A 55-year-old woman presented with frequent episodes of syncope due to sinus pauses. During ambulatory Holter monitoring, atrial fibrillation and first-degree atrioventricular nodal block were observed. Magnetic resonance imaging and CT scans showed a tumor-like mass from the superior vena cava to the right atrial septum. Open chest cardiac biopsy was performed. The tumor was composed of proliferating IgG4-positive plasma cells and lymphocytes with surrounding sclerosis. The patient was diagnosed with IgG4-related sclerosing disease. Because of frequent sinus pauses and syncope, a permanent pacemaker was implanted. The cardiac mass was inoperable, but it did not progress during the one-year follow-up.
Atrial Septum/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/*blood ; Middle Aged ; Pacemaker, Artificial ; Sclerosis/complications/diagnosis/therapy ; Syncope/etiology ; Vena Cava, Superior/*pathology

PURPOSE: To evaluate the surgical results of lower eyelid retraction using autologous ear cartilage graft. METHODS: Fifty patients (54 eyes) who received surgical correction of lower eyelid retraction by lower eyelid retractors and conjunctiva recession from the tarsal plate with autologous ear cartilage grafts from March 2002 to July 2010 were evaluated. Medical records were reviewed and clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, and postoperative complications were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The use of prosthesis due to anophthalmos or microphthalmos (22 eyes) was the most common cause of lower eyelid retraction. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 16.6 months (1-98 months). Lower eyelid retraction was successfully corrected in 52 of 54 eyes. Postoperatively, 2 cases of corneal erosions, 1 case of conjunctival erosion, and 2 pyogenic granulomas developed. Corneal and conjunctival erosions resolved with conservative management and granulation tissues were removed by excision. CONCLUSIONS: Correction of lower eyelid retraction using autologous ear cartilage graft is an excellent surgical procedure with low complication rates for eyelid retraction of various etiologies.
Anophthalmos ; Conjunctiva ; Ear ; Ear Cartilage ; Eye ; Eyelids ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granulation Tissue ; Granuloma, Pyogenic ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Microphthalmos ; Postoperative Complications ; Prostheses and Implants ; Transplants

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) extracted from electrocardiogram measured for a short period during a resting state is clinically used as a bio-signal reflecting the emotional state. However, as interest in wearable devices increases, greater attention is being paid to HRV extracted from long-term electrocardiogram, which may contain additional clinical information. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of HRV parameters extracted through long-term electrocardiogram and explore the differences between participants with and without depression and anxiety symptoms. Methods: Long-term electrocardiogram was acquired from 354 adults with no psychiatric history who underwent Holter monitoring. Evening and nighttime HRV and the ratio of nighttime-to-evening HRV were compared between 127 participants with depressive symptoms and 227 participants without depressive symptoms. Comparisons were also made between participants with and without anxiety symptoms. Results: Absolute values of HRV parameters did not differ between groups based on the presence of depressive or anxiety symptoms. Overall, HRV parameters increased at nighttime compared to evening. Participants with depressive symptoms showed a significantly higher nighttime-to-evening ratio of high-frequency HRV than participants without depressive symptoms. The nighttime-to-evening ratio of HRV parameters did not show a significant difference depending on the presence of anxiety symptoms. Conclusion HRV extracted through long-term electrocardiogram showed circadian rhythm. Depression may be associated with changes in the circadian rhythm of parasympathetic tone.