Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is not infrequently a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians. Common infectious causes include endocarditis and abscesses in adults, and noninfectious causes include neoplasms and certain collagen vascular diseases. Endocrine causes of FUO are rare. The only endocrine disorder likely to present as FUO is subacute thyroiditis. Subacute thyroiditis usually occurs in middle-aged women as viral prodrome, neck tenderness, classic symptoms of thyrotoxicosis, and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The patient may have abrupt onset of fever and chills with complaints of thyroid pain, or only low-grade fever with poorly characterized anterior neck pain. We present a case of FUO in a 48-year-old female who had had fever and neck pain for more than one month. Despite an extensive evaluation, the patient had persistent fever and no cause was found, with the exception of subacute thyroiditis. The fever resolved from the second day of treatment with low-dose steroid (prednisolone, 10 mg per day). This case illustrates that subacute thyroiditis should be considered in cases of FUO.
Abscess ; Adult ; Blood Sedimentation ; Chills ; Collagen ; Endocarditis ; Female ; Fever ; Fever of Unknown Origin ; Humans ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis, Subacute ; Thyrotoxicosis ; Vascular Diseases

BACKGROUND: The effects of dexmedetomidine on the propofol-sparing effect and intraoperative hemodynamics during remifentanil-based propofol-supplemented anesthesia have not been well investigated. METHODS: Twenty patients undergoing breast surgery were randomly allocated to receive dexmedetomidine (group DEX) or placebo (group C). In the DEX group, dexmedetomidine was loaded (1 microg/kg) before anesthesia induction and was infused (0.6 microg/kg/h) during surgery. Anesthesia was induced with a target-controlled infusion (TCI) of propofol (effect site concentration, Ce; 3 microg/ml) and remifentanil (plasma concentration, Cp, 10 ng/ml). The Ce of TCI-propofol was adjusted to a bispectral index of 45-55, and Cp of TCI-remifentanil was fixed at 10 ng/ml in both groups. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded at baseline (T-control), after the loading of study drugs (T-loading), 3 min after anesthesia induction (T-induction), tracheal intubation (T-trachea), incision (T-incision), 30 min after incision (T-incision30), and at tracheal extubation (T-extubation). MAP% and HR% (MAP and HR vs. T-control) were determined and the propofol infusion rate was calculated. RESULTS: The propofol infusion rate was significantly lower in the DEX group than in group C (63.9 +/- 16.2 vs. 96.4 +/- 10.0 microg/kg/min, respectively; P < 0.001). The changes in MAP% at T-induction, T-trachea and T-incision in group DEX (-10.0 +/- 3.9%, -9.4 +/- 4.6% and -11.2 +/- 6.3%, respectively) were significantly less than those in group C (-27.6 +/- 13.9%, -21.7 +/- 17.1%, and -25.1 +/- 14.1%; P < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Dexmedetomidine reduced the propofol requirement for remifentanil-based anesthesia while producing more stable intraoperative hemodynamics.
Airway Extubation ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Breast ; Dexmedetomidine ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intubation ; Piperidines ; Propofol

BACKGROUND: Aspergillosis infection is associated with high morbidity and mortality in liver transplant recipients. This study investigated the prognosis of liver transplant recipients with a pre-operative treatment for paranasal aspergillosis. METHODS: We collected data from 979 cases of patients who underwent liver transplants at the Samsung Medical Center from May 1996 to Feburary 2010. RESULTS: Eight patients were diagnosed with paranasal aspergillosis after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), before liver transplantation. In these 8 patients, 7 (87.5%) were male, with a mean age of 55 years. All patients had a hepatitis B virus infection, and 6 patients had hepatocellular carcinoma. The mean days from FESS to liver transplantation was 31 (range, 12~47 days) and anti-fungal agents were not used during these periods. All 8 patients were free from a recurrence of aspergillosis after liver transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment for paranasal aspergillosis in patients prior to liver transplantation does not induce aspergillosis infection after transplantation.
Aspergillosis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Aspergillosis infection is associated with high morbidity and mortality in liver transplant recipients. This study investigated the prognosis of liver transplant recipients with a pre-operative treatment for paranasal aspergillosis. METHODS: We collected data from 979 cases of patients who underwent liver transplants at the Samsung Medical Center from May 1996 to Feburary 2010. RESULTS: Eight patients were diagnosed with paranasal aspergillosis after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), before liver transplantation. In these 8 patients, 7 (87.5%) were male, with a mean age of 55 years. All patients had a hepatitis B virus infection, and 6 patients had hepatocellular carcinoma. The mean days from FESS to liver transplantation was 31 (range, 12~47 days) and anti-fungal agents were not used during these periods. All 8 patients were free from a recurrence of aspergillosis after liver transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment for paranasal aspergillosis in patients prior to liver transplantation does not induce aspergillosis infection after transplantation.
Aspergillosis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Transplants

Ampullary adenoma is rare but clinically important because it is a premalignant lesion. Use of endoscopic gastroduodenoscopy has increased detection of adenoma of the major duodenal papilla. Endoscopic papillectomy is a promising technique to supplant surgical ampullectomy, because it is less aggressive and more stable. However, various complications include bleeding, perforation, pancreatitis and cholangitis. We describe pancreatic and biliary strictures associated with cholangitis, and bile reflux through the pancreatic duct to the minor duodenal papilla after endoscopic papillectomy. Pancreatic and biliary strictures have not been hitherto reported complications. We performed endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation, minor papilla papillotomy and inserted a drain tube through the accessory pancreatic duct.
Adenoma ; Ampulla of Vater ; Bile ; Bile Reflux ; Cholangitis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Hemorrhage ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatitis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of fracture fixation between using Proximal Femoral Nail and using Proximal Femoral Nail A and to analyze the effectiveness of proximal femoral nail A. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 32 patients who suffered from intertrochanteric fracture in our hospital, which were 19 cases of PFN and 13 cases of PFNA. Retrospectively we evaluated mean operation time, amount of bleeding, beginning of ambulation, average union period, changes of neck shaft angle and complication on set of telephone interview and OPD. We also evaluated postoperative capability of function and mobility using 'Social function score' and 'Mobility score'. RESULTS: PFNA showed shorter mean operation time, less bleeding, shorter average union period, earlier ambulation and less change of neck shaft angle than PFN. Although they didn't show statistical difference, postoperative capability of function and mobility showed statistical and mathematical difference on each group. CONCLUSION: PFNA showed better results of postoperative function and mobility and less complications than PFN. So treatment using PFNA is better method than that of PFN.
Fracture Fixation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Nails ; Neck ; Retrospective Studies ; Walking

Ascorbic Acid ; Bone Development ; Bone Marrow ; Dexamethasone ; Durapatite ; Fractures, Bone ; Gene Expression ; Glycerophosphates ; Humans ; Neuropilin-1 ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Phenotype ; Protein Isoforms ; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ; Stromal Cells ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between the clinical outcome and the cuff integrity following open repair in large and massive rotator cuff tears using ultrasonography as an imaging modality. Material and Methods: From November 2001 to April 2005, 17 cases(16 patients) who had open repair of tear measuring more than 3cm were assessed with minimal follow-up of 12 months in this study. 6 cases had a large tear and 11 cases a massive tear. There were 6 men and 11 women with a mean age of 52 years at surgery (range, 33 to 72 years). The evaluation consisted of the preoperative and postoperative shoulder scores according to UCLA shoulder scoring system and Visual analogue scale (VAS). Ultrasonography was performed by a experienced musculoskeletal physician at a minimum of 12 months postoperatively to evaluate the postoperative cuff integrity. Results: Retear were detected in four of seventeen cases. Regardless of the presence of recurrent tear, 14 cases had UCLA score of more than 29 points (good grade). All 17 had an improvement in the functional score, which increased from an average of 15.1 to 31.2 points. All cases showed pain relief and five cases had no pain. Sixteen cases except one had the range of motion of forward elevation above 90degrees. Conclusion: Open rotator cuff repair in large and massive tears showed low retear rate. At a minimum of twelve months follow-up, all cases had improvement on UCLA score, pain relief, increased range of motion of the shoulder regardless of retear. And the correlation between recurrent tear and function score was not statistically significant.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rotator Cuff* ; Shoulder ; Ultrasonography

Alkaline Phosphatase ; Ascorbic Acid ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Matrix ; Chondrocytes ; Dexamethasone ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Methods ; Molar, Third ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocalcin ; Periosteum ; Regeneration ; RNA, Messenger ; Tissue Donors ; Tissue Engineering ; Transplants

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of superselective arterial embolization using the microcoil in acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 11 of 42 patients who had undergone diagnostic angiography and tran-scatheter arterial embolization due to acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage and subsequently underwent superselective arterial embolization using the microcoil. Nine were males and two were females, and their age ranged from 33 to 70 (mean, 51) years. The etiologies were bleeding ulcer (n=5), pseudoaneurysm from pancreatitis (n=3), and postoperative bleeding (n=3). The symptoms were melena, hematemesis, and hematochezia, and the critical signs were decreased hemoglobin and worsening of vital signs. All patients underwent superselective embolization using the microcatheter and microcoil. RESULTS: Bleeding occurred in the gastroduodenal artery (n=5), inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (n=2), left gastric artery (n=2), right hepatic artery (n=1), and ileal branch of the superior mesenteric artery (n=1). All cases were treated succesfully, without complications. In one case in which there was bleeding in the right he-patic artery, reembolization with a microcoil was needed because of persistent melena. During follow up, three patients died from complications arising underlying diseases, namely disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, chronic renal failure, and adult respiratory distress syndrome. Procedural complications, such as ischemia or infarction were not noted. CONCLUSION: Superselective arterial embolization using the microcoil is a safe and effective method for the treatment of acute gastrointestinal bleeding, and does not lead to complications.
Aneurysm, False ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage* ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Infarction ; Ischemia ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Male ; Melena ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Pancreatitis ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Ulcer ; Vital Signs