No abstract available.
Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Hypertension, Portal*

Purpose: To evaluate and introduce the technique of C-arm guided aspiration and an injection of a mixture of corticosteroid and local anesthesia for the treatment of calcific tendinitis of the rectus femoris around the hip joint. Materials and Methods: Between March 2003 and May 2005, C-arm guided aspiration and an injection of a mixture of corticosteroid and local anesthesia were performed on 5 patients and a local excision were performed in 1 patient for the treatment of calcific tendinitis of the rectus femoris. The minimum follow-up period was 6 months. The radiology evaluation revealed the presence and size of the calcification. The clinical evaluation involved checking the level of pain relief, range of motion, recurrence, complications. Results: The hip pain improved immediately after treatment. There were no recurrences or complications. Conclusion: The combined treatment of C-arm guided aspiration and an injection of a mixture of corticosteroid and local anesthesia is an effective method for treating calcific tendinitis of the rectus femoris, which can induce rapid symptom relief without any surgical morbidity.
Anesthesia, Local ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip Joint* ; Hip* ; Humans ; Quadriceps Muscle* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Recurrence ; Tendinopathy*

No abstract available.
Nasal Bone*

To investigate the effect of tumor removal and administration of OK432 on the splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats, NK cell activity assay using a 4-hour 51Cr release assay and flow cytometric analysis for NK cell population were performed. The results were as follows: 1. Splenic NK cell activity and population in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats decreased along with the growth of the tumor. 2. The rats with subcutaneous tumor removal showed decrease of splenic NK cell activity, but splenic NK cell population was not decreased. 3. In the rats with subcutaneous tumor removal and OK432 administration, splenic NK cell activity was significantly increased 1 week after administration of OK432 and then gradually returned to normal, whereas increase of NK cell population was not significant. In the present study, splenic NK cell activity was significantly decreased despite removal of subcutaneous tumor. But with the administration of OK432, splenic NK cell activity returned to normal. Considering the role of NK cells on the first line of defense against the metastatic implantation of circulating tumor emboli, we suggest that perioperative administration of immunopotentiator such as OK432 may improve the patient's outcome after surgery of human neoplasm.
Animals ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Picibanil* ; Rats* ; Spleen

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is little clinical data on the results of using Sirolimus-Eluting Stent (SES) for treating In-Stent Restenosis (ISR). We performed this study to evaluate the clinical outcomes for implanting SES for treating ISR in a real world hospital environment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 30 patients with 32 ISRs (males: 73.3%, mean age: 60.2) (focal lesions: 21.9%, diffuse intra-stent lesions: 34.4%, proliferative lesions: 21.9%, total occlusions: 21.9%) were treated with SES after balloon predilation was performed. We evaluated the clinical results and the performed coronary angiography after 6 months. RESULTS: All the procedures were successful. The mean SES diameter and length were 3.0+/-0.3 mm and 27.1+/-5.5 mm, respectively, and the mean acute gain was 2.42+/-0.38 mm. No in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were observed. Twenty five patients with 27 lesions (84.4%) underwent coronary angiography at their 6 month follow-up. The late loss and loss index were 0.41+/-0.56 mm and 0.18+/-0.22, respectively. The binary restenosis rate was 7.4% (2/27 lesions). The rate of target lesion revascularization was 3.7% (1/27 lesion). The incidence of MACE at 6 months was 3.3% (1/30 patient). CONCLUSION: Treating ISR with SES is a safe and effective procedure for reducing ISR without the occurrence of acute or sub-acute thrombosis.
Coronary Angiography* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Restenosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Stents* ; Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Coagulase negative staphylococcus (CNS) spp. is a major pathogenic organism of nosocomial and community-acquired urianry tract infections, and causes infrctions in the immunocompromised host, and in particular, bloodstream infetions in patent with indwelling devices. High prevalance of methicillin resistance has been noticed in CNS which also have been recongnized as an important multidrug resistant pathogen. The optimal phenotypic method for detecting methicillin resistance still remains controversial, and new guidelines for detecting methicillin resistance of CNS was proposed by NCCLS in January 1999. We evaluated the relationship between mecA gene by PCR method and antimicrobial susceptibility tests according to the new NCCLS guidelines. METHODS: A total of 82 CNS isolates were examined for MICs and penicillin MICs by disk diffusion and agar dilution method according to NCCLS guidelines, and detections, and detection of mecA gene by PCR. RESULT: In disk diffusion method, 66 strains (80.5%) and 63 strains (76.8%) showed resistance to penicillin and oxacillin, respectively, and in agar dilution method, 71 strains(86.6%) and 53 strains (64.6%), respectively. In PCR method, mecA genes were detected in 49 strains(59.8%). Comparing with mecA gene detection by PCR method, the sensitivity of disk diffusion and agar dilution method was 95.8% and 89.8%, repectively. However, the sensitivity of disk diffusion and agar dilution method was 65.3% and 75.5%, respectively using previous NCCLS criteria. CONCLUSION: The new criteria of NCCLS detects the methicillin resistance induced by mecA gene more sensitively than previous one.
Agar ; Coagulase* ; Diffusion ; Immunocompromised Host ; Methicillin Resistance ; Oxacillin ; Penicillins ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Staphylococcus*

A 79-year old male with angina underwent emergent coronary artery bypass graft. After the induction of anesthesia, a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) was placed via the right subclavian vein. At weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass, the pulmonary artery wave form did not appear on the monitor. We pulled and pushed the PAC repeatedly. However, we could observed no pulmonary artery pressure; the PAC was not pulled out at the 42 cm from the distal tip. Chest X-ray revealed a malposed PAC into the ipsilateral internal jugular vein. No deleterious complications were observed either during the immediate or later postanesthetic period.
Aged ; Anesthesia ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Catheters* ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Humans ; Jugular Veins ; Male ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Subclavian Vein ; Thorax ; Transplants ; Weaning*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Pityriasis* ; Tinea Versicolor* ; Treatment Outcome*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Classification*

Idiopathic CD4+ T lymphocytopenia (ICL) is a new disease entity characterized by depletion of helper T cells apparently without any evidence of HIV infection. We report a case of ICL associated with Kaposis sarcoma (KS) and pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in a 34-year old woman. She developed violaceous, protruding masses on scalp, back, both extremities, palms, soles, left. first toe and peritonsillar region for 2 months. These lesions were confirmed as KS by histopathologic findings. Chest X-ray and HRCT findings represented PCP and KS. Absolute deficiency of CD4+ T cell was detected in the count of T cell subsets. Serologic tests for HIV-1, 2 and HTLV I, -II were negative. And she was absent any defined immunodeficiency or therapy associated with decreased levels of CD4+ T cells. By CDC criteria, a diagnosis of ICL was made. Because of aggravation of PCP and lung involuement of KS, she died at 22nd day after admission.
Adult ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Diagnosis ; Extremities ; Female ; HIV Infections ; HIV-1 ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymphopenia* ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis ; Sarcoma, Kaposi* ; Scalp ; Serologic Tests ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; T-Lymphocytes ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; T-Lymphocytopenia, Idiopathic CD4-Positive ; Thorax ; Toes