Pentoxifylline (Trental(R)) is a drug which blocks pathophysiologic process of cerebrovascular disease by inhibiting platelet aggregation, improving cerebral microcirculation preventing development of cerebral edema. In an attempt to evaluate the effect of pentoxifylline for the treatment of 25 patients (male 17 cases, female 8 cases) with cerebrovasculaar disease, we administered pentoxifylline 600mg daily in devided dosage for 1 to 7 months. Most of them were patients with cerebral thrombosis (52%), cerebral embolism (24%), cerebral hemorrhage (12%) and transient ischemic attack (12%). Clinical effects were evaluated at least 1 month later by the criteria using scoring method of serverity of symptoms. In summary, definite effect was found in 15 cases (60%), mild effect in 6 cases (24%) and no efect or aggravation in 4 cases (16%), especially in patients with cerebral hemorrhage. During treatment there was no significant side effect except mild elevation of serum creatinine in one case who was associated with chronic renal failure.
Brain Edema ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Creatinine ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Embolism ; Intracranial Thrombosis ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Microcirculation ; Pentoxifylline* ; Platelet Aggregation ; Research Design

We present a case of sarcoidosis, which was associated with anterior granulomatous uveitis in both eyes and involvement of the right lacrimal gland in a 46-year-old korean female. The patient has nodules (various in size) on the nose, on the dorsum of right hand and on the back. Serum gamma globulin was elevated and in the nodules infiltration of giant cells, lymphocytes and epithelioid cells was presented, but no caseous necrosis.
Epithelioid Cells ; Female ; gamma-Globulins ; Giant Cells ; Hand ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Nose ; Sarcoidosis* ; Uveitis*

No abstract available.
HLA-DR Antigens* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

Cardiac myxoma is rare and has protean clinical manifestations mimicking various disease. Unless clinician has a high index of suspicion, the diagnosis can be easil missed. However diagnosis is all the more important since surgery can be dramatically successful, where as untreated myxoma invariably leads to death. Cardiac myxoma accounts for 50% of primary cardiac tumor and mainly originates in left atrium.(75%). The features of myxoma can be described under the three headings : Constitutional, obstructive, and embolic. From 1977 to 1985, the authors have experienced 30 cases of cardiac myxoma, one of which recurred. Of 29 patients, 8 were male and 21 were female. Their ages ranged from 11 to 55 years with average of 39.8 years. Constitutional manifestation was found in 25 of the 27 patients, obstructive manifestation in 27, and embolic phenomenon in 5. The diagnosis of myxoma was made on the basis of 2-D echocardiography. The sensitivity was 100%. Except 1 case who refused operation, all received surgical treatment. Immediate postoperative complication occurred in 6 patients(23%). Among them serious complication could be found only in 2 cases(7.7%). During long term follow up there was one recurrence and one patient with right ventricular myxoma has tricuspid regurgitation. In other cases, we could not found any problems.
Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Heart Neoplasms ; Humans ; Male ; Myxoma* ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

A 6-yr-old male weighing 20 kg with the diagnosis of a large vallecular cyst in the oropharynx was scheduled for surgical excision. After a slight loss of consciousness following an IV injection of ketamine 10 mg while maintaining spontaneous respiration, 4% lidocaine was sprayed into the right nostril. An uncuffed 4 mm OD wire-reinforced endotracheal tube was advanced through the right nostril and positioned in the nasopharynx. An ultrathin 60 cm Olympus LF-P fiberoptic bronchoscope (OD: 2.2 mm) was threaded and the vocal cords and surrounding structures were identified as intact. The endotracheal tube and fiberscope were withdrawn. Ketamine 10 mg was injected intravenously again. Following direct insertion of an Olympus fiberoptic bronchoscope (OD: 3.8 mm) through the right nostril without tube placement and visualization of the vocal cords, topical anesthesia of the larynx was achieved by spraying 1 ml 2% lidocaine through the biopsy channel. Thirty seconds later, it was passed into the trachea and 1 ml 2% lidocaine was sprayed intratracheally. The bronchoscope was withdrawn. The 4 mm uncuffed wire-reinforced tube was passed again through the right nostril and an ultrathin fiberoptic bronchoscope (OD: 2.2 mm) was threaded over the tube, and passed smoothly without resistance. There was neither laryngeal spasm nor cough. Anesthesia was maintained with enflurane 2.0 vol%, N2O (1.5 L/min) and O2 (1.5 L/min). The mass was successfully excised and extubated without compromise. The patient was uneventfully discharged the next day.
Anesthesia ; Biopsy ; Bronchoscopes ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Enflurane ; Humans ; Ketamine ; Laryngismus ; Larynx ; Lidocaine ; Male ; Nasopharynx ; Oropharynx ; Respiration ; Trachea ; Unconsciousness ; Vocal Cords

Adult gnathostomes were discovered in the stomach of the Jeju weasel, Mustela sibilica quelpartis, road-killed in Jeju-do (Province). Their morphological characters were examined to identify the species. Total 50 gnathostome adults were collected from 6 out of 10 weasels examined. In infected weasels, 4-6 worms were grouped and embedded in each granulomatous gastric tumor, except 1 weasel. Male worms were 25.0x1.4 mm in average size, and had a tail with pedunculate papillae, a spicule, and minute tegumental spines. Females were 40.0x2.5 mm in average size, and had a tail without tegumental spines. Pointed and posteriorly curved hooklets were arranged in 8-10 rows on the head bulb. Tegumental spines were distributed from behind the head bulb to the middle portion of the body. The spines were different in size and shape by the distribution level of the body surface. Fertilized eggs were 65.5x38.9 microm in average size, and had a mucoid plug at 1 pole. These gnathostomes from Jeju weasels were identified as Gnathostoma nipponicum Yamaguti, 1941. By the present study, it was confirmed for the first time that G. nipponicum is distributed in Jeju-do, the Republic of Korea, and the Jeju weasel, M. sibilica quelpartis, plays a crucial role for its definitive host.
Animals ; Female ; Gnathostoma/anatomy & histology/classification/*isolation & purification/*pathogenicity ; Male ; Mustelidae/*parasitology ; Republic of Korea ; Stomach/parasitology

No abstract available.
46, XY Disorders of Sex Development* ; Humans ; Male*

A survey was performed to find out the intermediate hosts of Gnathostoma nipponicum in Jeju-do (Province), the Republic of Korea. In August 2009 and 2010, a total of 82 tadpoles, 23 black-spotted pond frogs (Rana nigromaculata), 7 tiger keelback snakes (Rhabdophis tigrinus tigrinus), 6 red-tongue viper snakes (Agkistrodon ussuriensis), and 2 cat snakes (Elaphe dione) were collected in Jeju-do and examined by the pepsin-HCl digestion method. Total 5 gnathostome larvae were detected in 3 (50%) of 6 A. ussuriensis, 70 larvae in 3 of 7 (42.9%) R. tigrinus tigrinus, and 2 larvae in 2 of 82 (8.7%) frogs. No gnathostome larvae were detected in tadpoles and cat snakes. The larvae detected were a single species, and 2.17x0.22 mm in average size. They had characteristic head bulbs, muscular esophagus, and 4 cervical sacs. Three rows of hooklets were arranged in the head bulbs, and the number of hooklets in each row was 29, 33, and 36 posteriorly. All these characters were consistent with the advanced third-stage larvae of G. nipponicum. It has been first confirmed in Jeju-do that R. nigromaculata, A. ussuriensis, and R. tigrinus tigrinus play a role for intermediate and/or paratenic hosts for G. nipponicum.
Animals ; Gnathostoma/*isolation & purification/ultrastructure ; Gnathostomiasis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Host Specificity ; Humans ; Larva ; Ranidae/*parasitology ; Republic of Korea ; Snakes/*parasitology

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen that has spread throughout Europe and the United States. Recently, WNV spread to East and Southeast Asia, and great efforts have been made in South Korea to prevent the spread of WNV from neighboring countries. In this study, we diagnosed the first case of WNV in pigeons (Columba livia domestica) residing in cities using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed it with nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis and sequencing. This is the first report to provide convincing evidence that WNV is present within South Korea.
Asia, Southeastern ; Columbidae* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Europe ; Korea* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; United States ; West Nile virus*

The authors present a case of malignant papillary meningioma of the petrous bone involving the whole petrous bone which extended to the left cerebellopontine angle and internal jugular vein extracranially. A 46-year-old male patient was presented with a 3-years history of the left otalgia and subsequent deafness with left facial nerve palsy. Neurological examination revealed a complete palsy of the left eighth nerve, and incomplete palsies of the left 7th, 9th, 11th, and 12th cranial nerves. Magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomographic scan demonstrate a huge mass in cerebellopontine angle which involved the whole petrous bone, suboccipital bone and internal jugular vein. The tumor was totally resected using the transjugular approach with modified petrous bone resection. Neuropathologic examination revealed a papillary meningioma.
Cerebellopontine Angle* ; Cranial Nerves ; Deafness ; Earache ; Facial Nerve ; Humans ; Jugular Veins ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meningioma* ; Middle Aged ; Neurologic Examination ; Paralysis ; Petrous Bone*