No abstract available.
Plasma Exchange* ; Plasma*

Unilateral absence of a pulmonary artery is an uncommon anomaly, which presents as an isolated lesion or in combination with other congenital heart disease such as TOF or PD^. We encountered three cases of isolated unilateral absence of a pulmonary artery;one was left pulmonary artery agenesis with right sided aortic arch and the others were right pulmonary artery agenesis with left sided aortic arch. Plain chest radiograph showed considerable loss of unilateal lung volume and lack of ipsilateral hilar shadow. Pulmonary angiogram which was done in two cases, revealed proximal interruption of a pulmonary artery. Chest CT was done in only one case, on which right pulmonary artery was absent and was replaced by adipose tissue. CT with its clean demonstration pulmonary artery without any evidence of aquired obstruction of a pulmonary artery by pulmonary embolism or tumor invasion, maybe a valuable method for evaluaton of the unilateral absence of a pulmonary artery.
Adipose Tissue ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Lung ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths throughout the world. The gene tumor protein 53 (TP53) is frequently mutated in cases of lung cancer. This study was performed to investigate the frequencies and types of mutations in the TP53 gene in Korean patients with lung cancer. METHODS: We obtained tissue samples from 80 lung cancer patients and synthesized TP53 cDNA by using RNA isolated from these tissues by performing reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Hybridization and denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography were performed to identify the TP53 gene mutations, and then, the mutations were validated by direct sequencing. RESULTS: Forty mutations out of the 80 patients (50.0%) were noted in the TP53 gene. The frequencies of TP53 gene mutation for different cancer types, namely, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and small cell carcinoma were 61.1%, 27.3%, and 26.7%, respectively. The mutation frequencies in the different regions of the gene were 10.0% for exon 4, 35.0% for exon 5, 12.5% for exon 6, 22.5% for exon 7, 17.5% for exon 8, and 2.5% for exon 9. The frequently mutated positions were codon 179 in exon 5, codons 202 and 220 in exon 6, and codons 266 and 273 in exon 8. CONCLUSIONS: Exon 5 was the most frequently mutated region in the TP53 gene. Compared to the patients with the other types of cancers, patients with squamous cell carcinoma showed a higher frequency of TP53 mutation. Codon 179 was the most frequently mutated codon in the TP53 gene.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chimera ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Codon ; DNA, Complementary ; Exons ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mutation Rate ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA

Background: Transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is a conservative treatment for patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). However, there are reports of various complications that can occur after TFESI; among these, paraplegia is a serious complication. Case: A 70-year-old woman who was unable to lie supine due to low back pain exacerbation during back extension underwent TFESI. After injection, there was pain relief and the patient was able to lie supine; however, paraplegia developed immediately. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed cauda equina syndrome (CES) due to nerve compression from L1–2 LDH. We determined that the patient's LDH was already severe enough to be considered CES and that the TFESI procedure performed without an accurate understanding of the patient's condition aggravated the disease. Conclusions It is important to accurately determine the cause of pain and disease state of a patient to establish a correct treatment plan before TFESI is performed.

The incidence of heterotopic ossification (HO) was reported to be higher in combat-injured patients than in civilian trauma patients. HO is often considered a possible cause of residual limbs pain in amputee. Here, we report the case of a 21-year-old male, who underwent a traumatic right transfemoral and left transtibial amputation with two segments of painful HO around his left amputation site. We report the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on size and pain associated with HO. After ESWT, the visual analog scale score decreased from 5∼6 to 0∼1 and the size of two masses decreased from 13.1 × 6.7 mm and 12.5 mm to 11.9 × 4.7 mm and 12.2 mm, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case that has reported on the treatment of HO using ESWT for a traumatic transtibial amputation patient. The case suggests that ESWT could serve as a complementary treatment for HO in traumatic amputation patient.

The incidence of heterotopic ossification (HO) was reported to be higher in combat-injured patients than in civilian trauma patients. HO is often considered a possible cause of residual limbs pain in amputee. Here, we report the case of a 21-year-old male, who underwent a traumatic right transfemoral and left transtibial amputation with two segments of painful HO around his left amputation site. We report the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on size and pain associated with HO. After ESWT, the visual analog scale score decreased from 5∼6 to 0∼1 and the size of two masses decreased from 13.1 × 6.7 mm and 12.5 mm to 11.9 × 4.7 mm and 12.2 mm, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case that has reported on the treatment of HO using ESWT for a traumatic transtibial amputation patient. The case suggests that ESWT could serve as a complementary treatment for HO in traumatic amputation patient.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: New definitions of acute kidney injury (AKI) have recently emerged. Some studies have suggested that duration of AKI is an additional predictive parameter for mortality. Here, we evaluated whether AKI duration was predictive of long-term mortality in patients with hospital-acquired acute kidney injury (HAAKI). METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients who developed HAAKI at an urban university hospital, from September 2007 to August 2008 and followed them until December 2011. Patients were divided into two groups by duration of the AKI (1 to 5 days vs. > or = 6 days), and long-term mortality was compared. RESULTS: HAAKI developed in 1.2% of patients during the enrollment period. The median follow-up period was 240 days (interquartile range, 53 to 1,428). In 42.3% of patients (n = 52), the AKI lasted 1 to 5 days, while it lasted > or = 6 days in 57.7% (n = 71). Survival analysis showed that a longer duration of AKI increased the risk of death. Long-term survival was significantly different in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The duration of AKI influenced mortality rates in hospitalized patients. Thus, AKI duration is a parameter affecting mortality in HAAKI.
Acute Kidney Injury/diagnosis/etiology/*mortality/therapy ; Aged ; Female ; *Hospitalization ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors

In order to determine the electrophysiologic properties of aberrant ventricular conduction we analyzed the electrophysiologic studies done for various reasons in SNUH(1983.3 -1987.8). All patients did not have underlying heart disease and were in sinus rhythm with normal PR intervals & no intraventricular conduction delay at the time of study. The patients of preexcitation syndrome were excluded. Only aberrant ventricular conduction induced by premature atrial stimulation at the high right atrium or(HRA) during sinus rhythm or HRA pacing was analyzed. 1) Aberrant ventricular conuction was induced by premature atrial extrastimulation in 34 subjects of 156 cases reviewed(21.8%). The patients were 16 to 70 years old(sixteen males and eighteen females). 2) The longest atrial coupling(A1S2) interval resulting in aberrant ventricular conduction approximated 45%(600-280) of the basic cycle length(450-1550 msec). 3) As a prerequisite for aberrant ventricular conduction, the functional refractory period(FRP) of the AV node should be less than the relative refractory period(RRP) of the His Purkinje System and the most important determinant of aberrant ventricular conduction by atrial extreastimulation was resultant H1H2 interval, which should be between RRP and effective refractory period(ERP) of HPS. 4) There was good linear correlation between the basic cycle length(BCL) and RRP of the HPS(RRP=0.247xBCL+247.048, r=0.885, p-value<0.001). 5) 155 different configurations of aberrant ventricular conduction were recorded during atrial extrastimulation till atrial ERP. The pattern frequencies were as follows : left anterior hemiblock, 6(3.9%) ; right bundle brach block, 92(59.4%) ; left bundle branch block, 28(18.0%) ; left anterior hemiblock combined with right bundle branch block, 14(9.0%) ; left posterior hemiblock combined with right bundle branch block, 9(5.8%) ; unclassified intraventricular conduction disturbances, 6(3.9%). 6) As the atrial coupling intervals were further shortened, aberrant conduction persisted up to the point of atrial ERP at 19/41 BCL's(46.3%). Other patterns of atrioventricular conduction were as follows : atrio-His block, 7(17.1%) ; His-ventricular block, 6(14.6%) ; normal conduction due to prolonged A2H2, 9(22.0%). But there was no statistical significance between the pattern of A-V conduction and the longest S2H2 & H2V2 intervals during VAB (p-value=0.235>0.050). In conclusion, atrial extrastimulation which is routinely done during clinical EPS is an effective method to induce aberrant ventricular conduction and to study the electrophysiologic characteristics of atrioventricular conduction. Further study with recording of bundle branch electrogram, after infusion of cardioactive drugs and pacing of HRA at fixed rate should be done to determine the electrophysiologic properties of VAB more completely.
Atrioventricular Node ; Bundle-Branch Block ; Heart Atria ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Male ; Pre-Excitation Syndromes

The Nuss procedure has good cosmetic effects, but it could be cause of bleeding and organ injury during dissection of the anterior mediastinum. We have made an effort to overcome the defects of the traditional method through the anterior mediastinum, thus we developed a transilluminated introducer that made it safer and simpler to operate within a 1 cm incision only. A total of 67 patients underwent the Nuss procedure using the transilluminated introducer. Thirty-six patients underwent the procedure with the transilluminated introducer only (age<14 years). Thirty-one patients had an additional thoracoscopy (age> or =14 years). There were no major complications, such as massive bleeding or organ injury in the thoracic cavity during or after the Nuss procedure. Our findings demonstrated that the anterior mediastium could be dissected simply and safely by the use of a transilluminated introducer during the Nuss procedure without fatal major complications, such as bleeding and organ injury.
Cosmetics ; Funnel Chest ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mediastinum ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thoracic Wall ; Thoracoscopy

BACKGROUND: The relationship between infection of microorganism and atherosclerosis has been studied because the pathophysiology after infection is similar to those of cell injury and/or lipid theory. Although there are many reports which described the relationships between the infection of chalamydia pneumoniae and the atherosclerosis. In Korea, even the prevalence of chlamydia infection has not been studied yet. This study was purposed on the prevalence of chlamydia infection and it's correlation to atherosclerosis. METHODS: 235 subjects were enrolled and age and sex adjusted subjects were divided into two groups, normal controls (n=43), atherosclerosis (AS, n=90) group:coronary artery disease (CAD, n=61) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD, n=29). Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) was calculated. Serum IgG chlamydia antibody were measured by ELISA method. RESULTS: TG was significantly higher in AS (162.51+/-100.04 mg/dL vs 122.91+/-63.31 mg/dL, mean+/-SD, p=0.019), and HDL-C was significantly higher in controls (47.30+/-9.88 mg/dL vs 39.38+/-8.29 mg/dL, p<0A65A>0.01). Levels of LDL-C and TC were not statistical significant. Serum IgG chlamydia antibody was positive in 29.8% (70/235), 30% (27/90) in AS group and 28% in controls and there was no statistical significance between groups (p=0.804). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, there was no significant differences in positivity of IgG chlamydia antibody in AS compared with that of controls. Overall positivity of chlamydia antibody was lower in Korea than in other country. It is still controversial whether Chlamydia pneumoniae is a primary etiologic agent of atherosclerosis or not. This study could not demonstrate the relationship between chlamydia infection and atherosclerosis in Korea. The effectiveness and indications of antichlamydial antibiotics for prevention of cardiovascular complications in atherosclerosis and overall chlamydia infection in general population will be needed in large scale trials.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arteries ; Atherosclerosis* ; Chlamydia Infections ; Chlamydia* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae* ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea ; Pneumonia ; Prevalence ; Triglycerides