BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) is an alloplastic implant widely used in augmentation rhinoplasty. However, ePTFE implant is known to be vulnerable to postoperative infection and inflammation. We aimed to verify the safety of the material by analyzing the results of augmentation rhinoplasty using ePTFE carried out in a single institution for 10 years.SUBJECTS AND METHOD: From April 2009 to June 2018, 238 patients who underwent augmentation rhinoplasty with ePTFE were included in the study. There were 187 male patients and 51 female patients. Patients' medical records, preoperative and postoperative photographs were analyzed, and postoperative implant migration, inflammation, and infection were investigated. RESULTS: Of the 238 patients, 10 underwent revision surgery, and 87 (36.6%) underwent concomitant osteotomy for the correction of the deviated nose. Of the 5 patients (2.1%) who showed postoperative implant migration, 4 patients belonged to the osteotomy patients group while 1 patient belonged to the no-osteotomy group. There was more frequent implant migration in patients who underwent osteotomy; however, there was no statistically significant difference (p=0.06). In all of the five patients, the degree of implant migration was minimal, therefore no patient required revision surgery. No inflammatory reaction or infection was found after surgery. CONCLUSION ePTFE is a safe material for augmentation rhinoplasty and is not susceptible to infection after surgery if used through appropriate surgical procedures

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of thyroid is a very rare malignant tumor with poor prognosis. It is usually diagnosed as an advanced disease infiltrating adjacent organs, and characterized by aggressive clinical course with an average postoperative survival time of less than 1 year. Recently, we had a 79- year-old woman with a painful neck mass who was diagnosed as primary squamous cell carcinoma of thyroid gland. She underwent total thyroidectomy and selective neck dissection(level Ⅲ, Ⅵ) with no further postoperative managements such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy; she died of poor general condition and pneumonia resulting from rapid progression of the lesion on the 38th day after surgery. We report this case with a review of relevant literatures.

Hemorrhagic cystitis is defined as diffuse mucosal inflammation of the urinary bladder that presents with gross hematuria. A variety of factors, including chemotherapeutic agents, radiation therapy and infection, can cause hemorrhagic cystitis. Among them, BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis is common in patients who have undergone stem cell transplantation but relatively rare in kidney transplantation patients. Here, we present the case of a kidney-transplant patient with BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis and interstitial nephritis who was successfully treated with leflunomide and ciprofloxacin.
BK Virus ; Ciprofloxacin ; Cystitis* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Nephritis, Interstitial ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Urinary Bladder

Thromboembolism is a major complication of nephrotic syndrome. Renal vein thrombosis and deep vein thrombosis are relatively common, especially in membranous nephropathy. However, the incidence of portal vein and superior mesenteric vein (SMV) thrombosis in patients with nephrotic syndrome is very rare. To date, several cases of portal vein thrombosis treated by anticoagulation therapy, not by thrombolytic therapy, have been reported as a complication of nephrotic syndrome. Here, we report a case of portal, splenic, and SMV thrombosis in a patient with a relapsed steroid dependent minimal change disease who was treated successfully with anticoagulation and thrombolytic therapy using urokinase. Radiologic findings and his clinical conditions gradually improved. Six months later, a complete remission of the nephrotic syndrome was observed and the follow-up computed tomography scan showed the disappearance of all portal vein, splenic vein, and SMV thrombi.
Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mesenteric Veins* ; Nephrosis, Lipoid ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Portal Vein ; Renal Veins ; Splenic Vein ; Thromboembolism ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; Venous Thrombosis

Induction therapy with basiliximab is widely administered after kidney transplantation to prevent acute rejection. Herein, we report a case of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema induced by basiliximab. To the best of our knowledge, such case has not been reported to date in Korea. A 54-year-old man with polycystic kidney disease received kidney transplantation. As induction therapy, he was prescribed basiliximab. On day 4, the second dose of basiliximab was administered. The patient complained of acute hypoxia 23 hours later, which led to circulatory collapse. He was discharged 3 weeks later with stable renal function. Pulmonary edema was presumed to have been caused by increased pulmonary capillary permeability. A possible hypothesis for this event occurring after the second basiliximab injection is steroid-related effects. Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema is a complication that might occur after basiliximab induction therapy. Physicians should be aware of this potentially life-threatening complication.
Anoxia ; Capillary Permeability ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Polycystic Kidney Diseases ; Pulmonary Edema* ; Shock

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to investigate whether the cochlear implant electrode array design affects the electrophysiological and psychophysical measures. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty five ears were used as data in this retrospective study. They were divided into two groups by the electrode array design: lateral wall type (LW) and perimodiolar type (PM). The electrode site was divided into three regions (basal, medial, apical). The evoked compound action potential (ECAP) threshold, T level, C level, dynamic range (DR), and aided air conduction threshold were measured. RESULTS: The ECAP threshold was lower for the PM than for the LW, and decreased as the electrode site was closer to the apical region. The T level was lower for the PM than for the LW, and was lower on the apical region than on the other regions. The C level on the basal region was lower for the PM than for the LW whereas the C level was lower on the apical region than on the other regions. The DRs on the apical region was greater for the PM than for the LW whereas the DR was narrower on the apical region than on the other regions. The aided air conduction threshold was not different for the electrode design and frequency. CONCLUSIONS: The current study would support the advantages of the PM over the LW in that the PM had the lower current level and greater DR, which could result in more localized neural stimulation and reduced power consumption.
Action Potentials ; Cochlear Implants ; Ear ; Electrodes ; Retrospective Studies