We report a case of ruptured mycotic aneurysm involving innominate artery requiring an urgent surgical treatment. A 62-yr-old woman presented with fever and dyspnea. Previously, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and received right hemicolectomy and one cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy. On echocardiogram, pericardial effusion was noted and emergency pericardiocentesis was performed. CT scan revealed aortic aneurysm involving ascending aorta and innominate artery, and thrombi surrounding those structures. Patch repair of the defect in the ascending aorta and ringed Goretex graft to bypass the innominate and ascending aorta were performed. We believe that this is the first case of ruptured mycotic aneurysm involving innominate artery.
Aneurysm, Infected/*surgery ; Aorta/pathology ; Aortic Aneurysm/surgery ; Brachiocephalic Trunk/pathology ; Colonic Neoplasms/drug therapy/surgery ; Female ; Human ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Transplants

Generalized pustular psoriasis is the most servere form of psoriasis. This disorder is characterized by pustular skin lesions general symptoms such as high fever, weakness and peripheral blood leukocytosis. We have experienced a case of generalized pustular psoriasis after suffering from chickenpox which was diagnosed by clinical symptoms and pathologic features from a skin biopsy. This 4-year-old male patient was managed by local and oral corticosteroid therapy with excellent outcome. A brief review of the related literature is also included.
Biopsy ; Chickenpox* ; Child, Preschool ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Psoriasis* ; Skin

Pulmonary mucormycosis is an opportunistic infection in patients with severe underlying illness such as immunocompromised diseases or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. While patients with leukemia and lymphoma usually resent with diffuse parenchymal disease, diabetic patients usually have a localized endobronchial disease involving central airways. We report upon a case of pulmonary mucormycosis in diabetes mellitus patient presenting as an endobronchial mass, which was cured with antifungal therapy, rigid bronchoscopic mass removal and right pneumonectomy.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Lymphoma ; Mucormycosis* ; Opportunistic Infections ; Pneumonectomy

BACKGROUND: Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is rare but often fatal. To determine the clinical manifestations of DAH, its etiology, clinical course and prognosis were studied. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed in 21 patients that were diagnosed as DAH. Diagnosis of DAH was based on the presence of the "classical triad" of hemoptysis, anemia, and rapidly progressive infiltrates on chest X-ray and a finding of bronchoalveloar lavage or lung biopsy. RESULTS: Thirteen patients (61.9%) had collagen vascular diseases (CVDs) as underlying disease and 10 patients had systemic lupus erythematosus. Females were more prevalent in CVD than in non-collagen vascular disease (NCVD). Otherwise, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of clinical manifestations. Dyspnea (95.2%), cough (76.2%), hemoptysis (61.9%), and fever (33.0%) were frequent symptoms. The initial creatinine level was higher in CVD than in NCVD (3.27±3.15 mg/dl vs. 1.19±0.94 md/dl, p=0.030). The corresponding drop in hemoglobin level was 2.69±1.26 g/dl. Maximal drop in hemoglobin preceded the progression of infiltrates on the chest radiograph by 1.38±4.22 days. The mortality rate was higher in the patients with NCVD than in those with CVD (50.0% vs. 23.1%). CONCLUSION: The DAH can occur not only in patients with CVD but also in those with NCVD. Higher creatinine level CVD in patients is associated with renal involvement in conjunction with DAH. The maximal drop in hemoglobin preceeding the progression of infiltrates on the chest radiograph suggests that the drop in hemoglobin is important for diagnosing DAH.
Anemia ; Biopsy ; Collagen ; Cough ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Fever ; Hemoptysis ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Lung ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Retrospective Studies* ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Thorax ; Vascular Diseases

BACKGROUND: Since the early 1980s, interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) has been used as adjuvant therapy in pediatric patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). However, its efficacy in adults needs to be validated. Since 2002, Samsung Medical Center's guidelines have mandated regular injection of IFN-alpha in patients with RRP to prevent recurrence. To evaluate these guidelines, patient data were investigated. METHODS: Five patients diagnosed as having RRP by bronchoscopy and histopathology were included. After initial bronchoscopic intervention, including laser cauterization, all patients received subcutaneous injection of 6 million units of IFN-alpha every 2 months. Further bronchoscopic intervention was carried out as needed. Patients were regularly evaluated using bronchoscopy or computed tomography. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 44 years (range 13~68), and the median duration of papillomatosis was 31 years (range 1~45). Three and two patients had juvenile-onset and adult-onset disease, respectively. Two patients had a history of tracheostomy at the time of diagnosis. The median duration of IFN-alpha therapy was 56 months (range 12~66). Two patients showed complete remission at 12 and 36 months after IFN-alpha injection, respectively. The other three patients showed partial remission, and the number of laser therapy sessions was significantly reduced. CONCLUSION: Intermittent IFN-alpha injection is effective in patients with long-standing RRP and can reduce the number of laser therapy sessions required in their treatment.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Interferon-alpha ; Laser Therapy ; Papilloma ; Papillomavirus Infections ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Tracheostomy

OBJECT: To gather information concerning ontogeny, the authors present the results of immunohistochemical stainings of neuronal and glial markers and the reverse transcriptase-prolongation chain reaction (RT-PCR) of nestin for three intraventricular tumors located around the foramen of Monro. METHODS: Seven cases of central neurocytomas(CN), three subependymomas(SE) and eight subependymal giant cell astrocytomas(SEGA), were included in this study. Antihuman monoclonal antibodies of synaptophysin(SNP)(DAKO, 1:20), chromogranin A(ChrA)(DAKO, 1:100), neuron specific enolase (NSE)(DAKO, 1:500) and nerve cell adhesion molecule(NCAM)(Zymed, 1:500) were utilized for neuronal markers and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)(DAKO, 1:300) functioned as a glial marker in immunohistochemical(IHC) stainings. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) for nestin was performed in all cases. RESULTS: For chromogranin A, positive reaction was found in three of the seven CN cases but none of the SE and SEGA cases. For IHC staining of synaptophysin, positive reaction was revealed in all CN cases but in none of the SE and SEGA cases. For NCAM, positive reaction was demonstrated in five of the eight SEGA cases and in all SE and CN cases. For NSE, positive reaction was exhibited in seven of the eight SEGA cases and in all SE and CN cases. Positive reactions for NSE and NCAM in the SEGA cases were manifested mainly in the cytoplasms of giant cells and their background. For IHC staining of GFAP, positive reaction was demonstrated in one of the seven CN cases, in three of the eight SEGA cases, and in all SE cases. RT-PCR product of nestin was expressed in two of the seven CN cases, in two of the three SE cases, and in one SEGA case. CONCLUSION: Many cells of CN, SE and SEGA, had expressed positive reactions for both neuronal and glial markers in IHC study and nestin in RT-PCR. It is suggested that origin cells of these tumors might express both neuronal and glial differentiation.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Astrocytoma* ; Cerebral Ventricles* ; Chromogranin A ; Cytoplasm ; Giant Cells ; Glioma, Subependymal* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Nestin ; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules ; Neurocytoma* ; Neurons ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase ; Synaptophysin

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism is associated with varying degrees of pulmonary vascular obstruction. This study was undertaken to establish whether the extent of perfusion defect in lung scintigraphy can be predicted from analysis of echocardiographic measurements in patients with pulmonary embolism. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 28 patients who presented with clinical evidence of pulmonary embolism. In order to compare the extent of perfusion defect in lung scintigraphy, we devised a scoring system (echocardiographic severity index, ESI) for various echocardiographic parameters, which include right ventricle size, area, shape, systolic function, and pulmonary artery pressure. [ESI=sum of scores/number of parameters measured]. RESULTS: The mean values (+/-SD) of each parameter were as follow; right ventricular end-diastolic dimension (RVedD), 34.5+/-5.7 mm; LVedD, 40.9+/-5.2 mm; ratio of RVedD to LVedD, 0.87+/-0.2; right ventricular end-diastolic area (RVedA), 24.7+/-9.5 cm2; right ventricular end-systolic area (RVesA), 17.8+/-7.8 cm2; fractional area change, 28.8+/-9.7%; angle between IVS and RV, 96.0+/-14.8degrees; RV hypokinesia, absence or mild in 29%, moderate in 50%, severe in 21%; TR grade, absence or mild in 25%, moderate in 43%, severe in 32%; pulmonary artery systolic pressure, <30 mmHg in 21%, 30 to 50 mmHg in 68%, >50 mmHg 11% of patients. The echocardiographic severity index (ESI) in patients with pulmonary embolism was 0.52+/-0.24, and the perfusion defect score was 0.21+/-0.14. There was a close correlation between the ESI and the extent of perfusion defect (r=0.622, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The echocardiographic severity index may reflect the extent of the perfusion defects in patients with pulmonary embolism, therefore it is potentially applicable in clinical practice for evaluating patients with pulmonary embolism and furthermore in their follow-up over a period of time.
Blood Pressure ; Echocardiography* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Lung ; Perfusion ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Retrospective Studies

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy is a unique reversible cardiovascular disease precipitated by acute emotional or physical stress. It is associated with a high prevalence of chronic anxiety disorder that precedes the onset of cardiomyopathy, as well as comorbid cardiovascular risk factors that are similar to the ST segment elevation of myocardial infarction. A thirty-five-year-old woman suffering from anorexia nervosa visited our hospital complaining of severe general weakness. She was diagnosed with stress-induced cardiomyopathy and mural thrombus using a transthoracic echocardiogram. Therefore, she was given anticoagulation therapy and nutrition with immediate psychiatric interventions. After two weeks of treatment, the follow-up echocardiogram indicated a significant improvement of the left ventricular dysfunction and mural thrombus.
Anorexia ; Anorexia Nervosa ; Anxiety Disorders ; Cardiomyopathies ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Stress, Psychological ; Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy ; Thrombosis ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The postoperative cheek cyst with orbital involvement is a rare condition and the treatment of eroded orbital floor is controversial. This study evaluated the efficacy of endoscopic marsupialization for treating postoperative cheek cyst with orbital floor defect and assessed the requirements of a direct orbital approach for orbital reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved a retrospective review of twelve patients with postoperative cheek cyst and orbital floor defect. Medical records were reviewed for details of previous surgery, presenting symptoms, surgical approach and the results of the operation. The maximum diameter of the involved orbital floor was calculated using the coronal imaging of paranasal sinus computed tomography (PNS CT). RESULTS: All patients had previously undergone Caldwell-Luc procedures. The most common symptom was pressure on the cheek. According to PNS CT, the maximum diameter of the involved orbital floor ranged from 0.7 to 3.1 cm (mean 1.46 cm) and the involved orbital area ranged from 0.35 to 4.23 cm2 (mean 1.87 cm2). All patients underwent only endoscopic marsupialization without orbital reconstruction. Postoperatively, all patients showed no recurrence of symptoms or required revision surgery. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic marsupialization without reconstruction of the orbital floor could be considered as a first treatment option for postoperative cheek cyst combined with orbital floor defect.
Cheek ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Endoscopy ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; Medical Records ; Mucocele ; Orbit ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease in children. Patients with AD experience a high rate of colonization of the skin surface by Staphylococcus aureus. Because of a skin barrier defect, there is a potential risk of staphylococcal invasive infection in patients with AD. Here, we present 2 cases of breast abscess caused by S. aureus in 2 adolescent girls with severe AD. Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus was identified from the breast abscess material. They were treated with appropriate antibiotics, however surgical drainage of the abscess was needed in case 1. Identical strains were found from the breast abscess material as well as the lesional and the nonlesional skin of the patients through matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight analysis. We characterized the differential abundance of Firmicutes phylum in patients' skin in microbiota analysis. In particular, S. aureus, a member of Firmicutes, differed significantly between the lesional and the normal-appearing skin. Our cases demonstrate the potential severity of bacterial deep tissue infection in AD and the dysbiosis of skin microbiota may be involved in inflammation in AD.
Abscess* ; Adolescent* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Breast* ; Child ; Colon ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Drainage ; Dysbiosis ; Female* ; Firmicutes ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mastitis ; Microbiota ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus*