Hydrocephalus is a common malformation of the central nervous system and its cause may be either congenital or acquired. The imbalance between CSF formation and absorption, obstruction of CSF pathways, impaired venous absorption, and over secretion of CSF results in excessive accumulation of the fluid in the ventricles, leading to hydrocephalus. Although ventriculo-peritoneal shunt is regarded as the main and definitive therapy for rapidly progressive hydrocephalus, shunts in newborns have a high failure rate and thus there have been a search for alternative non-invasive techniques. Acetazolamide is a carbonic anhy- drase inhibitor, which acts by reducing production of CSF in the choroid plexus. Admini- stration of acetazolamide will decrease the rate of CSF production, preventing progressive ventricular enlargement. We experienced three cases of neonatal hydrocephalus successfully treated by long-term administration of acetazolamide. Brief review and related literatures were also presented.
Absorption ; Acetazolamide* ; Carbon ; Central Nervous System ; Choroid Plexus ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus* ; Infant, Newborn ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

A 70-year-old woman with Parkinson disease was admitted to the emergency department with altered consciousness, fever and convulsive movements without experiencing withdrawal from antiparkinsonian medication. Six hours after the emergency department visit, the patient had a hyperpyrexia (>40℃) and a systolic blood pressure of 40 mmHg. There was no evidence of bacterial infection based on extensive workups. The patient was discharged without aggravation of Parkinson disease symptoms after treatment that included administration of dantrolene sodium, enforcement of continuous renal replacement therapy and cooling blankets. Malignant syndrome should be suspected if high fever occurs in Parkinson disease patients without evidence of a definitive infection.
Aged ; Bacterial Infections ; Blood Pressure ; Consciousness ; Dantrolene ; Dehydration ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease* ; Renal Replacement Therapy

No abstract available.
Humans ; Rehabilitation* ; Rural Population* ; Stroke*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Spinal Cord*

PURPOSE: we studied the clinical outcome of a step-by-step treatment approach for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNDO). METHODS: we analyzed 186 patients (222 eyes) who had been treated for CNDO between January 1996 and December 2000. According to age, conservative treatment, nasolacrimal duct probing and silicone intubation were applied systematically until a successful outcome was achieved. Patients were grouped according to their age at the time of first visit.: Group 1 (0~6 months), Group 2 (7~12 months), Gruop 3 (13~24 months), Group 4 (25~72 months). Treatment efficacy was determined according to age and success rate was compared. RESULTS: Conservative treatment was applied only in children less than 1 year of age and was successful in 75.9% of Group 1 and 47.3% of Group 2. The difference between these two success rates was significant (p=0.0001). The overall success rate for first probing in all groups was 65.2% with a range 75.8% in Group 1, 62.1% in Group 2, 65.0% in Group 3, and 40.0% in Group 4. After second probing, the overall cure rates for the entire cohort were 82.6% with a range 87.9% in Group 1, 89.7% in Group 2, 80.0% in Group 3, and 50.0% in Group 4. There was no real difference in first probing cure rate relative to age (p=0.208). But after second probing, overall cure rate was significantly decreased when the age of the patients was over 12 months (p=0.027). Silicone intubation was performed in 4 of Group 1, 3 of Group 2, 4 of Group 3, and 5 of Group 4 and was successful in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Systematic treatment approach to CNDO including conservative treatment, nasolacrimal duct probing, and silicone intubation, was highly successful. In this study, the cure rate for this combined approach was 100% in 186 patients (222 eyes).
Child ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Intubation ; Nasolacrimal Duct* ; Silicones ; Treatment Outcome

Recently many studies have shown the usefulness of computed tomogram in diagnosing abdominal mass when clinical and conventional radiologic examinations fail to reveal the nature of abdominal mass or the cause of abdominal distension. To evaluate the usefulness of CT in diagnosing neuroblastoma, we retrospectively analyzed computed tomographic findings of 16 neuroblastoma patients, who pathologically proved in Yeungnam University Hospital from 1986 to 1995. The age range of the patients studied were from 8months to 18years. The most frequent sith of origin was adrenal gland and the next was retroperitioneum. The presenting symptoms were palpable mass, abdominal distension, and abdominal pain.- The viewpoints of this analysis were tumoral calcifications, midline cross, shape, margin, internal structure, contrast enhancement patterns, major vessel involvement, and lymph node involvement. ':haracteristic CT findings were 'as follows: Fine dense curvillinear calcification within the tumor(56%), midline cross(50%), lobulation(75%), well-circumscribed margin(56%), cystic degeneration(56%), heterogeneous contrast enhancement(690/o), encasement of major vessels such as aorta, IVC and celiac trunk(50%), and paraaortic lymphadenopathy(87%). We conclude that these CT findings were very common and could be helpful in diagnosting and differentiation neuroblastoma in infant and children.
Adrenal Glands ; Aorta ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymph Nodes ; Neuroblastoma* ; Retrospective Studies

The main purpose of this study is to identify nursing needs of parents who have hospitalized child. Research design is a descriptive survey. The subjects for the study were 79 parents who have hospitalized child at a pediatric ward of one of the general hospital attached to a university in J city. The data was collected by researchers using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was Liken type 5 point scale, composed of 5 categories with 61 items. The data was analyzed by SPSS/PC. The results of the study were as follows : 1) Mean score of nursing needs of subjects were 3.93 at 2nd day of admission and 3.99 at 7th day of ad mission. 2) Among the categories, the highest nursing need at the 2nd day and 7th day of admission was 'direct nursing', in desending order, 'facilities and environment', 'education and counseling', 'nursing assessment'. The lowest nursing need was 'reference'. 3) Differences between the nursing needs of subjects at 2nd day and 7th day were as follows ; (1) By categories, there was a significant difference only in the 'reference' category(t=2.74, P=.008). (2) By items, there were significant differences in items of 'to check necessary materials(t=2.31, P=.024)', 'to understand family function and family relationship(t=2.12. P=.041), 'to set up study room(t=2.22, P=.030)', and 'to mediate parent's meeting group(t=3.89, P=.000)'. The above result indicated that nursing needs of parents with hospitalized child were above average, especially very high in items about disease process, and items directly associated with treatment and nursing care. So, nurses have to focus on information about the patient's state of disease, treatment, test and procedure, and in efficiently giving direct nursing care to implement more effective care for the hospitalized children and their parents. And some future research is needed to identify the difference of degree of nursing needs of parents with hospitalized child according to admission duration using a different sample and a longer sampling interval.
Child ; Child, Hospitalized* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Missions and Missionaries ; Nursing Care ; Nursing* ; Parents* ; Research Design ; Child Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Cardiac lymphangioma is one of the rarest, primary, benign tumor of the heart. We report a case of cardiac lymphangioma, which was diagnosed with CT and MRI in a 50 years old female. Plain chest film showed minimal enlargement and globular shape of the heart. On CT scan, abnormal fluid density mass lesion was noted within pericardial sac. The signal intensity was lower on T1-weighted image and hgher on T2-weighted image than that of the myocardium and located along the left atrioventricuar groove. Several small low signal spots representing hemorrhage were seen within this lesion.
Female ; Heart ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lymphangioma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myocardium ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
C-Reactive Protein* ; Humans ; Membranes* ; Prospective Studies* ; Rupture*

Small cell carcinoma of the ovary is rare and occurs primarily in young women. It has a very poorprognosis-the results of chemotheraphy and rediotherapy have been generally disappointing and early recurrence ordistant metastasis is common. Metastasis to the breast is very rare; such tomors account for about 1% of totalbreast malignancies. We describe the case of a 37-year-old-woman with muiltiple metastases to both breasts fromleft ovarian small cell carcinoma : the radiologic findings are also included. On pelvic ultrasonography and MRimaging, small cell carcinoma of the ovary was seen as a lobulationg mass lesion admixed with cystic and solidcomponents, and present in the pelvic cavity. Two months later, mammography and ultrasonography revealedrelatively well marginated multiple solid mass lesions in both breasts.
Breast* ; Carcinoma, Small Cell* ; Female ; Humans ; Mammography ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovary* ; Recurrence ; Ultrasonography