Lung volume reduction surgery, resecting the most severely affected regions of emphysema, was designed to improve quality of life for selected patients with severe emphysema. We report a case of a 72 year old severe emphysema patient who received bilateral lung volume reduction surgery and showed marked improvement of quality of life and lung function.
Aged ; Emphysema* ; Humans ; Lung* ; Pneumonectomy* ; Quality of Life

PURPOSE: Chest compression is the corner stone of resuscitation. As a result, many studies insist on the importance of retention of skill performance. But there are weak points. First, a unique characteristic of skill is ignored, "the more practice, the better outcome". Second, no one knows when they have a proficiency in a skill. Learning curve-CUSUM analysis is a good tool to evaluate each trainee's performance. Hence, we designed this study to evaluate each trainee's proficiency in performing chest compression using LC-CUSUM analysis. METHODS: Four medical students were enrolled. We asked them to perform chest compression for two minutes per day without any intervention over six weeks. Data included the depth and rate of chest compression. Eventually, all trainees performed chest compression at least 30 times. We plotted the LC-CUSUM curve according to the results of attempts, successes or failures. RESULTS: According to median values of the depth and rate of chest compression through the 30th attempt, trainees had performances within the acceptable range, 40~49 mm (for depth) and 100~105 beats per minutes (for rate) of chest compression. Nonetheless, LC-CUSUM analysis indicated that two trainees no longer were proficient throughout, and even though the rest of them were once proficient, they appear to have lost that proficiency regarding depth of chest compression. LC-CUSUM analysis of rate of compression showed that all trainees had proficiency during the early phase. CONCLUSION: We propose that instructors can evaluate their trainees' proficiency easily, based on LC-CUSUM analysis.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Learning ; Resuscitation ; Retention (Psychology) ; Students, Medical ; Thorax ; Training Support

No abstract available.

Sweat gland carcinoma is the uncommon neoplasm, with few cases reported in the literatures. In a review of literatures, the most commonly used term is malignant nodular hidradenoma; however, similar cases also have been known as a malignant clear cell hidradenoma, malignant clear cell myoepithelioma, clear cell eccrine carcinoma and malignant clear cell acrospiroma. It is difficult to differentiate clinically between sweat gland carcinomas and other skin lesion, such as keloids, sebaceous cyst, dermatofibroma, lymphoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Thus, a preoperative diagnosis of sweat gland carcinoma is rarely made and histologic examination is the only means of diagnosis. Most sweat gland carcinomas are found on the scalp, face, upper extremities, and axilla. The lesions are typically small, very slow growing, painless nodules. However, it is aggressive, infiltrative, and has highly recurrent rate. Lymph node metastases are frequent and overall survival is poor. So, that must be treated with wide local excision of the lesion and primary regional node dissection is recommended.We have experienced of a case of malignant nodular hidradenoma in cheek area. It was widely excised by total parotidectomy and covered by scapula fasciocutaneous free flap. We report this case with the review of the literature.
Acrospiroma* ; Axilla ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cheek ; Diagnosis ; Epidermal Cyst ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; Keloid ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Myoepithelioma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Scalp ; Scapula ; Skin ; Sweat Glands ; Upper Extremity

Sweat gland carcinoma is the uncommon neoplasm, with few cases reported in the literatures. In a review of literatures, the most commonly used term is malignant nodular hidradenoma; however, similar cases also have been known as a malignant clear cell hidradenoma, malignant clear cell myoepithelioma, clear cell eccrine carcinoma and malignant clear cell acrospiroma. It is difficult to differentiate clinically between sweat gland carcinomas and other skin lesion, such as keloids, sebaceous cyst, dermatofibroma, lymphoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Thus, a preoperative diagnosis of sweat gland carcinoma is rarely made and histologic examination is the only means of diagnosis. Most sweat gland carcinomas are found on the scalp, face, upper extremities, and axilla. The lesions are typically small, very slow growing, painless nodules. However, it is aggressive, infiltrative, and has highly recurrent rate. Lymph node metastases are frequent and overall survival is poor. So, that must be treated with wide local excision of the lesion and primary regional node dissection is recommended.We have experienced of a case of malignant nodular hidradenoma in cheek area. It was widely excised by total parotidectomy and covered by scapula fasciocutaneous free flap. We report this case with the review of the literature.
Acrospiroma* ; Axilla ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cheek ; Diagnosis ; Epidermal Cyst ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; Keloid ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Myoepithelioma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Scalp ; Scapula ; Skin ; Sweat Glands ; Upper Extremity

Tumor endothelial marker 7 (TEM7) is a putative transmembrane protein that is highly expressed in the tumor endothelium. In the present study, the expression profile of TEM7 in the rat forebrain was investigated using immunohistochemistry with a specific polyclonal antibody against the extracellular region of TEM7. The immunohistochemical research revealed that TEM7 expressions were localized to specific neuronal areas such as cerebral cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamic magnocellular nuclei. The TEM7 protein was mainly present in the dendrite and cell body of the projection neurons. However, glial cells, vascular endothelial cells and meningeal cells did not show the expression of TEM7, indicating the specific roles of TEM7 in the neuronal cells in the vertebrate nervous system.
Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; Dendrites ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Hippocampus ; Immunohistochemistry ; Nervous System ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Prosencephalon* ; Rats* ; Vertebrates

PURPOSE: Metabolic encephalopathy is not an infrequent condition. However it is very difficult to diagnose and treat because of its various causes and clinical manifestations. Our purpose was to clarify the cause of metabolic encephalopathy by evaluation of MR findings and clinical features. METHODS: We reviewed MR images and clinical features for 25 patients with metabolic encephalopathy who showed abnormal signal changes on the MR images with neurologic deterioration. RESULTS: The 25 patients had underlying diseases such as chronic liver disease (n=16) or renal failure (n=9). The MR findings showed significant differences in the involved sites according to the underlying disease. In 10 of the 16 patients with liver disease, corpus callosal involvement was observed. Red nucleus involvement was seen in 6 patients, dentate nucleus involvement in 5 patients. These lesions were seen to have a high signal intensity on the diffusion weighted image. Contrary to liver disease, encephalopathy with renal disease showed typical central pontine myelinolysis in 6 of the 9 patients and a relatively benign clinical course. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the typically involved site and clinical manifestations depended on the underlying disease. We think that involvement of the corpus callosum, the red nucleus, and the dentate nucleus is a typical pattern of injury in metabolic encephalopathy with chronic liver disease and that these findings will be helpful for diagnosing and treating metabolic encephalopathy.
Brain Diseases, Metabolic* ; Cerebellar Nuclei ; Corpus Callosum ; Diffusion ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Myelinolysis, Central Pontine ; Red Nucleus ; Renal Insufficiency

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) play an important role in cells during the wound healing process. However, there has been no report on the effect of HSP70 and IL-8 on the blisters of burn patients. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the serial quantitative changes of HSP70 and IL-8 in burn blisters. METHODS: Twenty-five burn patients were included, for a total of 36 cases: twenty cases on the first day, six cases on the second, five cases on the third, three cases on the fourth, and two cases on the fifth. A correlation analysis was performed to determine the relationship between the concentration of HSP70 and IL-8 and the length of the treatment period. RESULTS: The HSP70 concentration was the highest on the first day, after which it decreased down to near zero. Most HSP70 was generated during the first 12 hours after the burn accident. There was no correlation between the concentration of HSP70 on the first day and the length of the treatment period. No measurable concentration of IL-8 was detected before 5 hours, but the concentration started to increase after 11 hours. The peak value was measured on the fourth day. CONCLUSION: While HSP70 increased in the first few hours and decreased afterwards, IL-8 was produced after 11 hours and increased afterward in burn blister fluid. These findings provide new evidence on serial changes of inflammatory mediators in burn blister fluid.
Blister* ; Burns* ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

OBJECTIVE: Uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a rare and aggressive disease with poor outcome. Due to its rarity and conflict of data, investigation on finding prognostic factor is challenging. The aim of the study was to investigate the prognostic significance of preoperative ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in uterine LMS. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational cohort study in 3 tertiary referral hospitals. We retrospectively evaluated data from patients with pathologically proven uterine LMS who underwent preoperative ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT scans at 3 institutions. The prognostic implication of PET/CT parameters and other clinico-pathological parameters on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated. RESULTS: Clinico-patholgical data were reviewed for 19 eligible patients. In the group overall, median DFS and OS were 12 and 20 months, respectively. As for the recurrence, large tumor size, and high tumor maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) were demonstrated as risk factors of recurrence. As for the OS, high tumor SUVmax was demonstrated as the unique risk factor. There were significant differences in tumor size, mitotic count, SUVmax, and DFS between patients with and without recurrence. Also, there were significant differences in tumor size, SUVmax, DFS, and OS between 2 subgroups stratified by cut-off SUVmax. CONCLUSION: SUVmax at preoperative ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT was associated with worse outcome in patients with uterine LMS. In the preoperative setting, SUVmax can be a valuable non-invasive prognostic marker. Additionally, SUVmax can help identify highly aggressive uterine LMS and may help in adjusting standard treatment toward an individualized, risk-adapted treatment.
Cohort Studies ; Disease-Free Survival ; Electrons ; Fibrinogen ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma* ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography* ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Uterine Diseases

PURPOSE: This study was conducted in the base hospital of Tangalle, Sri Lanka, in order to improve a new emergency operating system. METHODS: Emergency staff and patients were surveyed based on the five point Likert scale. Doctors and nurses were asked to rate their level of satisfaction regarding their relationship with patients. Patients were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with doctors, facilities, and the environment in the hospital. RESULTS: Doctors were overall satisfied with their job, scoring an average of 3.7. They were displeased with limitation of autonomous decision making on medical treatment, which they gave a score of 2.80. Nurses were generally satisfied with emergency services, with a score of 4.53. Nurses feel discomfort in non-specialized training (3.02). They also sense a lack of opportunities in their hospital (3.12). Patients' findings indicate that most patients were satisfied (4.2) and were displeased with wait time (3.429) and the attention that was given to each patient (3.92). When asked if they would recommend their physician to others and were willing to come back to their physician, outcomes were generally positive, receiving scores of 4.1, respectively. CONCLUSION: Findings showed that in order to create a well-structured system in the emergency centers around the Tangalle area, it is crucial to meet the needs of both patients and the emergency staff. Patients must have a sense of rapid treatment as well as privacy. Training should be provided to the staff so that they are better informed in quality care and up to date on recent studies.
Decision Making ; Emergencies* ; Humans ; Privacy ; Sri Lanka*