PURPOSE: Epinephrine itself exhibits some cardiotoxicity. However, it rarely induces cardiomyopathy when used in standard doses during surgery for local hemostasis. This paper reports a rare case of stress-induced cardiomyopathy in a young woman after the local infiltration of epinephrine. METHODS: Corrective rhinoplasty was planned in a 20-year-old woman. Lidocaine mixed with epinephrine 1:100,000 was injected around the skin of the nose and nasal septum after inducing anesthesia, which resulted in sinus tachycardia and hypotension. Postoperative ECG showed a T wave inversion in the lead V2 and echocardiography revealed transient hypokinesia in the cardiac apex. Cardiac enzyme was mildly elevated. RESULTS: Symptoms and laboratory findings improved considerably, and the patient was discharged from hospital without complications on the sixth day after surgery. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy is generally favorable. However, it is important to be aware of the possible adverse effects of local epinephrine infiltration. This case highlights the need for caution when using epinephrine.
Anesthesia ; Cardiomyopathies ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Epinephrine ; Female ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Hypotension ; Lidocaine ; Nasal Septum ; Nose ; Prognosis ; Rhinoplasty ; Skin ; Surgery, Plastic ; Tachycardia, Sinus ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor without neurofibromatosis type 1 is very rare neoplasm. Development in the superficial soft tissue is exremely rare. Authors experienced one rare case of primary malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor developed on abdomen. The clinical and histologic findings were described. METHODS: An 83-year-old man visited hospital with an 11x6.5x4.5 cm sized ulcerated and hemorrhagic mass on abdomen. The tumor was localized in abdominal skin and started growing 3 years ago. RESULTS: Wide excision with safety margin of 2cm and limberg flap was done. The postoperative biopsy revealed a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. There was no evidence of recurrence of tumor for 16 months. CONCLUSION: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor is an aggressive malignant tumor. An abrupt enlargement of size, ulceration and bleeding are suggestive of malignant chnages of the tumor. We recommand early wide excision with enough safety margin as treatment of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor.
Abdomen ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Neurofibromatosis 1 ; Peripheral Nerves ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Ulcer

Pseudoaneurysm due to cancer is uncommon generally and is extremely rare in lung cancer. We report two cases of false aneurysms due to lung cancer that spontaneously regressed upon chemotherapy without intervention. Both patients had squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and the diagnosis of a pseudoaneurysm was made using computed tomography. There was no evidence of severe bronchial hemorrhage and the psuedoaneurysms were small and well-encased. Chemotherapy was performed and the pseudoaneurysms resolved.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms

Primary cardiac sarcomas are an extremely rare disease, which are usually diagnosed late, as they seldom display symptoms until they obstruct the cardiac outflow or spread to distant organs. We report the case of a 57-year-old female presenting symptoms of a brain tumor, such as dizziness and visual disturbance. Further evaluations revealed multiple brain metastatic tumors, and a cardiac tumor as the primary lesion. Histological examination of the resected cardiac tumor showed cells of a poorly differentiated sarcoma. The current literature regarding incidences, diagnosing techniques, treatment strategies and prognosis of primary cardiac sarcomas are briefly reviewed with our case report.
Brain Neoplasms ; Brain* ; Dizziness ; Female ; Heart Neoplasms ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prognosis ; Rare Diseases ; Sarcoma*

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is an autosomal dominant disease that produces a variety of tumors and cysts in the central nervous system and visceral organs, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). RCC in patients with VHL disease does not frequently metastasize, therefore, the response to treatment and prognosis of metastatic RCC developed in patients with VHL disease has not been reported. Sunitinib is an oral, multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor with antiangiogenic and antitumor activity. Here, we report on four patients with metastatic RCC in VHL disease who received sunitinib and achieved partial responses that have lasted for a prolonged period of time.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Central Nervous System ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease*

Mucormycosis is a rare fungal disease that holds a fatal opportunistic fungal infection in diabetes mellitus, hematological malignancy, and immunocompromised host. Isolated pulmonary mucormycosis is extremely rare. Optimal therapy is a combined medical-surgical approach and a management of the patient's underlying disease. Herein, we report a case-study of isolated pulmonary mucormycosis which was being presented as multiple lung nodules in a patient with no underlying risk factors. Considering that the patient had poor pulmonary functions, we treated him with only antifungal agent rather than a combined medical-surgical approach. After treatment with antifungal agent for six months, the nodules of pulmonary mucormycosis were improved with the prominent reductions of size on the computed tomography.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Immunocompetence ; Immunocompromised Host ; Lung ; Mucormycosis ; Risk Factors ; Triazoles

This retrospective analysis describes the clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcome of 15 patients with C2 fracture. The Age of the patients varied from 28 to 71. There were only two female patients whose mean age was 25.5 while the mean age of 13 male patients was 44.6. Five patients showed odontoid process fracture, three had C2 body fracture and the remainder were traumatic spondylolisthesis of the axis. The fractures were caused by falls in two patients(13.3%) while in 11 patients(73.3%) they were associated with motor-vehicle accidents. The other two patients were injured by falling objects. No patients suffered a neurological injury associated with the fracture. Three patients are still hospitalized, and follow-up was lost for 2 patients. In 10 patients mean follow-up period was 7 months. External immobilization with halovest was done on all patients. Additionally, anterior interbody fusion was done on 1 patient(Case No. 3). All patients showed the union radiologically, and resumed routine activity. Only 4 of them complained minor limited range of motion of the neck.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Male ; Neck ; Odontoid Process ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Spondylolisthesis

Botulinum toxin type A is widely used for functional improvement of muscles and aesthetic plastic surgery. It paralyzes the injected muscle by inhibiting acetylcholine release from synapses of neuromuscular junctions. We herein report a case of progressive respiratory distress after botulinum toxin injection at both the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. The patient also showed ptosis, dysphonia, dysphagia, and general weakness. Vocal cord dysfunction was observed by laryngoscopy. Other neurologic examination findings, including those of the physical examination, brain MRI, and Jolly's test, were normal. To our knowledge, this is the first report of botulinum toxin injection associated with dyspnea (MRC dyspnea scale, grade 3) in Korea.
Acetylcholine ; Botulinum Toxins ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; Brain ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dysphonia ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Korea ; Laryngoscopy ; Muscles ; Neurologic Examination ; Neuromuscular Junction ; Physical Examination ; Surgery, Plastic ; Synapses ; Vocal Cords

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of CT imaging in differentiating pheochromocytoma from primary adrenalcarcinoma and metastasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed CT imagings of 24 patients(9 males, 15 females, mean age 49) with 27 surgically or clinically proven adrenal neoplasms larger than 3cm indiameter. These neoplasms included pheochromocytomas(n=11), adrenal carcinomas(n=6), and adrenal metastases(n=10,bilateral : 3). Two radiologists visually inspected CT features with respect to tumor size, shape, intratumoral hypodensity, and calcification, and agreed upon their evalvation. These results were compared with the final histopathologic and clinical diagnosis. RESULTS: Ten of eleven pheochromocytomas(91%) were observed to be round or ovoid; this shape was rarely seen in primary carcinomas(0/6) or metastases(2/10). in contrast, mostcarcinomas(6/6, 100%) were lobulated or irregular in shape, as were most metastases(8/10, 80%). smooth, round orovoid intratumoral hypodensity was noted in all pheochromocytomas. Stellate or linear, irregular intratumoral hypodensity was present in all carcinomas and metastases. However, there were no significant differences in CTdensity of calcification. CONCLUSION: Tumor shape and intratumoral hypodensity are very useful CT findings for differentiating adrenal pheochromocytomas from primary carcinomas and metastases.
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Biomarkers for cancer have several potential clinical uses, including the following: early cancer detection, monitoring for recurrence prognostication, and risk stratification. However, no biomarker has been shown to have adequate sensitivity and specificity. Many investigators have tried to validate biomarkers for the early detection and recurrence of lung cancer. To evaluate plasma G-CSF as such a biomarker, protein levels were measured and were found to correlate with the clinicopathological features of primary lung tumors. METHODS: Between December 2006 and May 2008, 100 patients with histologically-validated primary lung cancer were enrolled into this study. To serve as controls, 127 healthy volunteers were enrolled into this study. Plasma G-CSF levels were measured in lung cancer patients using the sandwich ELISA system (R & D inc.) prior to treatment. RESULTS: The mean plasma G-CSF levels were 12.2+/-0.3 pg/mL and 46.0+/-3.8 pg/mL (mean+/-SE) in the normal and in the cancer groups, respectively. In addition, plasma G-CSF levels were higher in patients with early lung cancer than in healthy volunteers (p<.001). Plasma G-CSF levels were higher in patients who were under 65 years old or smokers. Within the cancer group, plasma G-CSF levels were higher in patients with non small cell lung cancer than in patients with small cell lung cancer (p<.05). Overall, plasma G-CSF levels were shown to increase dependent upon the type of lung cancer diagnsosed. In the order from highest to lowest, the levels of plasma G-CSF tended to decrease in the following order: large cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. Plasma G-CSF levels tended to be higher in patients with advanced TNM stage than in localized TNM stage (I, II Adenocarcinoma ; Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar ; Adrenal Glands ; Biomarkers ; Carcinoma, Large Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Plasma ; Recurrence ; Research Personnel ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma