No abstract available.
Intestinal Obstruction*

A 39-year-old Korean man with general malaise was found to have two hepatic cysts by computed tomography. He had the history of close contact with domesticated wild dog in Saudi Arabia in 1976. Two cysts, 15cm and 10cm in diameter which contained clear fluid, were excised from both lobes of the liver. He was pathologically diagnosed as unilocular hydatid disease. This case is regarded as an imported case from Saudi Arabia.
Adult ; Echinococcosis, Hepatic/epidemiology/*etiology/pathology ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Saudi Arabia

A 39-year-old Korean man with general malaise was found to have two hepatic cysts by computed tomography. He had the history of close contact with domesticated wild dog in Saudi Arabia in 1976. Two cysts, 15cm and 10cm in diameter which contained clear fluid, were excised from both lobes of the liver. He was pathologically diagnosed as unilocular hydatid disease. This case is regarded as an imported case from Saudi Arabia.
Adult ; Echinococcosis, Hepatic/epidemiology/*etiology/pathology ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Saudi Arabia

The authors recovered a white thread-like living nematode in left conjunctival sac of a 33 years old male on May 29, 1981. The chief complaints were foreign body sensation and itching sensation of eye. The worm was a female measuring 12.1 mm in length and 0.171 mm in maximum width. It was identified as Thelazia callipaeda Railliet et Henry, 1910. And we recorded the patient as the 10th reported thelaziasis case in Korea.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Thelazia callipaeda ; thelaziasis ; eye ; conjunctival sac ; case report

PURPOSE: Implementing an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter is a relatively safe procedure but potential negative long-term effects. The complications for filter retrieval have been noted. We examined filter characteristics on pre-retrieval computed tomography (CT) that were associated with complicated retrieval (CR) of IVC filters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of IVC filter retrievals between January 2008 and June 2014 was performed to identify patients who had undergone a pre-retrieval CT for IVC filter retrieval. CR was defined as the use of nonstandard techniques, procedural time over 30 min, filter fractures, filter tip incorporation into the IVC wall, and retrieval failure. Pre-retrieval CT images were evaluated for tilt angle in the mediolateral and anteroposterior directions, tip embedding into the IVC wall, degree of filter strut perforation, and distance of the filter tip from the nearest renal vein. RESULTS: Of seventy-six patients, twenty-four patients (31.6%) with CRs and 56 patients (73.7%) with non-CR were evaluated for pre-retrieval CT. For IVC filter retrieval with a dwelling time of over 45 days, a tilt of over 15 degrees, the appearance of tip embedding and grade 2 perforation were associated with CR on multivariate analysis. However, for IVC filter retrievals with a dwelling time of less than 45 days, there were no factors associated with CR. CONCLUSION: Pre-retrieval CTs may be more effective for IVC filters with a dwelling time of over 45 days. Therefore, a pre-retrieval CT may be helpful in predicting CR of IVC filters with long dwelling times.
Device Removal ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Renal Veins ; Retrospective Studies ; Vena Cava Filters* ; Vena Cava, Inferior* ; Venous Thrombosis

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of lidocaine jelly application to chest tubes on the intensity and duration of overall pain, chest tube site pain and the required analgesics for postoperative pain relief in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients. For patients in group L, we applied sterile 2% lidocaine jelly on the chest tubes just before insertion, and for patients in group C, we applied normal saline. Overall visual analogue scale (VAS), maximal pain area with their VAS were documented postoperatively, and the frequency that button of patient-controlled analgesia was pressed (FPB) and total fentanyl consumption were assessed. The number of patients who complained that tube site was the most painful site was significantly higher in group C than in group L (85% vs. 30% at extubation, P<0.001). The overall VAS score was significantly higher in group C than in group L (39.14+/-12.49 vs. 27.74+/-13.76 at extubation, P=0.006). After all of the tubes were removed, the VAS score decreased more in group C (5.74+/-4.77, P<0.001) than in group L (3.05+/-2.48, P<0.001). FPB and total fentanyl consumption were significantly higher in group C than in group L (73.00, 59.00-78.00 vs. 34.00, 31.00-39.25, P<0.001; 2,214.65+/-37.01 vs. 1,720.19+/-361.63, P<0.001, respectively). Lidocaine jelly application is a very simple way to reduce postoperative pain by reducing chest tube site pain after CABG. (Clinical Trials Registry No. ACTRN 12611001215910)
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Anesthetics, Local/*therapeutic use ; Cardiac Catheters/adverse effects ; Chest Tubes/*adverse effects ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Drainage ; Female ; Fentanyl/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lidocaine/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain Management/*methods ; Pain Measurement ; Pain, Postoperative/*drug therapy ; Random Allocation ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pitavastatin, a recently approved synthetic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, is known to effectively treat hypercholesterolemia. The goal of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of pitavastatin in hyperlipidemic Korean patients with coronary risk factors. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was an 8-week, prospective, multicenter, open-label clinical trial. The study subjects were hyperlipidemic Korean patients (triglyceride < 400 mg/dL and LDL-cholesterol > 130 mg/dL, age; 45-75 years) with at least two coronary risk factors. After a 2-week wash out period, the eligible subjects were given 2 mg of pitavastatin once daily for 8 weeks. In the case of the patients with LDL-cholesterol > or = 100 mg/dL after the first 4 weeks of treatment, the dose of pitavastatin was increased to 4 mg per day for the remaining 4 weeks. RESULTS: Of the 131 patients initially enrolled, 105 completed the study. Among the lipid profiles, the total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol levels showed a significant reduction with mean reduction rates of -30.66%, -23.92%, and -41.06%, respectively, after 8 weeks. Interestingly, the HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased in the subjects with a low HDL-cholesterol level (HDL-cholesterol < 40 mg/dL) after 8 weeks of therapy (35.28+/-4.38 mg/dL to 40.39+/-6.45 mg/dL, 15.9%, p=0.001). The proportions of patients who achieved the LDL-cholesterol goal of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III were 72.5% (37/51), 93.6% (44/47), and 100.0% (7/7) for the patients with goals of 100 mg/dL, 130 mg/dL, and 160 mg/dL, respectively. Five patients had mild adverse drug events, such as fatigue, itching, myalgia, and anorexia. No significant abnormalities were detected in the laboratory tests, including the liver function test and creatinine kinase level. CONCLUSION: The HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, pitavastatin, was highly effective and generally well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile in hyperlipidemic Korean patients with coronary risk factors.
Adult ; Anorexia ; Cholesterol ; Coenzyme A ; Creatinine ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Education ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Liver Function Tests ; Myalgia ; Oxidoreductases ; Phosphotransferases ; Prospective Studies* ; Pruritus ; Risk Factors* ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Lamivudine (LAM) plus adefovir (ADV) combination therapy has been accepted as one of the best treatments for LAM-resistant chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of this combination therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. METHODS: The medical records of CHB patients who developed LAM resistance and were treated with LAM plus ADV combination therapy for more than 6 months were reviewed. Their virological response (VR; undetectable HBV DNA) and biochemical response (BR; alanine aminotransferase normalization) were evaluated, and the findings of HCC and non-HCC patients were compared. RESULTS: The data from 104 patients (19 with HCC and 85 without HCC) were analyzed. The VR rates did not differ significantly between the HCC and non-HCC groups: 33.3% vs. 55.6% at 12 months (P=0.119), 58.3% vs. 67.2% at 24 months (P=0.742), 50% vs. 69.8% at 36 months (P=0.280), and 66.7% vs. 71.0% at 48 months (P=1.000). The BR rates also did not differ significantly between the groups: 55.6% vs. 84.0% at 12 months (P=0.021), 58.3% vs. 83.8% at 24 months (P=0.057), 70.0% vs. 77.8% at 36 months (P=0.687), and 66.7% vs. 80.6% at 48 months (P=0.591). CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of LAM plus ADV combination therapy is comparable in HCC and non-HCC patients.
Adenine/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*diagnosis/epidemiology/etiology ; DNA, Viral/analysis ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*drug therapy/virology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lamivudine/*therapeutic use ; Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis/epidemiology/etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/epidemiology/etiology ; Middle Aged ; Organophosphonates/*therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to investigate the epidemiology and microbiological susceptibility patterns of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in Seoul National University Hospital. METHODS: The VRE isolates between May 1998 and October 1999 were studied. We reviewed the medical records of VRE-isolated patients for clinical and epidemiologic data. The susceptibility of VRE to ampicillin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, gentamicin, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, rifampin, tetracyclin were determined by micro-dilution method. PCR for genotyping and PFGE for molecular epidemiology were performed. RESULTS: Twenty-nine VRE isolates were identified from 14 patients, 12 patients from clinical specimens and two from only rectal surveillence cultures. All strains were E. faecium and expressed vanA genotype. The vancomycin MIC and teicoplanin MIC were >128microgram/mL for all isolates. All isolates also resistant to most other antibiotics tested (ampicillin 84.2%, gentamicin 73.7%, streptomycin 73.7%, ciprofloxacin 84.2%, tetracycline 63.2%, rifampin 84.2%, imipenem 94.7%). PFGE analysis revealed 17 distinct PFGE strain types from 14 patients and there were no predominent types. Two patterns, each of them represented by two isolates, were identical. One of which was not associated epidemiologically but the other was associated with direct spread from colonized patient at the intensive care unit. CONCLUSION: The majority of VRE cases occurring at Seoul National University Hospital were not caused by epidemiologic strains but sporadic isolations although there was one case of patient to patient spread.
Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ciprofloxacin ; Colon ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Epidemiology ; Genotype ; Gentamicins ; Humans ; Imipenem ; Intensive Care Units ; Medical Records ; Molecular Epidemiology* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rifampin ; Seoul* ; Streptomycin ; Teicoplanin ; Tetracycline ; Vancomycin

Posttraumatic high-flow communications between the intracavernous internal carotid artery (ICA) and the cavernous sinus may give rise to two different pathological entities. A connection from the intracavernous ICA system can theoretically connect with two different structures; the vein of the plexus (CCF) or the perivascular bare spaces between the veins (pseudoaneurysm). A CCF and a pseudoaneurysm can be present in the same patient. A 24-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to sudden mental deterioration. Carotid angiography revealed a CCF, which had occurred after a trauma 5 years earlier, associated with left visual disturbance and skull base fractures. The treatment of choice was permanent coil occlusion of the intracavernous ICA at the level of the lesion. The collateral circulation was evaluated before the endovascular treatment using a balloon test occlusion (BTO). During the BTO, adequate collateral circulation was defined as symmetric angiographic filling of both hemispheres. A continuous neurological examination was performed during the procedure. The follow-up angiography showed a persistent aneurysm occlusion. We report our experience of the successful endovascular treatment of combined lesions with a review of the relevant literature.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False* ; Angiography ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cavernous Sinus ; Collateral Circulation ; Fistula* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neurologic Examination ; Skull Base ; Veins ; Young Adult