Actinomycosis, in which the principal causative agent in man is known to Actinomyces israelii, is a chronic, suppurative diseases characterized by extensive fibrosis, multiple abscesses, and formation of sinus tracts that drain suppurative exudates. On the basis of the anatomical sites involved; it can be subclassified into the cervicofacial form, which is the most common form, pulmonary form and abdominal form. Kidneys are rarely affected. Clinically, radiologically, and at operation it is difficult to differentiate the renal actinomycosis from renal tuberculosis and renal carcinoma. The prognosis is excellent after nephrectomy followed by appropriate antibiotic therapy. We presented a case of renal actinomycosis with a brief review of the literatures.
Male ; Humans

A 7-year-old girl had a 7 × 6cm sized dark red colored tumor on the left elbow and several erythematous macules on the face, right upper arm, and both thighs. Her general health was good and all laboratory findings were within normal limit. Histopathologic examination revealed an infiltration of atypical mononuclear cells in the dermis and subcutis. L26 and leukocyte common antigen were positively stained in an immunohistochemical study. According to clinical, histological and immunohistochemical findings, we diagnosed the disease as primary cutaneous B cell lymphoma. The patient's skin lesions markedly improved after a surgical excision and chemotherapy.
Antigens, CD45 ; Arm ; Child ; Dermis ; Drug Therapy ; Elbow ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell* ; Skin ; Thigh

No abstract available.
Laurence-Moon Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Laurence-Moon Syndrome*

BACKGROUND: Serum eosinophil cationic protein(ECP) level has been proposed as a indirect marker of eosinophilic inflammation of the airway in bronchial asthma. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum ECP against indirect clinical markers of disease, we compared bronchial obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and peripheral blood eosinophil counts, total IgE with serum ECP levels in patients with bronchial asthma and normal controls. METHOD: Fourty-two patients with bronchial asthma and twenty-six normal controls were enrolled. Measurement were made by spirometry, inhalation challenge with methacholine, peripheral blood eosinophil counts, total IgE and FEIA(fluoroenzymatic immunoassay) of serum ECP RESULT: Serum ECP levels were significantly higher in asthmatic patients than normal controls(p<0.0,5). Serum ECP levels were correlated with peripheral blood eosinophil counts(p<0.01, r=0.544) and bronchial hyperresponsiveness(PC,)(p<0.01, r=-0.456) in patients with bronchial asthma. Serum ECP levels were correlated with degree of bronchial obstruction(FEV, % to predicted value, FEV1/FVC%) in total subjects, but not in asthmatic patients. CONCLUSION: Serum ECP level may be used as indicator of disease activity in bronchial asthma and be helpful in differentiation between normal person and asthmatic patients on simple serological method. Further studies on the changes of serum ECP levels according to disease course and therapeutic responses are needed.
Asthma* ; Biomarkers ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Inhalation ; Methacholine Chloride ; Spirometry

Coronary stent embolization is a rare event but may result in clinically relevant cardiac ischemia or peripheral embolization during the procedure. We report a case of systemic embolizations of two coil stents during the primary PTCA in acute myocardial infarction, who were treated successfully with a double wire helix technique and a gooseneck snare. Although in our experience this rare complication did not produce any clinical complications, care should be taken to prevent this possibility, especially in patients with significant vessel tortuosity, calcification, total occlusion, or mild stenosis proximal to the target lesion.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Iliac Artery* ; Ischemia ; Myocardial Infarction ; SNARE Proteins ; Stents*

Surgical endarterectomy has been shown to be superior to medical treatment in the management of severe carotid stenosis. Endarterectomy, although effective, does have limitations, and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stent may offer an alternative modality of treatment. We report on a patient with severe coronary disease that femoral arterial cannulation was not possible due to aorto-femoral shunt operation and absent pulse. The transradial approach was used for aortography, bilateral carotid angiography and successful elective stent deployment in the left internal carotid artery. The transradial approach might be useful alternative in case of problems with femoral approach.
Angiography ; Angioplasty* ; Aortography ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Stenosis* ; Catheterization ; Coronary Disease ; Endarterectomy ; Humans ; Stents*

PURPOSE: Recently, it has been reported that the disease with secondary surfactant deficiency such as pneumonia and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) improved in arterial blood gas analysis and pulmonary mechanics by surfactant treatment. In this study, we investigated the effect of surfactant in the experimentally induced E. coli pneumonia in rats. METHODS: 0.25 mL (0.5x109) E. coli suspension was injected intratracheally to the rats. After ventilating rats for 1 minute, 0.25 mL Surfactant TA (60 mg/mL phospholipid) was administered to the study group and normal saline to the control group. In about 12 hours, pneumonia symptoms developed, and the arterial blood gas analysis was performed with the blood obtained from abdominal aorta accessed by laparotomy. And then, bronchial lavage fluid (BAL) was obtained to perform cell count with differentials and E. coli culture, and to measure protein concentrations. The lungs were fixed in formalin for histological examination to compare the degree of inflammation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in PaO2, cell count, differential count, E. coli culture between the study group and the control group. The protein concentrations of BALs in the surfactant-treated group were significantly lower than those in the control group (277+/-164 mg/dL vs 1,030+/-410 mg/dL). The inflammatory changes were found in E. coli-infected lung tissues from both groups, but less prominent in the surfactant-treated group than in control. CONCLUSION: Surfactant treatment decreased both the protein concentration of BALs and the inflammatory changes of lung tissue in an experimental model of E. coli pneumonia in rats.
Animals ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Cell Count ; Formaldehyde ; Inflammation ; Laparotomy ; Lung ; Mechanics ; Models, Theoretical ; Pneumonia* ; Rats* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult

No abstract available.
Korea*

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rarely identified entity whose exact incidence, etiology, pathogenesis, medium-term evolution and optimal treatment have not yet been firmly estabilished. The cause of spontaneous disection remains unclear but theories of etiology include a medial eosinophilic angiitis, pregnancy induced degeneration of collagen and rupture of the vasovasoum. Most paients die suddenly, but a clinical spectrum is seen including and unstable angina, myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. We experienced 4 cases with spontaneous coronary artery dissection found angiographically which caused myocardial infarction and unstable angina. Our patients were treated medically.
Angina, Unstable ; Collagen ; Coronary Vessels ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Pregnancy ; Rupture ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Vasculitis