BACKGROUND: The risk of bleeding during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a potential deterrent in performing tracheostomy at many centers. To evaluate the safety of surgical tracheostomy (ST) in critically ill patients supported by ECMO, we reviewed the clinical correlation between preoperative coagulation status and bleeding complication-related ST during ECMO. METHODS: From April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2016, ST was performed on 38 patients supported by ECMO. We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the medical records including complications related to ST. RESULTS: Heparin was administered to 23 patients (60.5%) for anticoagulation during ECMO, but 15 patients (39.5%) underwent ECMO without anticoagulation. Of the 23 patients administered anticoagulation therapy, heparin infusion was briefly paused in 13 prior to ST. The median platelet count, international normalized ratio, and activated partial thromboplastin time before ST were 126 ×109/L (range, 46 to 434 ×109/L), 1.2 (range, 1 to 2.3) and 62 seconds (27 to 114.2 seconds), respectively. No peri-procedural clotting complications related to ECMO were observed. Two patients (5.3%) suffering from ST-related major bleeding required surgical hemostasis. Minor bleeding after ST occurred in two cases (5.3%). No significant difference was found according to anticoagulation management (P = 0.723). No fatality was attributable to ST. CONCLUSIONS: The complication rates of ST in the patients supported by ECMO were low. Therefore, ST performed by an experienced operator, and with careful optimization of coagulation status, is a relatively safe procedure; the use of ST with ECMO should thus not be dismissed on account of the potential for bleeding caused by the administration of anticoagulants.
Anticoagulants ; Critical Illness ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis, Surgical ; Heparin ; Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Medical Records ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Platelet Count ; Retrospective Studies ; Tracheostomy*

In air leak syndrome, a significant portion of the volume delivered during a positive pressure breath can be lost through the leak. HFOV can achieve adequate ventilation at lower peak and/or mean intrapulmonary pressure than conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) and has been an effective treatment of already established air leak syndrome. We report a 1-day-old male infant with severe respiratory failure from pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, who was refractory to CMV with chest tube drainage. HFOV was applied to this patient for 114 hours, and improvement of oxygenation and ventilation as well as significant reduction of pneumothorax followed.
Chest Tubes ; Drainage ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Oxygen ; Pneumothorax ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Ventilation*

The term malignant mesenchymoma has been applied to those tumors of the soft tissue of mesenchymal origin which are composed of tumor cells differentiating into two or more unrelated malignant forms in addition to the fibrosarcomatous element. Recently authors experienced a case of malignant mesenchymoma in the right axillary area. Microscopically the sarcoma revealed multiple pattern of differentiation, including liposarcoma, malignant schwannoma, fibrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and rhabdomyoblastoma. The presence of rhabdomyblastic cells were proved by immunochemical study utilizing desmin. This patient was treated with surgical excision and radiation.

Background: The highly lipid soluble opioid, fentanyl, has a rapid onset and short duration of action. The present study was designed to examine the analgesic efficacy and side effects of the combination of fentanyl with morphine in patients using intravenous PCA. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three PCA regimens: M4 group (40 mg morphine+90 mg ketorolac+1.5 mg dorperidol), M2F2 group (20 mg morphine+200 ug fentanyl+90 mg ketorolac+1.5 mg dorperidol), or M2F4 group (20 mg morphine+400 ug fentanyl+90 mg ketorolac+1.5 mg dorperidol). All patients were given initial loading dose of 0.1 mg/kg morphine plus 1 mg droperidol at the end of surgery. Pain score, side effects, and overall satisfaction were assessed at 30 min, 1 hr, 8 hr, 24 hr, and 48 hr postoperatively. Results: The pain score was significantly higher in the M2F2 group than in the M4 group and M2F4 group during 1 hr and 8 hr postoperatively. The total opioid consumption was significantly greater in the M2F4 group than in the M4 group. Patient satisfaction was better in the M2F4 than other two groups. There were no differences in the overall incidence of side effects among three groups. Conclusions: The present results suggest that the combination of fentanyl with morphine for intravenous patient-controlled analgesia is a useful method, and the double dose of fentanyl in comparison with the equipotent morphine dose is recommended in the early postoperative period.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Droperidol ; Fentanyl* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Morphine* ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Patient Satisfaction ; Postoperative Period

Neurolytic or surgical lumbar sympathectomy are commonly used for the treatment of intractable pain, peripheral vascular insufficiency and hyperhydrosis. For the procedure, the patient sometimes has to suffer from complications such as major vascular perforation, subarachnoid injection, genitofemoral neuralgia, somatic neuralgia, disc perforation, ureteral stricture, inflammation, ejaculatory failure, chronic lumbago. The authors came across with a case of ejaculatory failure a week after both lumbar sympathetic block with 6 ml of 100% alcohol at L3 level under the control of fluoroscopy. Three months after the block the patient recovered without any treatment.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Low Back Pain ; Neuralgia ; Pain, Intractable ; Sympathectomy* ; Ureter

BACKGROUND: Stellate ganglion block (SGB) has been used to treat over 150 diseases which include diabetes mellitus and gout. This study was planned to investigate whether stellate ganglion block (SGB) could lower the levels of blood glucose, uric acid, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. METHODS: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats within the weight of 250-350 gm were randomly devided into four groups. CS group was normal group with sham SGB with normal saline, CL group was normal group with SGB with lidocaine, DS group was diabetic group with SGB with normal saline, DL group was diabetic group with SGB with lidocaine. The diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg of streptozotocin in citrate buffer (0.01 M, pH 4.5). Nondiabetic groups were given same amount of the citrate buffer. Seven days after the last injection of the streptozotocin blood glucose level was checked and more than 300 mg/dl was considered diabetic. The SGB was performed three times at right superior cervical ganglion two days apart from two days after the conformation of diabetes. Successful SGB was conformed by the ipsilateral ptosis or conjunctival congestion. Blood samplings from tail vein for the check of glucose, uric acid, and catecholamines were done before the injection of streptozotocin, seven days after the last injection of streptozotocin, and two days after the last SGB. RESULTS: The SGB with lidocaine reduced the blood glucose level only in the diabetic rats while SGB with the saline did not. The epinephrine levels were increased in the diabetics and decreased by the SGB with lidocaine without any statistical significance. Norepinephrine and uric acid levels had not been effected by the SGB and both of them had no correlationship with the glucose level. CONCLUSIONS: SGB in the diabetic rats decreases the blood glucose level. But for the effects of the SGB on the level of epinephrine further study would be needed.
Animals ; Blood Glucose* ; Catecholamines* ; Citric Acid ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Epinephrine ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Glucose ; Gout ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Lidocaine ; Norepinephrine ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stellate Ganglion* ; Streptozocin ; Superior Cervical Ganglion ; Uric Acid* ; Veins

A 48-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a palpable mass in her lower abdomen. A left ovarian, cystic mass containing multiple mobile globules was seen on CT and MR images. The outer portion of the globules showed fat components on CT and fat-saturated T1-weighted MR images. Ultrasonography showed multiple echogenic, mobile globules with some sound attenuation and hyperechoic lines and dots within the cystic mass, which corresponded with the presence of lipid globules and hair shafts of ovarian mature cystic teratoma, respectively.
Abdomen ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Ovary ; Teratoma* ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: We wanted to investigate the validity of the recently introduced Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) staging system and the International Staging System (ISS) by comparing both systems with the widely accepted Durie/Salmon (DS) system for multiple myeloma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1992 and 2005, 85 multiple myeloma patients (men: women 41:44, median age: 63 years (range: 36~87)) with available baseline values of albumin and beta2-microglobulin were enrolled. The clinical and laboratory data were retrospectively obtained. RESULTS: According to the ISS, 11 patients were stage I (12.9%), 30 patients stage II (35.3%) and 44 patients stage III (51.8%). The median survivals of the ISS stages I, II and III were 78.6 months, 31.8 months and 15.1 months, respectively (p=0.015). The DS staging system was not able to predict the survival. For the SWOG staging system, 14 patients were stage I (16.4%), 27 patients stage II (31.8%), 27 patients stage III (31.8%) and 17 patients were stage IV (20.0%). The median survivals of the SWOG staging system stage I, II, III and IV were 78.6 months, 31.8 months, 11.6 months and 24.8 months, respectively (p=0.0075). CONCLUSION: The ISS staging system showed better reliability, simplicity and predictability for survival than the DS and SWOG staging systems for multiple myeloma patients.
Female ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between the size of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling and the elongation of foveal tissue after macular hole (MH) surgery. METHODS: The medical records of 29 patients (29 eyes) who developed elongation of foveal tissue on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) after vitrectomy with ILM peeling and gas tamponade for idiopathic MH were retrospectively reviewed. These eyes were classified into 3 subgroups by the size of ILM peeling: group A (9 eyes), smaller than 2 disc diameter (DD); group B (12 eyes), larger than 2 DD and within the major temporal vascular arcade, and group C (8 eyes), till the edge of the major temporal vascular arcade. Inter-outer plexiform layer (OPL) distance, representing elongation of foveal tissue, was measured 1, 3, and 6-8 months (only 18 eyes) postoperatively. 'Asymmetric elongation' was defined as non-uniform elongation of the foveal tissue in certain directions. RESULTS: Horizontal/vertical inter-OPL distances 1 month postoperative, in descending order, were: group B, 436.58 +/- 88.54 / 404.92 +/- 78.55 microm; group A, 421.33 +/- 109.97 / 404.14 +/- 120.9 microm; and C group, 389.25 +/- 48.75 / 400 +/- 52.23 microm. Variations in the horizontal/vertical inter-OPL distance 3 months after MH surgery were: group B, 136.83 +/- 65.64 / 103.92 +/- 73.37 microm; group A, 88.11 +/- 41.57 / 75.89 +/- 53.18 microm; and group C, 140.25 +/- 68.51 / 83.63 +/- 56.62 microm. There were no significant differences in inter-OPL distance, variation in inter-OPL distance, or percent asymmetry in both horizontal and vertical directions among these groups. CONCLUSIONS: Elongation of the foveal tissue and asymmetric elongation after MH surgery were not associated with the size of ILM peeling.
Humans ; Medical Records ; Membranes ; Retinal Perforations* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Vitrectomy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prognostic factors that predict visual outcome after vitrectomy for lamellar macular hole using optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: This study included 26 eyes that underwent pars plana vitrectomy, epiretinal membrane removal, and internal limiting membrane peeling for lamellar macular hole. The maximum parafoveal thickness, maximum height and diameter of lamellar macular hole, maximum height and diameter of intraretinal splitting, thinnest foveal floor thickness, and inner segment/outer segment disruption length on preoperative OCT image were investigated for prognostic factors that predict visual outcome. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 32.2 months and the mean best corrected visual acuity improved significantly after vitrectomy from log MAR 0.47 +/- 0.32 to log MAR 0.23 +/- 0.23. The postoperative visual acuity correlated significantly with preoperative visual acuity, thinnest foveal floor thickness and inner segment/outer segment disruption length, but not with maximum parafoveal thickness, maximum height and diameter of lamellar macular hole and maximum height and diameter of intraretinal splitting. CONCLUSIONS: The thinnest foveal floor thickness and inner segment/outer segment disruption length on preoperative OCT image were significant prognostic factors.
Epiretinal Membrane ; Follow-Up Studies ; Membranes ; Retinal Perforations* ; Tomography, Optical Coherence* ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy*