Recently, increased traffic accident has resulted in a corresponding increase in incidences of blunt trauma. Tracheal and main bronchial injuries artier blunt chest trauma can be life-threatening, and hence early diagnosis and early management of patients with such injuries are essential. A 3-year-old boy was transferred to the Department of Emergency Medicine after a motor vehicle accident in which he sustained multiple blunt injuries consisting of tracheal rupture, left main bronchial rupture, liver laceration, vitreous hemorrhage, and fracture of the iliac wing. The tracheal rupture was managed nonoperatively with intensive respiratory care, while the left main bronchial rupture was managed surgically by bronchoplasty. Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged without respiratory problems.
Accidents, Traffic ; Bronchi* ; Child, Preschool ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergency Medicine ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lacerations ; Liver ; Male ; Motor Vehicles ; Rupture ; Thorax ; Trachea* ; Vitreous Hemorrhage ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating

Taussig-Bing anomaly is infrequently associated with interrupted aortic arch and size discrepancy of great arteries makes it difficult to undergo arch recons- truction and arterial switch operation. A 20-day old male infant was admitted with the diagnosis of Taussig-Bing anomaly with type B interrupted aortic arch. Multi-organ failure, due to the diminution of ductal flow, was stabilized after 3 weeks of prostaglandin E1 and controlled ventilatory support. The surgical correction consisted of VSD closure, arterial swtich and extended aortic arch reconstruction. The marked disparity between the hypoplastic ascending aorta and the dilated main pulmonary artery was overcome by constructing distal neoaorta using both native ascending and descending aortic tissue. The patient was extubated on postoperative 2nd day. Postoperative catheterization showed no left ventricular outflow obstruction, no intracardiac shunt, and no incompetence of neoaortic valve.
Alprostadil ; Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic* ; Arteries ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Diagnosis ; Double Outlet Right Ventricle* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pulmonary Artery ; Ventricular Outflow Obstruction

Anaphylactic deaths are frequently observed at autopsies. Since death associated with medical practice has become social concern, the identification of anaphylactic shock is an important part of forensic medicine. However, autopsy findings of anaphylactic shock are usually non-specific; therefore, the diagnosis of anaphylactic shock must be inferred from collecting data on the past history of the deceased, circumstances of death, and negative autopsy findings. The analysis of serum mast cell tryptase level is a well-known, useful ancillary test for the diagnosis of anaphylactic shock, but is not widely used in daily practice in Korea. We recently encountered 2 autopsy cases of anaphylactic shock and confirmed that analysis of serum mast cell tryptase level was useful for the diagnosis of anaphylactic shock. In this report, we present these 2 autopsy cases of anaphylactic shock, with literature review of the usefulness and limitations of serum mast cell tryptase analysis.
Anaphylaxis ; Autopsy ; Forensic Medicine ; Korea ; Mast Cells ; Tryptases

Nineteen patients suffering from post-traumatic intracerebral hematoma, being managed by stereotactic aspiration of hematoma were evaluated. The outcome in this series is quite satisfactory, with 58% of patients having a functional survival. Eight patients died, of which three patients died of brain swelling and 5 died of systemic causes such as respiratory failure, gastrointestinal(GI) bleeding, and renal failure. It is our belief that stereotactic aspiration is helpful in managing patients with traumatic intracerebral hematoma without herniation and wevere brain swelling.
Brain Edema ; Hematoma* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Renal Insufficiency ; Respiratory Insufficiency

Between December 1993 and March 1996, 75 patients had undergone subannular procedures in mitral valve reconstruction. Their mean age was 45 years and they consisted of 28 males and 47 females. The cause of mitral disease in 75 patients were classified as follow : 29 cases were degenerative, 40 cases were rheumatic, 3 cases were congenital, 2 cases were infectious and 1 case was ischemic. Average number of mitral anatomical lesion per patient was 3.1 and we used average 1.5 procedures on subannular structure in mitral valve per patient. Subannular procedures were chordae shortening 21, chordae transfer 22, new chordae formation 20, papillary muscle splitting 33, shortening of papillary muscle 2. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was carried out for providing an immediate and accurate assessment of the adequacy of the reconstruction. There was no operative death. Patients have been followed up from 2 to 29months, mean 12.5. There were two failures that necessitated reoperation. The mean functional class(NYHA) was 3.19 preoperative and improved to 1.12. postoperatively. After mitral valve repair, the patients were improved hemodynamic, echocardiographic data. In conclusion, subannular procedure in mitral valve repair when feasible is stable and safe with a low prevalence of reoperation.
Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve* ; Papillary Muscles ; Prevalence ; Reoperation

A 51-year-old woman was transferred from a private hospital for persistent massive left pleural effusion. Available examination methods did not reveal the cause of the disease. The pleural effusion was confirmed as chylothorax by thoracentesis and chest computed tomography. Previous tube drainage and pleurodesis had failed. Therefore we decided on an operative approach. A left thoracotomy revealed nothing abnormal except for the oozing lymph from the mediastinal pleura, which was sutured by 4-0 prolene. Decortication and pleurodesis were done at the same time. Postoperative course was uneventful and no recurrent pleural effusion was recognized for 3 months. Adult Idiopathic unilateral chylothorax with unknown etiology is rare, but this case was successfully treated with an operative method.
Adult ; Chylothorax* ; Drainage ; Female ; Hospitals, Private ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pleura ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleurodesis ; Polypropylenes ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Hearing*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the cause of the axillary abnormalities seen in mammography and to evaluate the imaging characteristics of benign lymphadenopathy and lymphadenopathy associated with malignancy. METHODS: One hundred ninety-three (193) abnormalities seen mammographically were retrospectively reviewed and correlated with clinical diagnoses and pathologic results found in the medical records of patients treated from August 1997 to July 1998 at the National Medical Center. For each abnormality, the length, the margins and the presence of microcalcifications were noted. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-eight (178) patients had benigh lymphadenopathy and twelve patients had metastatic breast cancer. The mean lengths of lymph nodes in benign lymphadenopathy & metastatic breast cancer were 13.7 mm and 22 mm, respectively (p=0.0002). Fatty infiltrations of benign lymphadenopathy were seen 157 patients (88.2%) while eleven patients with metastatic breast cancers had nonfatty infiltration and one patient had fatty infiltration. Among the patient with benign lymphadenopathy circumscribed margins were observed in 167 patients (93.8%), microlobulated margins in 7 patients (3.9%), and obscured margins in 4 patients (2.2%), while among the patients with metastatic breast cancer circumscribed margins were seen in 6 patients, obscured margins in 3 patients, spiculated margins in 2 patients, and a microlobulated margin in 1 patient. No microcalcifications were found in lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: For benign lymphadenopathy the size of the abnormality was less than 13.7 mm and it had circumscribed margin and fatty center. On the other hand; homogenously dense (nonfatty) axillary lymph nodes were strongly associated with malignancy when axillary lymph nodes were longer than 22 mm with ill-defined or spiculated margins; therefore, a biopsy should be done to confirm malignancy in such cases.
Biopsy ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Hand ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mammography ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: In an effort t enhance long term patency of coronary bypass grafts, utilization of arterial conduits have been on an icrease. With the same objective, we have been using the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) in coronary artery bypass procedures since 1998. The current paper has been undertaken with the aim of assessing the apropriateness, problems, and short term results of using the RGEA as an arterial graft conduit by studying the postoperative clinical results of 100 patients than received coronary artery bypass grafting (CARG) with this artery. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between May of 1998 and May of 1999, an analysis of the mortality, postoperative myocardial infarction, and the need for IABP insertion as a result of low cardiac output were made between 100 consecutive patients undergoing CABG with the RGEA. There was one postoperative death due to cerebral infarction. Postoperative complications/morbidity comprised myocardial infarction in 2, cerebral infarct in 3, reoperation due to bleeding in 1, mediastinitis in 1, and low cardiac output syndrome necessitating IABP in 3 patients. Complicatons related to harvesting of the arterial grafts were not experienced in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: The results of the current data show that utilization of the RGEA in CABG is not associated with increased mortality/morbidity and demonstrates satisfactory short term results suggesting the usefulnessof this conduit as an arterial graft.
Arteries ; Cardiac Output, Low ; Cerebral Infarction ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Gastroepiploic Artery* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mediastinitis ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Reoperation ; Transplants

The presense of pectus excavatum in Marfan's syndrome may complicate cardiac operation by making midline sternotomy technically more difficult and limiting the operative exposure of the heart. We operated on a 33 year old male patient with Marfan's syndrome and severe pectus excavatum who had severe mitral regurgitation and moderate aortic regurgitation with 52mm aortic root dilation. The operative field was adequately exposed through a midline sternal incision with two sternal retactors. The patient underwent Bentall operation and mitral valve replacement. The repair of pectus excavatum was performed after completion of CPB and the administration of protamin. Permanent internal stabilization achieved by overlapping of the ends of lower ribs and reinforced with sternal closure wire.
Adult ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Funnel Chest* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Male ; Marfan Syndrome* ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Ribs ; Sternotomy ; Thoracic Surgery*