OBJECTIVE: This prospective, non-randomized study compared the safety and efficacy of the Angio-Seal(TM) Evolution(TM) to that of manual compression for common femoral artery punctures in neurovascular diagnostic angiography. METHODS: From June 2009 to September 2009, we performed 169 diagnostic trans-femoral cerebral angiographies, using either the Angio-Seal(TM) Evolution(TM) or manual compression to achieve hemostasis. We included 60 patients in this study, 30 in each group. We defined minor complications as those requiring no further treatment such as hematoma size less than 6 cm and bruise size less than 25 cm. Major complications were those requiring surgery of the femoral artery pseudoaneurysm and/or the second line increase of hospital stay even without further treatment. RESULTS: Mean time to hemostasis was 0.42+/-0.04 minutes for the angioseal and 15.83+/-1.63 minutes for manual compression (p<0.001). Overall complication rate did not differ between the 2 groups. After the patients were fully mobile, at 24 hours, the rate of onset of new complication differed significantly between the 2 groups (p=0.032). In the angioseal group, 5 (16.7%) of the 30 patients experienced the onset of a new complication after 24 hours, including 3 (60.0%) of the 5 who experienced major complications. CONCLUSION: The Angio-Seal(TM) Evolution(TM) is effective at decreasing mean time to hemostasis, like other closing devices. However, it may not be effective at producing early ambulation and discharge, compared to manual compression, because delayed complications may occur significantly after 24 hours.
Aneurysm, False ; Angiography ; Cerebral Angiography ; Contusions ; Early Ambulation ; Femoral Artery ; Hematoma ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Inflammation is associated with various types of acute and chronic alcohol liver diseases. In this study, we examined whether umbelliferone (7-hydroxycoumarin, UF) ameliorates chronic alcohol-induced liver damage by modulating inflammatory response and the antioxidant system. METHODS: Rats were fed a Liber-Decarli liquid diet containing 5% alcohol with or without UF (0.05 g/L) for 8 weeks, while normal rats received an isocaloric carbohydrate liquid diet. RESULTS: Chronic alcohol intake significantly increased serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 levels and decreased interleukin 10 level; however, UF supplementation reversed the cytokines related to liver damage. UF significantly suppressed hepatic lipopolysaccharide binding protein, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor kappa B, and TNF-alpha gene expression increases in response to chronic alcohol intake. Masson's trichrome staining revealed that UF improved mild hepatic fibrosis caused by alcohol, and UF also significantly increased the mRNA expressions and activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in liver, and thus, decreased lipid peroxide and mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide levels. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that UF protects against alcohol-induced liver damage by inhibiting the TLR4 signaling pathway and activating the antioxidant system.
Animals ; Antioxidants* ; Carrier Proteins ; Catalase ; Cytokines ; Diet ; Fibrosis ; Gene Expression ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-6 ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; NF-kappa B ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

PURPOSE: To raise awareness of the clinical importance of, and the need for proper management of acute focal bacterial nephritis(AFBN), we analyzed 22 AFBN patients and 22 other upper urinary tract infection patients by use of comparative studies. METHODS: From January 2000 to May 2002, 22 AFBN patients aged from 1 month to 12 months were selected. As a control group, 22 UTI patients with no radiologic abnormalities were selected and matched by age and sex. RESULTS: The incidence of AFBN was more common in boys than in girls. Since both groups had similar symptoms, it was difficult to diagnose AFBN by clinical presentations alone. ESR and CRP were significantly higher in AFBN patients. The most common causative organism was E. coli in both groups. On the sonographic findings, the most lesions were seen on the upper lobe of the kidney; more frequently, on left kidney. The lesions showed globular or wedge-shaped increased echogenecity. 99mTc-DMSA scan showed the complete coincidence of the location, size and shape in all cases compared to the findings of renal sonography. CONCLUSION: The roles of renal sonography and DMSA scan were very important, and ultrasonography was an excellent initial tool in diagnosing AFBN. Since the degree of infection in AFBN is more severe than other urinary tract infections and evollution into a renal abscess is possible, early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotics therapy is essential.
Abscess ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child* ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney ; Nephritis* ; Succimer ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Tract Infections

PURPOSE: The present study was designated to sex, age, etiology of acute symptomatic seizures, which refer to the seizure caused by specific and transient pathophysiologic abnormalities in the central nervous system and other systems, and furthermore to analyze the incidence of acute symptomatic seizures before and during hospitalization. METHODS: The medical records of six hundred and ten convulsive children under fifteen years of age, who visited the Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital from January 1999 to May 2001, were reviewed. One hundred and fourteen cases out of them were analyzed, and febrile seizures and unprovoked seizures were excluded. RESULTS: Among six hundred and ten children who had seizure during hospitalization, one hundred and fourteen(18.7%) had acute symptomatic seizures exclusive of febrile seizures and unprovoked seizures. The ratio of male to female was 1:2.1 and the peak age was three or less, accounting for 93.9%. Acute symptomatic seizures were caused by acute gastroenteritis(42.0%), metabolic/toxic disturbances(34.1%), cerebrovascular diseases(8.8%), CNS infections(8.0%), hypoxemia(4.4%), brain tumors(1.8%), and others(0.9 %). Remarkably, hypocalcemia and shaken baby syndrom were up to 82.1% of metabolic/ toxic distubances and 30.0% of cerebrovascular diseases, respectively. Among the one hundred and fourteen patients, 41.2% suffered from seizures before and during hospitalization and 11.4% did not before but did during hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Eighteen point seven percent of the cases of convulsions reviewed were classified into acute symptomatic seizures exclusive of febrile seizures and unprovoked seizures with the male to female ratio of 1:2.1 and high incidence age of three or less years. The leading causes of acute symtomatic seizures were acute gastroenteritis and hypocalcemia, comprising 70%. Shaken baby syrome and hyponatremia due to water intoxication can be prevented by public education about the danger, and central nervous system infection can be reduced by vaccine development and nationwide vaccination against the bacteria causing the central nervous system infection. In addition, appropriate prevention and management of seizure attacks are required for the patients with acute symptomatic seizures during hospitalization.
Bacteria ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Child* ; Education ; Female ; Gastroenteritis ; Heart ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypocalcemia ; Hyponatremia ; Incidence ; Male ; Medical Records ; Seizures* ; Seizures, Febrile ; Vaccination ; Water Intoxication

OBJECTiVE We investigate the effects of multiple attempts of embryo transfer because of retained embryos in the catheter and of contaminated mucus on the transferred catheter. MATERiALS AND METHODS: We respectively analysed data between November 1998 and August 2002 from 305 patients of 369 cycles who underwent iVF-ET. Of these patients, 47 patients of 50 cycles (Group 2) were required multiple trial of embryo transfer. They were compared with an age-matched control groups (Group 1) with female factor infertility. Pearson's c2 and Fisher's tests were used to compare proportions between discrete variables. Non-categorical data were compared using t-test. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: Embryos were significantly more likely to be retained when catheter was contaminated with mucus (Group 1: 22.4%; Group 2: 44.0%). The clinical pregnancy rates, however, for the contaminated mucus or not, were 46.8%, 43.5% respectively. There was no significant difference clinical pregnancy rate between those who had all their embryos transferred at the first attempt (45.4%) and those who required more than one attempt (48.0%). CONCLUSiONS: Contaminated mucus in the catheter is associated with failed embryo transferred at the first attempt. Embryo transfers, however, that are repeated attempts do not adversely affect pregnancy rates following iVF-ET.
Catheters ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization* ; Humans ; Infertility ; Mucus* ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy*