With the recent introduction and development of the detachable balloon system, it has become the treatment of choice in the management of carotid cavernous fistulas(CCFs). But, since most delivery systems for embolization of CCF mainly depend on flow guidance for balloon delivery, in cases of small fistula, pseudoaneurysm and arterialized venous collaterals, failure of balloon embolization can occur. To overcome these limitations, the authors designed and used a new versatile, steerable, and flow-guided detachable balloon system by using a Tracker catheter system with silicone or latex balloons. Using this maneuver, we could get successful fistula occlusion in 7 out of 8 patients(silicone balloon). But in one case, we had to occlude the internal carotid artery at the fistula site, proximal and distal cervical portions of the internal carotid artery. This balloon delivery system proved to provide high selectivity for fistula and relatively ease of handing.
Aneurysm, False ; Balloon Occlusion ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Catheters* ; Fistula* ; Hand ; Latex ; Silicon* ; Silicones*

Correct discrimination of the first and the second twin is important. Case: (1) The first fetus, whose amnionic cavity was closest to the cervix at 19 weeks, even though its body was higher than the second fetus, was found to be closer to the cervix by 23 gestational weeks than its twin. (2) The result of the chromosomal study of dichorionic twins at 17 gestational weeks was male with 9 inversion of the presumed first, and female with trisomy 21 of the presumed second. AT 19 gestational weeks, the sex and order of the two were found to be reversed at sonography for selective termination. In diamnionic twins, the fetus in the amnionic sac closest to the cervix is nominated as the first.
Amnion ; Cervix Uteri ; Diagnosis* ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Fetus* ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy, Twin* ; Twins*

No abstract available.
Blood Pressure* ; Body Mass Index*

The fractures of the cervical spine are relatively uncommon, but they may cause serious neurologic deficits temporarily or permanently. So, it is very important to treat the patients early by way of exact evaluation for the sites and the mechanisms of the injuries. The authors reviewed retrospectively 188 cervical spinal fractures in 100 patients from Sep. 1984 to Aug. 1990. Commonly involed levels were C5 and C6 in lower cervical level and C2 in upper cervical level and the sites in each spine were body; lamina and odontoid process. The hyperflexion injury was the most common type of the cervical spinal fractures occupying 53% of all cervical fractures and cause more multipe fractures(2.26 fractures/patient) than in hyperextension (1. 68 fractures/patient). In hyperflexion injuries, body, transverse and spinous process were commonly involved but lamina fracture was relatively common in hyperextension injury. The dislocations associated with fractures were developed most commonly in hyperflexion injury and 70% of these were anterior dislocation and the most commonly involved levels were C5-6 and C6-7. In conclusion, hyperflexion injury needs more close examination for the entire spinal levels than injuries of other mechanisms because it results in more severe fractures with or without dislocation and relatively frequent multiple fractures in different levels.
Dislocations ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Odontoid Process ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures* ; Spine

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

PURPOSE: The TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus offers the proper guidelines for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Many new devices and surgical techniques have been introduced to the medical field and these have been aggressively used to manage the patients with PAD. We performed this study to evaluate the current status of endovascular therapy based on the literature and we review the efficacy and safety of the new devices used in the field. METHODS: A search of the literature was performed in the PubMed and science websites. The keywords were "chronic total occlusions", "superficial femoral artery revascularization", "peripheral arterial disease" and "endovascular therapy". RESULTS: The variation of the results was large according to the studies. The rough technical success rate was 80~90% and the 1 year clinical success rate, the primary patency rate and the limb salvage rate for chronic total occlusions were approximately 50~70%, 50% and 80~90%. The efficacy and safety of the new devices used in the field were acceptable. CONCLUSION: Further refinement of the guidewires and sheaths and the development of adjunctive devices have allowed traversal of even the long lesions and this has increased the technical success. Although surgery remains the principal treatment for patients with lower limb ischemia, surgeons must now assess the benefits and risks associated with various treatment options, including endovascular therapy.
Consensus ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Limb Salvage ; Lower Extremity ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Risk Assessment

Since the time of Jonathan Hutchinson (1858-63), it has been known that over 90% of cases of diffuse interstitial keratitis occur in syphilitic patients. The syphilitic patients was sharply decreased throughout the world after the introduction of penicillin for syphilis therapy, but recently the incidence of syphilis began to increase throughout the world. The authors experienced 3 cases of interstitial keratitis due to congenital syphilis. All the cases showed interstitial keratitis, positive serologic test for syphilis (VDRL) and Hutchinson's teeth. A brief review and relating literatures are presented.
Humans ; Incidence ; Keratitis* ; Penicillins ; Serologic Tests ; Syphilis ; Syphilis, Congenital

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return(connection) is a congenital heart disease. Especially, the reports of the patients with double connections of all pulmonary veins were rare. An infant who underwent operation for total anomalous pulmonary venous return had double drainge of all pulmonary veins to both left vertical vein and anomalous descending vein. This second lesion was not diagnosed preoperatively, but in operative field. Operative treatments were performed by ligation of left vertical vein and central pulmonary vein-to-left atrium anastomosis without ligation of the descending anomalous vein. For these less common variants fo total anomalous pulmonary venous return,a more detailed and precise understanding of morphology can facilitate accurate surgical repair. And also, early detection of the disease is an another issue for a good prognosis.
Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Infant ; Ligation ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Veins ; Scimitar Syndrome* ; Veins

BACKGROUND: Conventional echocardiography provides fundamental information about mitral valve morphology and function but is often subjective and has a relatively low specificity in evaluating valve calcific deposit, which is critical information for the preoperative decision. We hypothesized that mitral valvular calcification could be detected in standard two-dimensional echocardiograms of mitral valve in vivo by evaluating regional gray level(echo amplitude) using computerized image analysis so that we could overcome the subjectivity and low specificity of conventional echocardiography. METHODS: We tested this hypothesis by performing standard 2.5MHz two-dimensional echoes on mitral valve and myocardium in 30 patients with mitral stenosis, scheduled to undergo mitral valve replacement. We compared gray level of each region of interest in mitral valve and myocardium in stop-frame images with the degree of calcifications identified by pathologic and radiographic examinations. RESULTS: Ratio of mean gray level of mitral valve to mean gray level of myocardium was the most reliable value in evaluating degree of calcification. Quantitatively, region of calcification displayed the ratio of significantly higher value than that of no calcification. In case of anterior mitral valve, the ratio of the evident calcified region was greater than 3.11, that of the region without calcification was less than 2.42 and that of microcalcification was betwwn 2.42 and 3.11. For posterior mitral valve, the ratio of the evident calcified region was greater than 3.50, that of the region without calcification was less than 2.19 and that of microcalcification was between 2.19 and 3.50. The sensitivity and specificity of this method for assessment of degree of calcification was 75% and 100% for anterior mitral valve and 9% and 87.5% for posterior mitral valve. CONCLUSION: Mitral valvular calcification could be detected quantitatively in standard two dimensional echocardiograms of mitral valve in vivo by evaluating regional gray level(echo amplitude) using computerized image analysis.
Echocardiography ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Myocardium ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Korea* ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung*