No abstract available.
Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Mortality*

BACKGROUND: Complicated pleural space occupying lesions (SOL) have been treated by thoracentesis, closed thoracotomy drainage (CTD) or surgical intervention with using a video thoracosocpe or open thoracotomy depending on the extent of the disease. With the development of video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication have revealed good results as compared to those for open thorcotomy. To assess the effectiveness of VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication, we retrospectively analyzed the medical record and radiologic findings of the patients with complicated pleural SOL and who were treated by this surgery. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From May 1996 to April 2006, 64 patients (mean age: 41.8 years) with complicated pleural SOL underwent 65 VATS. To analyze the surgical outcome, we classified the postoperative findings on the simple chest X-rays into 4 classes as Class I: no or minimal pleural lesion, Class II: blunting of the cardiophrenic angle and mild pleural thickening, Class III: an elevated diaphgram or persistent lung collapse and Class IV: complicated or recurrent effusion. RESULT: Before VATS, the patients underwent the diagnostic or therapeutic procedures: single or repeat diagnostic tapping for 41, thoracoscotomy drainage for 11, pigtail catheter drainage for 10 and intrapleural fibrinolytics for 10. The mean duration between the onset of symptom and surgery was 18.4 days. There was neither mortality nor severe complications. The surgical outcomes were class 1 for 28, class 2 for 13, class 3 for 19 and class 4 for 5. There were statistically significant differences between the symptom duration and the classes, and between the operation time and the classes. CONCLUSION: VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication are effective, safe treatments for managing complicated pleural SOL, and an earlier operation is needed for obtaining a better surgical outcome.
Catheters ; Drainage ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Pleural Effusion ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the characteristics of exertional heat stroke between the non-survival and the survival groups. METHODS: From January 1996 to December 2002, patients with exertional heat stroke who came to the emergency department of a military hospital were enrolled. Data on individual factors, atmospheric conditions, pre-hospital management, initial vital signs, laboratory findings, presence of seizure attack, and performance of intubation were reviewed retrospectively and compared between the nonsurvival and the survival groups. RESULTS: During the study period, 22 patients were diagnosed as suffering from exertional heat stroke and 5 patients died. Most of the episodes occurred during the summer days with high ambient temperature (mean 30.6+/-3.0 degrees C) and humidity (mean 75.6+/-7.7%), and 13 patients were unacclimatized recruits. The non-survival group showed a lower initial systolic blood pressure, platelet count, arterial pH, and HCO3 - level, and a higher serum creatinine, ALT, and amylase level than did the survival group (p<0.05). However there were no significant differences in individual factors, atmospheric conditions, pre-hospital management, initial pulse rate, temperature, white blood cell count, hemoglobin count, and the sodium, potassium, BUN and AST levels between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Initial systolic blood pressure, platelet count, and arterial pH, as well as HCO3 -, serum creatinine, ALT, and amylase levels seem to be important factors for the prognosis of exertional heat stroke.
Amylases ; Blood Pressure ; Creatinine ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Heart Rate ; Heat Stroke* ; Hospitals, Military ; Hot Temperature* ; Humans ; Humidity ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Intubation ; Leukocyte Count ; Military Personnel* ; Platelet Count ; Potassium ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures ; Sodium ; Vital Signs

We report a case of a patient with lung cancer, which invaded the left atrium and pericardium. Right middle and lower lobectomy was performed with the use of the extracorporeal circulation. Postoperative pathologic examination revealed the stage of IIIB (T4N1M0). Although the postoperative clinical course was complicated by acute localized right sided pulmonary edema and the bronchopleural fistula, the patient recovered smoothly after the procedure of omentopexy with pedicled graft of greater omentum in closing the BPF. As of August 2003, he has been followed up for 6 years and he is healthy without any evidence of recurrence. We could not find any report concerning lung cancer resection using cardiopulmonary bypass in Korean literature and believe this is the first report, especially with long-term survival.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Extracorporeal Circulation* ; Fistula ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Omentum ; Pericardium ; Pulmonary Edema ; Recurrence ; Transplants

Neurogenic tumors of the brachial plexus region are relatively rare. We report a recent experience of schwannoma of the right brachial plexus in the inferior trunk, which was successfully treated by microsurgical resection. A 38-year- old man presented a dysesthetic pain in the supraclavicular area and the right forearm of C6, 7 dermatome. Rubbery hard mass was palpated in the right supraclavicular area and magnetic resonance imaging showed a well circumscribed, well enhanced ovoid mass with cystic degeneration on the right brachial plexus portion. The patient underwent complete removal of the mass through the anterior cervicothoracic (modified Dartevelle) approach. At the postoperative 3 months, there is no neurologic deficit.
Brachial Plexus* ; Forearm ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurilemmoma* ; Neurologic Manifestations

BACKGROUND: Intraperitoneal(IP) vancomycin has been widely used for the treatment of peritonitis or exit-site infection associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis(CAPD). However, some previous reports in the literature have suggested that IP administration of certain vancomycin may be associated with chemical peritonitis in CAPD patients. METHODS: Between 1 February 1994 and 1 February 1997, 35 consecutive CAPD patients requiring treatment with intraperitoneal vancomycin for either exit-site infection or peritonitis in the Yeungnam University Hospital were recruited retrospectively into the study. We compared retrospectively the incidence of chemical peritonitis after using two different preparations of vancomycin from different pharmaceutical companies, namely vancocin CP(R) and vancomycin(R). RESULTS: Thirty-three cases(all 26 cases given vancocin CP(R) and 7 out of the 9 cases given vancomycin(R)) showed improvement. None of them developed fever, abdominal pain or cloudy dialysate. Out of the 9 cases given IP vancomycin(R), two who currently did not have abdominal pain and cloudy dialysis effluent develolped these symptom and sign at 5 and 6 hours after administration of IP vancomycin. The chemical peritonitis may be secondary to prolonged contact of the peritoneal membrane with one or more of the impurities present in vancomycin preparation. CONCLUSION: In summary, it is necessary for the nephrologists to be aware of the possible chemical peritonitis which can be caused by the impurities of certain brand of vancomycin.
Abdominal Pain ; Dialysis ; Fever ; Humans ; Incidence ; Membranes ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Vancomycin*

Minimally invasive thoracic surgery has been one of the most important surgical advances recently. Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung is a relatively rare anomaly and is clearly associated with various congenital anomalies such as pectus excavatum, cardiac and pulmonary vascular lesions. We have experienced a case that was treated with minimal invasive methods for congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation involving in the right lower lobe and pectus excavatum in a 5-year-old boy. We simultaneously performed thoracoscopic right lower lobectomy and Nuss procedure of pectus excavatum using a substernal steel bar. Therefore, a minimally invasive surgical treatment for this diseases is feasible and cosmetically excellent.
Child, Preschool ; Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation of Lung, Congenital* ; Funnel Chest* ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Steel ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thoracoscopy

A combined anterolateral and posterior approach with thoracotomy has been recommended as the traditional surgical approach for the tumors of the thoracic spine. Recently, because of the morbidity associated with open thoracotomy, the thoracoscopically assisted surgical technique was introduced successfully in thoracic spinal surgery. Herein, we report a combined surgical technique for giant cell tumor of the thoracic spine (T10) consisting of bilateral thoracoscopic anterior release of the spine followed by a posterior en bloc spondylectomy and reconstruction by orthopedic surgeons. The thoracoscopic spinal surgery is safe and effective alternative for other open thoracotomic procedures in the approach to the anterior thoracic spine, avoiding the disadvantage inherent to thoracotomy.
Giant Cell Tumors ; Orthopedics ; Spine* ; Thoracoscopy ; Thoracotomy

OBJECTIVE: Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common causative microorganisms in pelvic inflammatory disease. The symptom of Chlamydia infection is nearly absent or weak in many cases, but its complication is clinically very important because of tubal obstruction, infertility, tubal pregnancy, and recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease. This study was performed to investigate the prevalence rate and clinical characteristics of Chlamydia trachomatis. METHODS: From May, 2001 to April, 2002, in Daerim St. Mary's Hospital, OB-Gyn department, the 68 inpatients of pelvic inflammatory diseases and 607 outpatients of routine gynecologic examination were studied on history taking, physical examination, laboratory test, and polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of Chlamydia trachomatis was 20.6% (14/68) in pelvic inflammatory disease and 8.6% (51/593) in routine gynecologic examination. As regarding the age distribution of Chlamydia trachomatis positive group was the largest portion in the twenties, and symptom-free group was about 40%. Chlamydia infection was related to the history of artificial abortion, and showed no significant difference in parity. Most common site of infection was uterine cervix, and mixed infection rate with other bacteria was 43.1%. The treatments were given medically in 58 cases, surgically in 6 cases, and laparoscopy in 1 case were performed. CONCLUSION: Although the prevalence rate of Chlamydia infection is high in sexually active age group and Chlamydia infection has a serious bad effect on reproduction, the disease detection is difficult because symptom is weak or absent, but it reveals good cure rate. Therefore the screening and treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis are necessary to decrease the prevalence and prevention of complication.
Age Distribution ; Bacteria ; Cervix Uteri ; Chlamydia Infections ; Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Coinfection ; Fallopian Tube Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Inpatients ; Laparoscopy ; Mass Screening ; Outpatients ; Parity ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Physical Examination ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Tubal ; Prevalence ; Reproduction

Isoconazole nitrate is one of the broad-spectrum antimycotic agents recently developed from imidazole derivatives. Authors performed ulticenter trials to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Travogen and Travocort in superficial fungal diseases. In the usual superficial fungal diseases, Travogen was applied 4 weeks. In the inflammatory and eczematoid superficial fungal diseases, Travocort was applied 2 weeks initially and then followed by 2 weeks application of Travogen. One hundred and ninty one patients with superficial fungal diseases were included in this study during g months from December, 1982 to August, 19$3 The obtained results were as follows; The overall cure rate of Travogen and Travocort in each superficial fungal diseases were gl 7g (tinea pedis), 98. L% (tinea cruris), 1ppg, (tinea corporis), 9g. 100% (tinea manus), 1ppg (tinea capitis) and 1pgg (candidiasis) respectively. Trichophyton rubrum(51. 3%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes(29.3g), Tricho -countinue-
Humans ; Trichophyton