Interest in the prevalence of patent foramen ovale(PFO) and its relation to embolic stroke has increased with the sophistication of methods for noninvasive cardiac assessment. The effect of foramen ovale closure on the risk for subsequent strokes is promised. A 22-year old woman was presented with sudden onset of cerebral infarct. She had a patent formen ovale, and right to left shunt during the Valsalva maneuver, which was diagnosed by transesophageal contrast echocardiography. Transcatheter closure of PFO was performed with Rashkind PDA umbrella under the guidance of transesophageal echocardiography. Transcatheter closure of PFO can be accomplised with little morbidity and may reduce the risk of embolic episode.
Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Female ; Foramen Ovale ; Foramen Ovale, Patent* ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Stroke* ; Valsalva Maneuver ; Young Adult

Carotid endarterectomy is superior to medical treatment in preventing secondary stroke in patients with symptomatic high grade carotid stenosis. Transluminal angioplasty is a promising procedure as an alternative treatment for these patients. We report two cases of carotid angioplasty with Palmaz-Schatz stent in patients with carotid artery occlusive disease. One patient presented with decreased right visual acuity because of retinal arterial embolism. The angiogram demonstrated a discrete tight stenosis of right internal carotid artery carotid stenting with Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent was performed without any significant complications. The other patient presented with recurrent episodes of cerebral infarction, for which he had undergone left carotid erdarterectomy 3-years ago. The carotid angiogram demonstrated tight stenoses of both internal carotid arteries. Carotid artery stenting was performed at left and right internal carotid arteries without any complications. We suggest that stenting may be an effective and safe therapeutic alternative to surgical treatment in some selected patients with carotid artery occlusive disease.
Angioplasty* ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Stenosis* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Embolism ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; Humans ; Retinaldehyde ; Stents* ; Stroke ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has been shown to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The combination of hypertension and obesity are well known to act as risk factors of left ventricular hypertrophy in a number of studies, but it is unclear whether obesity itself stimulates LVH independently. Therefore, we investigated the relationship of left ventricular mass to body size in normotensive adults. METHODS: A population sample of 240 normotensive (systolic BP < 140 mmHg and diastolic BP < 90 mmHg) adults (139 men and 101 women) was examined by echocardiography. We excluded adults with history of hypertension, thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus and other cardiac diseases. Left ventricular mass normalized for height(2.7) was used in the analyses and left ventricular hypertrophy was defined as a value of 50 g/m(2.7) men or 47 g/m(2.7) in women. RESULTS: Left ventricular mass significantly and positively correlated with body mass index. On univariate correlation analysis after adjusting for age, the body mass index was associated with LV mass/height(2.7) (LVMI: Left Ventricular Mass Index) in males and body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference and waist/hip circumference ratio were associated with LVMI in females. Left ventricular hypertrophy was more frequent in overweight (33.3%) and obese (39.4%) groups than in lean group (15.9%). CONCLUSION: Left ventricular mass was strongly related to obesity in normotensive adults, especially in females. Obesity may be an independent risk factor for left ventricular hypertrophy.
Adult* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Size ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Male ; Mortality ; Obesity* ; Overweight ; Risk Factors ; Thyroid Diseases ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has been shown to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The combination of hypertension and obesity are well known to act as risk factors of left ventricular hypertrophy in a number of studies, but it is unclear whether obesity itself stimulates LVH independently. Therefore, we investigated the relationship of left ventricular mass to body size in normotensive adults. METHODS: A population sample of 240 normotensive (systolic BP < 140 mmHg and diastolic BP < 90 mmHg) adults (139 men and 101 women) was examined by echocardiography. We excluded adults with history of hypertension, thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus and other cardiac diseases. Left ventricular mass normalized for height(2.7) was used in the analyses and left ventricular hypertrophy was defined as a value of 50 g/m(2.7) men or 47 g/m(2.7) in women. RESULTS: Left ventricular mass significantly and positively correlated with body mass index. On univariate correlation analysis after adjusting for age, the body mass index was associated with LV mass/height(2.7) (LVMI: Left Ventricular Mass Index) in males and body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference and waist/hip circumference ratio were associated with LVMI in females. Left ventricular hypertrophy was more frequent in overweight (33.3%) and obese (39.4%) groups than in lean group (15.9%). CONCLUSION: Left ventricular mass was strongly related to obesity in normotensive adults, especially in females. Obesity may be an independent risk factor for left ventricular hypertrophy.
Adult* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Size ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Male ; Mortality ; Obesity* ; Overweight ; Risk Factors ; Thyroid Diseases ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: The clinical use of intracoronary stents is impeded by the risk of subacute stent thrombosis and complications associated with the anticoagulant regimen. The use of high pressure balloon dilatations and confirmation of adequate stent expansion by intravascular ultrasound provide assurance that anticoagulation therapy can be safely omitted. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of anticoagulation of subacute thrombosis sfter stenting retrospectively on a consecutive series of patients who received palmaz-Schatz coronary stents with high pressure balloon dilatation. METHOD: From March 1995 to August 1995, 62 patients underwent Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent implantation. After deploying stents successfully, high pressure overdilatation of the stents was performed in all patients. According to post-stent anticoagulation, 32 patients received aspirin 200 mg/day, ticlopidine 500 mg/day and warfarin for two months, 30 patients received aspirin and ticlopidine. RESULTS: The clinical or angiographic variables were not significantly different between the two groups. There was no acute or subacute thrombosis in the two groups. The hospital stay after stenting was significantly shorter in the patients without antcoagulation than in patients with anticoagulation. CONCLUSION: The Palmaz-Schatz stent can be safely implanted without anticoagulation provided that stent expansion is daequate by the use high pressure balloon dilatation This technique significantly reduces hospital time and vascular complications and has a low stent thrombosis rate.
Aspirin ; Dilatation* ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents* ; Thrombosis ; Ticlopidine ; Ultrasonography ; Warfarin

BACKGROUND: Restenosis is a major limitation of balloon angioplasty. Recently, new angioplasty devices have been used in an attempt to reduce the restenosis compared with coronary balloon angioplasty. Directional coronary atherectomy effectively dilated the lesion by removal of the atherosclerotic plaque. Therefore, we tried to evaluate immediate and late clinical outcomes after directional coronary atherectomy in the 57 patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: From October 1991 to March 1997, fifty seven consecutive patients with 69 lesions were treated with directional coronary atherectomy. The patients underwent coronary angiography at pre-intervention, immediately after intervention and at 6 months post-intervention. Restenosis was assessed clinically and by computer-assissted quantitative measurements of luminal dimensions. Patients were requested to undergo coronary angiography at 6 months after directional coronary atherectomy. Angiographic restenosis was defined as more than 50% diameter stenosis by quantitative coronary angiographic analysis. RESULTS: Successful results were achieved in 61 of the 69 lesions(88%) and mean stenosis was reduced from 78.0+/-13.0% to 10.0+/-5.0%. Atherectomy resulted in an increase in minimal lumen diameter from 0.8+/-0.3mm to 3.0+/-0.6mm. Six months follow-up angiogram was obtained in 68% of 50 eligible lesions. The overall angiographic restenosis rate was 32%. Six month clinical follow-up was obtained in 94% of the eligible lesions. The clinical recurrence occured in 38% of the patients. The target lesion revascularization rate was 17%. CONCLUSIONS: Removal of coronary artery plaque with directional atherectomy led to large luminal diameter and six months follow-up angiography shows an overall restenosis rate of 32% However, further clinical study is warranted to evaluate the efficacy of atherectomy with larger numbers of patients.
Angiography ; Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Atherectomy ; Atherectomy, Coronary* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Phenobarbital ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Recurrence

Gastrointestinal manifestations are common in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Intestinal pseudo-obstruction (IpO) is a rare, poorly understood and recently recognized gastrointestinal manifestation of SLE. We report a 26-year-old female with SLE for 3 years. 10 months ago, IpO was diagnosed first, and it was responded well to high-dose steroid therapy. After then, oral prednisolone and azathioprine were administered, but the patient had been lost to follow up until recurrence of IpO. She was admitted with diffuse abdominal pain, distension, frequent vomiting, and intermittent dysuria due to recurrent IpO accompanied with bilateral ureterohydronephrosis. Despite of high dose steroid therapy, her symptom and imaging findings were not improved. The patient was treated with pulses of cyclophosphamide, and then the patient's symptoms and signs were gradually subsided. Three weeks following cyclophosphamide therapy, she was able to eat without vomiting and following abdominal CT showed nearly complete resolution of diffuse intestinal distension and bilateral ureterohydronephrosis. High level of awareness of IpO in SLE and appropriate medical treatment is needed to prevent unnecessary surgical treatment. And if this complication is refractory to corticosteroid, active immunosuppressive therapy, such as cyclophosphamide, should be considered.
Female ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Restenosis remains as the major limitation of percutaneous translumainal coronary balloon angioplasty (PTCA). Although its mechanism remains incompletely understood, proliferative action of arterial smooth muscle cells has been found to play an important role on restenosis by neointimal formation after PTCA. Glycosaminoglycan-containing compounds, including Sulodexide (Vessel Due , ALFA, Wasserman, S.p.A, Italy), inhibit the proliferation and maigration of vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro. OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to assess the efficacy of Sulodexide, a glycosaminoglycan compound with antithrombotic and antiproliferative properties, in preventing restenosis after PTCA. METHOD: Two hundred eighty-four patients with ischemic heart disease were randomized to receive either the standard PTCA without Sulodexide in 144 patients (control group, M : F = 99 : 45, Age = 58 +9 or -9), 160 lesions or the standard PTCA with Sulodexide in 140 patients (treated group, M : F = 89 : 51, age = 58 +10 or -10), 158 lesions. Successful angioplasties were performed in 258 atheromatous coronary lesions in 224 patients for whom follow-up angiographic data were obtained 6 month later. Quantitative coronary angiographic analysis (QCA) was performed before , immediate after PTCA and 6-month later. Angiographic restenosis (>50% diameter stenosis at follow-up) was the primary end point : miniamal luminal diameter at follow-up angiogram was the secondary end point. RESULT: Successful PTCA was 97.6% and 97.5% in the standard PTCA with Sulodexide and the standard PTCA without Sulodexide, respectively. Although reference vessel size and minimal luminal diamater after PTCA were larger in the control group than in the Sulodexide group(2.94+0.11 or-0.11 vs 2.83+0.13 or -0.13 mm and 2.26+0.12 or -0.12 vs 2.18+0.08 or -0.08 mm, respectively, p=NS), there was a increased tendency of minimal lumen diameter at 6 months angiogram in the Sulidexide group than in the control group (1.12+0.50 or -0.50 vs 1.07 + 0.53 or -0.53 mm, respectively, p=NS). Angiographic restenosis occured in 42% of lesions in the Sulodexide group and 52% of the control group (p=NS). CONCLUSIONS: Sulodexide treatment had a tendency to reduce restenosis rate in 6 months after coronary angioplasty. However, further study is necessary to verify the antiproliferative effect of Sulodexide with much larger number of patients.
Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Phenobarbital ; Prospective Studies*

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To determine correlation between stress fracture of the posterior tibia and flexor digitorum longusmuscle injury caused by athletic or sporting activity during adolescence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven casesdiagnosed as stress fracture after X-ray and MR imaging of the lower leg were reviewed. With regard to eachfracture, the following features were noted: age, sex, and athletic or sporting activity of the patient, and site.Using MR imaging techniques, axial and sagittal T1 and T2 weighted images were obtained in all cases and T1-GdDTPA images in seven. RESULTS: The activities undertaken were running (n=3), football (n=2), ballet (n=2),taekwando (n=1), badminton (n=1), field hockey (n=1), and basketball (n=1). MR images revealed localized corticalthickness (n=11), linear intramedullary callus showing a low signal on T1 and T2 weighted images (n=9), marrowhyperemia (n=7), and flexor digitorum longus muscle injury showing a high signal on T1-Gd DTPA and T2 weightedimage (n=7). CONCLUSION: Stress fracture of the posterior tibia might be induced by flexor digitorum longusmuscle activity induced by athletic or sporting activities during adoleseence.
Adolescent ; Basketball ; Bony Callus ; Football ; Fractures, Stress* ; Hockey ; Humans ; Leg ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pentetic Acid ; Racquet Sports ; Running ; Sports ; Tibia*