BACKGROUND: Despite improvement of mortality in acute myocardial infarcrtion, high mortality rate associated with cardiogenic shock remains essentially unchanged. We have reviewed our result of coronary intervention in 15 patients and found relative survival advantage. METHODS: Between Sep. 1992 and Aug. 1995, 15 consecutive patients(M. 10, F. 5) with cardiogenic shock in acute myocardial infarction were treated with coronary intervention using ballon PTCA. IABP was inserted in all patients prior to PTCA. RESULTS: 1) Most commonly found infarct related artery was left anterior descending artery(11) followed by right coronary artery(3) and left main coronary artery(1). 2) Successful reperfusion rate was 86.7%(13/15), and in-hospital mortality rate was 26.7%(4/15). 3) In-hospital mortality was higher in elderly patients compared with less than 70yaer old patients(0%(0/11)vs. 75.0%(3/4)(P < 0.05). 4) Mortality rate was lower in single vessel disease than multivessel disease(11.1%(1/9) vs. 50%(3/6) p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Although this study is uncontrolled, the date suggest that urgent coronary intervention for improving coronary perfusion may reduce mortality of acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock, particularly with single vessel disease and young age group.
Aged ; Arteries ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Perfusion ; Reperfusion ; Shock, Cardiogenic*

BACKGROUND: Spinal anesthesia for cesarean section is regaining popularity because it offers better intraoperative analgesia and relaxation than epidural anesthesia. Hyperbaric bupivacaine has been known to ameliorate visceral pain more than tetracaine and fentanyl seems to potentiate analgesic effect of bupivacaine. We evaluated if adding fentanyl reduce the dose of spinal hyperbaric bupivacaine. METHODS: Sixty healthy term parturients scheduled for elective cesarean section randomly received 8, 10 or 12 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine intrathecally, which was mixed with fentanyl 10 g. Intraoperative analgesia was checked with visual analog scale. Sensory blockade variables such as time to T4 block, maximal block height, time to maximal block height, time to and degree of motor block and muscle relaxation were assessed. We also checked side effects and times of regression to T10, complete motor recovery and start of postoperative pain. RESULTS: All patients had no intraoperative pain. The time to sensory block T4 and the level of maximum sensory block were not significantly different between three groups. Though only 70% of 8 mg group showed complete motor block, which is significantly less than 100% of 10 or 12 mg group (p=0.01), muscle relaxation was equally excellent in three groups. They showed no significant difference in side effects, but sensory and motor recovery and start of postoperative pain were faster in 8 mg group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: After mixing with fentanyl 10 g, 10 mg or more of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine was not necessary and 8 mg was enough in spinal anesthesia for cesarean section.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Bupivacaine* ; Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Fentanyl* ; Humans ; Muscle Relaxation ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pregnancy ; Relaxation ; Tetracaine ; Visceral Pain ; Visual Analog Scale

No abstract available.
Animals ; Neurons* ; Rats*

Sebaceous carcinoma is a very rare and potentially aggressive carcinoma originating from the epithelial lining of the sebaceous gland. More than 70% of all cases are in the head and neck region, especially the periorbita; therefore, they are classified into ocular and extraocular sebaceous carcinoma. The reported risk factors are advanced age, male sex, previous irradiation, and genetic predisposition for Muir-Torre syndrome. The current case is of sebaceous carcinoma found in the suprapubic area of a 67-year-old male patient who had received liver transplantation 6 years before, and had been receiving oral tacrolimus. Examination of the gastrointestinal system did not reveal any other malignancies. Although nonmelanoma skin cancers may occur as a complication after liver transplantation, there have been no previous reports of sebaceous carcinoma after liver transplantation. Furthermore, the sebaceous carcinoma in this case occurred in an uncommon location. We report this case along with a review of the literature.
Aged ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Head ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver* ; Male ; Muir-Torre Syndrome ; Neck ; Risk Factors ; Sebaceous Glands ; Skin Neoplasms ; Tacrolimus ; Transplantation*

The change of venous capacitance has an influence on venous return to the heart and cardiac output, and causes the alteration of preload, cardiac filling pressure and myocardial wall tension. Venous capacitance is assesed by measuring the mean circulatory filling pressure (MCFP), and MCFP is measured during brief periods of circulatory arrest produced by inflating an indwelling balloon in the right atrium It is important to know the effects of vasodilator and anesthetic drugs on venous capacitance. Therefore, this study was performed to know the effects of nitroglycerin and diltiazem on venous capacitance in rats. Rats were anesthetized with ketamine 125 mg/kg given intraperitoneally and added 10 mg/kg every 30 minutes. Their mean arterial pressure (MAP) was lowered to 60 mmHg by intravenous injection of 0.82+/-0.36 mg/kg nitroglycerin and/or 6.7+/-1.5 mg/kg diltiazem. Hemodynamic parameters such as MAP, heart rate, central venous pressure and MCFP were measured before and after drug-injection. Hemodynamic values measured before drug-injection in two groups were little differences statistically. However, the MCFP of nitroglycerin was significantly decreased (p<0.01) from 7.3+/-0.61 mmHg to 5.4+/-0.58 mmHg after drug-injection, and that of diltiazem was not significantly changed from 7.1+/-0.54 mmHg to 6.9+/-0.63 mmHg. The results suggested that nitroglycerin was predominantly a venous dilator in terms of MCFP but diltiazem had little effect of venodilation.
Anesthetics ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Central Venous Pressure ; Diltiazem* ; Equidae ; Heart ; Heart Atria ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Injections, Intravenous ; Ketamine ; Nitroglycerin* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Humans

A 72-year-old diabetic male patient with high grade fever, right upper quadrant abdominal pain and Klebsiella pneumoniae septicemia is reported. He suffered from high fever and abdominal pain in spite of aspiration of liver abscess and antibiotic treatment. A few days later, we found a palpable pulsating abdominal mass on physical examination. Computed tomography and angiography revealed infected abdominal aortic aneurysm associated with pyogenic liver abscess. He was treated by antibiotics and Endovascular stent without surgical resection. He improved without complications and has been followed-up after discharge with excellent condition. To our knowledge, this is the first case of infected abdominal aortic aneurysm as a septic metastatic lesion secondary to liver abscess.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Infected ; Angiography ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* ; Fever ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver Abscess, Pyogenic ; Liver* ; Male ; Physical Examination ; Sepsis ; Stents*

Endoscopic biopsy is necessary to confirm a histopathologic diagnosis. Currently, 6 to 8 biopsies are recommended for diagnosis of a suspected malignant lesion. However, multiple biopsies may result in several problems, such as an increased risk of bleeding, procedure prolongation, and increased workload to pathologists. The aim of this study was to clarify the optimal number of endoscopic biopsy specimens required in diagnosis of advanced gastrointestinal cancer. Patients who were diagnosed with advanced gastrointestinal cancer during endoscopy were included. Five specimens were obtained sequentially from viable tissue of the cancer margin. Experienced pathologists evaluated each specimen and provided diagnoses. A total of 91 patients were enrolled. Fifty-nine subjects had advanced gastric cancer, and 32 had advanced colon cancer. Positive diagnosis rates of the first, second, and third advanced gastric cancer specimens were 81.3%, 94.9%, and 98.3%, respectively, while positive diagnosis rates of advanced colon cancer specimens were 78.1%, 87.5%, and 93.8%. Further biopsies did not increase positive diagnosis cumulative rates. This study demonstrated that three specimens were sufficient to make correct pathologic diagnoses in advanced gastrointestinal cancer. Therefore, we recommend 3 or 4 biopsies from viable tissue in advanced gastrointestinal cancer to make a pathologic diagnosis during endoscopy.
Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy/*statistics & numerical data ; Colorectal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; *Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology

PURPOSE: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a disorder characterized by the proliferation of activated Langerhans cells. Although current therapies are very effective at inducing remission, multiple recurrences and long-term sequelae are common for young patients. For this reason, more effective therapies based on the pathogenesis of LCH are needed. We investigated the use of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA), a purine analogue with an antiproliferative effect on histiocytes and lymphocytes, in patients with recurrent or refractory LCH. METHODS: Four children with recurrent or refractory LCH received 2-CdA (5~7 mg/m2/day for 5 days, given as a 24-hr continuous infusion and repeated every 21~28 days for 5~7 courses). RESULTS: All four patients had multiorgan involvement, and were heavily pretreated. Of the two children with recurrent diseases, one had complete response and the other showed no active disease except for the remaining diabetes insipidus. Two infants who showed poor early response to previous combination chemotherapy also responded poorly: partial response in one, and progressive disease resulting in death in the other. Toxicity consisted mainly of myelosuppression, but significant infections did not occur. The peripheral neuropathy was not seen. CONCLUSION: 2-CdA, tolerable in children without significant side effects, might be effective for the treatment of recurrent LCH in children. However, the efficacy in infants with multi-system, refractory diseases needs further study. The feasibility of 2-CdA treatment as the first-line therapy for high-risk diseases, and the possibility of combination with other agents needs to be addressed in the future.
Child* ; Cladribine* ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Histiocytes ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Humans ; Infant ; Langerhans Cells ; Lymphocytes ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Recurrence

Salivary function in mammals may be defective for various reasons, such as aging, Sjogren's syndrome or radiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients. Recently, tissue-specific stem cell therapy has attracted public attention as a next-generation therapeutic reagent. In the present study, we isolated tissue-specific stem cells from the human submandibular salivary gland (hSGSCs). To efficiently isolate and amplify hSGSCs in large amounts, we developed a culture system (lasting 4-5 weeks) without any selection. After five passages, we obtained adherent cells that expressed mesenchymal stem cell surface antigen markers, such as CD44, CD49f, CD90 and CD105, but not the hematopoietic stem cell markers, CD34 and CD45, and that were able to undergo adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. In addition, hSGSCs were differentiated into amylase-expressing cells by using a two-step differentiation method. Transplantation of hSGSCs to radiation-damaged rat salivary glands rescued hyposalivation and body weight loss, restored acinar and duct cell structure, and decreased the amount of apoptotic cells. These data suggest that the isolated hSGSCs, which may have characteristics of mesenchymal-like stem cells, could be used as a cell therapy agent for the damaged salivary gland.
Amylases/genetics/metabolism ; Animals ; Antigens, CD/genetics/metabolism ; Apoptosis ; Cell Differentiation ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/*cytology/metabolism ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; *Regeneration ; Salivary Glands/cytology/injuries/physiology/*surgery ; *Salivation ; *Stem Cell Transplantation