We report a case of a 44 year old femele with unilateral aldosterone-proudcing adrenal adenoma characterized by hypertension, plasma aldosterone excess, and low plasma renin, commonly but not invariably with hypokalemia. She also had asymmetric septal hypertrophy of left ventricle established with two-dimensional echocardiography. The electrocardiogram showed inverted T wave and prominent U wave with high QRS voltage on precordial leads. In the case of this patient, we are not sure whether asymmetric septal hypertrophy was caused by secondary hypertension and chronic aldosterone excess of primary aldosteronism, or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy per se, so further long=term follow-up is required to determine it. Following the successful unilateral adrenalectomy, however, the systemic pressure fell down to the normal level and electrolyte abnormalities were corrected immediaterly within a few days and the modest regression in septal hypertrophy was noted in one year, suggesting that the promary aldosteronism contributes to the development or porgression of asymmetric septal hepertrophy.
Adenoma ; Adrenalectomy ; Adult ; Aldosterone ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism* ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy ; Hypokalemia ; Plasma ; Renin

PURPOSE: We describe a 54-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who suddenly presented with chorea and had positive antiphospholipid antibodies. F-18 FDG PET showed abnormally increased glucose metabolism in bilateral putamen and primary motor cotex. Tc-99m ECD SPECT also showed abnormally increased regional cerebral blood flow in bilateral putamen. She was treated with corticosteroid and aspirin after which the symptoms improved. Four months later, follow up F-18 FDG PET showed improvement with resolution of hypermetabolism in bilateral putamen. This case suggests that striatal hypermetabolism is associated with chorea in SLE.
Antibodies, Antiphospholipid ; Aspirin ; Chorea* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Putamen ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

PURPOSE: For periodontal tissue engineering, it is a primary requisite and a challenge to select the optimum types of cells, properties of scaffold, and growth factor combination to reconstruct a specific tissue in its natural form and with the appropriate function. Owing to fundamental disadvantages associated with using a two-dimensional substrate, several methods of seeding cells into three-dimensional scaffolds have been reported and the authors have asserted its usefulness and effectiveness. In this study, we explore the cell attachment of periodontal ligament fibroblasts on nanohydroxyapatite (n-HA) scaffold using avidin biotin binding system (ABBS). METHODS: Human periodontal ligament fibroblasts were isolated from the health tooth extracted for the purpose of orthodontic procedure. HA nanoparticles were prepared and Ca(NO3)2-4H2O and (OC2H5)3P were selected as precursors of HA sol. The final scaffold was 8 mm in diameter and 3 mm in height disk with porosity value of 81.55%. 1x10(5) periodontal ligament fibroblasts were applied to each scaffold. The cells were seeded into scaffolds by static, agitating and ABBS seeding method. RESULTS: The number of periodontal ligament fibroblasts attached was greater for ABBS seeding method than for static or agitating method (P<0.05). No meaningful difference has been observed among seeding methods with scanning electron microscopy images. However, increased strength of cell attachment of ABBS could be deduced from the high affinity between avidin and biotin (Kd=10(-15) M). CONCLUSIONS: The high-affinity ABBS enhances the ability of periodontal ligament fibroblasts to attach to three-dimensionally constructed n-HA scaffolds.
Avidin ; Biotin ; Cell Adhesion ; Dihydroergotamine ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Nanoparticles ; Periodontal Ligament ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Porosity ; Seeds ; Tissue Engineering ; Tooth

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This case-control study evaluated the safety and efficacy of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients 90 years of age and older. METHODS: From January 2005 to August 2011, 5,070 cases of ERCP were performed at our institution. Of these, 43 cases involved patients 90 years of age and older (mean age, 91.7+/-1.9 years). A control group of 129 cases (mean age, 65.7+/-14.8 years) was matched by the patient sex, sphincterotomy, and presence of choledocholithiasis using a propensity score. The patients' medical records were retrospectively reviewed for comorbidity, periampullary diverticulum, urgent procedure, conscious sedation, technical success, procedure duration, ERCP-related complication, and death. RESULTS: Between the case and control groups, there was no significant difference with regard to comorbidity, periampullary diverticulum, and urgent procedure. Conscious sedation was performed significantly less in the patient group versus the control group (28 [65%] vs 119 [92%], respectively; p=0.000). There was no significant difference in the technical success, procedure duration, or ERCP-related complications. In both groups, there was no major bleeding or perforation related to ERCP. Post-ERCP pancreatitis occurred significantly less in the patient group compared to the control group (0 vs 13 [10%], respectively; p=0.004). One death occurred from respiratory arrest in the case group. CONCLUSIONS: ERCP can be performed safely and successfully in patients aged 90 years and older without any significant increase in complications.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde/*contraindications/mortality ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/complications ; Patient Safety ; Retrospective Studies

Since the initial success and widespread acceptance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (1), the application of this laparoscopic technique to vascular surgery has been somewhat limited. However, after laparoscopic techniques were first applied to vascular surgery in 1993 (2), many technological developments for this procedure have been accepted. Laparoscopy confers three major benefits: better visualization of the aorta, less bowel manipulation, and avoidance of hypothermia. However, advanced total laparoscopic surgery can be difficult and time-consuming, and its benefits are not yet readily apparent. Laparoscopic-assisted aortic surgery enables the surgeon to use a smaller incision and this reduces surgical trauma when compared with the conventional surgical techniques (3). The use of the HandPort device enables the surgeon to use their hands while maintaining the pneumoperitoneum; this allows the vascular surgeon to maintain the sense of touch, and to perform the aortoprosthetic anastomosis safely with use of a MultiTool instrument. Our two case reports illustrate the feasibility of laparoscopic-assisted aortic surgery via minilaparotomy.
Aorta ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Hand ; Hypothermia ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Pneumoperitoneum

Collagen ; Dental Implants ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive ; Maxilla ; Maxillary Sinus ; Membranes ; Nasal Mucosa ; Sutures ; Transplants

The area of endoscopic application has been continuously expanded since its introduction in the last century and the frequency of its use also increased stiffly in the last decades. Because gastrointestinal endoscopy is naturally exposed to diseased internal organs and contact with pathogenic materials, endoscopy mediated infection or disease transmission becomes a major concern in this field. Gastrointestinal endoscopy is not for single use and the proper reprocessing process is a critical factor for safe and reliable endoscopy procedures. What needed in these circumstances is a practical guideline for reprocessing the endoscope and its accessories which is feasible in the real clinical field to guarantee acceptable prevention of pathogen transmission. This guideline contains principles and instructions of the reprocessing procedure according to the step by step. And it newly includes general information and updated knowledge about endoscopy-mediated infection and disinfection. Multiple societies and working groups participated to revise; Korean Association for the Study of the Liver, the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases, Korean College of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research, the Korean Society of Gastroenterology, Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases, Korean Pancreatobiliary Association, the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Nurses and Associates and Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Through this cooperation, we enhanced communication and established a better concordance. We still need more researches in this field and fill up the unproven area. And our guidelines will be renewed accordingly.

Background: Korea recently established 70 emergency medical service areas. However, there are many concerns that medical resources for stroke could not be evenly distributed through the country. We aimed to compare the treatment quality and outcomes of acute stroke among the emergency medical service areas. Methods: This study analyzed the data of 28,800 patients admitted in 248 hospitals which participated in the 8th acute stroke quality assessment by Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Individual hospitals were regrouped into emergency service areas according to the address of the location. Assessment indicators and fatality were compared by the service areas. We defined the appropriate hospital by the performance of intravenous thrombolysis. Results: In seven service areas, there were no hospitals which received more than 10 stroke patients for 6 months. In nine service areas, there were no patients who underwent intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Among 167 designated emergency medical centers, 50 hospitals (29.9%) responded that IVT was impossible 24 hours a day. There are 97 (39.1%) hospitals that meet the definitions of appropriate hospital. In 23 service areas (32.9%) had no appropriate or feasible hospitals. The fatality of service areas with stroke centers were 6.9% within 30 days and 15.6% within 1 year from stroke onset than those without stroke centers (7.7%, 16.9%, respectively). Conclusions There was a wide regional gap in the medical resource and the quality of treatments for acute stroke among emergency medical service areas in Korea. The poststroke fatality rate of the service areas which have stroke centers or appropriate hospitals were significantly low.