No abstract available.
Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Hereditary* ; Siblings*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of low-flow anesthesia with a semi-closed circle anesthesia system in infants. METHODS: Twenty, ASA physical status 1 or 2, infants were randomly assigned into two groups: high-flow anesthesia (HFA) or low-flow anesthesia (LFA). An identical semi-closed Dr ger circle anesthesia system (Cato) was used to all patients. Initial fresh gas flow (FGF) was N2O 1.5 L/min and O2 1.5 L/min in both groups. This FGF of 3 L/min was maintained in the HFA group. After 10 min of HFA, the FGF was reduced to 500 ml/min (N2O 250 ml/min and O2 250 ml/min) in the LFA group. RESULTS: Hypoxic or hypercarbic gas concentrations were not observed in all patients. Enflurane consumption during LFA was about 1/3 of that during HFA (6.8 +/- 1.3 ml vs. 19.5 +/- 5.8 ml). The mean highest esophageal temperature was similar in both groups. The mean highest inspiratory gas and soda lime temperatures were significantly higher in the LFA group than in the HFA group. CONCLUSIONS: Low-flow anesthesia in a circle system with a fresh gas flow of N2O 250 ml/min and O2 250 ml/min could be performed safely and economically for infants.
Anesthesia* ; Enflurane* ; Humans ; Infant*

No abstract available.
Lichen Nitidus* ; Lichens*

BACKGROUND: Calcium disturbance may clinically produce diaphragmatic weakness. Extracellular calcium is necessary for diaphragmatic contraction, suggesting that the diaphragm behaves more like cardiac muscle. The effect of extracellular Ca2 concentrations on the relaxation action of vecuronium was studied in rat hemidiaphragm-phrenic nerve preparations. METHODS: Hemidiaphragm-phrenic nerve preparations were obtained from male Sprague-Dawley rats (200 300 g). Preparations were bathed in Kreb's solution of (mM): NaCl 118, KCl 5, CaCl2 2.5, NaHCO3 30, KH2PO4 1, MgCl2 1 and glucose 11, then maitained at 37oC when aspirated with a mixture of 95% O2 and 5% CO2. Isometric forces generated in response to 0.1 Hz, 2 Hz for 2 seconds and, 50 Hz for 2 seconds with supramaximal electrical stimulation (0.2 msec, rectangular) to the phrenic nerve, were measured with a force transducer. Single twitch tension and peak tetanic tension were calculated as a percentage of control. TOF fade was calculated as (1-(T4/T1))x100. Each preparation was exposed to the alterations in calcium concentrations of the Kreb's solution (3.75, 3.125, 1.5, 1.25, 0.625, 0.3125 (mM)), and the adequate volume of vecuronium stock solution was added to the tissue bath for desired bath concentration. The effects of calcium and vecuronium were allowed to reach a steady state before measurement of tension parameters was done. Single twitch tensions or peak tetanic tensions, which were measured at each calcium concentration, were compared respectively. EC5, EC25, EC50, EC75, and EC95 of vecuronium for a single twitch tension, TOF fade, and peak tetanic tension at each calcium concentration, were calculated using a sigmoid Emax model. We compared the EC50 of vecuronium according to calcium concentrations. Data was compared by the Kruskal-Wallis test with a post hoc Wilcoxon rank sum test. A p-value of below 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The range of calcium concentration studied didn't produce differences among single or tetanictensions respectively. The EC50's of vecuronium decreased as calcium concentration decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction of calcium concentration can augment the action of vecuronium on the diaphragm.
Animals ; Baths ; Calcium* ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Diaphragm ; Electric Stimulation ; Glucose ; Humans ; Magnesium Chloride ; Male ; Myocardium ; Neuromuscular Agents* ; Paralysis ; Phrenic Nerve ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Relaxation ; Transducers ; Vecuronium Bromide*

Small airway diseases are seen in many clinical conditions. The locations of small airway diseases are small bronchioles including terminal and respiratory bronchioles, and alveolar duct. The histopathologic features of bronchiolar injury have been described variously and have led to confusing and overlapping terms. The purpose of this article is to describe the clinical characteristics and histopathologic interpretation of small airway diseases. We classify the small airway diseases as primary bronchiolar diseases, and secondary bronchiolar diseases including pulmonary parenchymal diseases, and large airway diseases with prominent bronchiolar involvement. Primary bronchiolar diseases include respiratory bronchiolitis, acute bronchiolitis, constrictive bronchiolitis, follicular bronchiolitis, diffuse panbronchiolitis, mineral dust airway diseases, and a few other variants. Pulmonary parenchymal diseases with bronchiolar involvement include respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease, organizing pneumonia, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis, sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Bronchiolar changes can also be seen in large airway diseases such as chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis and asthma. The patterns of bronchiolar response to various injuries are relatively limited and these patterns are generally non-specific in regard to the etiology. Appropriate interpretation and diagnosis of small airway diseases depend on judicious correlation of clinical, radiologic, and histopathologic characteristics.
Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic ; Asthma ; Bronchiectasis ; Bronchioles ; Bronchiolitis ; Bronchiolitis Obliterans ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Cystic Fibrosis ; Diagnosis ; Dust ; Histiocytosis ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Pneumonia ; Sarcoidosis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical course of visual acuity and foveal thickness in the idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) after a vitrectomy with the use of triamcinolone. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 30 patients (30 eyes) with ERM that were treated by vitrectomy from 2004 to 2008. Visual acuity and foveal thickness from optical coherence tomography imaging was obtained preoperatively and at every postoperative follow-up visit. RESULTS: Visual acuity improved by two or more lines of vision in 30%, 50%, 60%, and 70%, and stayed the same within +/-1 line in 47%, 50%, 40%, and 30% at one month, three months, five months, and seven months after surgery. Twenty-three percents of the subjects deteriorated by two or more lines of vision within one month after surgery. None of the subjects had reduced vision three months after surgery. Foveal thickness decreased significantly after surgery. The mean thickness was 409.7+/-107.9 microm before surgery and 288.6+/-66.1 microm seven months after surgery. Parameters which were significantly correlated with the final visual acuity included preoperative visual acuity (0.683), preoperative foveal thickness (0.544), and final foveal thickness (0.643) (p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Foveal thickness and visual acuity improved until seven months after the vitrectomy in patients with idiopathic ERM. Preoperative visual acuity, foveal thickness, and final foveal thickness had a significant correlation with the final visual acuity.
Aged ; Epiretinal Membrane/pathology/*surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fovea Centralis/*pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy/*methods

No abstract available.
Catheters ; Stents

Bleeding from the appendix has been reported very rarely in patients with lower-gastrointestinal-tract bleeding. In general, after a colonoscopic diagnosis of appendiceal bleeding, laparoscopic or surgical appendectomy would be recommended. Two patients with continuous bleeding from the appendix were treated with partial occlusion of the appendiceal orifice by colonoscopic clipping. In neither case was there evidence of further active bleeding over the following 12 months. This is the first report of such a treatment in the English literature.
Appendectomy ; Appendix ; Colonoscopy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune blistering skin diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus foliaceus, bullous pemphigoid and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita substantially affect patients' daily life and psychosocial well-being. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) in patients with autoimmune blistering diseases and to identify the factors that can influence their QOL by comparing them to healthy controls. METHODS: Forty patients with autoimmune blistering skin diseases and 40 healthy controls were interviewed using the Korean version of Skindex-29. The study assessed the clinical severity of the disease. RESULTS: The total, symptom, function, and emotion scores of Skindex-29 were significantly higher in patients with autoimmune blistering skin diseases (35.28, 40.78, 30.57, and 36.67, respectively) than in the healthy controls (6.90, 9.38, 5.47, and 6.60, respectively) (p<0.001). Higher disease severity had a negative correlation with QOL in patients with blistering skin diseases, and QOL was lower when patients had low levels of satisfaction with treatment. CONCLUSION: The results show that autoimmune blistering skin diseases can affect patients' QOL. In addition, disease severity and low satisfaction with treatment are important factors that reduce QOL. Development of new treatments should improve treatment efficacy and the QOL of patients with autoimmune blistering diseases.
Blister* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita ; Humans ; Pemphigoid, Bullous ; Pemphigus ; Quality of Life* ; Skin Diseases* ; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous ; Treatment Outcome