PURPOSE: To evaluate the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the vitreous of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and to find any correlation between clinical and fundus findings, grade of PDR, post-operative complications and surgical outcomes. METHODS: Using ELISA, the vitreous concentration of VEGF was measured in 74 patients with PDR who had undergone vitrectomy and in 13 control patients. RESULTS: The pre-operative levels of VEGFin the vitreous of the PDR patients was significantly increased compared with those of the control and with the post-operative levels. The pre-operative VEGF concentration in the vitreous of the PDR patients was correlated with the duration of diabetes and the severity of proteinuria, but not with the type of diabetes, level of HbA1c, hypertension and BUN/creatinine levels. The severity of PDR was also correlated with pre-operative VEGF levels, especially in NVD, NVE and NVI, but was not correlated with vitreous hemorrhage and fibrous proliferation elsewhere. There was negative correlation with the severity of retinal detachments. The vitreous levels of VEGF in PDR were significantly lower in those who had received previous laser photocoagulation than in those who did not. The VEGF levels were also significantly elevated in patients who developed NVI or NVG in the post-operative period. The changes of visual acuity after vitrectomy in the PDR patients were not correlated with vitreous levels of VEGF. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that VEGF is related to intraocular angiogenesis, progression of PDR and post-operative complications such as NVI or NVG, and that panretinal photocoagulation could prevent the progression of PDR.
Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Light Coagulation ; Proteinuria ; Retinal Detachment ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A* ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy* ; Vitreous Hemorrhage

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal injections of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) at the end of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS: We analyzed 50 patients (52 eyes) who underwent PPV for treatment of PDR and received an intravitreal injection of 4 mg TA at the end of surgery. The study group (Group 1) was compared with a control group (Group 2, 46 patients, 51 eyes) (matched with the study group for preoperative parameters) who underwent PPV without intravitreal injection of TA. RESULTS: In Group 1, the grade of anterior chamber cells at postoperative days 1 and 7 was significantly lower than that of Group 2. There was slight mean IOP elevation in Group 1 at postoperative weeks 2, 3, 4, and 8, but it was not statistically significant. Forty-four eyes (84.6%) from Group 1 showed better visual acuity at the last follow-up than at the preoperative visit (Group 1). Thirty-two eyes (62.8%) from Group 2 showed better visual acuity at the last follow-up than at the preoperative visit. The degree of visual improvement was 0.75 logMAR in Group 1 and 0.59 logMAR in Group 2. Vitreous hemorrhage occurred in 9 eyes (17.3%) from Group 1 and in 19 eyes (37.3%) from Group 2. However, the differences in the occurrence of neovascularization in iris and neovascular glaucoma between two groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal TA injection at the end of PPV seems to be effective in improving visual acuity and decreasing early postoperative inflammation and the frequency of vitreous hemorrhage.
Anterior Chamber ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma, Neovascular ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intravitreal Injections ; Iris ; Triamcinolone Acetonide* ; Triamcinolone* ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy* ; Vitreous Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND: Although neuromuscular blockade can influence the bispectral index (BIS) during anesthesia, there have been contradictory reports regarding its effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a muscle relaxant affected the level of BIS during propofol anesthesia. METHODS: Forty-eight healthy patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double-blind study. All patients received an effect-site targeted concentration of propofol via a TCI system that was titrated until loss of consciousness occurred. The patients then received either an injection of vecuronium (relaxant group, n = 24) or normal saline as a placebo (placebo group, n = 24) at 3 minutes after loss of consciousness. The BIS and electromyogram (EMG) activity were recorded from anesthetic induction to 4 minutes after injection of the vecuronium or placebo. RESULTS: The BIS significantly decreased after injection in both groups (P < 0.05), however, the decrease in the BIS was larger in the relaxant group than in the placebo group (P < 0.05). The decrease of EMG activity was not significantly different between the two groups after administration of vecuronium or placebo. CONCLUSIONS: During propofol induction of anesthesia, a muscle relaxant decreased BIS significantly without decreasing the EMG activity.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Double-Blind Method ; Humans ; Muscles ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Propofol ; Prospective Studies ; Unconsciousness ; Vecuronium Bromide

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Until recently, blowout fractures (BOFs) of the medial orbital walls were treated using external approach. With recent advances in endoscopy, many cases of BOFs of the medial orbital walls are now treated endonasaly using an endoscope. This article describes endonasal endoscopic reduction (EER) of BOFs of the medial orbital walls and reports the clinical results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with BOFs of the medial orbital walls underwent EER. Their records were reviewed for surgical indications, operative techniques, operative results, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Surgical indications were persistent diplopia, limitation of eye movement, and significant enophthalmos. Ten patients showed complete resolution of symptoms after the operation. One patient underwent medial wall reconstruction with transorbital approach after failure of EER, and is now free of symptoms. Another patient with both zygomatic fracture and BOF of the orbital floor remained enophthalmic after EER. There were no other significant complications postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that EER is a safe and effective method of treating BOFs of the medial orbital walls.
Diplopia ; Endoscopes ; Endoscopy ; Enophthalmos ; Eye Movements ; Humans ; Orbit* ; Postoperative Complications ; Zygomatic Fractures

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In blowout fracture (BOF) of the medial orbital wall, the presence of significant enophthalmos indicates a need for surgery. In early post-traumatic period, it is usually difficult to measure the degree of enophthalmos due to orbital edema. So, in order to decide on the correct treatment method, it will be useful if we can predict the degree of enophthalmos according to the extent of fracture observed in computed tomography (CT). We studied the relationship between the extent of fracture measured in CT scans and the degree of enophthalmos in BOF of the medial orbital wall. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine patients with isolated BOF of the medial orbital wall confirmed by CT scans were studied. The severity of enophthalmos was measured by exophthalmometry. The area of fracture site and the volume of herniated orbital tissue were measured in CT scans. The statistical significance was analyzed using linear regression method. RESULTS: The degree of enophthalmos increased as the area of fracture site or the volume of herniated orbital tissue increased. The area of the fracture site and the volume of the herniated orbital tissue that caused enophthalmos of 2 mm were 1.9 cm2 and 0.9 ml, respectively. CONCLUSION: In BOF of the medial orbital wall, surgical intervention may be recommended to prevent significant enophthalmos when the area of fracture site is 1.9 cm2 or more, or the volume of herniated orbital tissue is 0.9 ml or more.
Edema ; Enophthalmos* ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Orbit* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Endomyocardial biopsy often fails to show myocardial inflammation for patients with clinically suspected myocarditis. The serum isoforms of troponin T (cTnT) level is a very sensitive marker of myocardial injury and it is elevated even in the absence of myocardial inflammation. We investigated the correlations for myocardial injury, virus titers and inflammation in acute viral infection. Using the murine coxsackievirus group B3 (CVB3) myocarditis model, the histopathologic findings and virus titers in mouse hearts were compared with the serum cTnT levels measured by ELISA at various time points. Viable virus titers in the hearts peaked at 3 days after infection (8.22+/-0.13 log10 PFU/100 mg of heart); they decreased at day 7 and no viable virus was detected from day 14. Myocardial inflammation was minimal at day 3, peaked at day 7 and markedly decreased at day 14. The individual serum TnT levels were significantly increased at day 3 (7.37+/-1.46 ng/ml), persisted to day 7 (0.73+/-0.08 ng/ml), and normalized at day 14. Serum cTnT levels were correlatable with virus titers in the heart (r=0.744, P <0.01), but the serum cTnT levels were not correlated with the degrees of inflammation. Using the less myocarditic strain of CVB3, similar relationships were observed between the changes for the serum cTnT levels and the heart virus titers. During the course of viral infection, myocardial injury precedes the pathologic evidence of inflammation, and the elevated cTnT levels provide evidence of myocardial injury even in the absence of any histologic findings of myocarditis.
Acute Disease ; Animals ; Coxsackievirus Infections/*pathology ; Enterovirus B, Human/isolation & purification/pathogenicity/*physiology ; Female ; Heart/*virology ; Hela Cells ; Humans ; Inflammation/*immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocardial Infarction/immunology/*pathology ; Myocarditis/immunology/pathology/*virology ; *Myocardium/immunology/pathology ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Troponin T/blood ; Virus Replication

A 28-year-old woman was admitted due to fever, dyspnea, hematuria and acute renal insufficiency. 1 months ago, she had been diagnosed as having ventricular septal defect with mild dyspnea and chronic cough. Infective endocarditis (IE) was diagnosed by clinical findings including vegetation in echocardiography. A blood culture drawn during the hospitalization grew streptococcus sanguis. A renal biopsy showed IE-induced crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN). Antibiotic treatment alone was effective for fever, but not for gross hematuria and renal insufficiency. After the initiation of plasmapheresis, gross hematuria and acute renal insufficiency was dramatically improved. After clinical stability was achieved, closure of the ventricular septal defect was performed. This result suggests that plasmapheresis may be beneficial in the treatment infective endocarditis-induced crescent GN.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Biopsy ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Endocarditis* ; Female ; Fever ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Hematuria ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Plasmapheresis* ; Renal Insufficiency ; Streptococcus sanguis

PURPOSE: In order to treat inflammatory and proliferative disorders of the posterior segment of the eye, the authors evaluated the use of a biodegradable intrascleral implant for slow release of triamcinolone acetonide (TA). METHODS: The intrascleral implant (1 mm thick and 3 mm in diameter) was made of alginic acid and PLA (poly (D, L-lactide)) containing 4 mg of TA. In vitro release of TA was evaluated by HPLC. To evaluate in vivo release of TA, the implant was placed into a scleral pocket in 18 rabbit eyes and the concentrations of TA in the aqueous humor, vitreous, and retina-choroid-sclera were measured by HPLC at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after implantation. The toxicity and biocompatibility of the implant were evaluated by slit lamp examination, IOP, electroretinogram, and light microscopy. RESULTS: In vitro study demonstrated that the implant released TA in controlled manner for at least 8 months. The TA detected in the vitreous after 8 to 12 weeks and was not detected in retina-choroid-sclera at 8 weeks after implantation. The TA was not detected in aqueous humor. No significant toxicity to the retina was observed. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the intrascleral implant of TA could be a promising system for the delivery of steroids to the posterior segment of eye in cases of inflammatory or proliferative disorders of posterior segment.
Aqueous Humor ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Microscopy ; Retina ; Steroids ; Triamcinolone Acetonide* ; Triamcinolone*

PURPOSE: Authors applied multiple punctures and steroid injection as a modified treatment of ganglion cyst and report objective and subjective outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 40 patients with ganglion cysts of hands and wrists who underwent multiple punctures and steroid injection. Symptom improvement, recurrence rate and complications were evaluated after minimum follow-up period of 12 months. RESULTS: Pain and discomfort improved in 31 patients (78%), however, recurrence was observed in 32 patients (80%). The factors associated with low recurrence rate included ganglions located at the hand or palm, with small diameter, and with short period of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Multiple punctures and steroid injection resulted in relatively high recurrence rate of mass itself in the treatment of ganglion cyst. However, from the view point of symptom improvement, this procedure could be considered as a simple modified treatment before surgical excision.
Follow-Up Studies ; Ganglion Cysts ; Hand ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures ; Recurrence ; Wrist

BACKGROUND: Vagal cardiac function plays an important role in cardiovascular homeostasis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between vagal cardiac function and changes in blood pressure induced by phenylephrine and by thigh cuff deflation after low-dose atropine (LDA)(2microgram/kg) administration. METHODS: Beat-to-beat changes in R-R intervals (RRI) and systolic blood pressures (SBP) were measured in 33 healthy volunteers during spontaneous and controlled (15 min-1) breathing before and after LDA administration. The RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences of RRI), pNN50 (proportion of successive RRI > 50 ms in relation to the total RRI), standard deviation 1 (SD1) from Poincare plots, power spectral densities of heart rate variability (HRV) and SBP variability, and spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) by transfer function analysis were assessed. Acute hypertension was induced by phenylephrine (2 microgram/kg), whereas acute hypotension was induced by thigh cuff deflation. RESULTS: RMSSD, pNN50, SD1 of Poincare plots, and the high frequency (HF) power of HRV increased after LDA administration as did spontaneous BRS. Moreover, acute hypertension induced by phenylephrine was significantly attenuated (15.9 +/- 1.9 to 10.8 +/- 3.1 mmHg, P = 0.004) after LDA administration. However, acute hypotension induced by thigh cuff deflation was not significantly changed (13.4 +/- 3.9 to 11.9 +/- 4.2 mmHg, P = 0.62) after LDA administration. Changes in SBP during acute hypertension induced by phenylephrine were significantly correlated with changes in the HF power of HRV (r = -0.60, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing vagal cardiac function induced by LDA attenuated increased SBP during acute hypertension induced by phenylephrine, but not decreased SBP during acute hypotension induced by thigh cuff deflation in healthy awake subjects.
Atropine* ; Baroreflex ; Blood Pressure ; Healthy Volunteers ; Heart Rate ; Homeostasis ; Hypertension ; Hypotension ; Phenylephrine ; Respiration ; Thigh