No abstract available.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis*

No abstract available.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis*

PURPOSE: To help in the early diagnosis of postoperative infections in lumbar stenosis, attempts were made to evaluate a large number of patients having levels of ESR, CSR and CRP at fixed intervals, following an uncomplicated instrumented posterolateral fusion with wide decompression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 101 lumbar stenosis patients were included in this study. The levels of ESR, CSR and CRP were checked on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 10th and 14th postoperative days. These data were plotted in relation to time in order to follow their changes. The relationships between these and the perioperative factors (operation time, fusion levels, estimated bleeding amount and transfusion amount) were evaluated statistically. RESULTS: The ESR and CSR had peak levels by the 3rd postoperative day, which then became highly variable until 14 days. The CRP level was highest on the 2nd postoperative day, which decreased rapidly, was and reached nearly normalized levels by 14th day. The ESR and CSR values on the 7th postoperative day showed a tendency to correlate with the perioperative factors, but the CRP value showed no significant correlations. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed the effectiveness of CRP, and ineffectiveness of ESR and CSR, in the early detection of deep infections following surgery for wide lumbar stenosis.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Decompression* ; Early Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans

We evaluated MR imaging of spondylolytic spondylolisthesis degenerative spondylolisthesis and retrolisthesis in 14, 9 and 20 patients respectively. Sagittal and axial spin echo and gradient echo images were obtained with 25-30cm FOV and 5mm/0.5mm thickness/gap by using spine surface coil. Sagittal images showed defects of pars interarticularis just inside of the pedicles of spines in all the cases of spondylolytic spondylolisthesis with relatively variable signal intensity. Displaced vertebrae were commonly observed at L5 (8/14) in spondylolytic spondylolisthesis, at L4 (5/9) in degenerative spondylolisthesis and at variable locations in retrolisthesis. The mean length of displacement of vertebrae in spondylolytic spondylolisthesis was about 7mm and less displacement was onserved in degenerative spondylolisthesis and retrolisthesis. Seven, four and six cases of pseudobulging of disk at displaced level were observed in cases of spondylolytic spondylolisthesis, degenerative spondylolisthesis and retrolisthesis respectively. Seven, five and 14 cases of true disk lesions were onserved in cases of spondylolytic spondylolisthesis, degenertive spondylolisthesis and retrolisthesis respectively. Grade II neural foraminal stenoses (obliteration of one half epidural fat of neural foramen) were commonly (8/14) seen in spondylolytic spondylolisthesis, however the other two types showed less severe neural foraminal stenosis. In conclusion, MR imaging is a highly accurate method for the diagnosis and evaluation of spondylolisthesis and associated lesions of spine and disks.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Methods ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis*

Gastric stricture is caused by the ingestion of caustic materials, or by the involvement of a gastric infiltrating carcinoma. Corrosive injury-induced stricture is uncommon and the gastric injury caused by calcium fertilizer has not been reported in Korea. Once the diagnosis of gastric stricture is confirmed, an early definitive surgical intervention should be performed. Sometimes balloon dilatation on stricture may be attempted in suitable cases. We report a case of gastric stricture caused by ingestion of chemical fertilizer containing calcium and managed with radiologic balloon dilatation in a 73-year-old man.
Aged ; Calcium ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Eating ; Humans ; Korea

Biliary decompression by T-tube in liver transplantation can reduce the stenosis of biliary anastomosis site, but increase the biliary leakage. Therefore, policy of T-tube insertion is different in each transplantation center. Recently the overseas liver transplantations, especially from China, are increasing, and most of these recipients are transferred with T-tube insertion status. Due to limited operative information, T-tube related complications are frequently occurred. We report four cases of T-tube related biliary complication according to the diagnosis timing after T-tube removal, who underwent liver transplantation in China. The symptoms and treatment was variable from conservative management to open laparotomy. The 3 of 4 cases was the bile leakage after T-tube removal. In early diagnosed case after T-tube removal, the bile leakage was easily controlled by non invasive procedures. If the diagnosis was delayed, not only invasive procedures but also open laparotomy was required for control of bile leakage.
Bile ; China ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Laparotomy ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver*

The definition of complex transposition of the great arteries is not certain. Usually, the heart of simple transposition of the great arteries with atrioventricular valve anomaly, subpulmonary stenosis (left ventricular outflow tract obstruction; LVOTO), and coarctation (COA) seems to be the complex transposition of the great arteries. In this paper, the hearts with severe AV valve anomaly, hypoplastic ventricle as the candidate of Fontan procedure were excluded. Several authors published the result of complex TGA surgery worse than that of simple TGA, but recently, many authors emphasized that the result of complex TGA surgery was not worse even in the case including VSD, PS, and COA. This improvement can be achieved by precise anatomic diagnosis, and well designed surgical plan and better postoperative care.
Arteries* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Fontan Procedure ; Heart ; Postoperative Care

A kidney containing more than 1,000ml fluid in its collecting system is generally defined as giant hydronephrosis. The clinical manifestations of giant hydronephrosis are indistinct. The patient seems to seek medical help late due to tolerable symptoms and particularly in the state of poor economic condition. We present a giant hydronephrosis of contents of 60 liters associated with ureteropelvic junction stricture on a 43-year-old woman. The final diagnosis was performed by exploration of abdomen and nephrectomy was done.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Kidney ; Nephrectomy

PURPOSE: To determine the reliability of sonourethrog raphy (SUG) in the evaluation of male anterior urethral strictures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Both SUG with retrograde saline infusion and retrograde urethrography (RUG) were performed in 5 young normal volunteers and 20 patients with symptoms of impaired urine flow. Those findings were compared with urethroscopic and operative findings in all patients. RESULTS: SUG was more accurate in the evaluation of the stricture length and degree than RUG in 7 patients with anterior urethral strictures, when compared with their subsequent open urethroplasty findings. Only SUG could classify the degree of spongiofibrosis surrounding the strictures in 15 patients. So, SUG was diagnostically as efficacious as or, superior to, RUG in all 20 patients. CONCLUSION: SUG can be used as one of complementary and reliable tools for diagnosis, evaluation and follow-up of anterior urethral strictures.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Urethral Stricture*

Flow-volume loop is known to be useful in the diagnosis of upper airway obstruction. In cases of tracheal obstruction, characteristic features such as fixed or variable upper airway obstruction patterns give clue to the diagnosis. But the flow-volume loop of unilateral mainstem bronchial stenosis is not known well. There is controversy in patterns of flow-volume loop in unilateral mainstem bronchial stenosis (restrictive pattern or biphasic pattern). We report a case of biphasic flow-volume loop in left mainstem bronchial stenosis(4-5 mm in diameter) as a sequela of endobronchial tuberculosis, which recovered normal flow-volume loop after metallic stent insertion and 2 months later showed reappearance of biphasic pattern because of restenosis of left mainstem bronchus due to growth of granulation tissue at the stent site.
Airway Obstruction ; Bronchi ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis ; Granulation Tissue ; Stents ; Tuberculosis