No abstract available.
Extremities* ; Sarcoma*

Single coronary artery is a rare congenital anomaly occurring in approximately 0.04% of the population. This entity can be diagnosed during life only by coronary angiography. Typical angina does not occur with single coronary artery in the absence of coexisting coronary artery disease or aortic stenosis. Among 874 patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography at Asan Medical Center. we have experienced a case of single coronary artery with significant atherosclerotic coronary artery disease which has been managed succesfully coronary angioplasty. We report this case of single coronary artery with a review of literature.
Angioplasty ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans

We report a case of decreased cerebrospinal fluid glucose with lymphocytic pleocytoisis in a patient with herpes zoster meningoencephalitis. The finding was likely to be confused with that of tuberculous meningoencephalitis. The concentration of CSF glucose is a critical point in the differential diagosis of various causes of nervous system infection. Although the herpes zoster meningoencephalitis isa well recognized, cases with markedly low, level of CSF glucose has been rare. We reviewed such unusual cases in the literature that were accompanied by hypoglycorrhachia. The duration of hypoglycorrhachia was transient. This suggests a differential point from that of tuberculous meningitis.
Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Encephalitis, Varicella Zoster* ; Glucose* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Meningoencephalitis ; Nervous System ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal

PURPOSE: This study was performed to determine the relation between cord blood plasma cytokines responses and development of cerebral palsies in premature infants. METHODS: Interleukin-1beta(IL-1beta), Interleukin-6(IL-6), Tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) were measured using ELISA kits in premature infants(n=60) who were admitted to St. Benedict Hospital from September 2001 to June 2003. Retrospective study was done by review of medical records. RESULTS: Cord blood levels of IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in the cerebral palsy group were higher, especially IL-6 but were not significant, compared with the control group. Cord blood levels of IL-6 in the cerebral palsy without asphyxia, sepsis, PROM, RDS and pneumonia were significantly different, compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Cord blood levels of IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in the cerebral palsy group were increased, but concentrations of IL-6 increased significantly. Cord blood levels of IL-6 may be a useful value to predict the development of cerebral palsy, because they are related to IL-6 rather than to TNF-alpha & IL-1beta in this study.
Asphyxia ; Cerebral Palsy* ; Cytokines* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fetal Blood* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Interleukin-6 ; Medical Records ; Necrosis ; Paralysis ; Plasma ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Perfusion scintigraphy has proved to be an essential part for the diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism. The wedge shaped perfusion defect extending to lung base is a highly probable finding of pulmonary embolism. Occasionally, great perfusion defects could be presented as a false positive finding under the circumstance of nonthromboembolic origin, such as neoplastic compression or invasion of pulmonary artery. We report an unusual case of massive perfusion defect resulting from pulmonary arterial compression by bronchogenic carcinoma. A 71-year-old man visited our hospital because of productive cough and was diagnosed as bronchogenic carcinoma. The perfusion scintigraphy showed unilateral total defect of lung, not accompanied by any clinical evidence of thromboembolism. A contrast enhanced computed tomogram showed heterogeneous mass shadow in left hilum, abutting to the descending aorta and compressing left main pulmonary artery. These findings suggested a nonembolic mechanism of perfusion defects which were produced by the neoplastic compression of pulmonary artery.
Aged ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Carcinoma, Bronchogenic* ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lung* ; Perfusion Imaging ; Perfusion* ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Thromboembolism

PURPOSE: It is generally accepted that the air pollution can cause acute respiratory diseases. This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between the increase in the level of air pollutants and hospital visits for pediatric respiratory diseases in Incheon city. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients who visited the outpatient department(OPD) of Inha University Hospital for respiratory diseases(such as bronchial asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis and URI) from January 1 to December 31 1997. We converted the data into an average per day that included meteorologic data of air pollution(such as O3, CO, SO2, NO2, and PM10) and weather data(such as atmospheric temperature, relative humidity) in three different places in Incheon city. We used a Poisson distribution, selecting a lowess statistics model. We also used the S-PLUS statistics program. RESULTS: Ozone(O3), CO, and SO2 were all found to have significant associations with the OPD visits for pediatric respiratory diseases. After meteorologic variables(such as CO, SO2, NO2, PM10, atmospheric temperature, and relative humidity) controlled, we determined the relative risk between the increase in the OPD visits for respiratory diseases and every 0.01 ppm increase in O3. The relative risk was 1.16 and the 95% confidence intervals were 1.12-1.20. CONCLUSION: There was a significant relationship between the incidence of pediatric respiratory diseases and the increase in the level of air pollutants, especially O3, CO, and SO2 in Incheon city. Further studies on the effects of continuous daily exposure to low or ambient levels of air pollutants are needed.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution* ; Asthma ; Bronchiolitis ; Bronchitis ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Outpatients ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Weather

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of proximal row carpectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the cases of 14 patients who had undergone proximal row carpectomy between April 1996 and January 2006. All of the patients were men with an average age of 37.5 years (range, 25-64 years). The mean follow-up period was 59 months (range, 18-101months). Evaluation of results was based on x-ray analysis, pain relief, the ability to return to work, activity level, range of motion (ROM) and grip strength. Pain relief was classified as very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied and very dissatisfied. RESULTS: The subjective results of pain relief were very satisfied in 6 cases, satisfied in 7 cases, dissatisfied in 1 case. 7 cases (50%) returned to previous occupations and 11 cases (79%) had little restriction on their daily activities. The total arc was improved from average 42 degree to 59 degree. The grip strength using Jamar dynanometer was increased from average 7.8 lbs (10.5% of the unaffected side) to average 33 lbs (44% of the unaffected side). CONCLUSION: Proximal row carpectomy is an effective surgery with preserving ROM and function for patients with wrist pain and diminished function if it is done within proper indication.
Follow-Up Studies ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Male ; Occupations ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Return to Work ; Wrist

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Determination of the lesion side based on the direction of the nystagmus could result in confusions to the clinicians due to mismatch between the vestibular function tests and also between vestibular and audiologic features. To minimize these mistakes, we elucidated the clinical manifestation and vestibular function test results in cases with recovery spontaneous nystagmus (rSN). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients who visited ENT clinic of tertiary referral hospital for acute onset continuous vertigo from January 2008 to December 2011 were enrolled. In these patients, we assessed onset time of vertigo, time point of paralytic spontaneous nystagmus (SN) and time point of rSN. At each time point of SN, vestibular function tests and hearing function tests were performed. RESULTS: We confirmed the rSN among patients with unilateral vestibulopathy and demonstrated that high gain of the rotatory chair test (slow harmonic acceleration) and/or mismatch of the SN direction and contralateral caloric weakness could indicate the recovery state of patients and nystagmus observed in this stage is recovery phase nystagmus. CONCLUSIONS: In acute vestibulopathy patients, recovery phase nystagmus was observed and on this stage of disease vestibular function tests shows several features that could predict recovery state.
Hearing ; Humans ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Function Tests

It is thought that horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of apogeotropic direction-changing positional nystagmus (DCPN). But there are many reports about cerebellar or brainstem lesions as the cause of apogeotropic DCPN. We also report a 72-year-old male patient who showed apogeotropic DCPN, but was proven to have a pontine infarction. The patients complained of disequilibrium which has lasted for 3-4 years and aggravated recently. The symptom was present only when he stood up, and was absent as soon as he sat down. He was not able to successfully perform the Romberg test and tandem gait on physical examination. Vestibular function test revealed apogeotropic DCPN without spontaneous nystagmus. Rotation chair test and caloric test results were all within normal limit. On the brain magnetic resonance imaging, newly detected infarction in the left basal ganglia, pons and right parietal lobe was found. Although horizontal canal BPPV is the most common cause of apogeotropic DCPN, we should be aware that there can be patients with central origin DCPN. In this report, we present the detailed history of this patient and tried to point out the clues to suspect central lesion in patients with apogeotropic DCPN.
Aged ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Caloric Tests ; Gait ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Nystagmus, Physiologic ; Parietal Lobe ; Physical Examination ; Pons ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Function Tests

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Meniere's disease (MD) is a clinical cluster of common symptoms by various causes rather than a single disease entity. Many causes such as autoimmune, allergy, vascular insufficiency have been thought to be related with Meniere's disease. We assumed that different pathologic mechanisms have contribution in each gender. With this premise, we compared clinical characteristics between male and female patients to determine if there is any difference indicating heterogeneous underlying pathology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed medical records of 61 patients (43 female, 18 male) who were diagnosed as unilateral definite MD and underwent vestibular function test and audiologic evaluation (more than two times of pure tone audiometry during the follow-up period) from October 2005 to December 2011. RESULTS: The average duration of dizziness in females was longer than in males. In the worst ipsilateral pure tone audiometry, low frequency thresholds were lower in females than in males. Female had lesser hearing difference at all frequencies between the sides and showed more hearing fluctuation than male. There was no significant difference between male and female in the vestibular function test. CONCLUSION: These results are insufficient to suggest that the pathogenesis of MD differs between the genders. However, some differences between the genders prompt a need for future studies involving more patients.
Audiometry ; Dizziness ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Male ; Medical Records ; Meniere Disease ; Vestibular Function Tests