Acute mobile thrombus of the abdominal aorta after chemotherapy is a very unusual finding, which can be a potential source of arterial embolism. We report here on a case of an acute mobile aortic thrombus with renal infarction. We successfully treated the patient with hybrid operation-open surgical and endovascular approach. Our case shows that hybrid treatment using wire-directed balloon catheter thrombectomy is a feasible, minimally-invasive treatment for a mobile aortic thrombus.
Angioplasty ; Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Catheters ; Chimera ; Embolism ; Humans ; Infarction ; Thrombectomy ; Thrombosis

From Jan. of 1990 to Dec. of 1992, we have experienced three cases of multiple primary malignant neoplasms originated from different histogenesis, in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery of Korea Cancer Center Hospital. Liposarcomas, malignant fibrous histiocytoma were combined with renal cell carcinoma, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of ovary or prostatic cancer. With Moertel's classification, synchronous tumors were found in 2 cases and metachronous in 1 case. Synchronous tumors were 2 liposarcomas-renal cell carcinoma or mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of ovary. Metachronous tumors were malignant fibrous histiocytoma-prostate cancer. We couldn t find any family history among them. The causes of these multiple malignancies were considered as the individual predilrection to tumors.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Classification ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Female ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; Humans ; Korea ; Liposarcoma ; Orthopedics ; Ovary ; Prostatic Neoplasms

In recent years, the interest in minimally invasive surgery has grown, and the same trend is observed in vascular surgery and interventional radiology, leading to what is called endovascular surgery. Since the first use of a stent-graft for the endovascular exclusion of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has greatly expanded, and more than 50,000 devices have been implanted until now. The endovascular graft can be implanted from a remote access site in the groin with a less anesthetic requirement. The endovascular graft is advanced over guidewires up the femoral and iliac arteries. Once in position, the graft is deployed immediately distal from the renal arteries. The aorta is not clamped and the blood loss is less than with open surgery. EVAR for AAA offers an important new alternative to open surgical procedure. The mortality rates after EVAR are reported between 0~5%. Long-term follow-up reports are not available, but mid-term follow-up of EVAR reveals an incidence of re-intervention between 10~20% and a rate of late rupture of between 0.5~1.5% per year. The problems of endoleaks and graft failure continue to be the challenges that require technological innovations. Based on the currently available evidence, EVAR is an appropriate treatment for selected patients, especially those at high risk for open surgical repair.
Aneurysm* ; Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Endoleak ; Groin ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Incidence ; Inventions ; Mortality ; Radiology, Interventional ; Renal Artery ; Rupture ; Stents ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Transplants

Cardiovascular disease is the most important cause of unexpected sudden death. Although ischemic heart disease by coronary atherosclerosis is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death, other diseases such as cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease and rarely myocarditis can produce sudden cardiac death. Myocarditis is an inflammatory process of the myocardium characterized by an interstitial inflammatory infiltrate and an injury to myocytes adjacent to the inflammatory cells. The clinical expression of myocarditis ranges from the asymptomatic state to fulminant fatal congestive heart failure. Because myocardial involvement is subclinical in most acute infectious disease, the majority of patients have no specific complaints referable to the cardiovascular system. It is possible that it causes a medicolegal problems in case of sudden death. Therefore, author reviewed the clinical and pathological findings of 18 myocarditis autopsy cases. The victims 'age was varied 4-month-59-year olds. 5 (28%) were male and 13 (72%) were female. 15 cases received medical treatment due to clinical symptoms(URI symptoms: 2 cases, tonsillitis and tonsillar abcess: 3 cases, GI symptoms: 5 cases, URI & GI symptoms: 3 cases, pneumonia: 1 case, operation due to ovarian tumor: 1 case) and were associated with medicolegal problem. By the results of this study, important gross findings were pericardial effusions, characteristic cardiomegaly, and pulmonary edema.
Asymptomatic Diseases ; Autopsy ; Cardiomegaly ; Cardiomyopathies ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cardiovascular System ; Communicable Diseases ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Death, Sudden ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Failure ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Cells ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocarditis* ; Myocardium ; Palatine Tonsil ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Edema ; Tonsillitis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate surgical outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and the effect of preoperative percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) in patients with acute cholecystitis. In particular, we concentrated on differences in surgical outcomes between elective and emergency operations. METHODS: Between March 2006 and February 2009, 259 cases of acute cholecystitis underwent LC at our institution and we studied them retrospectively. They were divided into 3 groups. Group I included 153 patients who underwent elective LC without PTGBD; group II included 90 patients who underwent elective LC after PTGBD; group III included 16 patients who underwent emergency LC without PTGBD. RESULTS: Between groups I and III, there were no differences in conversion rate, postoperative complications, and total hospital stay. However, the operation times and postoperative hospital stays of group I were shorter than those of group III and the difference was significant (p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively). Between groups II and III, there were no differences in operation time, conversion rate, postoperative complications, and postoperative hospital stay. CONCLUSION: We recommend PTGBD for a patient with acute cholecystitis as much as possible, if indicated, so that we can do the operation on the patient as elective surgery and not as an emergency.
Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Drainage ; Emergencies ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Procedures, Elective

PURPOSE: Anthracyclines have been utilized in the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Recent studies have shown that anthracyclines may induce toxicity in the vascular endothelium. This study was performed using brachial artery reactivity (BAR) to evaluate vascular endothelial function in ALL patients who were treated with anthracycline chemotherapy. METHODS: We included 21 children with ALL who received anthracycline chemotherapy and 20 healthy children. The cumulative dose of anthracyclines in the ALL patients was 142.5+/-18.2/m2. The last anthracycline dose was administered to the patients 2 to 85 months prior to their examination using BAR. The diameter of the brachial artery was measured in both groups using echocardiography, and BAR was calculated as the percentage change in the arterial diameter after release of the cuff relative to the baseline vessel diameter. RESULTS: In the anthracycline-treated group, BAR was observed to be 3.4%+/-3.9%, which was significantly lower than that observed in the control group (12.1%+/-8.0%, P<0.05). The time elapsed after the last anthracycline treatment and the age at the time of treatment did not affect the change in BAR (P=0.06 and P=0.13, respectively). CONCLUSION: These results provided evidence that treatment of ALL patients with anthracycline results in endothelial dysfunction. A larger cohort study and a longer follow-up period will be required to clarify the relationship between endothelial dysfunction resulting from anthracycline treatment for childhood ALL and occurrence of cardiovascular diseases later in life.
Anthracyclines ; Brachial Artery ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Child ; Cohort Studies ; Echocardiography ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma

BACKGROUND: As life span is increasing, so is interest about adult disease. Especially the number of postmenopausal women has increased, and postmenopausal symptoms have become a important problem causing low quality of life. Hormone replacement therapy was introduced to overcome these problems. Authors investigated to evaluate the effect of hormone replacement therapy on the quality of life of postmenopausal women. METHODS: From April to June 1997, we surveyed 188 postmenopausal women (91 women were on hormone replacement therapy, and 97 women were in the controlled group in Sungnam Central Hospital) with COOP/WONCA chart Korean version. RESULTS: COOP/WONCA chart (Korean version) is composed of seven dimensions, among these four dimensions (change in health, overall health, daily activity and pain) were shown statistically significant difference between two groups. But three dimensions (social activity, physical fitness and feelings) were not shown to be statistically different. Total mean score of COOP/WONCA chart showed statistically significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: To improve the quality of life of postmenopausal women, primary care physician should consider hormone replacement therapy along with proper patient selection and periodic follow up.
Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Menopause* ; Motor Activity ; Patient Selection ; Physicians, Primary Care ; Quality of Life*

Internal abdominal hernia is an unusual cause of intestinal obstruction. Paraduodenal hernia is relatively rare congenital malformations resulting from incomplete rotation of the midgut with entrapment of the small intestine beneath the developing colon. We report a case of paraduodenal hernia treated by laparoscopic approach. The patient was a 45-year-old man presenting with severe abdominal pain for 5 hours. Left paraduodenal hernia with jejunum hernia containing jejunal loops showed in abdominal CT. At operation, herniation of the small intestine into a retroperitoneal space through a defect on the left mesocolon was noted. After the herniated bowel was fully reduced, the hernia orifice was closed intra-corporeally in the manner of interrupted sutures with absorbable suture materials. The patient was discharged home without any serious complications on postoperative day 9. Conclusively, we think laparoscopic surgery in left paraduodenal hernia is feasible.
Abdominal Pain ; Colon ; Hernia ; Hernia, Abdominal ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intestine, Small ; Jejunum ; Laparoscopy ; Mesocolon ; Middle Aged ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Sutures

BACKGROUND: Agonists of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma may help to regulate inflammation by modulating the production of inflammatory mediators and adhesion molecules. The purpose of this study was to determine the anti- inflammatory effects of rosiglitazone on renal injury in sepsis model. METHODS: In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse sepsis, we examined the effect of rosiglitazone on LPS-induced overproduction of inflammatory mediators, on the expression of adhesion molecules, on the infiltration of inflammatory cells and on renal function. RESULTS: Rosiglitazone significantly decreased serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta levels during sepsis. The levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were significantly lower in mice pretreated with rosiglitazone than that in LPS-treated mice. Rosiglitazone reduced the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in renal tissue of LPS-treated mice. Pretreatment with rosiglitazone reduced the infiltration of macrophages/ monocytes in renal tissue. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that pretreatment with rosiglitazone attenuated the production of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and reduced adhesion molecule expression and infiltration of inflammatory cells in renal tissue of LPS-treated mice. Therefore, rosiglitazone may have a protective effect in maintaining renal function and reducing mortality and morbidity in sepsis.
Animals ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Inflammation ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Interleukins ; Mice ; Monocytes ; Mortality ; PPAR gamma ; Sepsis* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver biopsy has been used to evaluate the degree of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases. It is important to assess liver fibrosis when following the course of chronic liver diseases. Histopathological examination of percutaneous biopsy specimens is invasive and is also of questionable value because of the heterogenous distribution of pathological changes in the liver. Therefore, non-nvasive methods to determine the progress of liver fibrosis are needed. Serum hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen are known to be related to hepatic fibrosis. This study was performed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of serum hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen measurement as a differential point in patients with chronic liver diseases and early cirrhosis. METHODS: This study included 109 patients with chronic liver diseases caused by various etiologies. Liver biopsy and histopathological classification were done in all patients. Serum hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen were measured by one-tep sandwich binding protein assay and one-tep sandwich enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: The concentrations of hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen in the early cirrhosis group (208.5+/-186.4 ng/mL, 242.1+/-162.8 ng/mL) were significantly higher (p<0.01) than those in the normal and fatty liver group (26.3+/-21.7 ng/mL, 79.2+/-28.8 ng/mL), mild chronic hepatitis group (22.8+/-15.4 ng/mL, 125.5+/-79.7 ng/mL), moderate to severe hepatitis group (66.3+/-60.5 ng/mL, 148.5+/-78.7 ng/mL). At the cutoff value of 100 ng/mL for hyaluronic acid and 200 ng/mL for type IV collagen, the sensitivities were 66.7% and 55.6%, and specifities were 82.9% and 89%, and diagnostic efficiencies were 78.9% and 80.7% respectively for discriminating patients with cirrhosis (4 points) from the mild to severe fibrosis (0~3 points). CONCLUSIONS: The serum levels of hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen may be sensitive markers of fibrotic process in chronic liver diseases and useful biochemical markers in differentiation of the patients with early cirrhosis from those with chronic liver diseases.
Biomarkers ; Biopsy ; Carrier Proteins ; Classification ; Collagen Type IV* ; Fatty Liver ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid* ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver Diseases ; Liver*