BACKGROUND: Surgical correction of the full spectrum of esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula has improved over the years, but the mortality and morbidity assoiated with repair of these anomalies still remains high. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively analyzes 27 surgically treated patients with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula at Dong-A University Hospital between January 1992 and March 1997. RESULT: There were 21 male and 6 female patients. Mean birth weight was 2.62+/-.385 kg(2.0~3.4 kg). Twenty- four(88.9%) had esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula, and 3(11.1%) had pure esophageal atresia. Four(14.8%) infants were allocated to Waterston risk group A, 18(66.7%) to group B, and 5(18.5%) to group C. In eighteen(66.7%) infants with associated anomalies, cardiovascular anomalies were the most common. Three had a gap length of 3.5 cm or greater(ultra-long gap) between esophageal segments, 7 had 2.0 to 3.5 cm(long gap), 8 had 1.0 to 2.0 cm(medium gap), and 9 had 1 cm or less(short gap) gap length. Among 27 neonates, 3 cases underwent staged operation, late colon interposition was done in 2, and all other 24 cases underwent primary esophageal anastomosis. Oerative mortality was 2/27(7.4%). Causes of death included acute renal failure(n=1), empyema from anastomotic leak(n=1), necrotizing enterocolitis(n=1), sepsis(n=1), insulin-dependent diabetus mellitus(n=1 . There were 4 anastomosis- related complications including stricture in 3, leakage in 1. Mortality was related to the gap length(p<.05). CONCLUSION: Although the complication rate associated with surgical repair of these anomalies is high, this does not always implicate the operative mortality. The overall survival can be improved by effective treatment for combined anomalies and intensive postoperatve care.
Birth Weight ; Cause of Death ; Colon ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Empyema ; Esophageal Atresia* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Tracheoesophageal Fistula

No abstract available.
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Venous Thrombosis*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms*

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare disease of unknown etiology. It is characterized by the infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract by mature eosinophils, and increased peripheral eosinophil count and associated with various food allergies. Clinical manifestations were related to the site of histologic infiltration in the wall and the segment of the involved gastrointestinal tract. Recently, the authors experienced one case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis of the small bowel with spontaneous rupture that was managed by segmental resection of ileum and end to end anastomosis. Four years previous, he has undergone segmental resection of the ileum due to ileum perforation of unknown etiology. The peripheral blood eosinophil count of this case was normal but the IgE level was elevated. Microscopically, there was a dense infiltration of eosinophils throughout the entire thickness of the ileal wall, particularly in the muscle layer. The patient recovered well, but had one episode of abdominal pain with diarrhea and those symptoms were improved following the administration of corticosteroids. A brief review of the etiology, pathology, clinical features, diagnosis and management of this disease is presented.
Abdominal Pain ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Eosinophils* ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Gastroenteritis* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Ileum ; Immunoglobulin E ; Pathology, Clinical ; Rare Diseases ; Rupture* ; Rupture, Spontaneous

No abstract available.
Bronchi* ; Bronchogenic Cyst* ; Trachea*

A 63-year-old man had a huge verrucous protruding mass over the suprasternal area. The lesion enlarged rapidly over 3 mooths, and measured about 10×8 cm. The histologic finding of the biopsy specimen showed nests of squamous epithelium with central keratinization, infiltrating the dermis. The neoplasm was treated successfully with surgical excision.
Biopsy ; Dermis ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Keratoacanthoma* ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: Decreased heart rate variability(HRV) has been shown to be an independent predictor of poor outcome after acute myocardial infarction, Spectral analysis of HRV has recently been shown to be a reliable noninvasive test for quantiative assessment of cardiovascular autonomic regulatory response. We estimated the reproducibility and circadian rhythm of HRV parameters in patients with acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: Three consecutive 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic recordings were made in 24 patients with acute myocardial infarction, with 10~14 days after the acute attack, and analyzed for HRV parameters of both frequency and time domains. Parameters of frequency domain include low frequency(LF) and high frequency(HF) components. Parameters of time domain include sdRR, SDANN, SD, pNN50, rMSSD, HRV index. RESULTS: Mean total, low frequency and high frequency amplitude spectral densities were 33msec, 19msec and 11msec, respectively. Mean values of sdRR, SDANN, SD, rMSSD, pNN50 and HRV index were 103msec, 90msec, 47msec, 28msec, 7% and 32, respectively. Coefficients of variation(CV) of total amplitude spectral density, and low and high frequency components were 7%, 9% and 12%, respectively. CV of most HRV parameters of time domain were also around 10% except rMSSD and pNN50. Heart rate increased in the morning to be sustained during the day time and decreased in the night. Heart rate variability of high frequency component decreased in the early morning to be sustained during day time with increase in the night. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that in the predischarge period of acute myocardial infarction, HRV parameters of frequency and time domains are reproducible and there are some morning fall of cardiac vagal activity.
Circadian Rhythm ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction*

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum(PA/IVS) is an anatomically heterogenous anomaly with a variety of surgical strategies possible. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the influence of right ventricular size on the early and midterm results of surgical repair of PA/IVS. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Medical records of 20 consecutive patients with PA/IVS operated on between January 1993 and August 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 12 boys and 8 girls whose ages ranged from 2 days to 14.5 months (median 6 days). Their body weight ranged from 2.52kg to 9.35 kg(median 3.18kg). The preoperative Z-value of the diameter of the tricuspid valve(T-valve) was less than or -4 in 5 patients, between -4 and -2 in 1, between -2 and 0 in 7, between 0 and 2 in 6, and greater than or 2 in 1. All patients who had z-value of tricuspid valve greater than -2.05 were attempted biventricular repair(n=15) and all patients who had it smaller than -4.4 underwent systemic-pulmonary shunt operation only(n=3) or bidirectinal cavopulmonary shunt with right ventricular reconstruction(n=2). RESULT: Two early deaths(2/20, 10%) occurred. Both were infants who underwent transannular patch with shunt. One of these two had huge right ventricle(Z-value of tricuspid valve = 5). There were 2 late non-cardiac deaths 3 and 7 months after operations respectively. Follow-up was completed in all children at a mean of 35.3 months(range, 5 to 54 months). 10 of 11 survivors who underwent transannular patch or valvotomy with or without shunt procedure were in NYHA functional class I even though some of them had small interatrial communication or patent shunt. All three patients who had shunt procedure only at initial palliation completed Fontan procedures with no death. Two patients who underwent right ventricular outflow reconstruction with bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt were also in good condition. CONCLUSIONS: The transanular RVOT patch or valvotomy with or without systemic-pumonary shunt as an initial palliative procedure to achieve biventricular repair for the patients who had neither too small nor too large right ventricle(-2.05< or =Z-value of T-value of T-valve< or =2) could be performed at low operative risk(1/14 7.1%). Systemic-pulmonary shunt procedure and bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt procedure for the patients who had small right ventricle(Z-value of T-valve< or =4.4) could be also performed with low risk. But a patient with huge right atrium and ventricle(Z-value of t-valve=5) had poor operative result.
Body Weight ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fontan Procedure ; Heart Atria ; Heart Bypass, Right ; Humans ; Infant ; Medical Records ; Pulmonary Atresia* ; Retrospective Studies ; Survivors ; Tricuspid Valve ; Ventricular Septum*

We studied the incidence and results of treatment of secondary hypertension in Yeungnam University Hospital. Nineteen hundred fifty patients with hypertension were included from march 1990 to march 1994. We analysed the prevalence of secondary hypertension and results of treatment. The incidence of secondary hypertension in Yeungnam University Hospital was six percent. The most common underlying causes of secondary hypertension was renal parenchymal disease. Patients with three forms of potentially reversible secondary hypertension, namely, renovascular hypertension, endocrine disease, exogenous hormone, were assed to determine whether surgery or withdrawal of the exogenous hormane had led to an improvement in blood pressure control. The incidence of secondary hypertension in Yeungnam University Hospital was low(6%), but some of these are curable. Thus it is very inportant that evaluate the secondary hypertension.
Blood Pressure ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Equidae ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertension, Renovascular ; Incidence ; Prevalence

A case of cavernous angioma of the cerebellar vermis is described. Cevernous angioma is rare vascular malformation of the central nervous system and the cerebellar vermis is very unusual site. Exact preoperative diagnosis of this lesion is difficult because cavernous angioma is angiographically silent and generally accepted to be very rare. The relevant literature is reviewed.
Central Nervous System ; Diagnosis ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Vascular Malformations