A case of severe aseptic meningitis with communicating hydrocephalus following iotrolan myelography is presented. The patient's condition improved very quickly after corticosteroid therapy. Rapid improvement and absence of pathogenic organisms in the CSF culture strongly favor an aseptic meningitis. This is the first reported case of aseptic meningtis with the secondary development of hydrocephalus caused by iotrolan myelography.
Hydrocephalus* ; Meningitis, Aseptic* ; Myelography*

A case of severe aseptic meningitis with communicating hydrocephalus following iotrolan myelography is presented. The patient's condition improved very quickly after corticosteroid therapy. Rapid improvement and absence of pathogenic organisms in the CSF culture strongly favor an aseptic meningitis. This is the first reported case of aseptic meningtis with the secondary development of hydrocephalus caused by iotrolan myelography.
Hydrocephalus* ; Meningitis, Aseptic* ; Myelography*

A 46-year-old male patient developed jaundice after 23 days' treatment of propylthiouracil (PTU) for Graves' disease. Serum alkaline phosphatase was elevated markedly with moderate increase in serum aminotransferase, and the peak level of total bilirubin was 7.3 mg/dL. After withdrawal of PTU, serum aminotransferase and bilirubin began to decrease simultaneously, and completely normalized. One week after the discharge from hospital, he received radioiodine treatment for Graves' disease, but he showed aggravation of hyperthyroidism and ophthalmopathy. So we prescribed methimazole inevitably 16 days' after the radiodiodine treatment. He developed jaundice again after 69 days' treatment of methimazole, but the pattern of hepatotoxicity was slightly different from that of the previous PTU-nduced hepatotoxicity. Serum aminotransferase increased slightly and quickly normalized after discontinuance of methimazole, but serum total bilirubin increased continuously and reached to 24.6 mg/dL. Eosinophilia was prominent and the result of liver biopsy was compatible with cholestatic jaundice. The patient was treated with prednisolone and recovered from jaundice rapidly.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bilirubin ; Biopsy ; Eosinophilia ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Jaundice ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Liver ; Male ; Methimazole* ; Middle Aged ; Prednisolone ; Propylthiouracil*

We present a rare case of abdominal compartment syndrome due to a bulimic attack in a 19-year-old female patient with bulimia nervosa. She was admitted to our emergency room with complaints of progressive abdominal pain following bulimia. Computed tomography showed dilated stomach with food and air pressed other visceral organs and major abdominal vessels. Decompression using nasogastric tube or gastric lavage tube failed. At laparotomy, we performed gastrotomy and decompression was performed. After decompression, she fell into hypovolemic shock due to bleeding in the intra-gastric and peritoneal cavity. Twelve hours after the operation, the patient died due to refractory hypovolemic shock from uncontrolled bleeding following decompression of abdominal compartment. It should keep in mind that binge-eating habits in patients with bulimic nervosa could cause abdominal compartment syndrome due to gastric distension and this may be a potentially fatal condition.
Abdominal Pain ; Bulimia ; Bulimia Nervosa ; Compartment Syndromes ; Decompression ; Emergencies ; Female ; Gastric Lavage ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Hypertension ; Laparotomy ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Reperfusion Injury ; Shock ; Stomach ; Young Adult

Pulmonary embolism of lipiodol or ethanol may occur inadvertently during the procedure of diagnostic or therapeutic embolization. We studied the nature of pulmonary damage, and its relation to the amount of lipiodol and ethanol embolized into the lung. Various doses of embolic agents(lipiodol 0.4cc/kg, 0.08cc/kg, absolute ethanol 0.4cc/kg, 0.03cc/kg and normal saline 0.4cc/kg)were injected intravenously through femoral vein in 50 rats(10 rats in each group). Pulmonary pathologic changes were analyzed on the 3rd and 28th days subsequent to injection. On the 3rd day, three of 10 lipiodol cases and all(10) ethanol cases showed multifocal pulmonary hemorrhages. Accompanying inflammatory cell infiltration was found only in lipiodol cases. On the 28th day, one of 10 lipiodol cases and four of 10 ethanol cases showed non-specific pneumopathy suggesting mild focal pulmonary fibrosis. The degree of pulmonary damage appeared to depend on the amount of injected embolic agents although their safety doses could not be clarified exactly. Therefore, we suggest careful injection of embolic agents, especially ethanol, during the embolization procedure to prevent possible pulmonary damage by inadvertent pulmonary embolism.
Animals ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Ethanol* ; Ethiodized Oil* ; Femoral Vein ; Hemorrhage ; Lung ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Rats

Background: According to blood management law, serology and nucleic acid testing (NAT) are performed for HIV, HBV, HCV, and others as blood screening tests in Korea. The blood screening tests for HIV, HBV, and HCV have substantially improved transfusion safety. The blood screening results of one blood center were investigated because there is little domestic data available on screening tests. Methods: The blood donation records and screening tests results of a supplying blood center were analyzed retrospectively from January 2011 to December 2020 in Korea. Annual first-time donation numbers, sex, and age distribution of donors were investigated during 10 years. The positivity of ALT, HBsAg, anti-HCV, and anti-HIV antibody testing and the positive cases of HIV, HCV, and HBV NAT were inquired. Results: For 10 years, the blood center has collected 1,896,392 units of blood, and male donation was 1,239,873 units, which was 65.38% of total blood donation. ALT abnormal blood units were 2.06% in 2011, 2.14% in 2013, and 0.81% in 2019. The donor screening test showed HBsAg 0.03%, anti-HCV 0.02%, and anti-HIV 0.06% positivity at 2020. NAT yield cases were three with HIV, two with HCV, and 260 with HBV for 10 years. Conclusion The positivity of serology screening tests of the Hanmaeum blood center showed a decreasing trend, and the transfusion of nucleic acid positive but serologically negative blood could be prevented by performing NAT.

BACKGROUND: To assess the current level of development of emergency medicine (EM) systems in Asia. METHOD: Survey of EM professionals from 12 Asian countries during a 90-day period from August to November 1998. 12 EM professionals from 12 Asian countries completed the survey. All participants were physicians. 7 participants (58%) gave presentations at an international EM conference during the study period. Respondents completed a 103 question questionnaire about the status of EM specialty, academic, patient care, information and management systems and the factors influencing the future of EM in their countries. RESULTS: 92% of respondents stated that their countries have hospital-based emergency departments (ED). More than 80% of respondents reported that their countries have EMS systems and ED systems for trauma care and patient transfer. More than 70% stated that their countries have national EM organizations, EM research, national EMS activation phone numbers, ED systems for pediatric emergency care, emergency physician (EP) training in ACLS and ATLS and peer review. More than 60% reported official recognition of EM as an independent specialty status, ED triage systems and systems for customer service. More than 50% reported EM residency training programs, EM journals and EP ability to perform rapid sequence intubation (RSI). 50% reported EP ability to perform thrombolysis for acute MI and 33% reported EP ultrasonography. 92% felt that a lack of funding posed a moderate or great obstacle to the future development of EM in their countries. CONCLUSION: Many essential systems of EM now exist throughout Asia. In the systems of administration and emergency medical information in many countries, there are some parts to be developed further.
Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Medicine* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Financial Management ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; Intubation ; Patient Care ; Patient Transfer ; Peer Review ; Triage ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: There are few comparative studies about the optimal method of pneumatic compression to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The aim of this prospective randomized study was to compare venous hemodynamic changes and their clinical influences between two graded sequential compression groups (an alternate sequential compression device [ASCD] vs. a simultaneous sequential compression device [SSCD]). METHODS: In total, 34 patients (68 limbs) undergoing knee and spine operations were prospectively randomized into two device groups (ASCD vs. SSCD groups). Duplex ultrasonography examinations were performed on the 4th and 7th postoperative days for the detection of DVT and the evaluation of venous hemodynamics. Continuous data for the two groups were analyzed using a two-tailed, unpaired t-test. Relative frequencies of unpaired samples were compared using Fisher exact test. Mixed effects models that might be viewed as ANCOVA models were also considered. RESULTS: DVT developed in 7 patients (20.6%), all of whom were asymptomatic for isolated calf DVTs. Two of these patients were from the ASCD group (11.8%) and the other five were from the SSCD group (29.4%), but there was no significant difference (p = 0.331). Baseline peak velocity, mean velocity, peak volume flow, and total volume flow were enhanced significantly in both device groups (p < 0.001). However, the degrees of flow and velocity enhancement did not differ significantly between the groups. The accumulated expelled volumes for an hour were in favor of the ASCD group. CONCLUSIONS: Both graded sequential compression devices showed similar results both in clinical and physiological efficacies. Further studies are required to investigate the optimal intermittent pneumatic compression method for enhanced hemodynamic efficacy and better thromboprophylaxis.
Aged ; *Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/adverse effects ; *Fracture Fixation/adverse effects ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; *Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices ; Knee/surgery ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; *Spinal Fusion/adverse effects ; Spine/surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Venous Thrombosis/etiology/physiopathology/*prevention & control/ultrasonography

Behcet's disease is a multisystem inflammatory disorder with a chronic relapsing course. It is considered a nonspecific systemic vasculitis involving both, venous and arterial circulation. Although lower extremity vein thrombosis (LEVT) is one of the most common manifestations of vascular involvement, a few cases are reported in the literature and to our knowledge, and only 2 cases were reported in Korea. We report a case of a 40-year-old Korean man with localized erythematous macules and patches on both lower extremities with a marked painful swelling on the right leg. The patient reported a history of similar lesions 10 years prior to presentation and also a history of recurrent aphthous oral ulcerations. Based on phlebographic findings of old LEVT in the right femoral vein, the patient was diagnosed with Behcet's disease associated with LEVT.
Adult ; Femoral Vein ; Humans ; Korea ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; Oral Ulcer ; Systemic Vasculitis ; Thrombosis ; Veins ; Venous Thrombosis*

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide the information of the stigmas of mental illness such as psychosis, alcoholism, attempt suicide, and depression among North Korean defectors. METHODS: We examined stigma for the mental illnesses of 639 North Korean defectors aged 19 to 65 years who live in the Settlement Support Center for North Korean Refugees. The stigmas of mental illnesses were assessed using the Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Scale We directly compared the stigma level between North Korean defectors and the general population of South Korea. RESULTS: North Korean defectors had higher perceived stigmas of psychosis and alcoholism and lower perceived stigmas of depression than South Koreans. Perceived stigma associated with attempted suicide was similar for North Korean defectors and South Koreans. Only marital status in sociodemographic variables had associations with higher perceived stigma of psychosis, alcoholism, and depression in the North Korean defectors. North Korean defectors, who spent more than one year in transit country, had associations with lower perceived stigma of psychosis and alcoholism. North Korean defectors, who had the experience of compulsory repatriation to North Korea or North Korean family in South Korea, had an association with higher perceived stigma of depression. CONCLUSION: North Korean defectors had higher perceived stigmas of psychosis and alcoholism and lower perceived stigmas of depression than South Koreans. Further studies are needed to document serial changes in stigmas for mental illnesses associated with the receipt of education at the Settlement Support Center for North Korean defectors.
Alcoholism ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Depression ; Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Marital Status ; Psychotic Disorders ; Refugees ; Suicide ; Suicide, Attempted