according to the Los Angeles classification for esomeprazole alone, and esomeprazole plus mosapride. METHODS: A total of 116 ERD patients were randomized to receive esomeprazole 40 mg once daily plus mosapride 5 mg 3 times daily (E+M group), or esomeprazole plus placebo (E only group) for 8 weeks. Patients recorded gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptom questionnaire at weeks 4 and 8. The primary endpoint was the endoscopic healing rate of ERD after 8 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Endoscopic healing rates according to the Los Angeles classification was 32 (66.7%) in the E+M group and 26 (60.5%) in the E only group, but there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. Only at 4 weeks, the total GERD symptom score changes relative to the baseline significantly improved in the E+M group than that of the E only group (−13.4 ± 14.7 vs −8.0 ± 12.3, P = 0.041), and upper abdominal pain and belching score changes showed significantly improved in the E+M group than that of the E only group (P = 0.018 and P = 0.013, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of a proton pump inhibitor with mosapride shows a tendency for upper abdominal pain, belching, and total GERD symptoms scores to improve more rapidly. This suggests that combination therapy with esomeprazole and mosapride will be useful for rapid improvement of specific GERD symptoms, such as upper abdominal pain and belching in ERD patients.
Abdominal Pain ; Classification ; Eructation ; Esomeprazole* ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Humans ; Proton Pump Inhibitors ; Proton Pumps

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The development of effective, accurate, and rapid diagnostic methods for Mycobacterium infection and mycobacterial species identification is required. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) is an easy, rapid and inexpensive technique for identifying Mycobacterium spp. METHODS: We performed PCR-RFLP to detect and identify Mycobacterium spp. from 10 sterile body fluids, including ascites, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, synovial fluid, and peritoneal dialysis fluid. Clinical samples were collected from patients with diagnoses of definite, probable or suspected mycobacterial infection. The conserved RNA polymerase genes of Mycobacterium spp. were amplified by PCR. RESULTS: The amplified 360-bp region of rpoB was digested with the restriction enzyme MspI or HaeIII. The PCRRFLP results for the clinical samples were identical to those for M. tuberculosis, M. fortuitum, M. intracellulare, and M. avium. In addition, the results of the PCR-RFLP were identical to those obtained by DNA sequencing. CONCLUSIONS: PCR-RFLP analysis of sterile body fluids may be a useful method for the diagnosis of mycobacterial infections and for the differentiation of mycobacterial species.
*Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis ; Bacterial Proteins/*genetics ; *Bacterial Typing Techniques ; Body Fluids/*microbiology ; DNA, Bacterial/*analysis ; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases/*genetics ; Humans ; Mycobacterium/*classification/genetics ; Mycobacterium Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; *Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

As the operative mortality has diminished and the number of survivors has increased after Fontan procedure, morbidities related to the unnatural physiology of cavopulmonary flow have developed. One of the complications by the hemodynamic derangement after Fontan procedure is a protein-losing enteropathy. This is a rare but life-threatening complication after the Fontan operation. Treatment strategies are highly variable. But, reports on successful management are limited. We experienced three cases of protein-losing enteropathy after the Fontan operation. We report that the conversion to the total extracardiac or intracardiac cavopulmonary connection with fenestration is a satisfactory treatment modality for protein- losing enteropathy after the Fontan operation.
Fontan Procedure* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Mortality ; Physiology ; Protein-Losing Enteropathies* ; Survivors