PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical features of high myopic eyes with cataracts implanted with negative power intraocular lenses (IOLs) at the time of cataract surgery. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 18 eyes of 14 patients who underwent cataract surgery with negative power IOLs and 10 eyes in 9 patients with low power IOLs. We investigated axial length, IOL power, preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and preoperative and postoperative spherical equivalent (SE) refractive errors. RESULTS: Mean BCVA showed significant improvement in both groups. We measured postoperative SE refraction and the difference between the mean intended and the mean achieved SE refractive errors in the negative power group (17 eyes) was +1.59 ± 1.34 D and +0.31 ± 0.50 D in the low power group. CONCLUSIONS: BCVA was significantly improved in the majority of eyes, although they had myopic macular degeneration or posterior staphyloma. However, the mean achieved postoperative SE refraction was more hyperopic than the predicted postoperative SE error. Additionally, hyperopic refractive error was greater in the negative power group than the low power group. Therefore, we recommend that postoperative hyperopic refractive error should be considered when performing cataract surgery in high myopic patients.
Cataract Extraction* ; Cataract* ; Humans ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular* ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Macular Degeneration ; Myopia* ; Refractive Errors ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Tuberculosis*

No abstract available.
Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 1*

Congenital pericardial defect is relatively rare and two different types, partial and complete, of different clinical significance have been recognized. Most reported defects are complete type and left-sided lesion. Most patients are asymptomatic or complain of vague chest pain. Partial pericardial defect can be potentially fatal due to cardiac herniation and strangulation or coronary insufficiency. Plain chest reontgenography shows abnormal prominence along the cardiac border. 2-D echocardiography demonstrates a drop-off of pericardial echo and protruding cardiac chamber through the defect. Because of the potential fatality, surgical repair is recommended for the partial pericardial defect. We report a case of congenital partial left pericardial defect, which was diagnosed by plain chest reontgenography and 2-D echocardiography, with related literatures.
Chest Pain ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Thorax

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is correlation between serum concentrations of lipoproteins (VLDL, HDL, LDL) and development of preedampsia. METHODS: The authors measured serum concentrations of lipoproteins(VLDL, HDL, LDL) and lipids(which are major components of lipoproteins) in 12 preeclamptic women admitted to Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University from March 1999 to August 1999 and 12 normal pregnant women matched in age, weight, parity and gestational age. RESULTS: The first, the values of median and range of VLDL are higher in preeclamptic women than in normal pregnant women(preeclamptic women : 244mg/dL & 124-521mg/dL, normal pregnant women : 149mg/dL & 68-308mg/dL, p=0.0005). But there are no difierences in serum concentrations of HDL(high-density lipoprotein) and LDL(low-density lipoprotein) between two groups. The second, the values of median and range of triglyceride and free fatty acids are higher in preedamptic women than in normal pregnant women(preeclamptic women : triglycerides : 305.5mg/dL & 231-545mg/dL, free fatty acids : 1,333mmol/L & 842- 1523mmol/L, normal pregnant women,: triglycerides : 239mg/dL & 151-414mg/dL, free fatty acids : 806.5mmol/L & 314-1517mmol/L, p=0.019 in triglycerides and p=0.033 in free Fatty acids). But the serum concentrations of cholesterol are similar in two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results of this study showed the serum concentrations of VLDL, triglycerides and free fatty acids are significantly higher in preeclamptic women than in normal pregnant women. So, the high serum concentration of VLDL is thought to be important in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. In the next study, the prospective analysis will be necessary to identify whether serum concentration of VLDL is abnormaUy high in early gestational pregnant women who are destined to preeclamsia. Also, the measurement of pI 5.6 isoelectric form of albumin which is suggested to prevent VLDL toxicity will be necessary.
Cholesterol ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Lipoproteins* ; Parity ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnant Women ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether there is correlation between serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and development of preeclampsia. METHODS: The authors measured serum concentrations of VEGF in 18 preeclamptic women admitted to Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University from February 1999 to September 1999 and in 18 normotensive pregnant women matched in maternal age, maternal body weight, parity and gestational age. VEGF was measured with a sensitive and specific enzyme immunoassays. RESULTS: VEGF was detected in all pregnant women. The results of this study showed that the serum concentrations of VEGF are significantly higher in the preeclamptic women than in the normotensive pregnant women. The values of median and range of VEGF are 7.74 ng/ml and 0.5-35.94 ng/ml in the preeclamptic women, and 0.5 ng/ml and 0.5-2.16 ng/ml in the normotensive pregnant women, respectively. There is significant difference in serum concentrations of VEGF between two groups(p<0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). Positive correlations were noted between VEGF concentraions and the systolic and diastolic blood pressure(Systolic BP: r2=0.688, Diastolic BP: r2=0.722, Spearman rank test). CONCLUSION: The high serum concentration of VEGF is thought to be important in the development or pathophysiologic mechanism of preeclampsia. In the next study, the prospective analysis will be necessary to identify whether serum concentration of VEGF is abnormally high in early gestational pregnant women who are destined to preeclampsia.
Body Weight ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Maternal Age ; Parity ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnant Women ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

This erratum is being published to correct the printing error on page 517 of the article. Corrections for Fig. 1 and main text in page 519 are needed. The authors apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

We report a case of a 23-year-old female immigrant from China who was diagnosed with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis affecting her lung and brain, resistant to the standard first-line therapeutics and streptomycin. She was treated with prothionamide, moxifloxacin, cycloserine, and kanamycin. However, her headache and brain lesion worsened. After the brain biopsy, the patient was confirmed with intracranial tuberculoma. Linezolid was added to intensify the treatment regimen, and steroid was added for the possibility of paradoxical response. Kanamycin was discontinued 6 months after initiation of the treatment; she was treated for 18 months with susceptible drugs and completely recovered. To our knowledge, this case is the first multidrug-resistant tuberculosis that disseminated to the brain in Korea.
Biopsy ; Brain* ; China ; Cycloserine ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Kanamycin ; Korea ; Linezolid ; Lung ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Prothionamide ; Streptomycin ; Tuberculoma, Intracranial ; Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Eclampsia* ; Female ; Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome* ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: Diffusion of nitrous oxide into the cuff of the endotracheal tube (ETT) results in an increase in cuff pressure. This method was used to test whether tracheal morbidity is related to fill the cuff of the endotracheal tube with alkalinized lidocaine instead of air or lidocaine only. METHODS: Adult patients scheduled for total thyroidectomy surgery were randomly enrolled (n = 30 for each group).The ETT cuff was filled with air 6 ml (Group C), with 2% lidocaine 6 ml (Group L), or with alkalinized lidocaine (4 ml or 2 ml of 2% lidocaine) using 2 ml (Group A) or 4 ml (Group B) of 8.4% NaHCO3.After tracheal extubation, sore throat was evaluated by visual analog scale as the main end-point of the study. RESULTS: Compared with group air or lidocaine only, the alkalinized-lidocaine groups had a significant reduction in sore throat during the 24-h postoperative period (P < 0.001).The difference was not significant between the two alkalinized lidocaine groups. Cough before tracheal extubation, nausea, postoperative vomiting, dysphonia, and hoarseness after extubation were decreased in the alkalinized-lidocaine groups compared with Group C and L, and a better tolerance was recorded with alkalinized-lidocaine groups compared with Group C and L. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that use of intracuff alkalinized lidocaine is an effective adjunct to endotracheal intubation instead of air or lidocaine only during nitrous oxide anesthesia, however there were no differences between two alkalinizations.
Adult ; Airway Extubation ; Anesthesia ; Cough ; Diffusion ; Dysphonia ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Lidocaine ; Nitrous Oxide ; Pharyngitis ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Postoperative Period ; Sodium Bicarbonate ; Thyroidectomy ; Vomiting