The successful cardiac transplantation depends partly on the donor heart preservation by a solution that will ensure recovery of myocardial function. The purpose of this study was to perform the evaluation of various preservation solutions and to accumulate the data on the requisites for ideal preservation solution. The experimental setup was the constant pressure Langendorff's perfusion system. Isolated rabbit hearts were perfused for 20minutes with warm Krebs-Henseleit solution, stored for 4 hours in cold preservation solution after cardioplegia, and then were reperfused for 20minutes. The 4 experimental groups were prepared : Hartmann's solution group (group I, control), modified Euro-collins' solution group (group II, MEC), modified University of Wisconsin group (group III , MUW), and CK solution(made by the author) group (group IV, CK). The parameters for assessing the preservation ability were levels of enzymes in freezed myocardial tissues (lactate, creatine kinase-MB and adenosine deaminase), coronary flow, left ventricular developing pressure and dp/dt. In conclusion, the ability of preservation for isolated rabbit heart was excellent in CK solution and modified University of Wisconsin solution, and poor in modified Euro-collins' solution, compared with Hartmann solution. CK solution has low potassium concentrations(34.2mEq/L) and includes various substrates to be salutary on myocardial preservation. This fact may indicates the necessity of further refinements in selection or composition of electrolytes and substrates.
Adenosine ; Creatine ; Electrolytes ; Heart Arrest, Induced ; Heart Transplantation ; Heart* ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Perfusion ; Potassium ; Tissue Donors ; Wisconsin

After a penetrating thoracic injury early detection of intracardiac injury and early surgical repair when indicated are essential. A case presenting severe respiratory distress two weeks after a penetrating thoracic injury is reported. Transesophageal echocardiography showed massive pericardial effusion ventricular septal defect and mirtal regurgitation, The infundibular ventricular septal perforation was repaired using a Dacron patch the anterior mitral leaflet by interrupted sutures and the ruptured chordae of the posterior leaflet by a new chordae formation.
Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Pericardial Effusion ; Polyethylene Terephthalates ; Sutures ; Thoracic Injuries ; Ventricular Septal Rupture ; Wounds, Penetrating

OBJECTIVES: The clinical manifestations of gout in Korea would be changed lately according to the rapid economical development and the development of diagnostic methods. This study was done to reveal the late clinical features of gout in Korea. METHODS: A retrospective study was done for the 90 gout patients who had been treated in Seoul Paik Hospital from March 1974 to August 1994. Age of onset, sex, duration of disease, serum uric acid level, uric acid concentration of 24 hour urine, joint of first attack, recurrently involved joints, X-ray of involved joint, frequency of tophi, renal ultrasonography, and associated diseases were analyzed. The uric acid levels of the 808 civilians who visited our hospital for the periodic health examination were used as a control value. RESULTS: 1) The serum uric acid level in Korean adults was 5.2+/-1.1mg/dL in male, 3.8+/-0.7mg/dL in female, and 4.7mg/dL in general. The serum uric acid concentration of the gout patients was 8.6+/-2.2mg/dL in male, 6.1+/-2.1mg/dL in female, and 8.5+/-2.3mg/dL in general. The age of onset was 46.4+/-12.9 years old and male to female ratio was 44: 1 2) The renal excretion of uric acid was 470+/-173 mg/day in gout patients. 3) The sites of first attack were first MTP joint(76%), tarsal joint(13%), knee(5%), and other MTP joints(5%) 4) The involved joints during the repeated attacks were first MTP joint(84%), tarsal joint(23%), and fingers(23%), The duration of disease was significantly longer and the serum uric acid concentration was higher in the patients with tophi than they are in the patients without. 5) The 4l% of patients showed hone change in X-ray. 6) The renal ultrasound examinations were abnormal in 42% of the patients and the serum uric acid concentrations were significantly higher. 7) Obesity was found in 68% of patients, hypertension in 39%, hyperlipidemia in 16%, and chronic renal disease in 12%. CONCLUSION: The clinical features of gout in our study were similar to those of others done in and out of Korea, except that the frequency of hypertringlyceridemia was much lower than that of the foreign countries.
Adult ; Age of Onset ; Arthritis, Gouty ; Female ; Gout* ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Hyperuricemia ; Joints ; Korea* ; Male ; Obesity ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Ultrasonography ; Uric Acid

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the mandibular asymmetry and the internal derangement of temporomandibular joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and sixty eight patients had been assessed through clinical examinations, panoramic radi-ographs and magnetic resonance imagings (MRIs), were selected. The samples were classified into three subgroups according to the severity of the mandibular asymmetries in the panoramic radiographs and the status of TMJ discs on the MRI were compared among each groups. RESULTS: In an apparent asymmetry group, there was a significant difference in the number of temporomandibular disk displacement without reduction between the long and short side (66.7%, 18/27 joints on the short side) when the ratio of condylar process and coro-noid process was used (P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference when the ratio of condyle and ramus was used. CONCLUSION: The probability of the disc displacement without reduction was higher at the side with relatively shorter condylar process on the panoramic radiograph, and also it might be more effective to use ratio of condylar process and coronoid process in the assessment of mandibular asymmetry. Therefore, a careful assessment on the temporomandibular disorders is necessary to diagnose and establish the treatment plans for the patients with a mandibular asymmetry and the panoramic radiograph can be used effectively on that way.
Humans ; Joints ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Temporomandibular Joint Disc* ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders ; Temporomandibular Joint*

PURPOSE: The osmolar gap increases in proportion to the ethanol level. Some previous studies have shown that the correlation between the osmolar gap and the ethanol level is weak in trauma patient by using an indirect comparison with other patients. We conducted a direct comparison of the correlation of the osmolar gap to the ethanol level between trauma patients and non-trauma patients. We also analyzed the accuracy of the estimated ethanol level between the two groups. METHODS: The research candidates were adult patients who had visited the emergency department of our hospital from December 2003 to November 2008. By using a retrospective chart review, we classified them into three subgroups: non-trauma without shock, trauma without shock, and trauma with shock. In each group, we compared the correlation between the osmolar gap and the measured ethanol level, and we analyzed the accuracy of the estimated ethanol level by using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Four hundred forty-seven patients were enrolled in this study. For correlation of the osmolar gap and the measured ethanol level, Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.916 in all patients, 0.939 in non-trauma without shock patients, 0.917 in trauma without shock patients, and 0.844 in trauma with shock patients. In the analysis of the accuracy of the estimated ethanol level by using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient, the accuracy in trauma with shock patients was lower than that in non-trauma without shock patients. CONCLUSION: We found that the correlation between the osmolar gap and the measured ethanol level in the patient group with trauma was lower than it was in the patient group without trauma. Moreover trauma patients with shock had a lower accuracy of the estimated ethanol level than non-trauma patients.
Adult ; Emergencies ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Osmolar Concentration ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock

PURPOSE: Until recently, three variants of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) have been recognized: the first is posterior-canal canalolithiasis, the second is horizontal-canal canalolithiasis, and the last is horizontal-canal cupulolithiasis. However, the last two types of BPPV have not been introduced into the textbook of Emergency Medicine yet. The otolith repositioning maneuvers are effective treatments for BPPV, but in emergency medicine, there has been little interest in and research on them. Our goals were to determine the efficacies of these treatments and to examine the clinical features of each types of BPPV. METHODS: We performed a 6-month prospective study on forty-one patients (47 cases) who presented with a history and physical examination consistent with active BPPV to the emergency departments of a secondary hospital and a tertiary hospital (Dec. 2001-May. 2002). The patients were treated with a modified Epley canalith repositioning maneuver for posterior-canal BPPV, a modified Barbecue rotation for horizontal-canal canalolithiasis, and the maneuver of Jo et al. for horizontal-canal cupulolithiasis. RESULTS: A resolution attributable to the first intervention was obtained in 71.4% of the posterior-canal BPPV cases by using the modified Epley maneuver and in 73.1% of the horizontal-canal BPPV cases by using a modified Barbecue rotation and the maneuver of Jo et al. CONCLUSION: The otolith repositioning maneuvers result in a resolution of vertigo in the majority of patients (84.8% of the cases) immediately after treatment. They are safe and require no special equipment or investigations. They should be established as the treatments of choice for BPPV in emergency department.
Emergency Medicine ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Otolithic Membrane* ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Vertigo*

BACKGROUND: Bone cancer pain has a disruptive effect on the cancer patient's quality of life. Although ginsenosides have been used as traditional medicine in Eastern Medicine, the effect on bone cancer pain has not been thoroughly studied. The aim of this study was to determine whether ginsenosides may alter the bone cancer pain at the spinal level. METHODS: NCTC 2472 tumor cells (2.5 x 10(5)) were injected into the femur of adult male C3H/HeJ mice to evoke bone tumor and bone cancer pain. To develop bone tumor, radiologic pictures were obtained. To assess pain, the withdrawal threshold was measured by applying a von Frey filament to the tumor cells inoculation site. The effect of intrathecal ginsenosides was investigated. Effect of ginsenosides (150, 500, 1,000 microgram) was examined at 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 min after intrathecal delivery. RESULTS: The intrafemoral injection of NCTC 2472 tumor cells induced a radiological bone tumor. The withdrawal threshold with tumor development was significantly decreased compared to the sham animals. Intrathecal ginsenosides effectively increased the withdrawal threshold in the bone cancer site. CONCLUSIONS: NCTC 2472 tumor cells injection into the mice femur caused bone tumor and bone cancer pain. Intrathecal ginsenosides attenuated the bone cancer-related pain behavior. Therefore, spinal ginsenosides may be an alternative analgesic for treating bone cancer pain.
Adult ; Animals ; Bone Neoplasms ; Femur ; Ginsenosides ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Traditional ; Mice ; Quality of Life ; Salicylamides ; Spinal Cord

OBJECTIVES: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is one of the most common echocardiographic findings and an important prognostic factor for cardiovascular mortality in hypertensives and chronic renal failure patients. To evaluate the prevalence and the types of LVH, and left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions as worsening of renal function, and to elucidate the risk factors for LVH, we performed this study retrospectively in normal populations, hypertensives, and renal failure with or without hemodialysis. METHODS AND SUBJECTS: We recruited the study population among the patients who had taken echocardiography at Pun-Dang CHA Hospital from July, 1995 to June, 1997. They are consisted of 54 patients for normal control, 53 patients of hypertensives, 31 patients of mild renal failure with less than 4.5 mg/dl of serum creatinine (Group I), 29 patients of moderate renal failure with more than 4.5 mg/dl of serum creatinine (Group II), and 47 patients of end stage renal disease with hemodialysis (Group III). The echocardiography was performed with all standard strategies including 2 dimension, M mode, and Doppler signals. RESULTS: 1) Among the baseline characteristics, the body mass index only significantly increased in hypertensives compared with group II and III.2) The prevalences of LVH in each groups were 5.6% in control group, 49.1% in hypertensives, 83.8% in group I, 89.7% in group II, and 100% in group III respectively. And the pevalences of concentric LVH were 5.6%, 43.3%, 41.9%, 34.5%, and 25.5% and those of the eccentric hypertrophy were 0.0%, 5.7%, 41.9%, 55.2%, and 74.5% respectively. The prevalence of eccentric hypertrophy increased according to deterioration of renal function.3) The left ventricular mass index was significantly higher in hypertensives, Group I, Group II, and Group III than normal control and the left ventricular volume index was greater in all renal failure patients compared with controls and hypertensives.4) In pre-hemodialysis renal failure patients, the types of LVH were consisted of 8 of normal heart (Group A), 23 of concentric LVH (Group B), and 29 of eccentric LVH (Group C). The systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure were significantly higher in group C than group A but there was no significant difference between group C and B. The RBC volume was significantly decreased in group B and C compared with group A. The echocardiographic end diastolic interventricular septal thickness and posterior wall thickness were significantly thicker in group B than others but end diastolic LV dimension, LV mass index, and LV volume index were significantly increased in group C than group B and A. The LV ejection fraction and fractional shortening as markers of LV systolic function in group C revealed the lowest level among three groups. The E velocity among the Doppler study profiles was significantly higher in group C than others.5) In hemodialysis group, all the patients had any types of LV hypertrophic changes. The concentric LVH group (group B) had significantly higher systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure than eccentric LVH (group C) but there was no difference in diastolic blood pressure between two groups. The echocardiographic interventricular septum and posterior wall were thicker in group B than group C but end diastolic LV dimension and LV volume were significantly higher in group C than group B.6) The LV mass index in pre-hemodialysis group had positive relationship with blood pressure and serum urea nitrogen level and the LV volume index was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure and mean blood pressure.7) The LV mass index in hemodialysis group had positive relationship with age and systolic blood pressure and LV volume index was positively correlated with serum urea nitrogen level but negatively correlated with blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of LVH was much higher in renal failure group than hypertenssives and the proportion of eccentric LVH was increased with worsening of renal function. Although the arterial hypertension is the most important risk factor for LVH, this finding suggested existence of other contributing risk factors for LVH in chronic renal failure, which included uremia, anemia, and age.
Anemia ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Creatinine ; Echocardiography* ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Mortality ; Nitrogen ; Prevalence ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Urea ; Uremia

We report a non-puerperal uterine inversion with nulliparous women caused by huge pedunculated submucosal fibroid. Massive bleeding from protruding mass through vagina brought the heart to stop in 42-year-old nulliparous woman. She became cardiopulmonary resuscitation survivor in emergency room and then underwent laparotomy which ended in successful myomectomy rather than hysterectomy considering her demand for future fertility. Meticulous and adequate fluid therapy and transfusion was also administered to recover from hypovolemic status. Pathologic report confirmed benign submucosal fibroid with degeneration, necrosis and abscess formation. Thus, clinician should be aware of uterine inversion when encountered with huge protruding vaginal mass and consider uterus-preserving management as surgical option when the future fertility is concerned.
Abscess ; Adult ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Fertility ; Fluid Therapy ; Heart ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypovolemia* ; Hysterectomy ; Laparotomy ; Leiomyoma ; Necrosis ; Shock* ; Survivors ; Uterine Inversion* ; Vagina

BACKGROUND: Myocardial revascularization in patients with renal insufficiency is challenging to the cardiac surgeon, irrespective of utilizing extracorporeal circulation. This study aimed to compare the number of bypass grafts and the mid-term results and to evaluate independent survival predictors in patients with renal insufficiency undergoing on-pump or off-pump myocardial revascularization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 103 patients with renal insufficiency, who had isolated myocardial revascularization between January 1999 and January 2009. The patients were divided into two groups, the on-pump group and the off-pump group. RESULTS: The off-pump group received a significantly greater number of distal arterial grafts than the on-pump group. However, the mean number of total grafts, the degree of complete revascularization, and survival rate of the patients were not significantly different between the two groups. Multivariate analysis showed the independent predictors for reduced mid-term survival were the number of total grafts and postoperative periodic renal replacement therapy. Off-pump myocardial revascularization does not decrease the number of bypass grafts or influence on the mid-term results for patients with renal insufficiency, compared to on-pump myocardial revascularization. CONCLUSION: Myocardial revascularization with a large number of total grafts has a beneficial effect on survival in patients with renal insufficiency, irrespective of utilizing extracorporeal bypass.
Extracorporeal Circulation ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Revascularization ; Postoperative Period ; Renal Insufficiency ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Transplants