An 8 year-old boy was presented with typical symptoms of neuromyelitis optica. Hematologic data revealed leucocytosis and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR). CSF analysis showed elevated protein and lymphocyte dominant leucocytosis. Treatment with high dose steroid was administered. He recovered fully within a few weeks after the onset or paraparesis. Neuromyelitis optica is a clinical syndrome. Pathophysiologically, it is a autoimmune process involving the optic nerve and the spinal cord. It is characterized by rapid progressive paraparesis and bilateral visual disturbance. There are no definitive laboratory clues for diagnosis. Treatments including the use of steroid, ACTH, antiviral agent and immunosuppresant, all result in variable effect. Prognosis is very variable ranging from full recovery to death. The most common cause of death is respiratory failure with the cord lesions. Neuromyelitis optica is very rare in Korea. We report the case with review of the literature.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Blood Sedimentation ; Cause of Death ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Neuromyelitis Optica ; Optic Nerve ; Paraparesis ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Spinal Cord

Acute scrotal pain is a common urologic presentation and critical pathology due to the possibility of organ loss in the emergency department. Referred pain in the lower quadrant of the abdomen may accompany testicular torsion. Of 58 patients with testicular torsion between January 2001 and March 2011, three visited the emergency department with abdominal pain alone. The median age of the patients was 16 years (range, 13-19). Median duration of abdominal pain to first medical examination and proper diagnosis by an urologist was 14 hours (range, 2-168) and 77 hours (range, 57-240), respectively. All patients underwent orchiectomy. Due to symptomatic variations for testicular torsion, all clinicians providing emergency care to patients who have referred pain in the lower abdomen without scrotal pain should consider the constellation of symptoms in order to avoid superfluous diagnostic delay.
Abdomen ; Abdomen, Acute* ; Abdominal Pain ; Diagnosis ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Orchiectomy ; Pain, Referred ; Pathology ; Spermatic Cord Torsion*

Acute scrotal pain is a common urologic presentation and critical pathology due to the possibility of organ loss in the emergency department. Referred pain in the lower quadrant of the abdomen may accompany testicular torsion. Of 58 patients with testicular torsion between January 2001 and March 2011, three visited the emergency department with abdominal pain alone. The median age of the patients was 16 years (range, 13-19). Median duration of abdominal pain to first medical examination and proper diagnosis by an urologist was 14 hours (range, 2-168) and 77 hours (range, 57-240), respectively. All patients underwent orchiectomy. Due to symptomatic variations for testicular torsion, all clinicians providing emergency care to patients who have referred pain in the lower abdomen without scrotal pain should consider the constellation of symptoms in order to avoid superfluous diagnostic delay.
Abdomen ; Abdomen, Acute* ; Abdominal Pain ; Diagnosis ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Orchiectomy ; Pain, Referred ; Pathology ; Spermatic Cord Torsion*

We present a case of in-utero treatment of posterior urethral valve syndrome(PUVS) by vesicoamniotic shunting. The shunt was established by basket-shaped catheter at the 22 weeks' gestation. Enlarged bladder and hydronephrosis were improved after the shunt procedure. The baby was delivered at the 39 weeks' gestation and had normal serum range of BUN and creatinine. Because the outer opening of catheter was burried under abdominal skin on the day before delivery, posterior urethral valve excision and basket removal through urethra were operated by endoscopy on the 2nd day of birth. The baby has been followed up for 5 months and in good health. We report this case with a brief review of literature. Shunt operation in-utero is considered as a safe and effective therapy for lower urinary tract obstruction caused by PUVS.
Catheters* ; Creatinine ; Endoscopy ; Fetal Therapies* ; Hydronephrosis ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Skin ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract

BACKGROUND: To achieve tight glycemic control in the poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients with oral hypoglycemic agent, it maybe beneficial to initiate insulin treatment at the early stage. Many patients with type 2 diabetes are often reluctant to begin insulin therapy despite poor glycemic control with oral hypoglycemic agents, this little known phenomenon, often termed 'psychological insulin resistance (PIR)'. This study investigates psychological insulin resistance in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. METHOD: This study examined a total of 76 type 2 diabetic patients with poor glycemic control during period of April to July 2006. Through questionnaire and telephone survey, total 24 questions were asked about various attitudes on insulin therapy including psychological barriers and patients' acceptance of this treatment. Subjects were asked to allocate points in 5-point scale (from 5 points for 'very true' to 1 point for 'very untrue'). RESULTS: The means of psychological rejection, injection-related anxiety and fear of insulin side effects such as hypoglycemia and weight gain were 3.65 +/- 0.92, 3.17 +/- 0.98 and 2.8 +/- 1.02, respectively. Unwillingness was common in insulin therapy, 67% of patient rejected or was unwilling to take insulin. Main reasons of patients most frequently endorsed beginning insulin indicate that disease is worsening, permanence (once you start insulin you can never quit) and sense of personal failure. Furthermore, study indicates that patients' reasons for avoiding insulin therapy were mainly psychological rejection, which extended far beyond a simple injection related anxiety. CONCLUSION: PIR was psychological reluctance rather than injection related anxiety. To overcome these psychological barriers to insulin treatment, it is necessary to address appropriate diabetes education including training and counseling with excellent interactive communications between patients and clinicians.
Anxiety ; Counseling ; Humans ; Hypoglycemia ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Telephone ; Weight Gain ; Surveys and Questionnaires