PURPOSE: An attempt to establish the neuroprotection effect of ascorbic acid in ischemic retinal injury. METHODS: A rat anterior chamber was cannulated with a 30-gauge infusion needle connected to a container of balanced salt solution (BSS). The container was raised to a height of 3m during 60mins, thereby inducing retina ischemia by high intraocular pressure (HIOP). The effect of ascorbic acid was demonstrated by hematoxylin-eosin (H and E) stain and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) immunohistochemical stain. The effect was classified into three HIOP-induced groups: without ascorbic acid treatment, ; ascorbic acid-treated at 24 hr and just before experiment; and ascorbic acid-treated at 24hr, just before experiment and every 24hr after experiment. RESULTS: After retinal ischemia, in the ascorbic acid-treatment groups (Ed- confirm the plural here; from above there are two ascorbic acid-treated groups), the thickness of each retinal layer was preserved more than that in the non-ascorbic acid treated group. There was little difference according to ascorbic acid administration time and period. By nNOS immunohistochemical stain, in the non-ascorbic acid administration group, nNOS immune reactive cells were increased remarkably, in the Inner Nuclear layer (INL) and Ganglion Cell Layer (GCL). In the ascorbic acid-treated groups (Ed-agin confirm), nNOS immune reactive cells were stained in a similar pattern to that of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The neuroprotection effect of ascorbic acid in ischemic retinal injury was demonstrated, as was the suppression of nNOS expression in the ischemic retina tissue by ascorbic acid administration.
Animals ; Anterior Chamber ; Ascorbic Acid* ; Ganglion Cysts ; Intraocular Pressure ; Ischemia ; Needles ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; Rats ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Hemofiltration* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Child* ; Hemofiltration* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to investigate prospectively the relation of lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)],apoproteins and serum lipid parameters to restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasyt(PTCA). METHODS: One hundred and forty-five patients who received successful PTCA were enrolled and their serum levels of lipids, apoproteins and Lp(a) were measured before PTCA. After 6 months of follow-up, the patients were reevaluated for the development of restenosis by coronary angiography, treadmill test or thallium scan. RESULTS: A total 137 patients could be followed. Restenosis occurred in 71 patients(52%). Clinical parameters(e.g. age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, smoking) and angiographic parameters(e.g. lesion site, type and degree of stenosis) were not significantly different between the group without restenosis and the group with restenosis. Lipid parameters and apoproteins were not associated with restenosis. Lp(a) and Lp(a) phenotype analysis showed no significant difference between the two gruops. CONCLUSION: Serum lipid parameters, apoproteins and Lp(a) concentration are not associated with restenosis after PTCA and cannot be used as predictios of restenosis.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary* ; Apoproteins ; Coronary Angiography ; Exercise Test ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipoprotein(a)* ; Phenotype* ; Prospective Studies ; Thallium

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Infant*

A case of congenital absence of right atriovntricular (A-V) connection of heart is reported. Patient was 81 day old male infant with chief complaints of dyspnea and irritability. Clinical evaluation revealed increased pulmonary vascularity on chest x-ray, absence of right A-V connection, regurgitation of left A-V valve, right-sided ventricular hypoplasia and L-TGA. Clinical assessment of the case was tricupsid atresia with LTGA and mitral regurgitation. Pulmonary artery banlding and artial septectomy was performed. Parenteral alimentation through the femoral veins resulted in obstruction of IVC and subsequent multiorgan failure. The autopsy findings of the heart were corrected transposition of great arteries with associated anomallies of right-sided mitral atresia, Ebstein's malformation of left-sided tricuspid valve, ventricular septal defect, muscular hypertrophy of right-sided left ventricle with luminal obliteration. Long segment of IVC was completely occluded due to occlusive thrombi with fungal infection. Bilateral kidneys were infarcted and azygos vein was markedly engorged. Microscopic examination revealed candidal colonization in the inferior vena cava and septic embolzation in brain.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Humans

A case of congenital absence of right atriovntricular (A-V) connection of heart is reported. Patient was 81 day old male infant with chief complaints of dyspnea and irritability. Clinical evaluation revealed increased pulmonary vascularity on chest x-ray, absence of right A-V connection, regurgitation of left A-V valve, right-sided ventricular hypoplasia and L-TGA. Clinical assessment of the case was tricupsid atresia with LTGA and mitral regurgitation. Pulmonary artery banlding and artial septectomy was performed. Parenteral alimentation through the femoral veins resulted in obstruction of IVC and subsequent multiorgan failure. The autopsy findings of the heart were corrected transposition of great arteries with associated anomallies of right-sided mitral atresia, Ebstein's malformation of left-sided tricuspid valve, ventricular septal defect, muscular hypertrophy of right-sided left ventricle with luminal obliteration. Long segment of IVC was completely occluded due to occlusive thrombi with fungal infection. Bilateral kidneys were infarcted and azygos vein was markedly engorged. Microscopic examination revealed candidal colonization in the inferior vena cava and septic embolzation in brain.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Humans

To dtermine the optimal timing for Aortic Valve Replacement in patients of aortic insufficiency is very important, because irreversible myocardial damage can result before symtoms such as dyspnea, syncope and chest pain, appear for the first time. Henry suggested that the echocardiographic index of left ventricular end systolic dimension 55mm could be useful as an indicator of whether to operate or not. But Fioretti, et al., insisted that there was no significant difference postoperatively between those below 55mm and those over 55mm. To determine whether a left ventricular end systolic dimension greater than 55mm is one of the risk factors for AVR in patients with aortic insufficiency, we analyzed the serial echocardiographic examinations of 23 patients who underwent AVR for isolated AI. Group I patients (n=17) had a preoperative left ventricular end systolic dimension less than or equal to 55mm and Group II patients (n=6) had a preoperative left ventricular end systolic dimension greater than than 55mm. 1) left ventricular end systolic dimension decreased in both groups significantly, and there was a statistically significant difference between Group I and Group II at 12 modths after operation. 2) Left ventricular end diastolic dimension also decreased in both groups significantly, and there was a statistically significant difference between Group I and Group II at 12 months after operation. 3) Ejection Fraction was decreased markedly just postoperatively, but it was recovered soon in both groups, and there was no statistically significant differences of the ejection fractions between the two groups postoperatively. 4) SV1+/-RV6 in EKG, as an indicator of LV mass, was also analzed and it revealed significant reduction in both groups postoperatively, but we could not observe statistically significant differences between the two groups from 6 months after the operation. We concluded that the preoperative left ventricular end systolic dimension 55mm could be useful as an index to predict postoperative prognosis and to determine the timing of aortic valve replacement.
Aortic Valve* ; Chest Pain ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors ; Syncope

PURPOSE: To report the challenging problems in the treatment of patients with chronic cavitary osteomyelitis that is refractory to conventional treatment methods, and to illustrate the author's newly designed fragmentary partial bone transport technique using the modification of the Ilizarov method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three patients with chronic cavitary osteomyelitis with a large cavitary bone defect of the tibia were treated with the author's newly designed biological fragmentary partial bone transport technique. RESULTS: After an average of 78 days of fragmentary partial bone transport, the cavitary bone defects were completely filled with the transported bone fragment, and the draining sinus disappeared without any evidence of active infection. The Ilizarov frame was removed on an average of 271.3 days after surgery. The mean total length of the distraction was 8.0 cm and the mean healing index was 33.9 days/cm. CONCLUSION: A fragmentary partial bone transport technique using the Ilizarov apparatus can solve the problem of chronic cavitary osteomyelitis of the tibia by filling the bone defect with new living bone without sacrificing the bony continuity and effectively eradicating the infection. Therefore, this new technique is an effective treatment for chronic cavitary osteomyelitis of the tibia.
Humans ; Ilizarov Technique ; Osteomyelitis* ; Tibia

Purpose: Leg elevation is known as an effective method for reducing leg swelling, and it has been routinely used in medical practice. However, the effect of swelling reduction in relation to the degree of elevation height is not known. This study evaluated the swelling of the leg after acute ankle fracture operations at two different elevation heights and the elevated leg heights were compared. Materials and Methods: A total of 66 patients with postoperative acute ankle fractures were classified into two groups depending on the presence of different leg elevation heights: high-elevated (HE, case) and low-elevated groups (LE, control). We checked leg swelling, pain, subjective satisfaction for the elevation device, and the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, and we retrospectively compared them between both the groups. Results: Leg swelling and pain were reduced in both groups. However, they did not show any significant differences between both the groups (p>0.05). Nineteen patients in the HE group replied with uncomfortable, while no patients in LE group did so. The AOFAS score at 1 year postoperatively did not show any significant differences between both the groups (p=0.46). Conclusion High elevation of the leg after ankle fractures did not show a significant difference from low elevation in regard to leg swelling, pain, and function. Furthermore, high leg elevation resulted in discomfort during the postoperative period. Thus, low elevation with a pillow is enough for acute ankle fracture patients with little discomfort and satisfactory swelling reduction.