Complications after a median sternotomy incision, which is used currently in most open heart surgery, are serious, although it is infrequent. Reconstruction of the sternal defect resulting from dehiscence of median sternotomy is still big challenge to the most plastic surgeons. Since vascularized greater omentum was transposed to eliminate mediastinal wound problems, many vascularized regional muscle flaps became mainstay in reconstruction of median sternotomy wound. We treated 13 patients with median sternotomy dehiscence between October of 1993 and March of 1998. In two patients, the wound problems were so confined to superficial tissue that debrided and closed primarily. Eleven patients with deep wound infection were managed with vigorous debridement of all necrotic tissues and resultant defects were covered with regional muscle flaps: rectus myocutaneous flap(3) and bilateral pectoralis advancement flap(8). We used the pectoralis major advancement flaps without counter incision at humeral insertion site and the dissections were limited only medial to the anterior axillary line to preserve the axillary fold. In five patients with larger defects, we elevated muscle and cutaneous flaps separately to make these flaps more mobile. Large portion of two rectus abdominis flaps could not survive, whereas pectoralis advancement flaps had mo special wound problems. Only one patient developed fistula due to remained wire, regardless to flap surgery.
Debridement ; Fistula ; Humans ; Omentum ; Rectus Abdominis ; Sternotomy* ; Thoracic Surgery ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of partial weight bearing (PWB) harness with comparison of traditional exercise program by gait analysis in non-ambulatory acute stroke patients. METHOD: Nine patients participated with PWB harness on the treadmill, and nine patients with traditional exercise. In harness group, the gait training with 30% weight reduction was offered on treadmill, they were treated daily and gait training was done for 20 minutes. In no-harness group, traditional gait training was done by physical therapists. Variables were gait parameters assessed by VICON 370 Gait Analyzer, other function tested by Motricity Index and Functional Ambulatory Category. RESULTS: In linear parameter, the harness group had faster gait speed, longer stride length, and more decreased double support time compared to the no-harness group. In kinematic parameters, the maximal flexion of knee was significantly increased in harness group, but no significant differences was in hip and ankle motion. In kinetic parameters, hip flexion moment of normal side was increased in harness group at heel strike phase, knee flexion moment of normal side was decreased in harness group at heel strike phase. CONCLUSION: The gait training with partial weight bearing harness was more effective in acute stroke patients than traditional therapy, and was influenced in gait pattern, functional ability.
Ankle ; Gait* ; Heel ; Hip ; Humans ; Knee ; Physical Therapists ; Strikes, Employee ; Stroke* ; Weight Loss ; Weight-Bearing*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatocytes on the hepatic lobule mipate from portal zone to centrilobular mea as the DNA synthesis within it. And also, the xenobiotic reactions reveal characteristic differences associated with zone specific metabolism in the liver acinus. In this study, the zonal distribution of ethylnitrosourea (ENU)-induced hepatic precancerous lesion was stereologically investigated. METHODS: Nine B6C3F1 mices were given I.p. injection of ENU (60 ug/pn body weight) when the pups were 15 days old prior to sacrifices at 8 weeks of life. All the 150 consecutive sections, 3 p m in thickness, were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and identified the basophilic precancerous lesions with 80-165 p m diameter in equatorial plane by the Zeiss microprojector. And then the distances from the center of selected foci to terminal hepatic vein or portal vein branches were estimated under the microscopic fields. As a control group, the same estimations were performed from the random points by the appointments of random digit table. RESULTS: Mean distance between ENU-induced 52 hepatocellular foci and the nearest terminal hepytic vein was 181.15+112.39 p m (Mean+ SD), but that of randomly selected 104 points was 291.73+157.98pm (Mean+5D) (Students t-test, p<0.0005). Substantially, 52.7% of ENU-induced 52 hepatocellular foci were within 300 p m from the terminal hepatic vein, but randomly selected 104 points were only 50.9% (Shapiro Wilk W test, w=0.819857, p=0.048038). Mean distance from ENU-induced 52 foci to portal vein was 398.85+149.98pm (Mean+SD), but that from the randomly selected 104 points was 315.87+145.79 pm (Mean+SD)(Students t-test, p<0.0005). CONCLUSION: Stereologically, ENU-induced mice liver cell foci distribute non-randomly to Zone III, centrilobular zone of mouse hepatic acini where promote invasion toward terminal hepatic veins.
Animals ; Appointments and Schedules ; Basophils ; Cholestasis ; DNA ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Ethylnitrosourea ; Fluconazole ; Hematoxylin ; Hepatic Veins ; Hepatocytes ; Liver ; Metabolism ; Mice* ; Portal Vein ; Veins

A majority of patients who sustain injuries to the peripheral sensory nerves of the face and jaws experience a slow but gradual return of sensation that is functional and tolerable, if not the same as before the injuries. However, long-term effects of such injuries are aggravating for many patients, and a few patients experience significant suffering. In some of these patients, posttraumatic symptoms become pathological and are painful. The predominant painful components are (1) numbing anesthesia dolorosa pain, (2) triggered neuralgiaform pain, (3) burning and aching causalgiaform pain, and (4) phantom pain. This is a case report of conservative management of traumatic neuralgia and neuritis as part of posttraumatic pain syndromes in geriatric patients who have undergone the teeth extraction and alveoloplasty.
Alveoloplasty* ; Anesthesia ; Burns ; Humans ; Jaw ; Neuralgia* ; Neuritis ; Phantom Limb ; Sensation ; Tooth Extraction ; Tooth*

BACKGROUND: One of the difficulties we have in the management of anesthesia for the optimal liver transplantation is involved in coagulopathy. The purpose of this paper is to observe and investigate the variation of the heparin effects occurred before and after the fulfillment of reperfusion done in terms of native thromboelastogram (nTEG) or heparinase-guided Thromboelastogram (hgTEG). METHODS: In 134 patients who had a living related liver transplantation, by grouping them into four according to the presence or the absence of heparin effects, we are to observethe effects on the quantity of transfusion which each group shows and clinical variables like CTP score, UNOS classification, PT, and preoperative platelet count. RESULTS: It is found that 54 out of 134 patients (40.3%) had heparin effects before the reperfusion, while 101 (75.4%) had the effects after the reperfusion to the grafted liver. It is showed that there was no significant difference in a comparison between groups involved with packed red blood cell transfused, fresh frozen plasma, platelet concentrates, fluid by RIS. In the comparison between groups involved in clinical factors, it is disclosed that although there was no significant difference in four factors, that is, CTP score, UNOS classification, PT, and preoperative platelet count. CONCLUSIONS: We can confirm that the occurrence of heparin effect after reperfusion is remarkably increasing compared to that of heparin effect before reperfusion. Also, it can be reported that heparin effects can occur frequently during liver transplantation, but they have no direct relation to transfusion.
Anesthesia ; Blood Platelets ; Classification ; Cytidine Triphosphate ; Erythrocytes ; Heparin* ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Plasma ; Platelet Count ; Reperfusion* ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: There have been controversies whether mitral valvular surgery is necessary in the patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long term clinical results of patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between January 1992 and February 2005, 44 patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Concomitant mitral valvular procedure was performed in 20 patients (group 1) and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 24 patients (group 2). There were no significant difference between groups except cardiopulmonary bypass time (p<0.01). Postoperative follow up duration was 30.1+/-29.6 months and last follow up echocardiographic examination was performed at 21.2+/-28.0 months. RESULT: There was no difference in operative mortality between groups (group 1 vs group 2, 15.0% vs 8.3%, p=0.493). Grade of mitral regurgitation (0.81+/- 0.91 vs 1.50+/- 0.05, p=0.046) and reduction in regurgitation grade (1.75 +/-0.93 vs 0.70 +/-1.26, p=0.009) were different between two groups. But there were no significant differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (34.1+/-11.4% vs 41.6+/-12.9%), left ventricular end systolic volume (118.2+/-63.9 mL vs 85.6+/-28.1 mL), New York Heart Association functional class (2.1+/-0.2 vs 2.4+/-1.2) and 5 year survival rate (85+/-8% vs 82+/-8%). There was no risk factor for operative mortality and the only risk factor for late death was preoperative atrial fibrillation (p=0.042). There was no significant correlation between mitral valvular surgery and late death. CONCLUSION: Concomitant mitral valvular procedure in patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting had no significant positive effect on survival and ventricular function compared with isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. Prospective randomized study may be needed to evaluate the necessity of concomitant mitral procedure and to find more effective method for the improvement of ventricular function.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mortality ; Risk Factors ; Stroke Volume ; Survival Rate ; Ventricular Function

BACKGROUND: There have been controversies whether mitral valvular surgery is necessary in the patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long term clinical results of patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between January 1992 and February 2005, 44 patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Concomitant mitral valvular procedure was performed in 20 patients (group 1) and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 24 patients (group 2). There were no significant difference between groups except cardiopulmonary bypass time (p<0.01). Postoperative follow up duration was 30.1+/-29.6 months and last follow up echocardiographic examination was performed at 21.2+/-28.0 months. RESULT: There was no difference in operative mortality between groups (group 1 vs group 2, 15.0% vs 8.3%, p=0.493). Grade of mitral regurgitation (0.81+/- 0.91 vs 1.50+/- 0.05, p=0.046) and reduction in regurgitation grade (1.75 +/-0.93 vs 0.70 +/-1.26, p=0.009) were different between two groups. But there were no significant differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (34.1+/-11.4% vs 41.6+/-12.9%), left ventricular end systolic volume (118.2+/-63.9 mL vs 85.6+/-28.1 mL), New York Heart Association functional class (2.1+/-0.2 vs 2.4+/-1.2) and 5 year survival rate (85+/-8% vs 82+/-8%). There was no risk factor for operative mortality and the only risk factor for late death was preoperative atrial fibrillation (p=0.042). There was no significant correlation between mitral valvular surgery and late death. CONCLUSION: Concomitant mitral valvular procedure in patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting had no significant positive effect on survival and ventricular function compared with isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. Prospective randomized study may be needed to evaluate the necessity of concomitant mitral procedure and to find more effective method for the improvement of ventricular function.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mortality ; Risk Factors ; Stroke Volume ; Survival Rate ; Ventricular Function

A sacral perineural cyst is composed of an arachnoid membrane of the nerve root at the sacral region. We performed a wide posterior decompression and cystectomy in a patient who suffered from back pain with pain radiating in both lower extremities, and whose MRI findings coincided with those of a sacral perineural cyst. Clinical improvement was observed during the follow-up review. We report the surgical treatment with a review of the relevant literature.
Arachnoid ; Back Pain ; Cystectomy ; Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Membranes ; Sacrococcygeal Region ; Tarlov Cysts*

Multiple myeloma usually shows homogeneous enhancement on contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI), and is accompanied by a monoclonal gammopathy in serum or urine. We report a case of nonsecretory myeloma, the diagnosis was difficult due to the absence of a monoclonal gammopathy and the presence of atypical imaging features.
Tomography, Emission-Computed ; Thoracic Vertebrae/*pathology ; Spinal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Multiple Myeloma/*diagnosis/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Humans ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Bone Marrow/*pathology

The trials to detect the cerebral ischemia during the brain surgery have been continued since last three decades. The intraoperative Xenon isotope cerebral blood flow(CBF) measurement and EEG monitoring were proven to be useful techniques for this purpose. But these techniques have several drawbacks and are not easily applicable in most institutions. Authors, therefore, developed a intraoperative cerebral ischemia monitoring system which applied the digital electroencephalography(EEG) and compressed spectral array(CSA) technique. Technical details of our system and the examples of clinical applications are described.
Brain ; Brain Ischemia* ; Electroencephalography ; Xenon