Chiari type I malformation is a tonsillar herniation more than 3 mm from the level of foramen magnum, with or without concurrent syringomyelia. Different surgical treatments have been developed for syringomyelia secondary to Chiari's malformations: craniovertebral decompression with or without plugging of the obex, syringo-subarachnoid, syringo-peritoneal, and theco-peritoneal shunt placement. Shunt placement procedures are useful for neurologically symptomatic large-sized syrinx. In this paper, authors define the first successful treatment of a patient with syringomyelia due to Chiari type I malformation using a pre-defined new technique of syringo-subarachnoid-peritoneal shunt with T-tube system.
Decompression ; Encephalocele ; Foramen Magnum ; Humans ; Syringomyelia*

Wilms' tumor is the most common malignant renal tumor in childhood. The brain metastasis of a Wilms' tumor with anaplastic histopathology is rare. We present the case of an 8-year-old girl with Wilms' tumor, who presented with multiple brain metastases 5 years after her primary diagnosis. The brain masses were diagnosed after a generalized tonic-clonic seizure attack. The big solid mass in the cerebellum was resected, and whole-brain radiotherapy was performed, after which, she succumbed to her disease. In the case of clinical suspicion, cranial surveillance should be included in the routine clinical work-up for Wilms' tumor. Combined aggressive therapy (surgery+radiotherapy+chemotherapy) should be applied whenever possible, for both better survival and palliative aspects.
Brain* ; Cerebellum ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Glycogen Storage Disease Type VI ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Radiotherapy ; Seizures ; Wilms Tumor*

BACKGROUND:This study aimed to compare pantoprazole, a proton-pomp inhibitors (PPIs), and ranitidine, a H2 receptor antagonists (H2RA), in ceasing dyspeptic symptoms in the emergency department (ED). METHODS:This randomized, double-blinded study compared the effectiveness of 50 mg ranitidine (Ulcuran?) and 40 mg pantoprazole (Pantpas?), given in a 100 mL saline solution by an intravenous rapid infusion within 2–4 minutes in patients with dyspepsia presented to the ED. Pain intensity was measured at baseline, 30 and 60 minutes after the drug administration. RESULTS:A total of 72 patients were eligible for the study. Of these patients, 2 were excluded from the study because the initial visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were under 20 mm and 4 were excluded from the statistical analysis because of being diagnosed as having other causes of epigastric pain despite being allocated to one of the study groups. Thirty-three patients in the pantoprazole group and 33 patients in the ranitidine group were analyzed ultimately. The mean age of the patients was 36.6±15 years, and 26 (39.4％) patients were male. Both of the groups reduced pain effectively at 30 [27.6±28 (18 to 37) vs. 28.3±23 (20 to 37), respectively] and 60 minutes [39.6±39 (26 to 53) vs. 42.3±25 (33 to 51), respectively]. There were 13 (39.4％) patients in the pantoprazole group and 8 (24.2％) patients in the ranitidine group who required additional drug at the end of the study (P=0.186). CONCLUSION:Intravenous pantoprazole and ranitidine are not superior to each other in ceasing dyspeptic symptoms at 30 and 60 minutes in the ED.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To investigate an association between left atrial (LA) structural and P wave dispersion (PWD) during sinus rhythm, and electrical remodeling in cryptogenic stroke (CS) patients. METHODS: Forty CS patients and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. P wave calculations were based on 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) at a 50-mm/s-paper speed with an amplitude of 10 mm/mV. Difference between the maximum and minimum P wave duration was the P wave dispersion (PWD=Pmax-Pmin). LA deformation was evaluated by speckle tracking echocardiography within 3 days of the acute event. RESULTS: PWD was 30.1+/-7.0 ms and 27.4+/-3.5 ms in CS and control group (P=0.02), whereas LA maximum volume index [LAVImax] was 20.4+/-4.5 mL/m2 and 19.9+/-2.4 mL/m2 in CS and control group, respectively (P = 0.04). While global peak LA strain was [pLA-S] (LA reservoir function) 41.4 +/- 6.3% and 44.5 +/- 7.1% in CS and control group, (P = 0.04), global peak late diastolic strain rate values [pLA-SRa] (LA pump function) were 2.5 +/- 0.4% and 2.9 +/- 0.5% in CS and control group, respectively (P = 0.001). A mild and a strong negative correlation between global pLA-S and LAVImax (r=-0.49; P<0.01), and between PWD and global pLA-S (r = -0.52; P < 0.01), respectively, was observed in CS. CONCLUSIONS: Increased PWD is associated with impaired LA mechanical functions and enlargement, and involved in the pathophysiology of AF or an AF-like physiology in CS.
Atrial Remodeling* ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Physiology ; Stroke*

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is the common congenital anomaly which requires surgical interventions. Right atrial thrombus formations after primary suture repairs of the ASD and evidences of thromboembolic complications are extremely rare. Specifically, the cases of thromboembolic complications have high mortality and morbidity risks. Two cases of giant intra-atrial thrombus formation detected in the late stage after primary repairs of ASDs are being discussed.
Heart Atria ; Heart Septal Defects ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Mortality ; Sutures ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thrombosis*

Skin prick tests (SPTs) are widely used to demonstrate an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reaction to a specific allergen. However, local allergic conditions cannot be diagnosed with SPTs. Local specific IgE production was only presented before in mucosal tissues. We present a patient with house dust mite sensitization that had variable SPTs results in different body regions.
Body Regions ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E ; Mast Cells ; Mucous Membrane ; Pyroglyphidae ; Skin

Bee venom immunotherapy (b-VIT) can be combined with omalizumab therapy in order to suppress systemic reactions developing due to b-VIT itself. Omalizumab acts as a premedication and gains time for the immunotherapy to develop its immunomodulatory effects. However, the combination of omalizumab and b-VIT is not always effective enough. Herein we present a patient in whom successful immunotherapy cannot be achieved with combination of omalizumab to b-VIT.
Anaphylaxis ; Bee Venoms ; Bees ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Omalizumab ; Premedication

Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to evaluate prognostic factors that affected the patients’ early (<30 days) and late (six months, one year, and overall) postoperative mortality following hip fracture surgery. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 515 patients older than 75 years old with surgically treated osteoporotic hip fracture. The demographic data, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, type of anesthesia, duration of hospital stay, and history of intensive care unit (ICU) stay were collected.An analysis of laboratory values was also performed to determine their relationship with mortality. The primary outcome was survival, determined as the time from the surgery to death or the end of the study. The patients were divided into four groups according to survival time: at the first month, six months, first year, and overall survival. An analysis of demographic and laboratory values was performed to determine their validity as prognostic factors for each group. Results: Postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) level showed an independent association with a poor survival at the first month. ASA classification, admission to the ICU, and preoperative CRP levels showed an independent association with a poor survival for the first six months. Preoperative CRP level showed an independent association with a poor survival for the first year. ASA classification, admission to the ICU, and the preoperative CRP levels showed an independent association with a poor overall survival. Conclusion CRP level, a high ASA classification, and postoperative ICU admission were related to poorer overall survival rate following hip fracture surgery in the elderly.

Objective: We aimed to investigate uric acid and albumin ratio (UA/A) as a marker of short-term mortality in acute kidney injury (AKI). Both uric acid and albumin are strongly correlated with the development and mortality of AKI. Methods: The patients hospitalized from May 2019 to September 2019 for AKI were included in this study. The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), Youden index (J), and the area under a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) determined a cut-off UA/A ratio for mortality. Cox-regression analysis was performed to identify UA/A as a prognostic marker of the 30-day mortality rate. Results: A total of 171 patients with an average age of 69.20±13.0 (45.6% women) were included in the study. The average UA/A ratio was 3.3±1.5 mg/g and 2.5±1.0 mg/g in the non-survivor and survivor groups, respectively (P=0.001). The best cut-off UA/A ratio associated with mortality was determined as 2.4 mg/g with a specificity of 52% and a sensitivity of 77% (DOR, 3.6; J, 28.8; AUROC, 0.644). Thirty-day cumulative survival rates of the low and high UA/A ratio groups were 85.9±4.0% and 63.7±5.0%, respectively. The estimated survival times of the low and high UA/A ratio groups were 27.7 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 26.2–29.3) and 23.9 days (95% Cl, 22.0–25.9), respectively. Conclusion We found a direct correlation between 30-day mortality and UA/A ratio at initial presentation in AKI patients regardless of age, comorbidities, and clinical and laboratory findings, including albuminuria.

Objective: The use of noninvasive volume assessment methods to predict acute blood loss in spontaneously breathing patients remains unclear. We aimed to investigate changes in the pleth variability index (PVI), vena cava collapsibility index (VCCI), end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2), pulse pressure (PP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in spontaneously breathing volunteers after acute loss of 450 mL blood and passive leg raise (PLR). Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled healthy volunteers in the blood donation center of an academic hospital. We measured the PVI, EtCO2, VCCI, MAP, and PP before blood donation; at the 0th and 10th minute of blood donation; and after PLR. The primary outcome was the changes in PVI, EtCO2, VCCI, MAP, and PP. Results: We enrolled thirty volunteers. There were significant differences among the four obtained measurements of the PVI, EtCO2, and MAP (P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001, respectively). Compared to the predonation values, post-hoc analysis revealed an increase in the PVI at the 0th min postdonation (mean difference [MD], 5.4±5.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], -7.6 to -3.1; P<0.001); a decrease in the EtCO2 and MAP at the 0th and 10th minute postdonation, respectively (MD, 2.4±4.6; 95% CI, 0.019 to 4.84; P=0.008 and MD, 6.4±6.4; 95% CI, 3 to 9.7; P<0.001, respectively). Compared with EtCO2 at the 10th minute, the value increased after PLR (MD, 1.8±3.2; 95% CI, 0.074 to 4.44; P=0.006). Conclusion The PVI and EtCO2 could detect early hemodynamic changes after acute blood loss. However, it remains unclear whether they can determine volume status in spontaneously breathing patients.