Limbic bone or persistant epiphysis seen roentgenographically on the anterosuperior aspects of the vertebral bodies represents another form of discal extrusion, seperating a small fragment of bone from the body of the involved vertebra. Lindblom, in 1951, demonstrated the pathophysiology with discography. Anterior herniation of the nucleus pulposus was also revealed by discography by Cloword and Buzaid in 1952. The authors reviewed 3 cases of limbic bone of the vertebrae.
Epiphyses ; Spine

No abstract available.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Elbow Prosthesis* ; Elbow*

No abstract available.
Laparotomy* ; Sutures* ; Wound Infection* ; Wounds and Injuries*

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule*

No abstract available.
Electrocardiography* ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Hemodynamics*

No abstract available.
Mitral Valve*

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy of transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) to detect left atrial thrombi(LAT) and to investigate the clinical and echocardiography parameters which related with LAT. METHOD: We performed TEE and TTE simultaneously to 98 consecutive patients who had native mital valve disease or mital prosthesis as usual method. We examined the presence and location of LAT and spontaneous contrast(SC) in TEE and measured left atrial dimension(LAD), ejection fraction(EF), mital valve area(MVA) in TTE. Cardiac rhythm, history of anticoagulation and systemic embolization were also reviewed. We compared such parameters in LAT positive/negative groups and SC positive/negative groups. RESULTS: 1) In TEE, we detected 26 cases of LAT, among them seventeen cases : left atrial appendage(LAA) thrombi, 3 cases : combined LA and LAA thrombi, 6 cases : LA thrombi. In TTE, six cases showed LAT but we couldn't detect LAA thrombi. The difference between two methods was statistically significant(p<0.05). 2) LAT positive group showed larger LAD, lower EF, and higher prevalence of AF, systemic embolization, and LAT than negative groups(p<0.01). 3) SC positive group showed larger LAD, lower EF, higher prevalence of AF, systemic embolization LAT than SC negative groups(p<0.05). 4) In multiple discriminant analysis, the history of systemic embolization was most important factor which can suspect LAT(Wilk's Lambda:0.77152. p<0.0001). SC, EF, presence of AF, LAD, anticoagulation therapy. MVR were also statistically valuable factors in order. The hit ratio of this analysis was 86.84%. CONCLUSION: We can suggest that TEE is very useful method to detect LAT than TTE, and the spontaneous contrast was very important factor which can suggest LAT and systemic embolization in mitral valve disease.
Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Prevalence ; Prostheses and Implants

We report a case of nonsyphilitic isolated coronary ostial stenosis of the left main coronary artery observed by transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) in a 52-year-old woman with angina. The lesion was suspected during coronary angiography and it was not visualized by transthoracic echocradiography. Coronary ostial stenosis, which is potentially lethal as left main coronary artery disease, occurs rarely in the absence of other coronary artery disease. The diagnosis of ostial stenosis has been usually made by the use of coronary angiography, however, it may be difficult to diagnose at angiography if angiographic catheter is positioned across the stenotic lesion, and the unexpected serious complication during coronary angiography in such a patient may happen. The new ultrasonic imaging technique of TEE provides more detailed images of proximal coronary anatomy and coronary blood flow.
Angiography ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: We performed this study to evaluate the long-term clinical prognosis, the effects of anti-anginal medicines on angina, and the factors on recurrence of angina in patients with angina and insignificant coronary artery stenosis (CAS). METHODS: The study population was consisted of 372 patients with angina and normal or minimal (less than 50 % stenosed) CAS out of 2475 consecutive patients who were performed coronary angiogram for 3.5 years. We reviewed the medical record of the study population. RESULTS: Myocardial infarction was developed in 2 cases (0.5%), recurrence of angina 59 cases (16%), and no death during mean 19 months follow-up period out of 372 patients. Patients with normal coronary artery (n=66) were younger (mean 54 yrs vs 59 yrs, p<0.001), had less incidence of diabetes (5% vs 13%, p<0.01), hypertension (19% vs 29%, p<0.05), recurrent angina (15% vs 18%, not significant), and myocardial infarction (0.4% vs 0.9%, not significant) than patients with minimal lesion (n=06). Anti-anginal medicine did not show benefits in relieving recurrent angina. Furthermore, in case of taking nitrates in patients with normal coronary artery, there was more frequent recurrence of angina (23% vs 13%, p<0.01) than not taking nitrates. There were no affecting factors to the recurrent angina among age, sex, ischemic changes on electrocardiogram, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. CONCLUSION: The long-term clinical outcomes in patients with insignificant CAS were good. Although there were no definite factors for recurrence of chest pain, administration of nitrates may cause more frequent angina in patients with normal coronary angiography.
Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Stenosis* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Myocardial Infarction ; Nitrates ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Smoke ; Smoking

Traumatic ventricular septal defect secondary to nonpenetrating chest trauma is very rare. We present one case of nonpenetrating traumatic ventricular septal defect with the review of the literatures.
Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Thorax*