Takayasu's arteritis is an arteritis of undetermined etiology, which affects the aorta, proximal portion of its major branches, and causes narrowing, occlusion, or aneurismal dilatation of vessel. Authors report 2 cases of Takayasu's arteritis with brief review of the literature.
Aorta ; Arteritis ; Dilatation ; Takayasu Arteritis*

No abstract available.

Cardiac lymphangioma is one of the rarest, primary, benign tumor of the heart. We report a case of cardiac lymphangioma, which was diagnosed with CT and MRI in a 50 years old female. Plain chest film showed minimal enlargement and globular shape of the heart. On CT scan, abnormal fluid density mass lesion was noted within pericardial sac. The signal intensity was lower on T1-weighted image and hgher on T2-weighted image than that of the myocardium and located along the left atrioventricuar groove. Several small low signal spots representing hemorrhage were seen within this lesion.
Female ; Heart ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lymphangioma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myocardium ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The 8 cases of left ventricular thrombus detected by the 2 D echocardiography or left ventriculography, after acute transmural anterior myocardial infarction were effectively lysed by the thrombolytic agents and heparin therapy. The thrombolytic agents were either urokinase or tissue plasminogen activator. Urokinase was infused intravenously at a dose of 1.0 million unit for three days. And tissue plasminogen activator was infused at a dose of 100mg for a day. In all cases, the thrombi were completely lysed. At follow up, no recurrence of left ventricular thrombus was found. We have experienced 2 cases of peripheral embolization in which, left ventricular thrombi were protruding nonmobile type. The one was the embolic cerebral infarction, the other was transient hoarseness and paresthesia on the left foot, which may be transient ischemic attack. These results show that left ventricular thrombi can be treated by intravenous thrombolytic agents without life-threatening complication. However, for the better establishment of the risk and benefit of therapy further investigation is needed.
Cerebral Infarction ; Echocardiography ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Heparin ; Hoarseness ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Paresthesia ; Recurrence ; Thrombolytic Therapy* ; Thrombosis* ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that one or more intermittent reperfusion(s) during ischemia may be beneficial to the myocardium by washing out catabolites that have accumlated during ischemia. We evaluated the effect of four cycles of ichemia (2 minutes) and reperfusion (3 miutes), i.e., preconditioning on sustained ischemia (20 minutes) and reperfusion (60 minutes) using isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts. METHODS: After a fifty-minutes recovery phase, LVP , dLVP/dt and ECG were simultaneously recorded and ultrastructure of the stunned(or risk) area of the left ventricle was examined with conventional methods. RESULTS: In the preconditioned hearts, functional parameters such as LVPP(peak pressure), LVPP recovery rate and LVEDP(end-diastolic pressure) reached to 99.6+/-4.38mmHg, 98.0+/-4.67% and 14.0+/-2.90mmHg (109.3+/-2.91mmHg, 109.4+/-1.29mmHg and 10.7+/-2.67mmHg for the controls), respectively, after 30 minutes from the onset of reperfusion and maintained as in the controls(p>0.01). In contrast, in the ischemia-reperfusion hearts, LVPP and LVPP recovery rate were significantly reduced(81.6+/-6.83mmHg and 85.7+/-5.30%;p<0.05) and LVEDP elevated(21.2+/-3.00mmHg) but dP/dtmax, heart rate and ECG patterns were not significantly different between the preconditioned and the ischemia-refusion hearts during reperfusion. Furthermore, irreversible myocardial injury was homogeneous(both subendo- and subepicardial) in the ischmia-reperfusion hearts but only focal(subendocardial) in preconditioned hearts. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that preconditioning induced by very short periods of ischemia and reperfusion may enhance recovery of the left ventricular function and delay ultrastructhral changes to a certain extent during reperfusion.
Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Heart Ventricles ; Heart* ; Ischemia ; Myocardium ; Reperfusion ; Ventricular Function, Left

Induction of A-V block by tachycardia is a well-known phenomenon. But there are few case reports of bradycardia-dependent A-V block. We report a case of bradycardia-dependent A-V block with review of literatures. This patient was a 52-year-old female who complained of dizziness and anterior chest discomfort. Electrocardiographic recording demonstrated complete A-V block. Monitor electrocardiographic recordings during sitting position and after atropine administration demonstrated decrease of degree of block from complete A-V block to first degree A-V block. The occurrence of complete A-V block from bradycardia during supine position suggests a phase 4-dependent block. After a permanent ventricular pacemaker was implanted, the patient recovered and was without symptoms during 12 months follow up.
Atropine ; Bradycardia ; Dizziness ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Supine Position ; Tachycardia ; Thorax

Rabbit eyes were irradiated with neodymium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet(Nd-YAG) laser and the changes of prostaglandin E and protein levels in aqueous humor were measured. Intraocular pressure and pupil diameter were also determined in the same rabbits. Prostaglandin E and protein in aqueous humor were increase depending upon the number of laser lesion. Increase of intraocular pressure and decrease of pupil diameter occurred at similar dose range of laser irradiation. Tesponse of iris to the photodisruption was rapid. Changes in prostaglandin and protein contents and pupil diameter were already prominent at 15 min after the laser irradiation. Indomethacin pretreatment abolished most of tese responses, suggesting that acute reactions following photodisruption were largely dependent on prostaglandin synthesis in iris tissure.
Aqueous Humor* ; Indomethacin* ; Intraocular Pressure ; Iris* ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Pupil ; Rabbits

PURPOSE: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a representative urological disease in men at senescence. The etiology of BPH is multifactorial, with chronic conditions, such as non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), treated hypertension, obesity, low and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and high insulin levels, constitute for the development of BPH. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a BPH population was investigated and the relationship between BPH and metabolic syndrome evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The BPH group consisted of 162 patients (63.4+/-7.8 years old) diagnosed as BPH and the control group of 68 patients (59.7+/-6.4 years old) without voiding difficulties. In each group, the relating factors, prevalence of BPH and metabolic syndrome were investigated and analyzed for comparison. RESULTS: Comparing the voiding factors of the BPH and control groups, all of the measured values showed aggravation of the voiding difficulty in the BPH compared with the control group. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the BPH group was 64.2%, which was about double that in the control group (32.4%) (p<0.001). Among the components of metabolic syndrome, hypertension (70.4%) was found to have the highest prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: The probability of patients with BPH having metabolic syndrome is high compared to those without BPH. Consequently, in BPH patients, careful evaluation for metabolic syndrome is needed, with the early diagnosis and proper management of metabolic syndrome should accompany the treatment of BPH.
Aging ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insulin ; Lipoproteins ; Male ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Urologic Diseases

PURPOSE: Chronic prostatitis displays various pathophysiologies due to various causes, and is a life time affliction, but the diagnosis and treatment are still unclear. Therefore, it is important to find if some elements influence the incidence and progress of the disease; attempts were made to recognize the risk factors for chronic prostatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 184 chronic prostatitis patients were selected, and divided, after treatment, into the improvement (IG; n=147) and non-improvement groups (NIG; n=37). 40 healthy men were chosen as the control group (CG) for a comparative analysis. Subjects were investigated for their professional stati and form of work, driving, motorcycle or bicycle utilization, drinking, smoking, sex and their style of diet. RESULTS: The ratio of sedentary desk workers in the NIG (73.0%) was higher than in the other groups. The ratio of those that drove for more than 1 hour was much high in the NIG by 54.1%. The ratio of the people who ejaculated more than once a week, either through sexual intercourse or masturbation, was lower in the NIG by 56.5%, but that of people who ejaculated every day was higher in the NIG (13.5%). People drinking more than once a week was greater in the NIG (67.6%), and those who drank more than 1 bottle of Korean wine, Soju, were showed an expressively higher ratio in the NIG (72.0%). In relation to dietary behavior, the NIG showed a high ratio (73.0%) for a preference for salty food only. CONCLUSIONS: Factors that may influence the prognosis of chronic prostatitis are thought to be the form of profession, number ejaculations, frequency and amount of drinking, an a habit of eating salty food. Therefore, these factors should be considered together when looking for a cure for chronic prostatitis.
Coitus ; Diagnosis ; Diet ; Drinking ; Eating ; Ejaculation ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Masturbation ; Motorcycles ; Prognosis ; Prostatitis* ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Wine

PURPOSE: Obstructive voiding difficulties were frequent in the patients with metastatic prostatic cancer, and sometimes acute urinary retention may be developed even though medical treatments. We performed channel transurethral resection of prostate(TURP) as palliative treatment for those patients and reported the results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with metastatic prostatic cancer were taken TURP aiming for relief of infravesical obstruction. All patients were under the anti-androgen hormonal therapy and had sudden onset of acute urinary retention. TURP was done under general or epidural anesthesia. After TURP, 30~50 cc ballooning urethral Foley catheter was placed for 4 days. We analyzed voiding parameters comparatively before and 3 months after TURP. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 75.6+/-5.7 years old. Mean prostatic volume was 47.8+/-1.4 cc. Mean resected prostatic tissue was 6.4+/-2.1 cc. All patients had stage D prostatic cancer. Mean serum PSA was 75.2+/-73.8 ng/ml and mean gleason score was 7.8+/-0.9. After TURP, mean international prostatic symptom score(IPSS) was improved from 25.5+/-2.0 to 13.8+/-2.0, mean quality of life score(QOL) was improved from 4.4+/-0.5 to 2.0+/-0.5, and mean maximum uroflow rate was increased from 5.0+/-1.1 ml/sec to 6.0+/-1.6 ml/sec. All patients did not have any complications according to TURP. CONCLUSION: In patients with metastatic prostatic cancer, channel TURP could be considered as a treatment option to relieve severe obstructive voiding difficulty.
Anesthesia, Epidural ; Catheters ; Humans ; Neoplasm Grading ; Palliative Care ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Quality of Life ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Urinary Retention*