PURPOSE: We studied early rest/24 hour delay Tl-201 perfusion SPECT for prediction of wall motion improvement after reperfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 17 patients (male/female ll/6, age: 59+13) with acute myocardial infarction, 15 patients were treated with percutaneous transcoronary angioplasty (direct:2, delay:11) and intravenous urokinase (2). Spontaneous resolution occurred in infarct-related arteries of 2 patients. We confirmed TIMI 3 flow of infarct-related artery after reperfusion in all patients with coronary angiography. We performed rest Tl-201 perfusion SPECT less then 6 hours after reperfusion and delay Tl-201 perfusion SPECT next day. Tl-201 uptake was visually graded as 4 point score from norrnal (0) to severe defect (3). Rest Tl-201 uptake <2 or combination of rest Tl-201 uptake<2 or late reversibility were considered to be viable. Myocardial wall motion was graded as 5 point score from normal (1) to dyskinesia (5). Myocardial wall motion was considered to be improved when a segment showed an improvement > 1 grade in follow up echo compared with the baseline values. RESULTS: Among 98 segments with wall rnotion abnormality, the severity of myocardial wall motion decrease was as follow: mild hypokinesia: 18/98 (18%), severe hypokinesia: 28/98 (29%), akinesia: 5l/98 (52%), dyskinesia: 1/98 (1%), The wall rnotion improved in 85%. Redistribution (13%), and reverse redistribution (4%) were observed in 24 hour delay SPECT. Positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of combination of late reversibility and rest Tl-201 uptake were 99%, and 54%. PPV and NPV of rest T1-201 uptake were 100% and 52% respectively. Predictive values of combination of rest Tl-201 uptake and late reversibility were not significantly different compared with predictive values of rest Tl-201 uptake only. CONCLUSION: We conclude that early Tl-201 perfusion SPECT predict myocardial wall motion improvement with excellent positive but relatively low negative predictive values in patients with acute myocardial infarction after reperfusion.
Angioplasty ; Arteries ; Coronary Angiography ; Dyskinesias ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Perfusion* ; Reperfusion* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

No abstract available.
Retreatment* ; Treatment Failure*

No abstract available.
Breast* ; Female ; Mammaplasty* ; Mastectomy*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Korea* ; Multiple Birth Offspring*

This report was a 10year retrospective study on mandible fractures. The study was based on a series of 245 patients who had been treated for mandibular fractures as in-patient at Yongsan Hospital of Medical college of Chung-Ang University during the period of Jan. 1987 to Dec. 1996. The results obtained are as follows; 1. In respect of incidence, the number of fractures was increased to 1990 and then it was decreased. The ratio of Men to Women was 6 : 1. 2. The major etiologic factors were traffic accident(30.2%), fisticuffs(28.6%), falldown(25.3%), accident related to work(7.8%), and sports(6.9%). In recent years, the decreasement of fractures due to traffic accident and the increasement of fractures due to sports was impressive. 3. The age frequency was highst in the third decade(44.9%), and second(%), fourth(%), decade in orders. In the first decade, the cause of fractures was traffic accident and falldown only, and the fractures due to sports were concentrated on second and third decade. 4. The frequent location of mandibular fractures was symphysis(36.1%), left angle(16.4%), right condyle(10.4%), right angle(8.6%), left condyle(8.6%), left body(5.8%), left ramus(4.0%), ramus(3.8%). The number of average fracture site was 1.62 at each patient and the number of average fracture line was 1.91 at each patient. 5. The simple fracture was 43.7%, and the complex fracture was 56.3%, then the open fracture was 35.5%, and the closed fracture was 64.5%. 6. In respect of treatment, the frequency of open reduction was 74.3% and that of closed reduction was 25.7%, but in the condyle, closed reduction(68.0%) was the more frequently using method of treatment than open reduction(32.0%). 7. The patients were treated an average of 3.27 days after injury and the average hospitalization period was 10.07 days. 8. The mandibular 3rd molar was existing in 60.6% of angle fractures.
Accidents, Traffic ; Female ; Fractures, Closed ; Fractures, Open ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Mandible* ; Mandibular Fractures ; Molar ; Retrospective Studies* ; Sports

We report a patient who developed a Barrett,s esophageal ulcer 10 years after esophagomyotomy for achalasia. A-59-year-old female was admitted to the hospital with dysphagia for 2 months. In 1982, she had undergone a modified Heller esophagomyotomy for achalsia. After esophagogram, esophageal manometry, 24hr esophageal pH monitoring, esophagoscophy achalasia and Barrett,s esophageal ulcer was diagnosed. So, she had been treated with omeprazole and sucralfate and has been followed up in a asymtomatic state currently. In Barrett,s esophagus, there is a metaplasia of the normal stratified squamous mucosa to columnar epithelium, caused by the reflux of acid. It appears in approximately 10% of patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux and is associated with increased probability of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Among the predis- posing factors of gastroesophageal reflux, there is treatment of esophageal achalsia by forceful dilatation or by the esophagomyotomy. The resultant ralaxation of lower esophageal sphinter, combined with deficient propulsive esophageal peristalsis, predisposed to gastroesophageal reflux. Actually an increased incidence of gastroesophageal reflux, esophagitis and stricture are well-known complications after esophagomyotomy. But in spite of higher risk of gastroesophageal reflux after esophagomyotomy the development of Barrett,s mucosa has been rarely reported and only recently recognized. Diagnosis of Barrett,s esophagus in such patients is difficult and the cumulative effects of achalasia and Barrett's esophagus predispose these patient to higher risk of developing esophageal carcinoma. So, high index of awareness and regular endoscopic surveillance are required.
Adenocarcinoma ; Barrett Esophagus ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Epithelium ; Esophageal Achalasia* ; Esophageal pH Monitoring ; Esophagitis ; Esophagus ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Incidence ; Manometry ; Metaplasia ; Mucous Membrane ; Omeprazole ; Peristalsis ; Sucralfate ; Ulcer*

No abstract available.
Cartilage* ; Glutaral* ; Rabbits* ; Transplants*

A 26-year-old man with a one-year history of asthma and sinusitis presented with bilateral pleural effusions, patch basilar infiltrates on a chest x-ray and a pericardial effusion on an echocardiogram. The peripheral blood showed marked eosinophilia. An obstructive pattern was also observed during the pulmonary fuction test, which was responsive to bronchodilator inhalation. Nerve conduction studies showed right sural neuropathy. Thoracentesis yielded an acidotic exudative effusion with low glucose, low C3 and eosinophilia. An open lung biopsy revealed an eosinophilic interstitial pneumonitis associated with a necrotizing eosinophilic vasculitis, and granulomatous inflammation foci. In the literature, pleural effusions were reported in 29 percent of Churg-Strauss patients, but the number of effusions was low and their characteristics have not been well described. This report describes the characteristic findings of pleural fluid and its histologic features in a case of classical Churg-Strauss syndrome.
Adult ; Asthma ; Biopsy ; Churg-Strauss Syndrome* ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Glucose ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Inhalation ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Neural Conduction ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pleural Effusion* ; Sinusitis ; Thorax ; Vasculitis

No abstract available.
Meningitis*

BACKGROUND: Adequate staffing is necessary to meet patient care needs and provide safe, quality nursing care. In November 1999, the Korean government implemented a new staffing policy that differentiates nursing fees for inpatients based on nurse-to-bed ratios. The purpose was to prevent hospitals from delegating nursing care to family members of patients or paid caregivers, and ultimately deteriorating the quality of nursing care services. PURPOSE: To examine nurse staffing levels and related factors including hospital, nursing and medical staff, and financial characteristics. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was employed using two administrative databases, Medical Care Institution Database and Medical Claims Data for May 1-31, 2002. Nurse staffing was graded from 1 to 6, based on grading criteria of nurse-to-bed ratios provided by the policy. The study sample consisted of 42 tertiary and 186 general acute care hospitals. RESULTS: None of tertiary or general hospitals gained the highest nurse staffing of Grade 1 (i.e., less than 2 beds per nurse in tertiary hospitals; less than 2.5 beds per nurse in general hospitals). Two thirds of the general hospitals had the lowest staffing of Grade 6 (i.e., 4 or more beds per nurse in tertiary hospitals; 4.5 or more beds per nurse in general hospitals). Tertiary hospitals were better staffed than general hospitals, and private hospitals had higher staffing levels compared to public hospitals. Large-sized general hospitals located in metropolitan areas had higher staffing than other general hospitals. Occupancy rate was positively related to nurse staffing. A negative relationship between nursing assistant and nurse staffing was found in general hospitals. A greater number of physician specialists were associated with better nurse staffing. CONCLUSIONS: The staffing policy needs to be evaluated and modified to make it more effective in leading hospitals to increase nurse staffing.
Workload/economics ; Program Evaluation ; Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/*economics ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/economics/*supply & distribution ; Logistic Models ; Korea ; Humans ; *Hospital Charges ; *Health Policy ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Bed Occupancy/economics ; Analysis of Variance