BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy is a very rare and poorly recognized disease in children. This study is performed to describe the clinical course and to define potential predictors of outcome. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We reviewed the medical records and diagnostic studies of 11 consecutive patients during the period from Jan.1991 to Aug. 2000. RESULTS: The age at diagnosis was 1.2-13 years (median 7 years) and the duration of follow up was 3-90 months (median 3.6 years). All except one were symptomatic (dyspnea in ten, chest pain in four). The chest pain was associated with significant ST depression on both resting and exercise ECG, suggesting myocardial ischemia. Two had complete heart block as either initial or terminal event. Cardiac catheterization was done in nine ( mean pulmonary arterial wedge pressure 23+/-6mmHg, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure 47+/-14mmHg, mean right atrial pressure 11+/-9mmHg). Echocardiographic dimensional ratio of left atrium and aorta (LA/Ao) was 2.41+/-0.58. Mitral E/A inflow ratio was 2.72+/-1.42, E wave deceleration time was 93.6+/-44.2ms. During follow up, six died. The 2 year and 5 year cumulative survival rates were 54.5% and 18.8% respectively. The predictor for nonsurvivor were pulmonary venous congestion and LA/Ao >2.5(p<0.05). Verapamil was tried in 6 cases without favorable effect in all. CONCLUSION: Considerable numbers of restrictive cardiomyopathy have myocardial ischemia associated with ST depression and chest pain. The patients with pulmonary venous congestion and severe left atrial enlargement (LA/Ao>2.5) were at risk for death, requiring prompt definitive treatment such as cardiac transplantation.
Aorta ; Arterial Pressure ; Atrial Pressure ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive* ; Chest Pain ; Child* ; Deceleration ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Atria ; Heart Block ; Heart Transplantation ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Medical Records ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Survival Rate ; Verapamil

To analyse the clinical characteristics of children with atrial flutter(AF1), we reviewed(the medical records of the children who had been admitted and diagnosed as AF1 or 12 leads surface ECG during the period between February, 1986 and Octobe, 1990. The onset age of 25 children was evenly distributed between gestational period and upto 14 years of age. The sex ratio between boys and girls was 11:14. The cardiac abnormalities were detected in 21 children(dilated cardiomyopathy in 3, congenital heart defect in 18). In 4 children, AF1 occured in apparently normal heart. In 9 children, AF1 developed without relation to cardiac surgery(4 in normal heart, 3 in dilated cardiomyopathy, 2 in preoperative CHD). AF1 developed in 9 children within 30 days postoperatively(group A) and in 7, after 30 days postoperatively(group B). In group A, various types of operation were done. In 2 of them, AF1 persisted beyond the immediate postoperative period and 1 died of cardiac decompensation 3 months postoperatively. In group B, operative procedures before AF1 were Senning operation in 2, Fontan operation in 2, operation for tetralogy of Fallot, ventricular septal defect with severe tricuspid regurgitation, endocardial cushion defect in 1 each. Five children in group B( except 1 Senning operation and 1 Fontan operation) had significant residual atrioventricular regurgitation. The associated rhythm disturbance besides AF1 could be determined in 23 children. The sinus node dysfunction was associated in 8 ; the supraventricular dysrhythmia in 10; the ventricular dysrhythmia in 6; the atrioventricular conduction disturbance in 3, and no other associated rhythm disturbance in 6. The efficacy of various methods in conversion of AF1 to sinus rhythm were 57.1%(4/7) with DC cardioversion, 38.5%(5/13) with digoxin and other antiarrhythmic drug(amiodarone, beta blocker, quinidine, verapamil, flecainide), 25%(5/20) with pacing in esophagus or endocardium. The follow-up evaluation was possible in 24 children. Eight children were dead : 5 due to chronic decompensation, 2 due to sudden cardiac arrest, and 1 due to sepsis. Of the 16 alive children, 14 had recovered the normal sinus rhythm and the other 2 had persistent AF1. Twelve children without AF1 and 1 with persistent AF1 were on medication, Although there were none cardiac death in children without persistent AF1, 7 out of 9 children with persistent AF1 were dead. Of the 7 children with significant atrioventricular regurgitation, corrective procedures were done in 4. There were no death in these 4 children, despite of 2 cardiac death out of 3 children on whom corrective procedure were not done. In conclusion, the atrioventricular regurgitation was a significant factor in relation to the occurrence and persistence of AF1 and the prognosis was bad in children with persistent AF1. It is recommended to trat the children with AF1 associated with atrioventricular regurgitation promptly and more aggressively.
Age of Onset ; Atrial Flutter* ; Cardiomyopathies ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; Child* ; Death ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Digoxin ; Electric Countershock ; Electrocardiography ; Endocardial Cushion Defects ; Endocardium ; Esophagus ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fontan Procedure ; Heart ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Postoperative Period ; Prognosis ; Quinidine ; Sepsis ; Sex Ratio ; Sick Sinus Syndrome ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency ; Verapamil

No abstract available.
Humans ; Pregnancy* ; Twins*

BACKGROUND: Urography(IVU) is considered the best first investigation in patient with suspected urinary calculi, but recently ultrasonography(USG), combined with a plain film of the abdomen, has been suggested as an alternative. METHODS: We undertaken study to see if this approch can be used in emergency patients and outpatients by radiologists with different amounts of ultrasound experence. Some 192 patients with suspected urinary colic presenting to Koo Hospital Emergency Department and Youngnam Universith Hospital outward Department(IM, URO, FM) over 12-month period were studied. They had a plain abdominal film(KUB) and USG examination of the kidney, ureter, bladder following hydration and subsequently underwent IVU. Of these, 22 patients passed a stone before their IVU. The data analysis was performed on the remaining 170 patients. Urography was used as the gold standard. RESULTS: Some 170 patients subsequently underwent IVU at a mean interval of 1.8 days after the ultrasound examination. In 91 of 170 patients the IVU was positive. In 97 of 170 patients the combination of JUB plus USG was positive, leaving three false negative KUB plus USG. Thus the sensitivity of KUB plus USG was 97%, specificity was 89%, positive predictive value was 91%, and negative predictive value was 96%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings in this study suggest that in the hydrated patient the combination of KUB plus US is a very sensitive and relative specific screening test. Because of the high negative predictive value of KUB plus US, urography is not likely to be helpful when KUB plus US are negative. Urography is indicated only if KUB plus US findings are equivocal or if intervention is necessa.ry.
Abdomen ; Colic ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Kidney ; Mass Screening ; Outpatients ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Statistics as Topic ; Ultrasonography* ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Calculi* ; Urography*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Female ; Ovary*

PURPOSE: A traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) is a diagnostic challenge and the associated injuries determine the outcome in those diagnosed early. A TDR has long been considered to be a marker of the severity of injury with an average reported Injury Severity Score (ISS) between 31 and 50. This report reviewed the TDR cases in order to emphasize the method and timing of the diagnosis, associated injuries and the outcome. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 30 patient treated for TDR between August 1998 and september 2002. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 33.4 years and the injury predomiantly affected males (male: female=2: 1). Blunt trauma by TA was the most common cause of the TDR (25 patients). The ruptured sites were on the left in 22 cases and on the right in 8 cases. The most common symptom was chest pain (23 cases) followed dyspnea (21 cases). Liver injuries and a pneumo-hemothorax were the most common associated injuries. The mean CRAMS scale was 6.47 and Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 18.93. Eighteen TDR cases were suspected based on the abnormal chest X-ray findings. Nineteen cases underwent surgery within 6 hours after the trauma (early diagnosis). Although many complications occurred in 11 cases, there were no lethal complications. The mean size of the diaphragmatic rupture was 9.77 cm and an intraabdominal organ herniation had not occurred in ruptures smaller than 6 cm. Surgical repair of the diaphragm was performed via a laparotomy in 20 cases and thoracotomy in 7 cases. A left side TDR was preferred to a laparotomy whereas a right sided TDR was preferred to a thoracotomy. Pulmonary complications (atelectasis, pneumonia, pleural effusion) occurred in 14 cases postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The patient's complaints and physical findings were not a reliable indicator of the diagnosis, but usually a manifestation of the associated injuries. A suspicion and routine chest X-ray was the most reliable diagnostic tool, even though the chest X-ray was normal in 12 cases. A high rate of early diagnosis can be achieved using an aggresive investigation protocol, suspicion and a combined radiologic evaluation in multiple trauma patients. Although pulmonary complications occurred in the early diagnosed cases, lethal complications and long term sequela were directly related to the time of diagnosis. The higher ISS had many complications (11 cases) but there were no lethal complications, long term sequela.
Chest Pain ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragm ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Laparotomy ; Liver ; Male ; Multiple Trauma ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

Although obturator herniae are rare, they are associated with a high mortality, as diagnosis is often delayed and the condition tends to occur in the elderly. The preoperative diagnosis is difficult because of nonspecific symptoms and sign. They often produce a small bowel obstruction. The treatment is always surgical. Several repair techniques have been described: a sac ligation alone, a direct suture repair, and the use of autologous tissue or prosthetic repair. Recently, the placement of permanent mesh prostheses, in a clean contaminated operative field, has been performed due to the minimal wound-related morbidity and patient mortality. Thus, utilization of a permanent mesh in an obturator hernia is a new, simple and effective method for repair. Two cases of a strangulated obturator hernia were experienced in elderly women. The peritoneal cavity was not overly contaminated, with only necrotic foci on the herniated small bowel wall noted. A segmental resection of the small bowel was performed. Consequently, the hernia defect was closed with mesh- plug between the peritoneum and periosteum of the obturator foramen. Here, two cases of obturator herniae treated by use of a mesh-plug are reported, with a brief review of the literature.
Aged ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hernia ; Hernia, Obturator* ; Humans ; Ligation ; Mortality ; Periosteum ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Peritoneum ; Prostheses and Implants ; Sutures

The cecal perforation is very rare in pediatrics. Our center has experienced a 7-year-old girl with idiopathic perforated cecitis. The surgeon couldn't differentiate perforated cecitis from perforated appendicitis because of anatomical location, incidence and ambiguous radiologic result when this patient was admitted to our clinic due to RLQ pain.
Appendicitis* ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pediatrics ; Typhlitis*

No abstract available.
Heart Defects, Congenital*

No abstract available.
Aorta, Thoracic* ; Blood Flow Velocity* ; Pregnancy*