No abstract available.
Skin Manifestations* ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Hematoma*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*

Neonatal leukemia, which develops in first 4 weeks of life, is a rare group of hematologic neoplasm with various symptoms and prognosis. In rare cases, obstructive jaundice can be shown as initial presentation. Therefore, it is often misdiagnosed as cholestatic liver diseases. We report a case of neonatal leukemia with obstructive jaundice which was misdiagnosed as biliary atresia. This case was diagnosed with bone marrow aspirates at the age of 14th day, and the result was given that about 93% of the cells were lymphoblasts.
Biliary Atresia ; Bone Marrow ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Leukemia ; Liver Diseases ; Prognosis

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a major complication in sepsis patients. We compared the performance of five DIC diagnostic criteria, focusing on the prediction of mortality. One hundred patients with severe sepsis or septic shock admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) were enrolled. Routine DIC laboratory tests were performed over the first 4 days after admission. The overall ICU and 28-day mortality in DIC patients diagnosed from five criteria (International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis [ISTH], the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine [JAAM], the revised JAAM [R-JAAM], the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare [JMHW] and the Korean Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis [KSTH]) were compared. Both KSTH and JMHW criteria showed superior performance than ISTH, JAAM and R-JAAM criteria in the prediction of overall ICU mortality in DIC patients (odds ratio 3.828 and 5.181, P = 0.018 and 0.006, 95% confidence interval 1.256–11.667 and 1.622–16.554, respectively) when applied at day 1 after admission, and survival analysis demonstrated significant prognostic impact of KSTH and JMHW criteria on the prediction of 28-day mortality (P = 0.007 and 0.049, respectively) when applied at day 1 after admission. In conclusion, both KSTH and JMHW criteria would be more useful than other three criteria in predicting prognosis in DIC patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Dacarbazine ; Diagnosis ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Mortality* ; Prognosis ; Sepsis* ; Shock, Septic ; Thrombosis

No abstract available.
Ascorbic Acid* ; Pyuria* ; Vitamins*

In recent years, percutaneous vertebroplasty has frequently been used to treat osteoporotic compression fractures. This procedure is generally known to be safe because of the rare occurrence of complications. However, it is accompanied by the risk of cement leakage, and the cement can be easily removed using a surgical technique. Most neurological complications occurred due to extravasation of cement into the spinal canal. Comparatively, there were no reports of neurological complications due to the extravasation of cement into the paravertebral area. Here, we report a case of right-exiting L1 spinal root compression after percutaneous vertebroplasty with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). We proceeded to cement removal and nerve root decompression by a paraspinal open microsurgical technique in the event of neurological complication.
Decompression ; Fractures, Compression ; Polymethyl Methacrylate* ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; Vertebroplasty*

BACKGROUND: Leukocyte-endothelial adhesion molecules have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disease. ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin are cell surface adhesion molecule on vascular endothelial cells. They are up-regulated by inflammatory cytokines and regulate the adhesion and migration of leukocytes across the endothelium. Tuberculosis, a granulomatous disorder is an infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The clinical manifestations of tuberculosis are dependent on the cellular immune response to tubercule bacilli. Circulating adhesion molecules are probably formed by cleavage and release into the circulation of the extracellular domain of the membrane bound form. The elevated levels of circulating adhesion molecules have been reported in numerous disease state. To evaluate their role as markers of disease activity in tuberculosis, we measured a sE-selectin, sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 levels in the serum with seventies of mild, moderate and far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: The control and test groups were divided as follows. Group I: control(n=5), Group II: atients with mild pulmonary tuberculosis(n=12), Group III: patients with moderate pulmonary tuberculosis(n=20), Group IV patients with far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis(n=19). Serum sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin were measured by ELISA kit. RESULTS: Serum soluble adhesion molecules are elevated in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Circulating ICAM-1 levels were significantly elevated in patients with moderate and far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis when compared with control group. When compared with control group, serum sVCAM-1 levels showed significant elevation in patients with mild, moderate and far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. Serum sE-selectin levels were significantly elevated in patients with far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis when compared with control group. CONCLUISON: These results suggest that sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-selectin may be invloved lix the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. And, particularly, sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 may be useful markers of the disease activity.
Cytokines ; E-Selectin ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Leukocytes ; Membranes ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

OBJECTIVE: Brachial plexus injury can produce a intractable chronic neuropathic pain. This study was undertaken to assess the long term outcome of microsurgical dorsal root entry zonotomy(MDT). METHODS: Between October 1997 and December 2002, 21 patients received MDT because of a intractable pain resulting from brachial plexus injury. Of these, 19 patients were followed for more than 2 years. Fourteen of 19 patients were male and patient ages ranged from 22 to 69 years. Mean pain duration was 36.8 months and all patients had severe pain of 9~10 visual analogue scale. To achieve complete destruction of abnormal dorsal horns, thermocoagulation of the posterolateral sulcus were performed and careful gluing was done to prevent postoperative adhesion and pain recurrence. RESULTS: Of the 19 patients, 15 patients had excellent (>75% reduction in pain) and good (51~75% pain relief) results in a average postoperative period of 4.1 years. One patient had a poor (less than 25% pain relief) result. Three patients were considered to have a fair result (26~50% pain relief). Postoperative complications were 2 transient ipsilateral ataxia and 1 CSF fistula that resolved without surgical revision. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that MDT provides excellent long-term pain relief in medically intractable chronic neuropathic pain following brachial plexus injury without significant complications.
Animals ; Ataxia ; Brachial Plexus* ; Electrocoagulation ; Fistula ; Horns ; Humans ; Male ; Neuralgia ; Pain, Intractable* ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Spinal Nerve Roots*

In vivo testings of the monoleaflet polymer valve were performed in seven dogs to prove its blood biocompatibility. The monoleaflet polymer valve used in this study was developed for short-term usage n the ventricular assist device. The frame and leaflet of the polymer valve were made of polyurethane. The inter-aortic valved conduit were implanted in four dogs and the ventriculo-atrial valved conduit was implanted in one dog. The ventricular assist devices with polymer valve were implanted in two dogs. The longest survival was 20 days. Main causes of death were bleeding and infection. To examine the blood compatibility, each blood sample was collected and RBC, WBC, hematocrit, hemoglobin, platelet and lactic acid dehydrogenase were analyzed. These studies thus far demonstrated that, with further development, a reliable and inexpensive polymer valve will be used in the ventricular assist device as short term usage.
Animal Experimentation* ; Animals* ; Blood Platelets ; Cause of Death ; Dogs ; Heart Valves ; Heart-Assist Devices ; Hematocrit ; Hemorrhage ; Lactic Acid ; Oxidoreductases ; Polymers* ; Polyurethanes