BACKGROUND: There has been a change in the causes of aortic stenosis when comparence of rheumatioc aortic stenosis in recent year. Therefore, we studied the etiology factor of pure aortic stenosis. METHODS: The gross surgical pathologic features of the aortic valves were reviewed in 92 patients with pure aotic stenosis whom underwent aortic valve replacement at Yonsei University, Cardiovascular center between July 1989 and June 1994. RESULTS: The three most frequent causes were 1) calcification of congenital bicuspid valve in 30%, 2) degenerative calcification of aortic valve in 22%, 3) rheumatioc valvular change in 48%. The mean age at the time of aortic valve replacement for the entire series of patients was 54.4 years. The range of age was from 18 years to 77 years. Males predominated for degenerative disease and congenital bicuspid valves, but there were reversed rheumatic origin. One or more complications occured in 17% of patients undergoing operation. The surgical mortality was 3.3%. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that more common cause of aortic stenosis is non-rheumatic disease rather than rheumatinc origin.
Adult* ; Aortic Valve ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Mortality

BACKGROUND: Sinus valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is a rare disease, and it is frequently accompanied by ventricular septal defect and aortic valve regurgitaion. For treatment of SVA, several surgical mordalities were applied, but there was no report on the long-term result after surgical repair in Korea. We reviewed our 28 years of experiences and analyzed the long-term results after treatment of sinus valsalva aneurysm with or without rupture. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between March 1974 and February 2002, 81 patients were operated under the impression of sinus valvsalva aneurysm or sinus valsalva aneurym rupture. Retrospectively we reviewed the patients' record. Mean age of patients was 29.2+/-11.5 and there were 49 males. Accompanyng diseases were as follows: VSD in 50, PDA in 2, Behcet's disease in 2, TOF in 1, RVOTO in 1, AAE in 1. Seventy-seven (95%) patients had sinus valsalva rupture and in 14 patients, subacute bacterial endocarditis was accompanied. Degree of aortic valve regurgitation was as follows: grade I: 8, II: 10, III: 9, IV: 4. Most common rupture site was right coronary sinus (66 patients, 81%) and most common communication site was right ventricle (53 patients). In repair of sinus valsalva rupture, patch was used in 37 patients, and direct suture was done in 38 patients. RESULT: There was one surgical death (1.2%). Follow up was done in 78 patients (97.5%), mean follow up period was 123.3+/-80.9 (3~330 months). During the follow up period, 3 patients died (3.8%). One patient died of heart failure, another patient died of arrhythmia and the other one died of unknown cause. In two patients, complete atrio-ventricular block was developed during follow up period, and there was no operation related event or complication. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed 92.5+/-3.5% survival at 15 and 27 years and it seems to be satisfactory. CONCLUSION: Long-term surgical results and survival is satisfactory after repair of sinus valsalva aneurysm with or without rupture.
Aneurysm* ; Aortic Valve ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Coronary Sinus ; Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Rare Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture* ; Sinus of Valsalva ; Sutures

A pseudo-Cushing's state can be defined as some or all of the clinical features of Cushing's syndrome together with some evidence for hypercortisolism. It may be related to depression, alcohol abuse and obesity. Its manifestation may be transient and resolved with abstinence from causing factors. We report a case of a 70-year-old woman with unilateral nonfunctioning adrenal adenoma and geriatric depressive disorder, which diagnosed by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). She showed clinical and/or biochemical features of Cushing's syndrome. Low dose and high dose dexamethasone suppression tests were not identical to those in ACTH independent Cushing's syndrome. Few cases of pseudo-Cushing's syndrome were reported previously in Korea but there was no report about pseudo-Cushing's syndrome combined with nonfunctional adrenal adenoma.
Adenoma* ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Aged ; Alcoholism ; Cushing Syndrome ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Dexamethasone ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Obesity

BACKGROUND: Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is a life-threatening disease and surgical revascularization plays a major role in selected cases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the left ventricular contractility improvement by examining the wall motion score index (WMSI) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients who underwent surgical revascularization under diagnosis of acute MI. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From January, 2001 to December, 2004, 149 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery within 2 weeks of acute MI were included. We evaluated pre- and postoperative left ventricular contractility by measuring WMSI and LVEF and examined the associating factors. RESULT: WMSI decreased from 1.54+/-4.30 to 1.43+/-0.40 (p<0.001) and LVEF increased from 48.1+/-12.2% to 49.7+/-12.3% after surgery (p=0.009). Off-pump technique, non-Q wave, anterior MI, and surgery within 7 days after MI were favorable factors for LVEF improvement (p=0.046, p=0.006, p=0.003, p= 0.005, respectively). Conversely, aforementioned factors were irrelevant with WMSI improvement. For triple vessel disease, complete revascularization was favorable factor for WMSI improvement (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Coronary artery bypass surgery can improve WMSI and LVEF in patients with acute MI. In case of anterior MI with non-Q wave, early surgical revascularization within 7 days may be most beneficial in LVEF improvement. Regarding WMSI, complete revascularization may be essential.
Coronary Artery Bypass ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Stroke Volume

PURPOSE: Breast cancer has been reported as the most common cancer of women in the United States, Western Europe and Korea and about 210,000 and 10,000 women in United States and Korea every year, respectively are diagnosed with it. Breast cancer is curable with an early diagnosis, and many researchers have made efforts to find a marker for this malady, heat shock protein (HSP) consists of 6 groups, it is highly preserved throughout both the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and it acts as a molecular chaperone that's involved in protein folding. HSPs have been recently reported to be related with breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the changes of expression of HSP60 in tissues and cell lines of breast cancer. METHODS: We obtained breast cancer tissues and normal tissues from breast cancer patients, and we purchased several cancer cell lines from American tissue culture correction. We treated the tissues and the cell lines of human breast cancer with heat shock protein. Proteins and mRNAs were isolated from the tissues and the cells and then we performed Western blotting, reverse transcriptase-Polymerase chain Reaction and fluorescence activated cell sorter analysis on them. RESULTS: On Western blot, HSP60 was more overexpressed in the tissues and the cell lines of breast cancer than in the normal breast tissues and cell lines. The expression of HSP60 showed 2 types of molecular weight differences in the tissues and cell lines of breast cancer, and specifically, low HSP60 was over-expressed in the cancer tissues. There was no difference between the breast cancer cell lines and the normal cell lines in the expressions of HSP60 mRNA, according to the treatment with heat shock. Also, there was no relationship between phosphorylation and the structural difference of HSP60 protein, according to HSP60 protein's molecular weight. The expression of HSP60 has been mostly reported at the mitochondria; however, in this study, it was more predominantly detected at the cytoplasm than at the mitochondria in the breast cancer cell lines. CONCLUSION: We conclude that HSP60 may be used as a diagnostic marker for breast cancer. Detailed investigation of the usefulness and significance of the HSP60 expression as a prognostic factor is required in further studies.
Blotting, Western ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Line ; Chaperonin 60 ; Cytoplasm ; Early Diagnosis ; Eukaryotic Cells ; Europe ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Fluorescence ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Korea ; Mitochondria ; Molecular Chaperones ; Molecular Weight ; Phosphorylation ; Protein Folding ; Proteins ; RNA, Messenger ; Shock ; United States

OBJECTIVE: To compare the pregnancy-related complications after laparoscopic and laparotomic uterine myomectomy. METHODS: A retrospective study of 415 women who received laparoscopic (n = 340) or laparotomic (n = 75) resection of uterine leiomyomas in one center. The mean follow-up period was 26.5 months in laparoscopic group and 23.9 months in laparotomic group. RESULTS: Fifty-four and 12 pregnancies occurred in laparoscopic and laparotomic myomectomy group, respectively. The major obstetric outcomes were similar between two groups. There was no ectopic pregnancy or preterm birth. There were two cases of obstetric complication in laparoscopic group only; one experienced neonatal death and postpartum hemorrhage due to placental abruption and the other underwent subtotal hysterectomy due to uterine dehiscence identified during Cesarean section. CONCLUSION: Uterine rupture or dehiscence after laparoscopic myomectomy occurred in 3.7% (2/54) which lead to unfavorable outcome. Appropriate selection of patients and secure suture techniques appears to be important for laparotomic myomectomy in reproductive-aged women.
Abruptio Placentae ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Laparoscopy* ; Leiomyoma ; Postpartum Hemorrhage ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Suture Techniques ; Uterine Myomectomy* ; Uterine Rupture

BACKGROUND: There have been controversies whether mitral valvular surgery is necessary in the patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long term clinical results of patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between January 1992 and February 2005, 44 patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Concomitant mitral valvular procedure was performed in 20 patients (group 1) and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 24 patients (group 2). There were no significant difference between groups except cardiopulmonary bypass time (p<0.01). Postoperative follow up duration was 30.1+/-29.6 months and last follow up echocardiographic examination was performed at 21.2+/-28.0 months. RESULT: There was no difference in operative mortality between groups (group 1 vs group 2, 15.0% vs 8.3%, p=0.493). Grade of mitral regurgitation (0.81+/- 0.91 vs 1.50+/- 0.05, p=0.046) and reduction in regurgitation grade (1.75 +/-0.93 vs 0.70 +/-1.26, p=0.009) were different between two groups. But there were no significant differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (34.1+/-11.4% vs 41.6+/-12.9%), left ventricular end systolic volume (118.2+/-63.9 mL vs 85.6+/-28.1 mL), New York Heart Association functional class (2.1+/-0.2 vs 2.4+/-1.2) and 5 year survival rate (85+/-8% vs 82+/-8%). There was no risk factor for operative mortality and the only risk factor for late death was preoperative atrial fibrillation (p=0.042). There was no significant correlation between mitral valvular surgery and late death. CONCLUSION: Concomitant mitral valvular procedure in patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting had no significant positive effect on survival and ventricular function compared with isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. Prospective randomized study may be needed to evaluate the necessity of concomitant mitral procedure and to find more effective method for the improvement of ventricular function.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mortality ; Risk Factors ; Stroke Volume ; Survival Rate ; Ventricular Function

BACKGROUND: There have been controversies whether mitral valvular surgery is necessary in the patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long term clinical results of patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between January 1992 and February 2005, 44 patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Concomitant mitral valvular procedure was performed in 20 patients (group 1) and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 24 patients (group 2). There were no significant difference between groups except cardiopulmonary bypass time (p<0.01). Postoperative follow up duration was 30.1+/-29.6 months and last follow up echocardiographic examination was performed at 21.2+/-28.0 months. RESULT: There was no difference in operative mortality between groups (group 1 vs group 2, 15.0% vs 8.3%, p=0.493). Grade of mitral regurgitation (0.81+/- 0.91 vs 1.50+/- 0.05, p=0.046) and reduction in regurgitation grade (1.75 +/-0.93 vs 0.70 +/-1.26, p=0.009) were different between two groups. But there were no significant differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (34.1+/-11.4% vs 41.6+/-12.9%), left ventricular end systolic volume (118.2+/-63.9 mL vs 85.6+/-28.1 mL), New York Heart Association functional class (2.1+/-0.2 vs 2.4+/-1.2) and 5 year survival rate (85+/-8% vs 82+/-8%). There was no risk factor for operative mortality and the only risk factor for late death was preoperative atrial fibrillation (p=0.042). There was no significant correlation between mitral valvular surgery and late death. CONCLUSION: Concomitant mitral valvular procedure in patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting had no significant positive effect on survival and ventricular function compared with isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. Prospective randomized study may be needed to evaluate the necessity of concomitant mitral procedure and to find more effective method for the improvement of ventricular function.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mortality ; Risk Factors ; Stroke Volume ; Survival Rate ; Ventricular Function

The authors diagnosed a 54-year-old male as central mucoepidermoid carcinoma after undegoing clinical, radiologica l and histopathological examinations. The charateristics were as followed : 1. Clinically, the patient complained of the painless unilateral swelling of the left mandibular molar region and had a pus discharge through the fistula. Painful nodule was palpated on the scalp of the left frontal area and it was regarde d as a metastatic lesion. 2. Plain radiographs showed the ill-defined permeative radiolucent lesion. The osteolytic lesions were also detected in the cranial bone, number 9 and 11 ribs, scapula, and vertebral bodies. 3. The mandibular CT and PNS MRI showed the swelling of the left mandible and the enlargement of the several lymph node s of 1.5 cm in size. 4. Histopathologically, many solid epidermoid type cells were mixed with mucus-secreting cells and they were arranged i n duct-like structure. Most of them were epidermoid type, which indicates a high grade tumor. Mucins could be found in mucicarmine staining.
Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid* ; Fistula ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mandible* ; Middle Aged ; Molar ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Ribs ; Scalp ; Scapula ; Suppuration

The authors diagnosed a 54-year-old male as central mucoepidermoid carcinoma after undegoing clinical, radiologica l and histopathological examinations. The charateristics were as followed : 1. Clinically, the patient complained of the painless unilateral swelling of the left mandibular molar region and had a pus discharge through the fistula. Painful nodule was palpated on the scalp of the left frontal area and it was regarde d as a metastatic lesion. 2. Plain radiographs showed the ill-defined permeative radiolucent lesion. The osteolytic lesions were also detected in the cranial bone, number 9 and 11 ribs, scapula, and vertebral bodies. 3. The mandibular CT and PNS MRI showed the swelling of the left mandible and the enlargement of the several lymph node s of 1.5 cm in size. 4. Histopathologically, many solid epidermoid type cells were mixed with mucus-secreting cells and they were arranged i n duct-like structure. Most of them were epidermoid type, which indicates a high grade tumor. Mucins could be found in mucicarmine staining.
Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid* ; Fistula ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mandible* ; Middle Aged ; Molar ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Ribs ; Scalp ; Scapula ; Suppuration