Post-traumatic tricuspid insufficiency is a rare condition and may be clinically silent and imprecise. The diagnosis may be difficult when it progreses slowly and other acute lesions exist concomittantly. Two-dimenstional Doppler echocardiography appears to be an essential procedure in diagnosting the rupture of chordae tendineae or papillary muscle following traumatic injury. We report a case of tricuspid insufficiency of which symptom developed 8 years later following a blunt chest trauma. The patient was operated by tricuspid vlave repair with chordal replacement and ring annuloplasty successfully. We would like to emphasize that patients sustaining major thoracic trauma should be carefully examine for possible blunt chest trauma including cardiac valve rupture or tear.
Chordae Tendineae ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Papillary Muscles ; Rupture ; Thorax*

BACKGROUND: Although surgical angioplasty for isolated coronary ostial stenosis is assumend as an alternative approach to CABG, the clinical features of isolated coronary ostial stenosis, postoperative complications and follow-up angiographic results would have not been well studied. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 24 patients (female : male = 20 : 4, mean age 50.0 +/- 12.3 yr) who underwent surgical angioplasty for isolated coronary ostial stenosis using patch ( 22 fresh autologous pericardium, 2 saphenous vein) during the period of March 1990 through February 1998. Repeat coronary angiography (16 patients) and echocardiography (24 patients) were performed. Aortic regurgitation was evaluated semiquantitatively (Grade I - Grade IV). RESULTS: There were 3 deaths after surgical angioplasty. One death was due to acute coronary dissection perioperatively, the second due to low cardiac output syndrome 2 weeks post-surgery, and the third due to traumatic panperitonitis 10 months post-procedure. Angina recurred in 4 patients and the remaning 18 patients were symptom-free. Repeat angiography (19.3 +/- 20.7 Mo) showed widely patent ostium with excellent run-off except 2 patients (1 distal patch stenosis, 1 ostial restenosis in Takayasu's arteritis). The third symptomatic patient was proven to have coronary spasm by ergonovine test. AR increased in the fourth patient (Grade II -> III) with patent ostium. CONCLUSION: Surgical angioplasty may be feasible and alternative operative method to CABG for isolated coronary ostial stenosis. It should however be noted that postop AR can develop and/or increase. Further investigation is needed to evaluate the clinical significance of the AR.
Angiography ; Angioplasty* ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Cardiac Output, Low ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Echocardiography ; Ergonovine ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Pericardium ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Spasm

No abstract available.
Glycogen Storage Disease* ; Glycogen*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Collagen* ; Insulin* ; Rats* ; Streptozocin*

Serous cystadenomas of the pancreas account for approximately a third of pancreatic cystic neoplasms. Their coexistence with a second tumor is extremely rare. We now report a case of a serous microcystic adenoma combined with an intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of the pancreas in a 69-year-old man. Abdominal computed tomography scans demonstrated an incidental cystic mass in the body with cystic dilatation of the duct in the head of the pancreas. Central pancreatectomy with pancreatico-jejunostomy, and cyst excision of the pancreatic head were performed. Histologic examination demonstrated a serous microcystic cystadenoma in the body coexisting with an intraductal papillary mucinous adenoma in the head of the pancreas. This case study highlights the importance of careful intra-operative and pathologic examination for synchronous pancreatic tumors.
Adenoma ; Aged ; Cystadenoma ; Cystadenoma, Serous ; Dilatation ; Head ; Humans ; Mucins ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatic Cyst

Treatment of the trigger points(TrP) is the most important thing for management of myofascial pain syndrome(MPS). The most effective treatment of TrP is local injection with various types of drug or dry needling, but the effectiveness of each drug was not the same by each investigator. The purposes of this study are to evaluate diagnostic value of Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(DITI) for trigger points and therapeutic effects of lidocaine and normal saline by DITI. This study included 15 patients who have TrP on upper trapezius muscles as a patient group and 10 normal adults as a control group. 2 cc of 2% Lidocaine was injected to the TrP of upper trapezius muscles in a patient group and to one side of upper trapezius muscles in a control group. One week after the first injection, 2 cc of normal saline was injected by the same method in a patient group. DITI was taken sequentially, preinjection(Pre), immediately after injection(P0), 15(P15), 30(P30), 60(P60) minutes and 24 hours(P24h) after injection. The parameters, temperature difference(deltaT) of both sides, changes of deltaT(deltadT), visual analogue scale(VAS) were recorded at each point. It was considered abnormal, when the deltaT was above 0.6oC. The patient group was subdivided as Group I(hot spot), Group II(cold spot) and Group III(no difference) according to preinjection thermographic findings of TrP. The results were as follows: 1) deltaT of control group was within 0.52oC(95% confidence interval), 2) the numbers were 9 in Group I, 3 in Group II and 3 in Group III, and the sensitivity and specificity of hot spots for MPS were 81.8% and 57.1%, respectively, 3) deltaT was more reduced after lidocaine- than normal saline-injection, 4) VAS was more reduced after lidocaine- than normal saline-injection, especially in Group I and II. It is concluded that DITI can be used as one of the diagnostic tools for TrP and lidocaine is more effective than normal saline for the treatment of TrP.
Adult ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Myofascial Pain Syndromes ; Research Personnel ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Thermography ; Trigger Points*

PURPOSE: In order to obtain basic data for treatment plan in radiosurgery, we measured small fields of 6 MV X-rays and compared the measured data with our Monte Carlo simulations for the small fields. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The small fields of 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 cm in diameter were used in this study. Percentage depth dose (PDD) and beam profiles of those fields were measured and calculated. A small semiconductor detector, water phantoms, and a remote control system were used for the measurement. Monte Carlo simulations were performed using the EGS4 code with the input data prepared for the energy distribution of 6 MV X-rays, beam divergence, circular fields and the geometry of the water phantoms. RESULTS: In the case of PDD values, the calculated values were lower than the measured values for all fields and depths, with the differences being 0.3 to 5.7% at the depths of 2.0 to 20.0 cm and 0.0 to 8.9% at the surface regions. As a result of the analysis of beam profiles for all field sizes at a depth of 10cm in water phantom, the measured 90% dose widths were in good agreement with the calculated values, however, the calculated penumbra radii were 0.1 cm shorter than measured values. CONCLUSION: The measured PDDs and beam profiles agreement with the Monte Carlo calculations approximately. However, it is different when it comes to calculations in the area of phantom surface and penumbra because the Monte Carlo calculations were performed under the simplified geometries. Therefore, we have to study how to include the actual geometries and more precise data for the field area in Monte Carlo calculations. The Monte Carlo calculations will be used as a useful tool for the very complicated conditions in measurement and verification.
Radiosurgery ; Semiconductors ; Water

OBJECTIVE: To determine the heating characteristics of needle-shaped duplex stainless steel thermoseeds, and to evaluate their effectiveness in the induction of hyperthermia in rabbit liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thermoseeds of the two different shapes, L-shaped for single doses of hyperthermia and I-shaped for in-vitro study and repeated hyperthermic induction, were prepared. For the in-vitro study, an I-shaped thermoseed 0.23 mm in diameter and 25 mm long was placed inside a plastic tube filled with water. Heat was applied for 30 minutes within an induction magnetic field, and during this time changes in temperature were recorded using three thermocouples. For the in-vivo study, fifteen New Zealand white rabbits were divided into five equal groups. An I-shaped or L-shaped thermoseed was inserted in each rabbit's liver, and then placed within the center of the magnetic induction coil during a 30-minute period of hyperthermia. The rabbits in the first group were sacrificed immediately after hyperthermia was induced once, while those in the other groups were sacrificed at 1, 3, and 7 days, respectively, also after one induction. The remaining three rabbits were sacrificed 4 days after three consecutive daily treatment sessions. The resected segments of liver were subsequently evaluated histopathologically for the extent of coagulation necrosis caused by heating of the thermoseed. RESULTS: The in-vitro study demonstrated that the temperature in the thermoseed, which was 25.9 degree C before heating and 54.8 degree C after heating, rose rapidly at first but progressively less rapidly as time elapsed. Light microscopic examination of the rabbits' livers revealed coagulation necrosis and infiltration by inflammatory cells around the insertion site of the thermoseed. The maximum diameter of coagulation necrosis was 2.81+/-1.68 mm, and this occurred in the rabbits that were sacrificed 7 days after heat induction. CONCLUSION: Needle-shaped duplex stainless steel thermoseeds show temperature-dependent-type heating characteristics, and in rabbit liver, induced coagulation necrosis of surrounding tissues after heat is applied for 30 minutes. These thermoseeds may thus be useful for the induction of interstitial hyperthermia.
Animal ; *Body Temperature ; Hyperthermia, Induced/*instrumentation ; Liver/pathology/*physiology ; Necrosis ; Rabbits ; Stainless Steel ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

PURPOSE: The dose calculation program for the Buchler type remote afterloading system was developed. This program also can be used to calculate dose for various sealed sources. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We determined the source length and distribution by dividing the program disk to 72 points. The dose rate for the each program disk and source was calculated. The dose rate table for the xy coordinate was established. The dose rate for the interesting points of the patient were calculated by using this table. We also made isodose curve from this calculations. RESULTS: The storage size for the dose rate table were increased.But the calculation of the dose rate for the patient were carried out rapidly. So we could get real time calculation. CONCLUSION: By using this program, we could calculate the dose rate for the various oints of the patient quickly and accurately. This program will be useful for the treatment with various linear sources.
Brachytherapy ; Humans