No abstract available.
Antigens, Surface* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis*

A clinical study was made of 14 cases of distal rectal cancer treated at the Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College, from January 1995 to April 1996. The patients were treated in a modified Thomas Jefferson program and received high doses of preoperative radiation followed by a sphincter saving procedure. The results are as follows: 1) There were 5 male patients (35.7%) and 9 female patients(64.3%). There was also a large number of patients in their 50s and 60s. 2) The preoperative pathologic type was a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. 3) Rectal bleeding was the most common symptom, followed by tenesmus, constipation, anal pain, and a tarry stool. 4) At diagnosis, the Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) system was used for the clinical stage of the patients. The clinical stage of disease showed a preponderance of T.J. stage I (10 patients), T.J stage II, III, and IV occurred in 2, 1, and 1 patient, respectively. 5) The most common site was 0-3 cm above dentate line (8 patients), followed by 4-6 cm (5 patients) and > 7 cm (1 patient) above the dentate line. 6) The complications after preoperative radiation therapy were diarrhea (3 patients) and perianal dermatitis (5 patients). 7) After preoperative radiation therapy, one case showed pathologic complete remission. 8) The procedure was a Transanal Abdominal TransAnal proctosigmoidectomy and coloanal anastomosis (TATA) in 11 patients, a low anterior resection in 1 patient, an abdominal perineal resection in 1 patient, and a colostomy in 1 patient. 9) The pathologic stage showed a preponderance of Duke's B2 and B1; 5 were B2, 4 were B1, 3 were C2, 1 was D, and 1 was O. 10) The postoperative complications after colostomy repair in TATA were frequent defecation, tenesmus, anal pain at defecation, and rectovaginal fistulas which subsided 3 months after colostomy repair.
Adenocarcinoma ; Colostomy ; Constipation ; Defecation ; Dermatitis ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Rectovaginal Fistula

Pacemaker implantation for patients with mechanical tricuspid valve is quite challengeable because lead insertion through prosthetic tricuspid valve may cause valve dysfunction or lead impingement. Also complications due to interrupt of anticoagulation should be considered. A 65 years old woman received AAI (atrium paced, atrium sensed, inhibited) pacemaker for sick sinus syndrome and mechanical mitral valve replacement for severe mitral steno-insufficiency at the same time 16 years before. She needed to undergo mechanical tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) because of severe tricuspid regurgitation despite of medical therapy. Complete atrioventricular block developed during the TVR operation and it was not recovered even after several days of temporary pacing. We decided left ventricular pacing through coronary sinus because ventricular lead could not pass mechanical tricuspid or mitral valve and also planned to continue oral anticoagulation therapy. We could find a place where high pacing output did not pace phrenic nerve with acceptable sensing, pacing threshold. The patient recovered well without any periprocedural complications. Left ventriclcular pacing lead implantation through coronary sinus without interruption of anticoagulation can be an alternative to epicardial pacing for patients with mechanical tricuspid valve.
Atrioventricular Block ; Coronary Sinus ; Female ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Phrenic Nerve ; Sick Sinus Syndrome ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency ; Tricuspid Valve*

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma is extremely rare. It can cause fatal complication such as permanent neurologic deficit. Even though the exact cause of epidural hematoma is not known in most cases, anticoagulation treatment is associated in some cases. In this situation, prompt reversal of anticoagulation and immediate decompression surgery is required. Seventy-year-old woman presesnted with sudden hemiplegia. She had history of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and had taken antihypertensive agent, statin, and warfarin. She did not have any history of trauma and her international normalized ratio was within therapeutic range during follow-up and at the time of event. Physical examination revealed decreased right extremities' motor and sensory function but cognitive function was normal. Detailed neurologic examination and spinal magnetic resonance imaging identified extensive, spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma. After the reversal of anticoagulation with vitamin K injection, the patient underwent emergent hematoma removal surgery and recovered completely. Our case suggests epidural hematoma should be considered in sudden hemiplegia patients with anticoagulation therapy. Immediate reversal of anticoagulation and decompression surgery can avoid neurologic deficit.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Decompression ; Dyslipidemias ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma* ; Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal ; Hemiplegia* ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Hypertension ; International Normalized Ratio* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurologic Examination ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Physical Examination ; Sensation ; Vitamin K ; Warfarin*

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in quality of life (QoL) in patients with neurogenic bladder treated with clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), who changed from a multiple use catheter (MUC) to single use catheter (SUC). METHODS: The Modified Intermittent Self-Catheterization Questionnaire (mISC-Q) was used to determine potential changes in patients'QoL as a result of switching from MUC to SUC. The mISC-Q consists of questions within four categories: ease of use, convenience, discreetness, and symptomatic benefit. Answers were graded as Strongly agree (+2), Agree (+1), Not sure (0), Disagree (−1), and Strongly disagree (−2). Overall patient QoL, as well as by sex, disease (presence of augmentation cystoplasty), and catheterization route (via urethra or urinary diversion), were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients (21M:17F; mean age: 21.7±5.3 y) submitted questionnaires. For ease of use, SUC was significantly better than MUC (score: 0.364, P=0.002) in all patients. Patients with catheterization via the urethra showed significant favor for SUC in ease of use (score: 0.512, P<0.001) and convenience (score: 0.714, P=0.011), but patients with catheterization via the abdominal stoma of urinary diversion gave negative scores in all categories, though no categories were significant. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that changing from MUC to SUC may lead to improvements in QoL, especially regarding ease of use. This benefit was clearly found in patients with catheterization via urethra rather than abdominal stoma of urinary diversion.
Catheterization ; Catheters* ; Humans ; Intermittent Urethral Catheterization* ; Quality of Life* ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic* ; Urinary Diversion

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in quality of life (QoL) in patients with neurogenic bladder treated with clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), who changed from a multiple use catheter (MUC) to single use catheter (SUC). METHODS: The Modified Intermittent Self-Catheterization Questionnaire (mISC-Q) was used to determine potential changes in patients'QoL as a result of switching from MUC to SUC. The mISC-Q consists of questions within four categories: ease of use, convenience, discreetness, and symptomatic benefit. Answers were graded as Strongly agree (+2), Agree (+1), Not sure (0), Disagree (−1), and Strongly disagree (−2). Overall patient QoL, as well as by sex, disease (presence of augmentation cystoplasty), and catheterization route (via urethra or urinary diversion), were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients (21M:17F; mean age: 21.7±5.3 y) submitted questionnaires. For ease of use, SUC was significantly better than MUC (score: 0.364, P=0.002) in all patients. Patients with catheterization via the urethra showed significant favor for SUC in ease of use (score: 0.512, P<0.001) and convenience (score: 0.714, P=0.011), but patients with catheterization via the abdominal stoma of urinary diversion gave negative scores in all categories, though no categories were significant. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that changing from MUC to SUC may lead to improvements in QoL, especially regarding ease of use. This benefit was clearly found in patients with catheterization via urethra rather than abdominal stoma of urinary diversion.
Catheterization ; Catheters* ; Humans ; Intermittent Urethral Catheterization* ; Quality of Life* ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic* ; Urinary Diversion

No abstract available.
Accessory Atrioventricular Bundle ; Electrocardiography ; Tachycardia*

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is a systemic disease not infrequently involing the heart. It has been known that pericardial effusion, most commonly observed cardiac abnormality in patients with RA, and other cardiac manifestations such as conduction disturbances, valve thickenings, and enlargement of left atrium or aorta are associated with RA. We have determined the nature and extent of cardiac manifestations of RA in comparison with those of control group by echocardiographic examination. METHOD: 27 patients with RA(4 males and 23 females, mean age=47 +/-13 years) and 22 control subjects(3 males and 19 females, mean age+43 +/- 11 years) were randomly selected. Standard two-dimensional, M-mode and doppler echocardiographic examination were done on each group of subjects. RESULTS: 1) Pericardial effusions were more commonly detectd in patients with RA than control group(55.6% vs 22.7%, p<0.01). There were no significant differences in the amount of pericardial effusion according to the duration and the stage of RA. 2) Thickness of each cardiac valve was thicker in patients with RA than control group. But, there were no statistical significance between them. 3) The left ventricular mass index(LVMI) and the diameter of aorta showed a trend to increase in patients with RA(109.5 +/-28.0 g/m(2) vs 94.2 +/-24.6 g/m(2), p=0.054). 4) The diameter of left atrium was more lager in patients with RA(35.1 +/- 4.0mm vs 31.6 +/- 4.5mm, p=o.005). 5) The E/A ratio of mitral valve was statistically significantly lower in patients with RA(RA:control=1.2 +/- 0.5 : 1.7 +/- 0.4, p=0.01). CONCLUSION: The asymptomatic patients with RA more frequently show cardiac abnormalities such as pericardial effusion, valve thickening, decrease of E/A ratio than control group. So two-dimensional echocardiography is necessary for early, noninvasive and accurate evaluation of asymptomatic cardiac abnormalities in patients with RA.
Aorta ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart ; Heart Atria ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Pericardial Effusion

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Platelet activation and aggregation, with resultant arterial thrombus formation, play pivotal roles in the pathophysiology of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The efficacy of tirofiban, a specific inhibitor of the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor, combined with heparin, or low molecular heparin (LMWH), in the management of ACS were evaluated. SUBJECTS AND MEHTODS: One hundred seventeen patients (60.8+/-10.9 years, 76 male), with unstable angina or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, who had ST-T changes and elevated troponin, were divided into 4 groups : Group I (n=30 : heparin alone), Group II (n=28 : LMWH, dalteparin alone), Group III (n=29 : tirofiban combined with heparin) and Group IV (n=30 : tirofiban with LMWH). The major adverse cardiac events (MACE) among the 4 groups, during 6-month clinical follow-ups, were compared. RESULTS: Percutaneous coronary intervention, or a coronary artery bypass graft, was performed in 23, 19, 19 and 22 patients from Groups I, II, III and IV, respectively (p=0.87). A minor bleeding complication developed in 2 (6.7%), 1 (3.6%), 1 (3.4%) and 2 patients (6.7%) in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively (p=0.79). During the six-month follow-up MACE occurred in 7 (30.4%), 6 (31.6%), 3 (15.8%) and 4 patients (18.2%) in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively (p=0.02 : Group I and II vs. Group III and IV). CONCLUSION: Tirofiban combined with LMWH is safe and may improve the long-term prognosis of patients with ACS.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Angina, Unstable ; Angioplasty ; Blood Platelets* ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Dalteparin ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glycoproteins* ; Hemorrhage ; Heparin ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Platelet Activation ; Prognosis ; Thrombosis ; Transplants ; Troponin

Total thyroidectomy has been used to treat benign or malignant thyroid diseases. However, concern about the postoperative complications after the extensive and aggressive operation makes surgeons reluctant to do total thyroidectomy. Instead, in many cases, less invasive and less complicating subtotal thyroidectomy has replaced it. But total thyroidectomy is required to eradicate bilateral and multiple nodules, diffuse toxic goiter, and thyroid cancer that cannot be cured by subtotal thyroidectomy. To evaluate the effectiveness and complications of total thyroidectomy, we reviewed retrospectively 81 patients who received total thyroidectomy from June 1987 to August 1993 according to the age, sex, clinical symptoms, duration of symptom, diagnoses, operative modalities, pathologies, postoperative complications and thyroid function. The results are as follows: 1) Male to female ratio was 1 to 4.8 (male:14, female:67). The sixth decade included 27 % of patients, and showed the peak incidence. 2) The most common symptom was the palpable mass on the precervical area or in the thyroid (96%). Palpitation (15%) and voice change (12%) were present in descending order. 3) On the duration of symptom, patients' visiting hospital after one to two years occupied the largest portion (26%). Three to four years occupied 19 cases (23%), and cases of more than five years were 17 cases (21%). Masses of 2 to 3 cm in diameter were the most common size (27%) and of 2 to 5 cm occupied more than half(59%). Most of the patients visited the hospital after full-blown of mass or symptoms. 4) Sixty five cases were cancers, and 16 cases were benign diseases. Modified radical neck dissection was done in 7 cases, suspicious of local lymph node invasion during the operation. Radical neck dissection was done in 6 cases with palpable cervial nodes. 5) The order of accuracy of preoperative diagnostic modality was thyroid scan (86%), frozen section (83%), and fine needle aspiration biopsy(80%). These result seemed different compared with the recent diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration biopsy, but might be due to the technique. 6) Pathological classification is composed of differentiated cancer (80%), toxic goiter (16%), nodular goiter (6%), adenomatous goiter (2%), and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (1%). Papillary cancer occupied 92 percent of cancer. Lymph node metastasis showed diffuse distribution according to the mass size. 7) No deaths were reported. The most common complication was hypocalcemia (38%), most of which was transient and 61 per cent of which was symptomatic. It usually persisted less than 7 days, and only 3 cases continued more than 7 days (3.7%). The other complications were hoarseness (19%), bleeding (7%), and the recurrent laryngeal nerve injury(1%). 8) Follow up on the postoperative thyroid function was available on 66 patients (81%). Of those, forty six patients (70%) were euthyroid, 2 (18%) were hypothyroid, and 8 (12%) were hyperthyroid. The cause of the hyperthyroid status after total thyroidectomy might be due to the medication for the thyroid supplementation or to the time of serum measurement shortly after the medication. We think that total thyroidectomy could be done without additional risk compared with subtotal thyroidectomy, if it were done meticulously. We suggest that total thyroidectomy should be considered for the treatment of diffuse thyroid diseases and carcinomas.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Frozen Sections ; Goiter ; Goiter, Nodular ; Hemorrhage ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Hypocalcemia ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neck Dissection ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pathology ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy* ; Thyroiditis ; Voice