BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Though the surgical intervention of subclavian artery stenosis has been effective, its high morbidity and mortality have limited its clinical application. In 1980 percutaneous balloon angioplasty of stenotic artery was introduced as a substitute for surgical intervention and subsequent reports have supported its efficacy noting that it is more effective when combined with stent. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of percutaneous intervention as an alternative or primary therapy for symptomatic subclavian artery stenosis. METHODS: Between September 1993 and October 1998, 17 lesions in 16 patients of symptomatic subclavian artery stenosis were enrolled as candidates for nonsurgical intervention. We performed percutaneous balloon angioplasty with stenting to the subclavian artery stenosis and evaluated the early results. RESULTS: 1)The patients had a mean age of 55+/-14 years and 13 of 16 patients were male. 2)Subclavian artery stenting was successful in 94% (16/17) of the lesion without significant complications. The cause of failure was suboptimal result after deployment of stent. 3)The types of stents deployed were Strecker stents in 4, Palmaz stents in 8, Wall stents in 3 and Jo stents in 2 cases. 4)The peak and mean pressure gradient reduced from 58.5+/-17.0 to 8.5+/-7.4 and 31.4+/-13.0 to 4.7+/-5.5 mmHg respectively (p<0.01) and the degree of luminal stenosis decreased from 92.5+/-8.5% to 10.0+/-14.3%. (p<0.01) CONCLUSION: Subclavian artery stenosis can be managed safely and effectively through percutaneous balloon angioplasty with stenting, with an excellent technical success rate and less morbidity and mortality particularly in patients coexisting other vascular and systemic diseases. However, the long-term patency and clinical effects should be warranted.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Phenobarbital ; Stents* ; Subclavian Artery* ; Subclavian Steal Syndrome

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety, feasibility and effectiveness of an endoluminally-placed bifurcated stent-graft (Vanguard) for the treatment of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). METHODS: Transluminal endovascular stent-graft placements were attempted in 29 patients (28 male, mean age 69+/-7 years) with AAAs involving the common iliac arteries from Aug. 1997 to Jan. 1999. Endovascular therapy was performed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory with epidural anesthesia. One side of the femoral artery was opened by surgical cutdown for the bifurcated stent-graft entry and the other side was punctured percutaneously for the straight stent-graft. Computed tomography and/or intraarterial angiography were performed during an average follow-up of 10 months (2-18 months). RESULTS: Primary success rate was 75.9% (22 of 29 patients) and the overall success rate was 79.3% with successful correction of one perigraft leak. Twenty patients (69.0%) had significant coronary artery disease. There were two technical failure cases, the one was tortuous iliac vessel with spasm, the other was disconnection of the stent-graft connecting portion. Complications related to procedure occurred in 13.8% of patients (4 of 29 patients) and two of these four patients had procedure-related mortality because of acute renal failure following contrast overdose and sepsis after operation. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular treatment of infrarenal AAA with bifurcated stent-graft (Vanguard<0A397>) is effective, feasible and relatively safe. However, further investigation for the outcome, complication and long-term follow-up are needed.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Angiography ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Endoleak ; Femoral Artery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Male ; Mortality ; Sepsis ; Spasm

BACKGROUND: The real incidence of atherosclerotic lesions in carotid and peripheral arteries in coronary artery disease patients is not well known in Korea. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the prevalence of atherosclerotic involvement of the coronary, carotid, and peripheral arteries in each arterial disease patients. This study was also designed to evaluate the risk factors, the clinical characteristics of associated carotid artery stenosis in patients with coronary artery disease, and associated peripheral vascular disease in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: Between June 1996 and March 1998, 475 patients (369 males, 106 females, mean age 60+/-10 years) were studied. Three hundred and seventy-three patients who presented with ischemic symptoms were enrolled in the coronary artery disease group, 81 patients were enrolled in the peripheral vascular disease group due to presenting claudications, and 21 patients were enrolled in the carotid stenosis group due to presenting cerebrovascular symptoms. Coronary angiography was done by the routine method. Carotid angiography was performed at the aortic arch by the digital subtraction angiography method. Peripheral vascular angiography was taken from the suprarenal abdominal aorta to both femoral arteries. RESULTS: 1) Risk factors for coronary stenosis, peripheral vascular disease, and carotid stenosis: The risk factors were not different between coronary stenosis, peripheral vascular disease, and carotid stenosis groups, but smoking was more frequent among patients with peripheral vascular disease than in patients with coronary stenosis (p-value=0.001). 2) Coronary artery stenosis and carotid artery stenosis: The mean age of coronary artery patients with carotid stenosis was significantly older (p-value=0.006) than for patients without carotid stenosis. The prevalence of peripheral vascular disease was more common in patients with carotid stenosis than in patients without carotid stenosis. 3) Coronary artery stenosis and peripheral vascular disease: Carotid stenosis was more common inpatients with peripheral vascular disease than in patients without peripheral vascular disease in the coronary stenosis group. 4) Prevalence of coronary, carotid, and peripheral artery disease: In patients with coronary stenosis, the prevalence of carotid stenosis was 13.9% and that of peripheral vascular disease was 29.2%. In patients with peripheral artery stenosis, the prevalence of coronary stenosis was 45.7% and that of carotid artery disease was 33.3%. In patients with carotid stenosis, the prevalence of coronary stenosis was 81.0% and that of peripheral vascular disease was 52.4%. CONCLUSION: Carotid artery disease and peripheral vascular disease developed concurrently with coronary artery disease in a significant proportion of patients. Therefore, routine angiography of peripheral and carotid arteries in patients with coronary artery disease is considered, especially in old age.
Angiography* ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Arteries ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Stenosis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Male ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of high dose cisplatin-cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy on patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: A review of 63 patients previously diagnosed as primary epithelial ovarian cancer after initial operation and histology at Pusan National University Hospital from Jul. 1993 to Jun, 1997 was performed. Patients were received the combination chemotherapy including cisplatin 100mg/m2/day and cyclophosphamide 750mg/m2/day, repeated 6 cycles every 4 weeks. The mean age was 48 years old, and previous surgical procedures were total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with omentectomy. The patients were classified into FIGO stage and pathologic results. RESULTS: The clinical response rate was 100% in the FIGO stage Ic patients with PC combination chemotherapy, 100% in stage II, 53.5% in stage III, and 25% in stage IV. The overall response rate was 69.8%. The 3-year survival rate according to the treatment groups was 93.3% in stage Ic group, 60% in stage II, 50% in stage III and 0% in stage IV. The mean survival duration was 34.6 months. Hematologic toxicities in cisplatin-cyclophosphamide chemotherapy were neutropenia and anemia. Nausea and vomiting were the most common side effects and occurred in 96.8%. Most of the toxicities were grade 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: The combination chemotherapy with cisplatin-cyclophosphamide is relatively safe and effective method in the treatment of primary epithelial ovarian cancer.
Anemia ; Busan ; Cisplatin* ; Cyclophosphamide* ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate ; Vomiting

The deleterious effects of infected urine refluxing into the collecting system are well documented. The resultant renal scarring, parenchymal atrophy and interference with renal growth and function are recognized sequela that may profoundly affect the future of these children. Prevention of reflux nephropathy depends upon early identification off reflux and appropriate management with continuous antibiotic chemoprophylaxis or surgical correction. The ultimate goal of therapy for vesicoureteral reflux, whether medical or surgical , aims at protecting the kidney from scarring, improving the pre-existing renal function and allowing the fulfillment of renal growth potential. We report 11 patients(19 kidneys) with vesicoureteral reflux treated with ureteroneocystostomy during the past 4 years. Follow-up over 3 months was possible in 9 patients who have had no evidence of recurrent pyelonephritic episodes. In 9 patients(15 ureters), performed postoperative I.V.P. and V.C.U.G., reflux was disappeared in 8(14 ureters) and still persisted in only 1(1 ureter) with grade I. And 13 kidneys have been improved radiographically, but 2 which had been shown unilateral atrophy and contralateral compensatory hypertrophy, have not been changed postoperatively. Renal scarring in 8 kidneys(42%), associated with severe reflux(more than grade IV) and infection, have not been improved postoperatively, but the development of new scars and the progression of established scars have not been observed.
Atrophy ; Chemoprevention ; Child* ; Cicatrix ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Kidney ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: For patients with bilateral carotid artery stenosis, simultaneous bilateral carotid endarterectomy is rarely performed due to a higher perioperative risk for death and strokes. We assessed the immediate and long-term outcomes of simultaneous bilateral carotid stenting (SBCS) for internal carotid stenosis in patients at high surgical risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 10 patients who underwent SBCS for de novo stenoses of both internal carotid arteries (ICA). Included were those who had 60% to 99% stenosis of extracranial ICAs irrespective of neurologic symptoms and had more than 2 risk factors of Mayo grade III (medical risks) or IV (neurologic risks). RESULTS: The patients had a mean age of 67+/-7 years. Technical success was achieved in all lesions. The mean percent diameter stenosis was reduced from 79+/-13% to 8+/-8%. A total of 21 Wallstents were deployed at 20 lesions. One patient had a minor stroke just after the procedure which was completely resolved with local injection of urokinase. There were no deaths, major strokes or myocardial infarctions during the 30 day follow-up. Six months imaging studies were available on all 9 eligible patients with 18 lesions by duplex sonography and angiography. Late clinical follow-up at a mean of 15.1+/-8.1 months revealed no occurrence of neurologic event or death. CONCLUSION: SBCS is feasible, safe and effective to treat bilateral de novo ICA stenoses in patients at high surgical risk. The procedure, however, is investigational and more experience is required to define its role in the treatment of this patient population.
Angiography ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Carotid Stenosis* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Risk Factors ; Stents* ; Stroke ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

Emphysematous pyelonephritis is a rare, life-endangering suppurative infection of the renal parenchyma and perirenal tissues. The disease is encountered mainly in the diabetic patient with or without ureteral obstruction and is characterized by the production of intrarenal and occasionally, perirenal gas. We report a case of emphysematous pyelonephritis, treated by left nephrectomy, in 55-year-old diabetic woman.
Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Nephrectomy ; Pyelonephritis* ; Ureteral Obstruction

Crossed renal ectopia is an unusual congenital anomaly, probably produced by abnormal development of the ureteral bud. The deformity itself produces no symptoms and the clinical presentation generally is for obstruction and infection. The pediatric patients present most often with multiple congenital anomalies, especially of the skeletal system. We report the two cases of crossed renal ectopia with fusion with review of literatures.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Humans ; Ureter

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Combination of ticlopidine and aspirin has been accepted as a standard antiplatelet regimen after coronary stenting because it reduced the rate of cardiac events and hemorrhagic-vascular compli-cations compared with intensive anticoagulation. Ticlopidine use, however, may accompany serious side effects such as neutropenia or liver dysfunction. Cilostazol, a c-AMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor, is a novel antiplatelet agent which is known to have less side effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the efficacy and safety of ci lostazol plus aspirin (CA) with ticlopidine plus asprin (TA) after elective coronary stenting. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either CA or TA two days before stenting. The primary end point was a composite of angiographic stent thrombosis, death, myocardial infarction (Q or Non-Q), repeat intervention or bypass su rgery at 30 days. The secondary end points were hemorrhagic-vascular complications, or drug side effects such as neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or any side effects requiring cessation of drugs at 30 days. RESULTS: After randomization of 300 patients equally to each group, 4 patients were excluded from the analysis: 1 failure of stenting, 3 follow-up loss. The primary end point was reached in 2 patients (1.4% ) in CA group and 3 patients (2.0% ) in TA group (p=1.0). The rate of hemorrhagic-vascular complications was not different between the gr oups (1.4% vs 2.0%, p=1.0). The incidence of significant drug-related side effects was not statistically different between CA group and TA group (0.7% vs 2.7%, p=0.37). However, serious side effect such as neutropenia was seen only in TA group. CONCLUSION: Compared with TA, CA has comparable effect for the prevention of stent thrombosis and major cardiac events with similar rate of hemorrhagic-complications and drug-related side effects after elective coronary-artery stenting. Thus CA regimen can be a safe alternative to TA in elective implantation of coronary artery stent.
Aspirin ; Coronary Vessels ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Diseases ; Myocardial Infarction ; Neutropenia ; Random Allocation ; Stents ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thrombosis ; Ticlopidine*

No abstract available.