Primary tumors of the heart are rare, three quarter of the tumors are benign, and nearly half of the benign heart tumors are myxomas. Cardiac myxoma usually originate in the left atrium about 75 percent, however, only 3 to 4 percent of myxoma are detected in the left ventricle. We report on a 32 years old woman with left ventricular myxoma who presented with shortness of breath, chest tightness, and general weakness. Acute pulmonary embolism and left ventricular myxoma were found on a perfusion lung scan and echocadiogram. A mass located on septal wall of left ventricle was excised en bloc. The patient recovered uneventfully and careful follow up has be performed periodically.
Adult ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Heart Atria ; Heart Neoplasms ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Lung ; Myxoma* ; Perfusion ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Thorax

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of ferritin-folate-cyanocobalamin supplementation for prevention of anemia during pregnancy. METHODS: The authors conducted a clinical investigation on 50 pregnant women from 20th to 36th gestational weeks. The cobination of cyanocobalamin coenzyme 500mg, folic coenzyme 800mcg, and ferritin 20mg constituted the supplementation. The parameters examined in first trimester as baseline, before treatment(at 20th weeks), and after treatment(at 36th weeks) were : hemoglobin, hematocrit, ferritin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration(MCHC), mean corpuscular volume(MCV), red blood cell count(RDW), folic acid, and vit. BPaired sample t-test was used for comparison. RESULTS: The results indicated a significant increase in the value of hemoglobin(p<0.05) and hematocrit(p<0.01) in comparison to before and after the treatment. The values of serum ferritin, folic acid, vitamin Bwere increased after the treatment compared to those of before the treatment, though there was no statistical significance. The results of MCV, MCH, MCHC, and RDW showed no statistically significant in comparison to before and after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that supplementing ferritin 20mg-folate 800mcg-cyanocobalamine 500mcg per day from 20th to 36th weeks' gestation can increase values of hemoglobin, hematocrit, and ferritin concentration and can be cosidered as an appropriate method to prevent iron deficient anemia. It also might increase the value of folic acid and vitamin B12, concentration, but further study is stiU needed to determine whether the supplementation of folate and cyanocobalamine in combination with iron can have better eflicacy than iron alone in prevention of iron deficiency anemia.
Anemia* ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Ferritins* ; Folic Acid* ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Iron ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Vitamin B 12* ; Vitamins

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for recurrent spontaneous abortion. Immunologic causes in either alloimmune or autoimmune type have been suggested for more than 80% of these patients. Various immunotherapy including paternal leukocyte transfusion has been used, but there is controversy on its efficacy and side-effects. The proposed immunomodulatory mechanism of intravenous immunoglobulin includes passive transfer of blocking or anti-idiotype antibody, blockade of Fc receptors, enhancement of supressor T-cell function, down regulation of B cell function. In this study, we used intravenous immunoglobulin for the prevention of spontaneous abortion. Five patients with a history of two or more spontaneous abortions were enrolled in this study. Other etiologic factors such as anatomical, chromosomal, hormonal factors were excluded. Three of them were positive for anti-cardiolipin antibody (ACA). When the pregnancy was diagnosed at about five weeks of gestation, 30 g intravenous immunoglobulin was administered and continued up to 28 weeks with three weeks. Ongoing pregnancy beyond 20 weeks was considered successful. Four among five patients (80%) was successful in maintaining pregnancy now ongoing 20, 31, 33, 39 weeks. One patient with ACA positive had abartion due to anembryonic pregnancy. No adverse reaction was observed during the treatment. From these preliminary data, it is suggested that intravenous immunoglobulin treatment may be effective in maintaining pregnancy in patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion, Further studies are needed to clarify the its immunomodulatory mechanism and establish a more simplified protocol limiting the use at certain critical period of time.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins* ; Immunotherapy ; Leukocyte Transfusion ; Pregnancy ; Receptors, Fc ; T-Lymphocytes

We present a case of meningeal and brain metastasis of multiple myeloma. A 60-year-old woman who had been diagnosed as multiple myeloma two years ago, was referred to neurosurgery department because of headache and nausea. The magnetic resonance image of the brain showed a large epidural mass and the parenchymal enhancement. The patient received an operation of tumor removal and cranioplasty. A histological diagnosis of metastatic multiple myeloma was made.
Brain ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Nausea ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neurosurgery ; Plasmacytoma*

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of a varus positioned femoral stem after cementless proximal fitting total hip arthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 144 hips in 136 patients who underwent cementless total hip arthroplasty, were followed-up. Twenty-one varus positioned hips were compared with 123 neutral positioned hips. The clinical results were analyzed according to the level of thigh pain and the Harris Hip score. The radiological outcome was assessed according to osteolysis, loosening and stem failure. RESULTS: In the varus positioned hips, thigh pain was present in 1 hip, and the average Harris Hip Score was 96 points. None of the implants showed radiological evidence of loosening or impending failure. Localized osteolysis was identified in 1 hip, non-progressive radiolucencies in 2 hips, and cortical hypertrophy in 1 hip. In the neutral positioned hips, thigh pain was present in 6 hips, and the average Harris Hip Score was 97 points. Localized osteolysis was identified in 8 hips, non-progressive radiolucencies in 7 hips, cortical hypertrophy in 9 hips. CONCLUSION: Patients with varus alignment of the stem did not present poorer clinical outcomes than those with neutral alignment of the stem.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Osteolysis ; Thigh

Bowen's disease is an in situ squamous cell carcinoma. It usually occurs as a solitary lesion, but it sometimes occurs as multiple lesions. There are many therapeutic options for Bowen's disease. Among the therapies, some methods could be used for multiple lesions. However, the choice of treatment is important because the healing and success rates may vary according to the body site. A 60-year-old female patient presented with multiple erythematous plaques. The diagnosis of multiple Bowen's disease was based on the clinical and histologic features. There were too many suspicious lesions for one local treatment, so we treated the lesions with 5% imiquimod cream and oral acitretin. The imiquimod cream was applied every other day for 33 weeks and oral acitretin was prescribed for 13 weeks. After this treatment, most of the lesions were improved. The follow up biopsy showed only scar tissue. This case demonstrates that a combination of imiquimod cream and oral acitretin might be an alternative treatment option for multiple Bowen's disease lesions.
Acitretin ; Aminoquinolines ; Biopsy ; Bowen's Disease ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged

Pyogenic granuloma is a common angiomatous proliferation of the skin. It usually occurs in children and young adults and it develops spontaneously or traumatically. Although some cases of multiple pyogenic granulomas secondary to burn or vascular malformation have been reported in the literature, any case of spontaneous multiple pyogenic granulomas has not yet been reported in Korea. In this report, we present a case of multiple pyogenic granulomas that developed spontaneously on the scalp. A 47-year-old man presented with a 2 month history of multiple erythematous papules on his scalp. He had no other accompanying abnormality or history of trauma on the scalp. Among the papules, one lesion was evaluated. Histologically, the lesion consisted of a polypoid mass of angiomatous tissue that protruded above the surrounding tissue and intact flattened epidermis covered the entire lesion. After biopsy, the remaining lesions were treated by electrocautery. There have been no recurrences at 2 years' follow up.
Biopsy ; Burns ; Child ; Electrocoagulation ; Epidermis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granuloma, Pyogenic ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Scalp ; Skin ; Vascular Malformations ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of surgical treatment through retrospective comparison of minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis (MIPPO) vs open plate fixation in the treatment of the distal femur fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one patients with distal femur fractures from January 2002 to December 2010 were divided into two groups depending on the surgical method. Minimum follow up was 12 months. Group A consisted of 17 patients treated with MIPPO, and group B was comprised of 14 patients treated with open plate fixation. Clinical outcomes including operation time, transfusion rate, rehabilitation, range of motion, and interval change of postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) were evaluated to assess postoperative inflammatory reaction, postoperative complications and clinical results with the use of Sanders criteria. RESULTS: The operative time was 86/135 min and transfusion volume was 0.8/1.9 unit respectively. The postoperative 3-day and 7-day CRP were 7.4/1.5 mg% in group A and 10.3/2.4 mg% in group B, showing more minimal tissue injury and early recovery in group A. There were no significant differences in clinical results by Sanders criteria in both groups. CONCLUSION: Both MIPPO and open plate fixation for the treatment of distal femur fractures showed comparably good results. However, the MIPPO technique is superior to group B in view of minimal tissue injury and operation time and was proven to lessen the transfusion rate.
C-Reactive Protein ; Femur* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies

Transnasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (eDCR) has been performed with relative ubiquity since the introduction of the rigid nasal endoscope, with multiple reports found in the literature. Multiple techniques have been used for lacrimal osteotomy, including standard rongeurs, laser, radiofrequency and microdrill. The ultrasonic bone aspirator (UBA) has been described for a variety of neurosurgical procedures and was initially studied in orbital and lacrimal surgery by Sivak-Callcott et al. We report a 74-year-old female patient who suffered from epiphora and pus-like discharge of the right eye. The bone of the lacrimal sac fossa was thinned and removed using an ultrasonic bone aspirator. The patient had a significant symptom improvement without any complications related to UBA use. We applied an ultrasonic bone aspirator for a patient with lacrimal duct stenosis and report a successful result.
Aged ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dacryocystorhinostomy* ; Endoscopes ; Female ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Orbit ; Osteotomy ; Ultrasonics*

PURPOSE: Painful plantar callosities under the second, third or fourth metatarsal head have been controverted about its treatment mordalities. We performed the vertical chevron osteotomy in patients with painful callosities on the second and third metatarsal head, and evaluated the outcome clinically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen cases from 10 patients who had plantar keratosis were operated by vertical chevron osteotomy from March 2005 to October 2008. We used K-wire fixation for all cases. We evaluated the clinical results by the patients' satisfaction and disappearance of plantar lesion. RESULTS: The plantar keratosis was completely disappeared in 8 cases and partially in 5 cases. In 2 cases, patients expresses their pain caused by constant metatarsalgia that was suspected to be dorsal incisional pain and joint capsulitis. Transmetatarsalgia was not appeared. CONCLUSION: We consider vertical chevron osteotomy as a good surgical method for treatment of plantar keratosis.
Callosities ; Head ; Humans ; Joints ; Keratosis ; Metatarsal Bones ; Metatarsalgia ; Osteotomy