Peripartum cardiomyopathy is defined as a syndrome of cardiac failure occurring in tbe latter part of pregnancy or in the puerperium, without obvious cause and without prior evidence of heart disease. Despite its infrequency, this clinical problem may have devastating consequences upon maternal and fetal outcome. It is important to recognize the association of cardiac failure and pregnancy as a separate syndrome so that, once identified, peripartum cardiomyopathy can be treated promptly and aggressively. We experienced two cases of peripartum cardiomyopathy, and report these cases with a brief review of the literatures.
Cardiomyopathies* ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure ; Peripartum Period* ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy

The significance of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in the stability of the knee and the necessity for surgical repair of its tears are still controversial. The purpose of this study is to present the short term results of surgical repair and Kennedy LAD augmentation for 15 cases with PCL injury. In 14 patients (15 knees), the torn PCL was repaired with pullout suture technique and Kennedy LAD augmentation was done from june 1993 to june 1994. The follow-up period ranged from 12 months to 25 months (average, 18months). The main causes of injuries were traffic accidents in 12. Thirteen of the patients were men and one was a woman, ranging in age from 17 to 52 years(average, 35 years). 10 knees were acute injury and repaired at average 9 days after injury. There were 11 cases that had combined injuries(4 ACL injuries, 4 meniscus injuries, 3 MCL injuries etc). In eight knees, the tear was in mid substance area and in five it was near femoral attach site and in two it was near tibial attach site. Postoperative results were evaluated by roentgenographic evaluation of posterior sagging and Lysholm knee score. 11 knee were stable but 4 knees were unstable posteriorly during postoperative follow-up period. 3 chronic injuried knees were included in 4 posteriorly unstable knees. There are 7 combined knee injuries in 11 stable knees and no combined injuries in unstable knees and average Lysholm knee score was 89.7 in stable knees and 90 in unstable knees and there was no significant difference between two groups. On the based of this study, surgical repair with pollout suture technique and augmentation with Kennedy LAD in acute PCL injury is a one of the good method for preventing posterior sagging but more longer follow-up period and more cases must be needed to accept this method.
Accidents, Traffic ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Knee Injuries ; Lysholm Knee Score ; Male ; Methods ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Suture Techniques ; Tears

Purpose: To report the surgical skills needed, and the clinical results of, minimally invasive hip surgery with dynamic hip screws and the comparison with the classical technique in stable pertrochanteric fractures of the femur. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two patients with pertrochanteric fractures of the femur who were treated with dynamic compression hip screws between April 1999 and March 2004, and were evaluated retrospectively, and were followed up for more than 12 months. 16 cases were treated with a classical dynamic hip screw technique and 16 cases with a minimally invasive technique in random order. The mean age was 73.2 years, and there were 11 males and 21 females. The operative times, total hemovac bleeding loss, functional scores, and average hemoglobin decrease ratios were evaluated. The clinical assessments were performed with the Harris Hip Score (HSS) and bony union was evaluated with serial follow-up plain radiographs. Results: The average operative time was 63.9 minutes with the classical technique and 42.5 minutes with the minimally invasive technique. The total average hemovac blood loss was 640 cc with the classical technique and 143 cc with the minimally invasive technique. Clinically, the HHS was an average of 85.9 and 89.2 in groups 1 and 2, respectively, by the last follow-up and there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups (P <0.05) The hemoglobin decrease ratio was the same in both groups and there was no nonunion. Conclusion: Minimally invasive dynamic hip screw insertion was useful in stable pertrochanteric fractures, because it decreased blood loss and operative times; and there were no changes in fracture healing and functional outcomes.
Female ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Healing ; Hemorrhage ; Hip* ; Humans ; Male ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive

No abstract available.
Prolapse* ; Umbilical Cord*

A clinical observation was made on 97 cases of hydronephrosis who were admitted to the Urologic Department of the Maryknoll Hospital during the period from July 1, 1976 to December 31, 1981 (5 and 1/2 years). The results are as follows: 1. The rate of hydronephrosis accounted for 8.7% of the total patients (1,109 patients) admitted to the Urologic Department and 20.6% of the patients with urinary tract obstruction (471 patients). 2. The patients in this series were distributed over all ages, from a 12-month-old baby up to a 76-year-old patient. The most common age group Was the 5th decade (29.9%) and the male to female ratio was 1.5 to 1. 3. In underlying diseases, the most common cause of hydronephrosis was ureteral stone (40.2%), and 16.5%was idiopathic. 4. In lateralization of hydronephrosis, the left side was more affected than the right side by about 1.2 times and 19.6% was bilateral. In site and level of obstruction, upper tract was 76.3%, mid and lower tract was 7.2%, intraurinary tract lesion was 97.9% and extraurinary tract lesion was 2.1%. 5. The most commonly obstructed organ was the ureter (59.8%). 6. The most common symptom on admission was flank pain (46.8%). 7. In laboratory findings, increased B.U.N. and creatinine was 11.3%. Pyuria was 58.8% in urinalysis and the most common organism in urine culture was E. Coli (50.0%). 8. The most common complication of hydronephrosis was non-functioning kidney (42.2%). 9. In treatment, surgical treatment was 75.3% and conservative treatment, 24.7%. Of the surgical treatment, the most common operation was nephrectomy (30.9%), while the rate of conserving kidney was 69.1% and about 2.2 times higher than nephrectomy cases.
Aged ; Creatinine ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Infant ; Kidney ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Pyuria ; Ureter ; Urinalysis ; Urinary Tract

No abstract available.

Ultrasonography were performed on 52 patients with 64 cases of urologic diseases, and its significance was discussed. The results were as follows: 1. Overall diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography was 90.6% and diagnostic error was 9.4%. 2. It is not helpful to use ultrasonography as a primary screening procedure or to use it alone, but it is recommended to use ultrasonography as a supplementary measure after excretory urography. 3. Many needless renal angiographys and explorations can be avoided by performing ultrasonography prior to renal angiographys and explorations to get more accurate information. 4. Ultrasonography is known to be atraumatic, noninvasive and not harmful to human body, and it may be used safely in children and pregnant women. 5. Ultrasonography can be performed regardless of renal function and is particularly helpful in differentiating between cystic and solid masses. 6. Ultrasonography was particularly helpful in the diagnosis of non-visualization of kidney in I.V.P.
Child ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Human Body ; Humans ; Kidney ; Mass Screening ; Pregnant Women ; Ultrasonography* ; Urography ; Urologic Diseases*

No abstract available.
Brain Edema* ; Brain* ; Meningioma* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

The free, full thickness skin graft urethroplasty has grown in popularity and row ranks among the best of corrective procedures for urethral stricture. This procedures was initially described by Presman and Greenfield in 1953. Herein we present a case of full thickness tube graft urethroplasty in 29-year-old male patient with anterior urethral stricture.
Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; Transplants* ; Urethral Stricture*

Renal hypoplasia is a relatively rare congenital disease. We report two cases of unilateral renal hyperplasia with review of literature.
Hyperplasia