No abstract available.
Genetic Therapy*

No abstract available.
Alcoholism* ; Diagnosis*

Takayasu's arteritis(arteritis syndrome) is an inflammatory disease process affecting primarily the aorta and its main branches. It's etiology and pathogenesis are unknown. Controversy exists in treatment. Segmental stenoses, occlusions, and aneurysmal degeneration of the aorta and the proximal arterial tree are frequent findings. Clinical presentations may include cerebrovascular ischemia, limb ischemia, aortic valvular insufficiency, heart failure, renovascular hypertension, or renal failure. Recently, we experienced a case of Takayasu's arteritis in a 24 years old female with severe dizziness, claudication in right upper extremity. Patient was treated by angioplasty of left vertebral artery and concomitant left subclavian-to-right axillary artery bypass surgery followed by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stent therapy of right vertebral artery to prevent cerebrovascular ischemia during the operation. Postoperative result was excellent and dizziness and claudication of right arm were completely relieved.
Aneurysm ; Angioplasty ; Aorta ; Arm ; Axillary Artery ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dizziness ; Extremities ; Female ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertension, Renovascular ; Ischemia ; Renal Insufficiency ; Stents ; Takayasu Arteritis* ; Upper Extremity ; Vertebral Artery* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) phosphorylates the prodrug ganciclovir to a nucleoside analog that inhibits DNA synthesis, causing cell death. Neighbouring nontransfected cells may be affected through a 'bystander effect', thereby amplifying the antiproliferative actions. This study was carried out to determine whether retrovirus-mediated HSVtk gene therapy could reduce intimal hyperplasia and prevent stenosis following balloon injury of the rat carotid artery. METHODS: A replication-defective recombinant retroviral vector containing HSVtk cDNA (LtkSN) was constructed. Cultured primary rat smooth muscle cells (SMCs) infected with this vector (SMC/LtkSN) were transplanted to the balloon injured rat right carotid artery. One week after transplantation, HSVtk gene therapy group was administered a 2-week treatment of ganciclovir (30 mg/kg/d). Three weeks after balloon injury and SMC/LtkSN transplantation, carotid arteriography was performed and carotid arteries were perfusion-fixed for histologic examination. RESULTS: Carotid arteriographic evaluation comparing with the uninjured left carotid artery showed that the mean luminal diameter of HSVtk gene therapy group (n=5, 85+/-3%) was significantly larger than that of balloon injury only group (n=5, 65+/-5%). The neointimal mass of HSVtk gene therapy group was less than that of balloon injury only group. SMC/LtkSN transplantation without ganciclovir treatment group (n=3) showed asymmetric intimal proliferation probably because of gravitational pooling of seeding. There were inflammatory cell infiltrations at the gravity dependent portion of HSVtk gene therapy group. CONCLUSION: Retrovirus-mediated HSVtk gene therapy following balloon injury of the rat carotid artery reduced neointimal expansion and arteriographic stenosis.
Angiography ; Animals ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery Injuries* ; Cell Death ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; DNA ; DNA, Complementary ; Ganciclovir ; Genetic Therapy* ; Gravitation ; Herpes Simplex* ; Hyperplasia ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Phenobarbital ; Phosphotransferases* ; Rats* ; Simplexvirus* ; Thymidine Kinase ; Zidovudine

Combined spinal epidural block with use of the needle-through-needle technique has become increasingly more popular during recent years because it provides rapidity and density of spinal block, combined with the ability to extend the block and provide postoperative analgesia by use of the extradural catheter. However, the combined spinal epidural block has some disadvantages. Since the spinal needle makes a hole in the dura, the accidental migration of an extradural catheter into the dural opening made previously by the spinal needle is thought to be theoretical risk. We report a case during combined spinal epidural anesthesia for a total hip replacement in which the clear fluid in the epidural catheter was found and tested to confirm the nature of fluid and migration of catheter by the dextrostix test and the immunoelectrophoresis test(prealbumin test).
Analgesia ; Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Anesthetics, Local* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Catheters ; Immunoelectrophoresis ; Needles

PURPOSE: To evaluate CT findings of internal hernia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three patients with internal hernia had abdominal CT scans and two of them had small bowel follow through examinations. The CT features of two patients with retroanastomotic and one patient with left paraduodenal hernia were evaluated and correlated with small bowel follow through examinations, and surgical findings. Two patients with retroanastomotic hernia had a history of subtotal gastrectomy with antecolic gastrojejunostomy. The diagnosis of internal hernia was made on the basis of surgical find ings in two patients of retroanastomotic hernia, and characteristic barium study findings in one patient of left paraduodenal hernia. RESULTS: The small bowel follow through examination showed small bowel loops gathered in a circumscribed mass in the left mid abdomen, and delay in passage through these loops. In case of left paraduodenal hernia, abrupt narrowing of the distal duodenum could be identified. The characteristic CT findings of all three patients were whorling of the mesentery and mesenteric vessels in the left mid-abdomen. In the patient with left paraduodenal hernia, after resolution of the gastrointestinal symptoms, a follow-up CT scan showed spontaneous disappearance of whorling of the mesentery and mesenteric vessels suggesting spontaneous resolution of the hernia. In the other two cases, upon exploration of the abdomen, dilatation of afferent duodenum caused by adhesion between ligament of Treitz and adjacent bowel walls, and retro- anastomotic herniation of the efferent loops were found. CONCLUSION: The usual diagnosis of internal hernia is based on the appearance of the small bowel follow through examination. However, we consider that the whorling appearance(we call it whorling sign) of the mesentery and mesenteric vessels on CT scan is also suggestive of internal hernia in patients under clinical suspicion.
Abdomen ; Barium ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Duodenum ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; Gastric Bypass ; Hernia ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Mesentery* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiologic findings of alimentary anthrax. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 19 patients with alimentary anthrax, which was caused by ingestion of contaminated beef, were included in this study. The diagnosis was made .b.y demonstration of Bacillus anthracis in smear and culture of the contaminated meat. We evaluated the clinical manifestations and the findings of thoracic, abdominal radiographs, cervical, abdominal ultrasonograms and abdominal CT scans. RESULTS: Out of the 19 patients with the alimentary infection, 9 had oropharyngeal form, 18 had abdominal form and 8 had combination of oropharyngeal and abdominal form. The patients had general symptoms and signs such as fever, chill, myalgia. Clinical symptoms and signs were sore throat, throat injection, throat ulcer and patch in oropharyngeal form, and nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and gross GI bleeding in abdominal form. Radiologic findings included enlarged cervical lymph nodes(36%) in oropharyngeal form, and paralytic ileus(26%), ascites(26%), hepatomegaly(21%), enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes(26%), small bowel wall thickening(5%) in abdominal form. In two patients, late complications occurred as intestinal obstruction due to ileal stricture with perforation, and inflammatory changes of pelvic cavity due to ileovesical fistula. CONCLUSION: Radiologic findings of alimentary anthrax are difficult in differentiation from those of other inflammatory bowel disease, but those radiologic findings with clinical manifestations may be helpful in diagnosis and evaluation of disease process in patients with alimentary anthrax.
Abdominal Pain ; Anthrax* ; Bacillus anthracis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Fever ; Fistula ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Meat ; Myalgia ; Nausea ; Pharyngitis ; Pharynx ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ulcer ; Ultrasonography ; Vomiting

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicating with secondary biliary cirrhosis due to intrahepatic bile duct growth of the tumor is presented. The patient was 34 years-old male who had been suffered from right upper quadrant pain with intermittent fluctuating jaundice for 4 months. Left lobectomy specimen contained a single, 4 cm sized, relatively well circumscribed and partly protruding nodular HCC in the medial seqment of left lobe. It compressed the left hepatic duct, and the intra and extra-hepatic ducts were completely plugged with tumor casts (extending to the common bile duct at the operating table). Remaining hepatic parenclyma was the seat of advanced secondary biliary cirrhosis in which were abundance of HBsAg-containing hepatocytes possibily representing a HBsAg carrier status. Biliary cirrhosis in HCC is an extremely rare manifestation, reflecting the delayed adequate clinical procedure by unusual pattern of obstructive jaundice. In such a case presenting as persisting and fluctuating obstructive jaundice in HCC, an intrabile duct tumor growth should be suspected.
Male ; Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular

Cerebrovascular accident remains the second most common cause of death in Korea, following combined cancer mortality. It is one of the most common causes of disability, and atherothromboembolic ischemic infarction accounts for nearly half of stroke in Korea. Carotid endarterectomy is proven to be effective in preventing stroke from internal carotid artery stenosis. The authors report the results of prospective study of 63 carotid endarterectomies, performed from September, 1995 to November, 1997 at our institution, to clarify the persisting diversity of opinions as to ideal preoperative diagnostic tests, anesthetic management, intraoperative monitoring techniques for cerebral protection, type of arterial repair, and postoperative evaluation for cerebral function. We confirmed that preoperative diagnostic tests of duplex scanning and magnetic resonance angiogram can replace the invasive conventional cerebral angiography, and observation of consciousness under regional anesthesia is the most reliable and safe method for carotid endarterectomy utilizing selective shunting, if needed.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Carotid Stenosis ; Cause of Death ; Cerebral Angiography ; Consciousness ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Endarterectomy, Carotid* ; Infarction ; Korea ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; Mortality ; Prospective Studies* ; Stroke

PURPOSE: Headache is a frequent symptom in pediatric practice, but the prevalence of chronic recurrent headache was estimated in several studies with wide variations, because of inadequate expression and differences in case definition in children. Headache classification of International Headache Society is usually used in adults, but the application of it to children is uncommon, so we tried to diagnosis children with headache by using International Headache Society Classification. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical pictures, physical examinations including neurologic examination, PNS series, EEG and CT or MRI in 53 children with nonprogressing recurrent headache over than one month, who visited to pediatric department of Dong-A University hospital from January, 1995 to Feburary, 1996 and diagnosed them by using International Headache Society Classification. RESULTS: 1) The sex ratio between male and female was 1:1.2. 2) Diagnosed groups consisted of children with migraines in 22 cases(41.5%), tension-type headache in 19 cases(35.9%), coexisting migraine and tension-type headaches in 5 cases(9.4%), miscellaneous headaches not associated with structual lesion in 1 case(1.9%), headache associated with vascular disorders in 2 cases(3.8%), headache associated with nonvascular intracranial disorder in 1 case(1.9%), headache due to facial pain in 3 cases(5.6%). 3) Of 22 migraine cases, 13 cases(59.1%) had migraine with aura, 8 cases(40.9%) have migraine without aura and of 19 tension-type headache cases, 8 cases(42.1%) have episodic type, 11(57.9%) cases have chronic type. 4) Of 53 cases with recurrent headache, 3 cases(6%) had abnormal findings in CT or MRI. 5) Of 53 cases with recurrent headache, 9 cases(17%) had abnormal findings in EEG. CONCLUSIONS: International Headache Society Classifications are useful, but the diagnostic criteria are too strict for children, especially in migraine and tension type headache.
Adult ; Child* ; Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Facial Pain ; Female ; Headache* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Migraine Disorders ; Migraine with Aura ; Migraine without Aura ; Neurologic Examination ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Sex Ratio ; Tension-Type Headache