No abstract available.
Brain* ; Mood Disorders*

Tetanus is an infectious disease that causes muscle spasm with spastic paralysis and pain. Localized tetanus is rare and milder than the generalized form, however, it should be immediately treated because it may precede the onset of generalized form. The authors experienced a case of localized tetanus in both legs with abdominal pain after lumbar radiculopathy acupuncture treatment and here report this case with relevant literature reviews.

Tetanus is an infectious disease that causes muscle spasm with spastic paralysis and pain. Localized tetanus is rare and milder than the generalized form, however, it should be immediately treated because it may precede the onset of generalized form. The authors experienced a case of localized tetanus in both legs with abdominal pain after lumbar radiculopathy acupuncture treatment and here report this case with relevant literature reviews.

Post-menopausal osteoporosis (PMO) is a major global human health concern. Owing to the need for therapeutic drugs without side effects, natural extracts containing various polyphenolic compounds that may exert estrogenic effects have been studied in depth. Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS), which has been used as a traditional herbal medicine for centuries in Korea, was recently revealed to exert estrogenic effects attributable to its bioactive ingredients sulfuretin and butein, which have strong estrogen receptor–binding affinities. In this study, the protective potential of RVS in PMO was evaluated by using an experimental animal model of PMO, which was established by ovariectomy (OVX) of female Sprague Dawley rats. The oral administration of RVS at 20 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg for 8 weeks markedly protected against OVX-induced atrophy of the uterine tube and reversed the elevation in the ratio of serum receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand to osteoprotegerin, which is a marker of disease severity. In addition, RVS inhibited OVX-induced tibia bone loss, activated osteogenic activity, and suppressed osteoclastic activity in the tibial epiphyseal plate, a region of bone remodeling. Collectively, these factors indicated that the oral intake of RVS might be beneficial for the prevention of PMO.
Administration, Oral ; Atrophy ; Bone Remodeling ; Estrogens ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Growth Plate ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Korea ; Models, Animal ; Models, Theoretical* ; Osteoclasts ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal* ; Osteoprotegerin ; Ovariectomy ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhus* ; Tibia

BACKGROUND: Bacterial infections in diabetic patients are an important cause of increased morbidity and mortality. It has been reported that bacterial infections in diabetics showed more impaired PMN functions such as reduced PMN respiratory burst and decreased microbicidal activity in inflammed tissues. Also, apoptosis(programmed cell death) is postulated to be a key mechanism for neutrophil elimination. It is very important that PMN apoptosis keeps the balance from an area of inflammation. Actuallly, as little was known about PMN apoptosis and respiratory burst in diabetes, we investigated PMN apoptosis and hydrogen peroxide production after endotoxin exposure. METHODS: Peripheral venous blood samples were collected by routine venipuncture from healthy volunteers and diabetics to harvest neutrophils. We respectively measured the PMN apoptosis, the production of hydrogen peroxide, and the cell viability. RESULTS: Normal neutrophils showed a tendency to decreased apoptosis after endotoxin treatment. In patients with diabetes, PMN apoptosis was significantly decreased compared with healthy controls. In addition, the LPS-induced neutrophils in diabetics demonstrated more decreased apoptosis. However, the production of hydrogen peroxide was not different between groups. CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that the decreased PMN apoptosis in diabetics with endotoxin exposure may also affect the increased susceptibility and severity of infections.
Apoptosis* ; Bacterial Infections ; Cell Survival ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Inflammation ; Mortality ; Neutrophils* ; Phlebotomy ; Respiratory Burst

A 24 year old man visited our hospital, because an intrapulmonary foreign body had been found incidentally. Simple chest X-ray showed a 5 cm sized foreign body of metallic density, and chest CT confirmed the foreign body, which was like a sewing needle, in the left upper lobe. We performed a simple extraction of the foreign body using VATS (Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery). After the operation, the patient was discharged without any complications.
Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Needles* ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracoscopy ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

A 24 year old man visited our hospital, because an intrapulmonary foreign body had been found incidentally. Simple chest X-ray showed a 5 cm sized foreign body of metallic density, and chest CT confirmed the foreign body, which was like a sewing needle, in the left upper lobe. We performed a simple extraction of the foreign body using VATS (Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery). After the operation, the patient was discharged without any complications.
Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Needles* ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracoscopy ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To report the effects and complications of conjunctival fixation to the sclera in conjunctivochalasis patients with inferior punctal occlusion. METHODS: The authors of the present study evaluated the degree of conjunctivochalasis and performed Fluorescein Dye Disappearance Test (FDT) in 15 eyes of 8 patients diagnosed with conjunctivochalasis with inferior punctal occlusion. Under topical anesthesia, the inferior bulbar conjunctiva was attached to the sclera with 3 8-0 vicryl stitches 8 mm posterior from the limbus. After surgery, the relief of symptoms, postoperative complications and improvement of conjunctivochalasis were observed. RESULTS: One week after the surgery, all 15 eyes achieved a subjective improvement of symptoms and the degree of conjunctivochalasis and FDT showed statistical difference after surgery (p = 0.000, 0.000, respectively). A complication occurred in 1 eye which was a retinal hemorrhage due to scleral puncture. CONCLUSIONS: Conjunctival fixation to the sclera could improve epiphora in conjunctivochalasis patients with inferior punctal occlusion. However, this procedure should be performed with caution.
Anesthesia ; Conjunctiva ; Eye ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases ; Polyglactin 910 ; Postoperative Complications ; Retinal Hemorrhage ; Sclera

Twenty six year old man was struck by a bus, and sustained multiple rib fracture, sternal fracture, right scapular fracture, left subclavian arterial obstruction, and traumatic tracheoesophageal fistula. Diastolic murmur was heard, and echocardiography revealed a markedly regurgitant aortic valve and suspected vegetation. After establishing cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest, the aorta was opened. The left and right coronary cusp were ruptured 10mm, and 7mm, respectively. The leaflets were sutured with running 5-0 Prolene sutures. After the repair of the ruptured valve cusp, the valve was coapted well. He was discharged with excellent outcome on postoperative day 14.
Aorta ; Aortic Valve* ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Echocardiography ; Heart Murmurs ; Polypropylenes ; Rib Fractures ; Running ; Sutures ; Thorax* ; Tracheoesophageal Fistula

Catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy associated with pheochromocytoma is a relatively well-recognized but rare entity. We report a case of 15-year old man with a pheochromocytoma and severe heart failure caused by a catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy. He had symptoms such as fatigue, cold sweating, and dyspnea for 7 months. The chest x-ray showed an enlarged cardiac shadow and pulmonary edema. Echocardiography showed severe decreased left ventricular contractility with multiple thrombi and right ventricular hypokinesia with mild pulmonary hypertension. This report describes our experience of the anesthetic management for the removal of pheochromocytoma with catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy, which barely responded to high vasopressin and epinephrine.
Cardiomyopathies ; Cold Temperature ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Epinephrine ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Fatigue ; Heart Failure ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Hypokinesia ; Pheochromocytoma ; Pulmonary Edema ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Thorax ; Vasopressins