PURPOSE: Authors investigated the associated findings and their value in the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) injury in MR image. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The knee MR images of 47 patients with ACL injury(complete; 24, partial; 23) and 61 patients with normal ACL confirmed by the knee arthroscopy or operation were reviewed retrospectively. The degree of anterior translocation of tibia and the degree of posterior cruciate ligament(PCL) buckling were evaluated. The prevalence and pattern of associated adjacent bone, ligament and meniscus injuries were studied. RESULTS: The means( +/- 2standard errors) of anterior translocation were different significantly in statistical analysis(p<0.001, student t-test) between injury group(7.51 +/- 1.16mm) and normal group(-0.56 +/- 0.92mm). In the level of 5mm of anterior translocation for the criteria of ACL injury, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy were 78.7%, 89.5%, 84.3% for each. The means of PCL buckling ratio were also different statistically b. etween injury group(0.23 +/- 0.02) and normal group(0.17 +/- 0.01)(p<0.001). In the level of 0.20 for diagnostic criteria of ACL injury, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy were 71.4%, 83.6%, 78.4% for each. Thirty one medial meniscus tear(66%), thirteen lateral meniscus tear(28%), ten medial collateral ligament injury(28%), one PCL injury (2%) were associated with ACL injury. The twenty nine bone marrow changes were found in twenty patients {43%) which included acutely injured seven patients. In acute cases, the bone marrow changes were depicted as diffuse or focal high signal intensity lesions in lateral femoral or tibial condyles in contrast to the changes in chronic cases depicted as focal low signal intensity lesions in variable location. Lateral femoral condylar notch depression were found in nine patients(19%) and avulsion fractures of anterior tibial spine in four patients(9%). CONCLUSION: The associated findings with ACL injury (anterior translocation, buckling of PCL, associated bone, ligament and meniscus injuries) are considered to be helpful in the diagnosis of ACL injury on Knee MR images, when the findings of anterior cruciate ligament itself are not confirmative.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Arthroscopy ; Bone Marrow ; Collateral Ligaments ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Knee ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spine ; Tibia

PURPOSE: Authors investigated the associated findings and their value in the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) injury in MR image. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The knee MR images of 47 patients with ACL injury(complete; 24, partial; 23) and 61 patients with normal ACL confirmed by the knee arthroscopy or operation were reviewed retrospectively. The degree of anterior translocation of tibia and the degree of posterior cruciate ligament(PCL) buckling were evaluated. The prevalence and pattern of associated adjacent bone, ligament and meniscus injuries were studied. RESULTS: The means( +/- 2standard errors) of anterior translocation were different significantly in statistical analysis(p<0.001, student t-test) between injury group(7.51 +/- 1.16mm) and normal group(-0.56 +/- 0.92mm). In the level of 5mm of anterior translocation for the criteria of ACL injury, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy were 78.7%, 89.5%, 84.3% for each. The means of PCL buckling ratio were also different statistically b. etween injury group(0.23 +/- 0.02) and normal group(0.17 +/- 0.01)(p<0.001). In the level of 0.20 for diagnostic criteria of ACL injury, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy were 71.4%, 83.6%, 78.4% for each. Thirty one medial meniscus tear(66%), thirteen lateral meniscus tear(28%), ten medial collateral ligament injury(28%), one PCL injury (2%) were associated with ACL injury. The twenty nine bone marrow changes were found in twenty patients {43%) which included acutely injured seven patients. In acute cases, the bone marrow changes were depicted as diffuse or focal high signal intensity lesions in lateral femoral or tibial condyles in contrast to the changes in chronic cases depicted as focal low signal intensity lesions in variable location. Lateral femoral condylar notch depression were found in nine patients(19%) and avulsion fractures of anterior tibial spine in four patients(9%). CONCLUSION: The associated findings with ACL injury (anterior translocation, buckling of PCL, associated bone, ligament and meniscus injuries) are considered to be helpful in the diagnosis of ACL injury on Knee MR images, when the findings of anterior cruciate ligament itself are not confirmative.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Arthroscopy ; Bone Marrow ; Collateral Ligaments ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Knee ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spine ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable* ; Hemorrhage* ; Thrombin*

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) strategy is proposed to reduce the ventilator-induced lung injury in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). As ECMO use has increased, a number of studies on prognostic factors have been published. Age is estimated to be an important prognostic factor. However, clinical evidences about ECMO use in elderly patients are limited. Therefore, we investigated clinical courses and outcomes of ECMO in elderly patients with ARDS. METHODS: We reviewed medical records of patients with severe ARDS who required ECMO support. Study patients were classified into an elderly group (> or = 65 years) and a non-elderly group (< 65 years). Baseline characteristics, ECMO related outcomes and associated factors were retrospectively analyzed according to group. RESULTS: From February 2011 to June 2013, a total of 31 patients with severe ARDS were treated with ECMO. Overall, 14 (45.2%) were weaned from ECMO, 9 (29.0%) survived to the general ward and 7 (22.6%) survived to discharge. Among the 18 elderly group patients, 7 (38.9%) were weaned from ECMO, 4 (22.2%) were survived to the general ward and 2 (11.1%) were survived to discharge. Overall intensive care unit survival was inversely correlated with concomitant acute kidney injury or septic shock. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, ECMO outcome was poor in severe ARDS patients aged over 65 years. Therefore, the routine use of ECMO in elderly patients with severe ARDS is not warranted except in highly selective cases.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Aged* ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Medical Records ; Patients' Rooms ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult* ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Septic ; Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury

No abstract available.
Cochlear Implants*

Massive pneumopritoneum developing immediately following initiation of artificial ventilation is an unusual sign of lung barotrauma and must be distinguished from pneumoperitoneum following rupture of a hollow abdominal viscus. Besides, pneumoperitoneum occurring in a mechanically ventilated asthmatic patient can present a diagnostic dilemma as the usual signs of an intestinal perforation may be masked by steroid therapy, sedation or paralysis, or combination of all three. We report a case of massive pneumoperitoneum after initiation of mechanical ventilation in a child with severe asthmatic attack.
Asthma* ; Barotrauma ; Child* ; Humans ; Intestinal Perforation ; Lung ; Masks ; Paralysis ; Pneumoperitoneum* ; Respiration, Artificial* ; Rupture ; Ventilation

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, aggressive skin cancer that occurs most frequently in the elderly on sun-exposed areas. However, any possible cutaneous or mucosal sites may also be involved. It usually presents as a rapidly- growing, painless, single red or purple colored cutaneous papule, nodule or indurated plaque that may elude diagnosis until histopathologic examination. We report a case of an 83-year old female patient who presented with a 3 x 3.5 cm sized, skin-colored, painful nodule on the left mandibular angle area. A new red nodule had combined on the original lesion after 6 months, and showed unusual clinical manifestation. Microscopically, the tumor cells were uniform with round to oval-shaped nuclei and scanty cytoplasm, and they showed a trabecular arrangement. In immunohistochemical studies, the patient was reactive to cytokeratin-20, and focally reactive to NSE and synaptophysin.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell* ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Keratin-20 ; Skin Neoplasms ; Synaptophysin

BACKGROUND: There are many therapeutic methods for treating vitiligo including PUVA, narrow-band UVB, topical corticosteroids, tacrolimus, calcipotriol, intralesional injection of steroids or oral corticosteroids, but there is no reliable treatment. Autologous epidermal grafting has been used by several authors, and is reported to be a surgical method which has minimal adverse effect, little risk of scarring, and is easily performed in the clinic. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of autologous epidermal grafting in the treatment of vitiligo, and investigate both patient satisfaction, and any adverse effects. METHODS: The evaluation was conducted using 44 patients (48 cases) with intractable vitiligo who had been treated by autologous epidermal grafting using suction blistered epidermis. We investigated both patient satisfaction, and any problems or adverse effects during the procedure. The efficacy was rated as excellent (repigmentation >75%), good (repigmentation 75-50%), fair (repigmentation 50-25%), or poor (repigmentation <25%). Efficacies according to clinical type, recipient sites, the preparation method for recipient sites, the disease duration at operation and the duration after operation were also investigated. RESULTS: Eexcellent repigmentation was shown in 77.1% of the patients. The epidermal graft was more effective in treating segmental vitiligo, and when the disease duration was more than 36 months. Patient satisfaction was more than 75%. CONCLUSION: The autologous epidermal graft is an effective treatment modality. However, for more effective results and a high level of patient satisfaction we think doctors should only treat stable vitiligo. They should explain the operation procedure, side effects, and postoperative PUVA therapy in detail to the patient.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Blister ; Cicatrix ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Patient Satisfaction ; PUVA Therapy ; Steroids ; Suction ; Tacrolimus ; Transplants* ; Vitiligo*

BACKGROUND: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pulse transit time (PTT) are influenced by the arterial wall stiffness and compliance. Also, the PTT is dependent on blood pressure changes that can be accompanied by the anesthesia. The simply measured PTT has difficult to discriminate the arterial compliance changes from blood pressure changes. Therefore, we investigated that the differences of PTT between toe and finger as an independent parameter on blood pressure. METHODS: Eighteen patients scheduled for elective lower abdominal gynecologic surgery were studied. General anesthesia was achieved with sevoflurane and epidural block was done with 0.2% ropivacaine and fentanyl 100microgram via epidural catheter inserted into L1 - L2 epidural space. PTT was measured in a finger (PTTf) and a toe (PTTt) by the time difference between the ECG R wave and the pulse wave of PPG. Blood pressure and PTT was measured at three instances such as preinduction (Pre), 5 minutes after intubation (Int5) and 30 minutes after injection of epidural dose (Epi). The time delay of PTT between toe and finger (PTTt-f) was measured. RESULTS: PTTf and PTTt was prolonged at Int5 and Epi. But the PTTt-f was not different between the Int5 and Epi because of prolonged PTTf caused by the blood pressure decrement after the epidural block. CONCLUSIONS: PTTf, PTTt and PTTt-f can be a one of the convenient measurement of the arterial compliance but it was suggested that there need to be a parameter less dependent on the blood pressure changes.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Anesthesia, General ; Blood Pressure ; Catheters ; Compliance ; Electrocardiography ; Epidural Space ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Fingers* ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Humans ; Intubation ; Photoplethysmography ; Pulse Wave Analysis* ; Toes*

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells can be expanded rapidly in vitro and differentiated into multiple mesodermal cell types. This study was planned to isolate human adipose tissue stromal cells (hATSCs) from human liposuction tissues and to investigate the changes of tactile threshold after hATSC transplantation in animal neuropathic pain models. METHODS: hATSCs were grown under control conditions in alpha-MEM/10% FBS. To prepare neuropathic pain model rats, thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats that had the average body weight of 208 +/- 5 g, had an experimental nerve injury by cutting or clamping of sural and tibial nerves. The tactile threshold was measured by von Frey hair filament at preinjury and postoperative day (POD) 1, 2, 3, 7, 14. Transplantation of hATSCs was performed after measurement of tactile threshold at POD3. RESULTS: hATSCs grew as a monolayer of large, flat, and spindle-shaped cells. The tactile threshold after spared nerve injury was significantly decreased since one day after cutting or clamping of nerves (P < 0.01). The percent changes of a tactile threshold in clamping and hATSC group were decreased to 59.8 +/- 7.1% (POD7) and 52.6 +/- 5.1% (POD14) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This results was suggested that hATSCs could be isolated from human adipose tissue easily. Althogh it needs more long-term investigation hATSCs might be used as a method of therapy for neuropathic pain.
Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Constriction ; Hair ; Humans ; Lipectomy ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mesoderm ; Neuralgia* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cells ; Stromal Cells ; Tibial Nerve