This study examined burdens of primary family carcgivcrs of paticnto with cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) along with related factors. In addition, their needs for support group intervention were assessed to develop a support group to reduce the burdens of caregiving. Eighty-one primary family caregivers of patients with CVAs at a general hospital in Seoul participated in this study . The patients with CVAs aged from 26 to 83 years with mean age of 63 years. About 90% of the patients had some paralysis and 56.6% suffered speech problems. Fifty-eight percent of the primary family caregivers were spouses of the patients and 80.2% were women. Primary family caregivers' burdens were assessed by the Burden Scale originally devel oped by Zarit (1980) and Novak & Geust(1989) and modified by Jang (1995) for use in Korea. The instrument consists of six subscales time-dependent burden, developmental burden, physical burden, emotional burden, social burden, and financiaI burden. The results were as follows : 1. The average of burden score was 91.7, indicating moderate to severe level of burden. The time-dependent burden was scored highest followed by physical, developmental, social, financial, and emotional burdens. 2. of the characteristics of patients, age, gender, and severity of the disease were found to be associated with the level of burden. Of the characteristics of primary family caregivers, age and educational level were significantly related to the level of burden. Time of care since the CVA and the quality of relationship between a patient and a caregiver prior to the stroke were significant situational factors affecting the level of burden. 3. The need for support group intervention for the caregivero was very high (95.1%). The earcgivcrs of patients who had a CVA for the first time showed higher levels of need compared to those of patients who had a CVA more than once. The caregivers indicated a support group held once a month near home or hospital would be welcomed. In addition, they replied that a group composed of 9 to 10 caregivers and guided by health care professionals (e.g., physicians and nurses) would be most desirable. More than 85% of the earegivers identified the areas that they wanted intervention in as follows : knowledge, skills, and resources to care for a patient with a CVA. the counsel of health care professionals, share of their experiences with those who have similar situations, stress management skills, and methods to overcome emotional isolation due to the great responsibility for a patient. Given the results, support group is expected to be an effective way to reduce the burdens of primary family caregivers of patients with CVAs. As a follow up It is necessary to examine the effect of support group intervention on the patient's recovery and rehabilitation.
Caregivers* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Paralysis ; Rehabilitation ; Self-Help Groups* ; Seoul ; Spouses ; Stroke*

PURPOSE: Myocardial SPECT is an effective test for detecting coronary artery disease in the general population. But the diagnostic accuracy between sexes is not defined. The purpose of this study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy between males and females. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and seventy seven male and 98 female patients who underwent myocardial SPECT within 1 month of coronary angiography were studied. Myocardial SPECTs were considered abnormal if fixed or reversible perfusion defects were detected. Stenosis severity of > or = 50% luminal diameter reduction of any artery defined coronary artery disease (CAD). RESULTS: Overall sensitivity for detection of CAD was 98% in men and 97% in women (p=not significant). However, specificities, accuracies, and positive predictive values (PPV) in men and women were 49% vs 31% (p<0.05), 81% vs 57% (p<0.01), 78% vs 48% (P<0.01), respectively Diagnostic accuracies for detection of right coronary artery disease were not different in both sexes, however, accuracies for detection of left anterior descending artery disease and left circumflex artery disease were significantly lower in female (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: A significant difference of diagnostic accuracy between sexes, especially in LAD and LCx disease, was noted. Artifacts from breast attenuation might be a cause for the lower diagnostic accuracy in female.
Arteries ; Artifacts ; Breast ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Perfusion* ; Phenobarbital ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

PURPOSE: Patency of the arteriovenous fistula remains the most important support for patients with end stage renal disease. Prosthetic materials have been used only when autogenous arteriovenous fistula procedure is not feasible, because of the relatively low patency in prosthetic arteriovenous fistula. We designed this study to determine the appropriateness of primary prosthetic arteriovenous fistula. METHOD: Twenty-one consecutive patients who underwent prosthetic arteriovenous fistula formation on the arm in Chosun university hospital from Mar. 1998 to Feb. 2001 were retrospectively analysed. RESULT: The median patency in radio-antecubital fistula, brachio-antecubital fistula, and brachio-axillary fistula was 9.6, 11.4, and 16.6 months, respectively. The primary assisted patency rates in radio-antecubital fistula and brachio-antecubital fistula were 44.9% and 70.0% at the first year, respectively (P=0.03). The secondary patency rates in radio-antecubital fistula and brachio-antecubital fistula were 71.4% and 80.0% at the first year and 28.6% and 48.0% at the second year, respectively (0.02). CONCLUSION: The patency rates according to the site of prosthetic arteriovenous fistula were statistically significant in the radio-antecubital fistula and brachio-antecubital fistula groups. Nevertheless, the patency rates of the brachio-axillary fistula group were statistically insignificant. Primary brachio-antecubital fistula with PTFE creation showed favorable patency rates and many other benefits. Therefore, we suggest primary brachio-antecubital fistula with PTFE as the appropriate arteriovenous access in patients with poor vessel condition.
Arm ; Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Fistula ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Retrospective Studies

Ground-glass opacity is a frequent but nonspecific finding seen on high-resolution CT scans of lung parenchyma. Histologically, this appearance is observed when thickening of the alveolar wall and septal interstitium is minimal or the alveolar lumen is partially filled with fluid, macrophage, neutrophils, or amorphous material. It has been shown that ground-glass opacity may be caused not only by an active inflammatory process but also by fibrotic processes. When a focal area of ground-glass opacity persists or increases in size, the possibility of neoplasm-bronchioloalveolar carcinoma or adenoma, or lymphoma, for example- should be considered. Diffuse nonsegmental ground-glass opacity in both lung fields was incidentally found on follow up abdominal CT in a stomach cancer patient and signet-ring cell-type metastatic lung cancer was confirmed by transbronchial lung biopsy. We report a case of diffuse ground-glass opacity seen in metastatic lung cancer from adenocarcinoma of the stomach.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adenoma ; Biopsy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Lymphoma ; Macrophages ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Neutrophils ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Stomach* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine* ; Spinal Cord Diseases*

No abstract available.
Methotrexate* ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: Although Lightwand and Glidescope have both shown high success rates for intubation, there has been no confirmation as to which device is most effective for difficult endotracheal intubation. We compared the Glidescope and Lightwand devices in terms of duration of intubation and success rate at the first attempt in a simulated difficult airway situation. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients were randomized to undergo tracheal intubation with either the Glidescope (Glidescope group, n = 29) or the Lightwand (Lightwand group, n = 29). All patients were fitted with a semi-hard cervical collar in order to simulate a difficult airway, and intubation was attempted with the assigned airway device. The data collected included the rate of successful endotracheal intubation, the number of attempts required, the duration of the intubation, as well as the interincisor distance, hemodynamic variables, and adverse effects. RESULTS: There was no difference between Glidescope group (92.6%) and Lightwand group (96.4%) in terms of success rate for the first attempt at intubation. The duration of successful intubation for the first tracheal intubation attempt was significantly longer in Glidescope group than in Lightwand group (46.9 sec vs 29.5 sec, P = 0.001). All intubations were completed successfully within two intubation attempts. The incidence of hypertension was significantly higher in Glidescope group than in Lightwand group (51.9% vs 17.9%, P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: In a simulated difficult airway situation, endotracheal intubation using Lightwand yielded a shorter duration of intubation and lower incidence of hypertension than when using Glidescope.
Airway Management ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Intubation* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngoscopes ; Transillumination

No abstract available.
Decompression* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Spine* ; Titanium*

We report a case of a patient with cystic subdural hygroma who underwent pre-operative Tc-99m DTPA cistrenoscintigraphy to determine the course of operation. A 68-year-old female was admitted to the department of neurosurgery because of acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. After emergency ventricular drainage, the hydrocephalus and cystic subdural hygroma in the right fronto-temporal area developed. She underwent Tc-99m DTPA cisternoscintigraphy to evaluate the type of hydrocephalus, which revealed obstructive communicating hydrocephalus and the communication between the subdural hygroma and the subarachnoid space. As a result of these findings, she underwent the ventriculo-peritoneal shunt operation without removal of the subdural hygroma. Post-operative brain CT showed nearly normalized shape and size of the right ventricle and disappearance of subdural hygroma. We recommend the pre-operative cisternoscintigraphy in patients with complex hygroma to evaluate the communication between subdural hygroma and the subarachnoid space.
Aged ; Brain ; Decision Making* ; Drainage ; Emergencies ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Lymphangioma, Cystic ; Neurosurgery ; Pentetic Acid ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Subarachnoid Space ; Subdural Effusion* ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

A 47-year-old man with end-stage renal disease due to diabetic nephropathy underwent a peritoneal scintigraphy to evaluate the cause of recently developed scrotal swelling. Two liters of dialysate mixed with 111 MBq of Tc-99m sulfur colloid were administered into the peritoneal cavity via the dialysis catheter. Various anterior images of the abdomen and pelvis were obtained at 15 min, 2 hr and 4 hr after the tracer instillation. At 15 min, anterior images of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated linear tracts of activity through both inguinal canals, which were more prominent in the right side (A). Images at 2 hr revealed a passage of the radioactive fluid into the right hemiscrotum. At the same time, there was a considerable accumulation of activity in the right inguinal canal (B). In the delayed image, there was a progressive accumulation of activity in the inguinal canals and a prominent passage of the tracer into the scrotum (C). Both abdominal and inguinal hernias are commonly associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Overall incidence of CAPD-induced hernia ranges from 2.7% to 25%.1) Inguinal hernias were frequently manifested as scrotal swelling. Leakages of dialysate fluid into the scrotum has been noted in CAPD patients with scrotal swelling, with or without clinical findings of inguinal hernia.1,2) In the present case, the right side had leakage from a clinical inguinal hernia and the left side, leakage from a subclinial inguinal hernia. A subclinical inguinal hernia was easily demonstrable with peritoneal scintigraphy. Peritoneal scintigraphy is extremely helpful in the evaluation of scrotal swelling in a patient on CAPD.
Abdomen ; Catheters ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Dialysis ; Hernia ; Hernia, Inguinal* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inguinal Canal ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Middle Aged ; Pelvis ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Scrotum ; Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid