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.
Leiomyoma*

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Neural Conduction*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary tuberculosis(TB) is still prevalent and remains a significant clinical problem for the elderly. However, the disease presents in many ways, and there are frequent adverse drug reactions that may prevent the early diagnosis and treatment of elderly TB patients compared to the young. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not there are any differences in the clinical feature of pulmonary tuberculosis(TB) in both the diagnosis and treatment between the young (less than 64 years) and the elderly (65 years and more). METHODS: The medical records of 125 young and 70 elderly pulmonary TB patients, who were diagnosed with and treated for pulmonary TB at the Seoul Municipal Boramae Hospital from November 1991 to January 1997, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Anorexia(12% vs. 31.4%), general weakness (20.0% vs. 54.3%), dyspnea(21.6% vs. 37.1%) and an abnormal mentality (0.8% vs. 15.7%) were more frequent presenting symptoms in elderly TB patients, whereas hemoptysis (32.8% vs. 10.0%) and fever (BT>37℃ 58.4% vs. 35.7%) were more frequent in the young. The elderly had a higher number of cardiovascular and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases as underlying illnesses. In chest PA, there were no differences in the location of the TB lesion, but the appearances were initially diagnosed more frequently as pneumonia or lung cancer (8.8% vs. 30.0%, p<0.05) in the elderly. There was no difference in the detection rate of acid fast bacilli(AFB) in the sputum between the two groups. There were no differences in the treatment response and follow-up loss. However, adverse drug reactions (13.6% vs. 45.7%, p<0.05), and changes in medication (4.9% vs. 25.7%, p<0.05) during treatment occurred more frequently in the elderly. One among the 125 young patients died from tuberculosis whereas 6 among the 70 elderly patients died from the disease. CONCLUSION: Because the clinical and radiological presentations were more atypical, a sputum AFB smear and culture should be done immediately in the elderly who are TB. The elderly experienced more frequent adverse drug reactions and mortality during treatment, but the response to treatment was good and rapid.
Aged* ; Diagnosis ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Lung Neoplasms ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

BACKGROUND: Conventional thoracoscopic thoracic sympathectomy or sympathicotomy is an effective method in treating localized hyperhidrosis; however, this may result in a postoperatively embarrassing compensatory hyperhidrosis or facial anhidrosis in the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis. We modified the conventional sympathicotomy by limiting the extent of nerve transection. The purpose of this study was to assess the result of the limited thoracoscopic sympathetic nerve transection in hyperhidrosis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From May to August 1998, 17 patients underwent limited transection of the sympathetic nerve. For 9 patients with facial hyperhidrosis, we transected only the interganglionic fiber between the first and the second ganglion, whereas the conventional method cuts two interganglionic fibers. Eight patients with palmar hyperhidrosis underwent limited transection of the interganglionic fiber between the second and third ganglion. RESULT: Sixteen patients had improved symptom postoperatively. There was a recurred facial sweating in 1 patient 1 month after the operation. Among the 9 facial hyperhidrosis patients, postoperative compensatory hyperhidrosis was severe in 4, moderate in 4 and minimal in 1. But in 8 cases of palmar hyperhidrosis compensatory hyperhidrosis was moderate in 3, and minimal in 1, none in 4. Facial sweating was not disturbed postoperatively in all of the palmar hyperhidrosis patients. CONCLUSION: Limited sympathetic nerve transection is a practical and less invasive method for the treatment of localized hyperhidrosis and may reduce the incidence of compensatory truncal hyperhidrosis and facial anhidrosis in case of palmar hyperhidrosis.
Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis* ; Hypohidrosis ; Incidence ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Sympathectomy

Malignant lymphoma of the bladder is a rare lesion, representing approximately 0.2% of the primary lesions and approximately 1.8% of the secondary lesions. A disseminated lymphoma presenting as a bladder mass is an infrequent phenomenon. The authors report the case of a 71-year-old patient with concurrent bladder lymphoma and bladder cancer presenting as metastatic bladder cancer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of concurrent bladder lymphoma and bladder cancer.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Mortality*

Multiple myeloma can usually be identified by non-traumatic vertebral fracture or signs of recurrent infection. Without these clinical signs, detection is unlikely. We briefly report a case of extraosseous multiple myeloma presenting as repeated intracranial bleeding and relapsing high fever. In doing so, we highlight the importance of subtle changes in laboratory findings. A 67-year-old man presented with spontaneous acute epidural hematoma, and hematoma evacuation was performed at the same site 3 times. A radiologic work-up failed to reveal any osseous lesions and he made a gradual recovery. In the meantime, he suffered unexplained fever up to 39oC despite normal chest and abdominal radiograms. Blood chemistry showed mild leukocytosis, high ESR and CRP, and a slightly elevated globulin. On his 15th hospital day, immunoglobulin studies confirmed the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. He was treated in the ICU for difficult breathing and uncontrolled fever. In spite of intensive critical care, his leukocyte count fell to below 2,000 and he died on postoperative day 28. Apparently normal laboratory and radiologic findings can hamper swift discovery and ultimate management of multiple myeloma. When there is unexplained repeated intracranial bleeding and accompanying fever, the possibility of hidden malignancy should be assessed to avoid delaying or missing treatment.
Aged ; Critical Care ; Fever ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytosis ; Multiple Myeloma ; Respiration ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Thorax

Intracranial aneurysms are usually regarded as congenital in origin but their etiology is unknown. The occurrence of familial aggregation of intracranial aneurysm is rare but well documented, and suggests a hereditary basis for some intracranial aneurysms. We experienced two cases of intracranial aneurysm in monozygotic twin brothers and reviewed literatures.
Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Siblings ; Twins, Monozygotic*