We experienced a case of transient right-sided heart failure after angioplasty of membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava confirmed by sonography and an inferior vena cavogram. Angioplasty involved the use of a self-expandable metallic stent, but after successful recanalization of the obstruction , the patient became dyspneic. Chest radiography revealed mild cardiomegaly with pulmonary congestion, but this was resolved spontaneously. For the prevention of serious heart failure, we recommend preprocedural evaluation of cardiac function.
Angioplasty* ; Cardiomegaly ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart Failure* ; Humans ; Radiography ; Stents ; Thorax ; Vena Cava, Inferior*

PURPOSE: We wanted to evaluate the actual work patterns of residents and nurses and the effects of controlling visits by relatives on the mortality of patients and their length of stay and on the workload of the residents and nurses. METHODS: We investigated the actual workload of the residents who worked 12 hours shifts and nurses who worked 8 hours shifts in an emergency center for two weeks. We compared the mortality of the patients, the length of their stay and the work patterns between before we controlled visits by relatives and after we controlled visits by relatives. RESULTS: On the average, residents spent 407.01 minutes (56.5%) taking care of patients for a shift (720 min.) and nurses spent 305.29 minutes (63.6%) taking care of patients for a shift (480 min.). Although we controlled visits by relatives, we're unable to reduce the patient mortality and the length of their stay. Yet we were able to reduce the unnecessary repeated explanation-time, the resting time and the nurses and residents were able to better concentrate to explain to patients or their relatives. We were also able to increase the treatment time and description time, and especially for residents. Nurses spent 71.86 minutes (15.0%) to take a rest a shift, and residents spent 166.40 minutes (23.1%) resting a shift (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: To reduce unnecessary repeated explanation-time and the resting time and to allow nurses and residents to better concentrate when explaining to patients or their relatives, and also to increase the treatment and description time, controlling relatives in an emergency center is necessary.
Emergencies ; Humans ; Length of Stay

Purpose: This study was undertaken to investigate how sedative-hypnotics affect the occurrence and severity of the patient’s symptoms. In addition, we conducted a study to determine the type of patients who reacted severely and required hospitalization;patients were accordingly classified as hospitalized patients and patients discharged from the emergency room. Methods: From January 2017 to December 2019, we investigated the demographics, drug information, history, laboratory tests, and severity of patients who visited our emergency department and were diagnosed with benzodiazepine, zolpidem, and doxylamine succinate overdose. We further compared details of hospitalized patients and discharged patients. Results: Subjects who had overdosed and visited the ED included 120 for benzodiazepine, 147 for zolpidem, and 27 for doxylamine succinate. Comparisons between the three groups revealed differences in their early diagnosis, psychiatric history, and sleep disturbance. Differences between groups were also determined for mental state, poisoning history, treatment received in the intensive care unit, and intubation and ventilator support. In cases of benzodiazepine overdose, we obtained a high hospitalization rate (40.0%), admission to the intensive care unit (24.2%), and intubation rate (18.3%). Comparisons between hospitalized patients and discharged groups showed differences in transferred patients, early diagnosis, and mental state. Conclusion Patients poisoned by sedative-hypnotics are increasing every year. In cases of benzodiazepine and zolpidem, the hospitalization rates were high, and benzodiazepine overdose resulted in hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and pneumonia in a majority of cases. Therefore, active treatment and quick decisions in the emergency room are greatly required.

Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of adjacent gingival blood flow on detection of pulpal blood flow (PBF) using ultrasound Doppler flowmetry (UDF) through animal study. Materials and Methods: The study included 36 right and left maxillary the third incisors and canines in 9 experimental dogs. The study included 2 main steps: In the first step, the pulse sound level (PSL) was recorded on the cervical part of each tooth without flap elevation (Group 1), with flap elevation (Group 2), and after it was repositioned in place (Group 3). In the second step, the PSL was recorded on the cervical part of each tooth (Group 4), after pulpotomy (Group 5), after partial pulp extirpation (Group 6), after complete extirpation (Group 7), and after canal filling (Group 8). In Groups 5–8, the study was performed with and without flap elevation in the left and right teeth, respectively. The PSL was graded as follows: 0, inaudible; 1, heard faintly; and 2, heard well. The difference between each group was analyzed using Friedman’s test with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (α = 0.05). Results: In step 1, the PSL results were Group 1 > 2 and 3. In step 2, there was no significant difference between the groups when the flap was not elevated, while PSL results were Group 4 > 5 ≥ 6 and 7 ≥ 8 when the flap was elevated. Conclusions PBF is affected by gingival blood flow when measured with UDF. UDF measurements require isolation of gingiva from the tooth.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of ultrasound-assisted lumbar puncture in the emergency department. METHODS: This was a prospective randomized controlled trial. We enrolled patients who were 18 years of age or older from May to August 2007. Patients were divided into a classic lumbar puncture group (group A) and an ultrasoundassisted lumbar puncture group (group B). We compared the frequency of attempting the procedure, the procedure time, the failure rate of lumbar puncture, and the traumatic lumbar puncture between groups. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients were enrolled in the study. Thirty-two patients were in group A and 29 patients were in group B. There were 6 cases of failed lumbar puncture in group A and one case in group B (p=0.07), and there were 3 cases of traumatic lumbar puncture in group A, and one case in group B (p=0.35). It took 8.6+/-8.4 minutes to accomplish lumbar puncture in group A compared to 8.2+/-6.4 minutes in group B (p=0.85). Overall, the frequency of attempting the procedure was 2.3+/-1.8 in group A and, 1.6 +/-1.1 in group B (p=0.66). In elderly patients (age> or =60 years) the frequency of attempting the procedure was 4.0+/-2.5 in group A and 1.6+/-0.5 in group B (p=0.03). There were 4 cases of failed lumbar puncture in group A but none in group B. CONCLUSION: Emergency physicians did not generally attempt ultrasound-assisted lumbar puncture in the emergency department. For elderly patients(> or =60 years), however, it was an available tool for emergency physicians and employed more frequently.
Adult ; Aged ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Spinal Puncture

Rapid ammonia elevation in blood with accompanying mental change should be considered as a true medical emergency. In such a case, action leading to immediate diagnosis and the earliest possible treatment must occur in order to minimize permanent brain damage. Hyperornithinemia- Hyperammonemia-Homocitrullinuria (HHH) syndrome is a rare inborn errors of metabolism and autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of the mitochondrial ornithine transporter at the cellular level. Emergency physicians should take account of the possibility of HHH syndrome in patients with unreasonable hyperammonemia coupled with altered mental status. We report a case of a 59-year old man who presented with headache, nausea, vomiting and altered mental status. His serologic test showed hyperornithinemia, hyperammomemia, and homocitrullinuria. He was treated with fluid therapy and hemodialysis. His clinical manifestation improved and he was discharged after hemodialysis
Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic ; Ammonia ; Brain ; Emergencies ; Fluid Therapy ; Headache ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; Nausea ; Ornithine ; Renal Dialysis ; Serologic Tests ; Urea Cycle Disorders, Inborn ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: We evaluated a method to distinguish group A (abscess) from group B (cellulitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, epiglottis) through clinical variables in patients with a deep neck infection. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review study consisting of the evaluation of CT scans or surgical diagnoses on adult patients (18 or more years of age). CT scans were reviewed by a radiologist. We evaluated several clinical variables in order to distinguish group A from group B. We also evaluated the ability of these clinical variables to distinguish group A from group B by a receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients were enrolled in this study. Several clinical variables (swelling, odynophagia, tenderness, trismus, age>50years) differed between group A and group B. A AUC which was obtained by adding the number of variables (swelling, odynophagia, tenderness, trismus, age>50years) was 0.87 (p<0.01). The sensitivity and specificity of these clinical variables were 0.96 and 0.6 respectively, when the cut off value for adding the number of variables was set as 1.5. When the sum of these number of variables are more than two, the sensitivity is 0.958 (95% C.I:0.901~0.987) and the specificity is 0.600 (95% C.I:0.417~0.693). CONCLUSION: Five clinical variables (age>50, swelling, odynophagia, tenderness, trismus) were able to distinguish group A from group B.
Abscess ; Adult ; Area Under Curve ; Humans ; Neck ; Palatine Tonsil ; Pharyngitis ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Tonsillitis ; Trismus

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract and can cause cervical cancers. The purpose of this study was to investigate HPV vaccination status and related factors among male and female college students. METHODS: The study subjects were 489 students conveniently sampled from Seoyeong University located in Gwangju. General characteristics, HPV vaccination status and knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV infection were collected by self- administered questionnaires between August 25 and September 19. The collected data were analyzed by chi-square tests, t-tests and multiple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Of 328 female students, 22.9% were vaccinated. But none of the male students (n=161) were vaccinated. Vaccination intention of male and female students were 18.6% and 55.5%, respectively. In multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for HPV vaccination were significantly high in female subjects with high allowance (aOR=2.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.13-4.42) or high knowledge score of cervical cancer (OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.02-1.16). Intention of HPV vaccination were associated with participation in school clubs, chronic disease and knowledge score of cervical cancer in male students. In female students, school record, family history, self-rated health and knowledge score of cervical cancer were associated with intention of vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: HPV vaccination rate was found to be low. Prevention efforts considering these results might be helpful in increasing HPV vaccination rate and reducing HPV-associated health risks.
Chronic Disease ; Female* ; Gwangju ; Humans* ; Intention* ; Logistic Models ; Male* ; Odds Ratio ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Vaccination*

PURPOSE: P53 and cyclin D1 have been evaluated as a prognostic marker in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, the relationship between p53/cyclin D1 and PTC prognosis has not yet been confirmed. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between p53/cyclin D1 and PTC prognostic factors. METHODS: 919 patients with PTC were enrolled. Immunohistochemistry slides were reviewed for p53 and cyclin D1 immunoreactivity. Patients were classified into two groups according to the p53 and cyclin D1 grade: negative for < or =5% and positive for >5%. Medical records were reviewed to evaluate the prognostic factors, lymph node metastatic ratio (LNMR), and MACIS score. We analyzed patients based on p53/cyclin D1(-/-), p53/cyclin D1(-/+), p53/cyclin D1(+/-), p53/cyclin D1(+/+) separately for evaluation of independent effect of p53 and cyclin D1. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 49.73 years (range 15~87), and tumor size was 1.19 cm (range 0.1~5.0). P53 was positive in 809 (88.0%) and cyclin D1 was positive in 748 (81.4%). Positivity of p53 and cyclin D1 were correlated (r=0.448). There was no statistical significance in MACIS score. Positivity of p53 and cyclin D1 were related with larger tumor size, older age, early T stage, more tumor capsulation, and female. LNMR was higher in p53/cyclin D1(+/-) than p53/cyclin D1(-/-) (P=0.036), p53/cyclin D1(-/+) than p53/cyclin D1(-/-) (P=0.034), and p53/cyclin D1(+/+) than p53/cyclin D1(-/-) (P=0.007). CONCLUSION: There was no consistent relationship between p53/cyclin D1 and worse prognostic factors of PTC. However, LNMR was higher in p53(+) and cyclin D1(+) cases independently, much more in p53/cyclin D1(+/+) than p53/cyclin D1(-/-).
Cyclin D1* ; Cyclins ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute* ; Leukemic Infiltration* ; Lymphatic Diseases* ; Skin*