No abstract available.

Background: Spontaneous pneumopericardium is a very rare condition. Spontaneous pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum have been reported to be associated with an idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, spontaneous pneumopericardium has not yet been reported in association with IPF. Here we report a case of spontaneous pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium in a patient with acute exacerbation of IPF with a review of the relevant literature.
Humans ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis* ; Mediastinal Emphysema* ; Pneumopericardium* ; Pneumothorax

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ultrasonographic (US) or computer tomography (CT) findings of surgically proven epidermal cysts in the trunk, and to compare the echogenicity of cysts with internal contents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five patients were retrospectively evaluated. US and CT findings of epidermal cysts were assessed in regard to location, size, shape, number, echogenicity, posterior sound enhancement, internal density, septa, mural nodule and calcification, perilesional infiltration, contrast enhancement, and internal contents. RESULTS: All 45 patients (M: F=29: 16; US in 26, CT in 19) had only one cyst, and they were located in the buttocks (n=19), back (n=13), inguinal (n=4), posterior neck (n=3), perineum (n=2), abdominal wall (n=2), presternal (n=1), and axilla (n=1). Of 26 patients who underwent US, there were 8 cases of homogeneously hypoechoic mass (30.8%), 8 of inhomogeneously hypoechoic mass (30.8%), 7 of homogeneously hypoechoic mass with internal hypoechoic lines and echogenic spots (26.9%) and 3 of homogeneously hypoechoic mass with internal echogenic spots (11.5%). Posterior sound enhancement was noted in 21 patients (80.8%). Of 19 patients who underwent CT, there were 14 cases of simple cyst (73.7%) and 5 of abscess-like lesion (26.3%). Overlying skin thickening (n=13), contrast enhancement of cystic wall (n=11), perilesional infiltration (n=7), and internal septa (n=6) were demonstrated. The internal contents of the cysts were keratinous (n=27, 60.0%) or greasy (n=15, 33.3%) material. There was no statistical significance between the echogenicity of the cysts and the internal contents (p >0.2). CONCLUSION: Epidermal cysts showed homogeneous or inhomogeneous hypoechoic mass with posterior sound enhancement on US. There was no relationship between the echogenicity of the cysts and the internal contents. In the case of ruptured cyst, an abscess-like lesion with wall enhancement and perilesional infiltration was noted on CT scan.
Abdominal Wall ; Axilla ; Buttocks ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Humans ; Neck ; Perineum ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: We wanted to evaluate whether both the colonic transit time (CTT) and defecography are necessary for diagnosing constipated patients, and we also wanted to assess the defecographic findings of patients with outlet obstruction on CTT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over the recent 3 years, 26 patients (21 women and 5 men, mean age: 59 years) underwent both CTT and defecography because of their chronic constipation or defecation difficulty. The mean interval between the 2 studies was 48 days. Colonoscopy, barium enema and manometry were performed in 22, 8 and all the patients, respectively. RESULTS: On CTT, 13 patients (50.0%) were normal and 13 patients (50.0%) were abnormal; the abnormal results were composed of outlet obstruction (n=8, 30.8%), outlet obstruction and colon inertia (n=2, 7.7%), colon inertia (n=2, 7.7%), and outlet obstruction and hindgut dysfunction (n=1, 3.8%). On defecography, 6 patients (23.1%) were normal and 20 patients (76.9%) were abnormal; the results were composed of rectocele (n=8, 30.7%), rectocele and perineal descent syndrome (PDS; n=4, 15.4%), PDS and rectal intussusception (n=3, 11.5%), spastic pelvic floor syndrome (SPFS; n=3, 11.5%), rectocele and SPFS (n=1, 3.8%), and rectal intussusception (n=1, 3.8%). Of the 11 patients with outlet obstruction on CTT, rectocele (n=4, 36.4%), SPFS (n=1, 9.1%), rectocele and PDS (n=1, 9.1%), and PDS and rectal intussusception (n=1, 9.1%) were demonstrated on defecography, except for the 4 normal cases. CONCLUSION: Both CTT and defecography were necessary for diagnosing the patients with chronic constipation in compensation, and 63.6% of the patients with pelvic outlet obstruction showed an abnormal pelvic defecation function.
Barium ; Colon* ; Colonoscopy ; Compensation and Redress ; Constipation* ; Defecation ; Defecography* ; Enema ; Female ; Humans ; Intussusception ; Male ; Manometry ; Muscle Spasticity ; Pelvic Floor ; Rectocele

Nodular hepatic involvement of multiple myeloma is very rare. We report here on a case of nodular hepatic involvement of multiple myeloma that mimicked intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. In patients with multiple myeloma, hepatic involvement of the multiple myeloma might be included in the differential diagnosis of hepatic mass.
Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Liver* ; Multiple Myeloma*

Nodular hepatic involvement of multiple myeloma is very rare. We report here on a case of nodular hepatic involvement of multiple myeloma that mimicked intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. In patients with multiple myeloma, hepatic involvement of the multiple myeloma might be included in the differential diagnosis of hepatic mass.
Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Liver* ; Multiple Myeloma*

BACKGROUND: The correlation between the high resolution computed tomography(HRCT) emphysema score and the physiologic parameters including resting and exercise pulmonary function test was investingated in 14 patients(60.6±10.3 years) with pulmonary emphysema. METHODS: The patients underwent a HRCT, a resting pulmonary function test, and incremental exercise testing(cycle ergometer, 10 W/min). Computed tomography scans were obtained on a GE highlight at 10 mm intervals using 10 mm collimation, from the apex to the base after a full inspiration. The emphysema scores wer determined by a CT program 'Density mask' outlining the areas with attenuation values less than -900 HU, indicating the emphysema areas, and providing an overall percentage of lung involvement by emphysema. RESULTS: Among the resing PFT parameters, only the diffusing capacity(r=-0.75) and PaO2 (r=-0.66) correlated with the emphysema score(p<0.05). Among the exercise test parameers, the emphysema score correlated significantly with the maximum power(r=-0.74), maximum oxygen consumption(r=-0.68), anaerobic threshold(V-slope method : r=-0.69), maximal O2-pulse(r=-0.73), and the physiologic dead space ratio at the maximum workload(r=-0.80)(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: We could find that exercise testing parameters showed a much better correlation with the HRCT emphysema score, which is known to have a good correlation with the pathologic severity than the resting PFT parameters. Therefore it is suggested that exercise testing is superior to resting PFT for estimating in the estimation of the physiologic disturbance in emphysema patients.
Emphysema* ; Exercise Test ; Humans ; Lung ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Emphysema ; Respiratory Function Tests

BACKGROUND: High dose fentanyl anesthesia has been recommended for circulatory stability during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), but hypertension and tachycardia in response to noxious stimulation have been noted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic effects of extensive thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) combined with general anesthesia (GA). METHODS: The hemodynamic effects in CABG were evaluated in 30 patients. They were randomized into two groups ; the GA group receiving high dose fentanyl (50-70 mcg/kg), the TEA group receiving 10 ml bupivacaine 5 mg ml 1 followed by 5 ml every two hours epidurally GA (N2O-O2). The hemodynamic parameters were evaluated before induction of anesthesia, 20 minutes after induction of anesthesia, after sternotomy, and 30 minutes after end of cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS: Heart rate and mean arterial pressure were significantly lower after sternotomy in the TEA group compared to the GA group. Significant increase in cardiac index and decrease in central venous pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were found after induction of anesthesia and sternotomy in the TEA group compared to the GA group. Especially, the pulmonary vascular resistance was significantly lower during all the period in the TEA group compared to the GA group. No differences were observed in stroke volume index, systemic vascular resistance, left ventricular stroke work index between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests a more effective blockade of the stress response during CABG with TEA than with GA. So, we consider that TEA could be used as an adjunctive anesthetic method during CABG.
Analgesia, Epidural* ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Arterial Pressure ; Bupivacaine ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Central Venous Pressure ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Fentanyl ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Sternotomy ; Stroke ; Stroke Volume ; Tachycardia ; Tea ; Vascular Resistance

Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) is an emerging pathogen causing respiratory and reproductive illness in poultry worldwide. To demonstrate the presence of AMPV in domestic chickens in Korea, we attempted to isolate AMPV from affected chickens. A cytopathic agent was isolated using chicken tracheal ring culture from dead chickens from a broiler breeder farm with reduced egg production in Korea. This agent, termed SC1509 strain, subsequently passed in Vero cells with distinct cytopathic effects. The SC1509 strain was confirmed as avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) using both RT-PCR test and monoclonal antibody-based immunofluorescence assay. Sequence analysis based on the G glycoprotein revealed that the SC1509 strain had 22.5 to 96.0% nucleotide sequence identity and 11.1 to 92.7% predicted amino acid sequence identity with previously published AMPV strains, particularly with the highest sequence homology (95.8 to 96% for nucleotides and 92.2 to 92.7% for amino acids) to European strains belonging to genotype B. The SC1509 strain was phylogenetically clustered with genotype B viruses, confirming that the SC1509 strain belongs to genotype B. This is the first report of genotype B avian metapneumovirus from chickens in Korea.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Chickens ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Genotype ; Glycoproteins ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Herpesvirus 1, Cercopithecine ; Korea ; Metapneumovirus ; Nucleotides ; Ovum ; Poultry ; Sequence Analysis ; Sequence Homology ; Sprains and Strains ; Vero Cells

BACKGROUND: Epidural block is known to block sympathetic efferent nerve fiber, resulting in the decrease of catecholamine. We examined the effects of thoracic epidural block on DFT, neuroendocrine responses and hemodynamic changes in dogs. METHODS: Twenty one dogs were divided into three groups. The control group (N = 7) was anesthesized with only alpha-chloralose for general anesthesia, and a high thoracic epidural (T; N = 7) while the thoracolumbar epidural groups (TL; N = 7) were put under general anesthesia with high thoracic or thoracolumbar epidural blocks, respectively. The DFT was determined at 30 mins after surgical manipulation in the control group and at 10 mins after the epidural blocks in the two epidural groups. Four hemodynamic variables, catecholamine, cAMP and lactate were measured at 30 mins after the surgical manipulation (resting period), at 10 mins after epidural blocks and after defibrillation. RESULTS: 1) The DFT levels were significantly higher in the T (6.4 +/- 2.2 J) and TL groups (11.2 +/- 9.3 J) than in the control group (3.2 +/- 1.6 J)(P < 0.05). In the TL group, epinephrine-induced second DFT was lower (3.0 +/- 1.5 J) than the first DFT (11.2 +/- 9.3 J)(P < 0.05). 2) Catecholamine levels and hemodynamic variables including heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and cardiac output significantly decreased in the TL group compared with the control group after epidural block and defibrillation (P < 0.05). The DFT showed a significant correlation with plasma epinephrine levels after the epidural block (r = 0.56, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show, an increase in transmyocardial DFT by the epidural block which may be caused by a decrease in catecholamine, especially epinephrine.
Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Chloralose ; Dogs* ; Epinephrine ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Lactic Acid ; Nerve Fibers ; Plasma