No abstract available.
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation*

No abstract available.
Balloon Valvuloplasty* ; Constriction, Pathologic*

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) has been established as an effective and safe treatment modality for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia and WPW syndrome. Surgical ablation or direct current catheter ablation had been performed to cure focal atrial tachycardia (AT), however, these treatments had limitations such as the need of open thoracotomy or the risk of barotrauma. RFCA could be an effective treatment modality for cure of AT. We performed RFCA for AT in 22 patients (male 13, mean age 38.1+/-15.4 years) among 831 patients who underwent electrophysiologic study between Jul. 1996 and May. 1999. Clinical pattern of tachycardia was paroxysmal (17 patients) or incessant (mean duration of symptoms, 41.1+/-42.3 months). Associated cardiac diseases were tachycardia-mediated cardiomyopathy (3 patients), aortic stenosis (1 patient) and ventricular septal defect with pulmonic stenosis (1 patient). AT was induced by programmed electrical stimulation in 17 patients: AT in the other 5 patients was incessant. The RFCA was successful in 17 patients (77.3%). The mean interval between atrial electrogram of mapping catheter and P wave of surface ECG was -53.5+/-24.9msec in 17 successful sites. Fractionated atrial activities were invariably found in the successful sites. Successful sites of RFCA for right AT were around coronary sinus ostium (5), crista terminalis (4), lower portion of sinus node (1), inferior portion of tricuspid annulus (1), and His area (1), respectively. In left AT, lateral portion near atrioventricular groove (2), inferoposterior portion (2) and near left atrial appendage (1) were successful site. During follow-up (mean 23 months), one patient had recurrence (recurrence rate 5.9%). RFCA for AT is an effective and curative treatment in selected cases.
Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Atrial Appendage ; Barotrauma ; Cardiomyopathies ; Catheter Ablation* ; Catheters ; Coronary Sinus ; Electric Stimulation ; Electrocardiography ; Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Recurrence ; Sinoatrial Node ; Tachycardia* ; Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry ; Thoracotomy ; Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome

No abstract available.
Cardiac Output* ; Ultrasonography*

Objective: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) reduces functional activity and increases the rate of cardiovascular death in the elderly. Our study aimed to determine whether the presence of PAD in stroke patients affected the progression of disability or death one year after discharge. Methods: From April 2012 to March 2013, consecutive first stroke patients above 50 years of age without known PAD were enrolled. PAD was defined as a low ankle-brachial index (less than 0.9) measured by an automatic device. Clinical data associated with the stroke were collected from medical records. Disability in stroke patients was evaluated with the modified Rankin scale (mRS) on discharge day and one year after the index stroke. Progression of disability was defined as an increase in mRS more than one level at one year. Results: Among the 526 patients, 238 had ischemic strokes and underwent ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurement. Of them, 192 patients were included. In univariate analysis, age, dyslipidemia, discharge mRS, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, D-dimer, homocysteine, internal carotid artery stenosis, posterior cerebral artery stenosis, and PAD were factors associated with worsening mRS. After adjustment for these factors in the logistic regression analysis, PAD was an independent factor associated with worsening mRS. In the analysis of one-year mortality, patients with PAD had a higher death rate, but PAD was not an independent factor after adjusting for other variables. Conclusions: The presence of PAD in stroke patients suggests a chance of disability progression, but may not be a predictor of death after one year.
Atherosclerosis ; Peripheral arterial disease ; Stroke

STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective study to evaluate anterior cervical interbody fusion with plates. OBJECTIVE: To examine the degree of angulation and translation after an anterior interbody fusion, using anterior plate fixation, upon the fusion rate and clinical outcome. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Anterior cervical interbody fusion with plate allows immediate rigid internal fixation after decompression and bone grafting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 65 cases had an anterior interbody fusion on the cervical spine, using an anterior approach and Smith-Robinson's method, between January 1998 and August 2003. Of these, 41 cases, which could be followed up for at least one year, were selected. There were 26 and 15 males and females, respectively, with an average age of 43.5 and mean follow up period of 2.1 years. 15 cases underwent an operation due to dislocation or fracture of the cervical spine due to trauma, and 26 due to cervical diseases. The angulation and translation of the plate was measured by postoperative X-rays. The fusion rate was also determined by the follow up X-rays. The Chi-squared test was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Bony fusion was obtained in all cases. Two patients developed hoarseness and one showed torticollis, but all had recovered by the follow up. The average angulation of the plate and translation were 6.2 degrees and 3.21mm, respectively, but there was no significant difference of the interbody fusion period due to angulation and translation of the plate or in the improvement of the clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: In the cases of anterior interbody fusion of the cervical spine, the angulation and translation of the plate had no influence on the fusion time and clinical outcomes. Long term studies and research will be needed to bring about clinically more valuable data.
Bone Transplantation ; Decompression ; Dislocations ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; Torticollis

One of the purposes of this experiment is to observe the structure of crystalline lens with cataract, which is formed artificially, using the light microscope and electron microscope. The other is to observe the differences of structural variations in the cataract developed inside body. Twelve eyes of six pigs were used for this experiment. Two of them are normal crystalline lens, five are cystalline lens in distilled water, and the rest are in balanced salt solution through intact or ruptured capsule. We examined the time of cataract formation and compared the ultrastructural changes. Ruptured capsule and high osmotic pressure difference induced more rapid opacity. In case of distilled water, the capsule is maintained but it is very difficult to distinguish between epithelium and lens fibers. Also, there is a severe crack in the lens fibers. In electron microscopic, as the cataract progresses, the osmotic swelling becomes more prominent. One of the striking changes was a marked intercellular cyst formation. Lens cells became irregular in size and density and were extensively vacuolated. The swelling of the lens cells continuously induced large intracellular vacuoles and liquefied the cytoplasmic protein. In conclusion, the structural change of cataract, which was seen by an electron microscope, resulted from change in osmolarity from previously announced in vivo experiment and structural change resulted from this experiment are similar.
Cataract* ; Crystallins* ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelium ; Lens, Crystalline* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Osmolar Concentration ; Osmotic Pressure ; Strikes, Employee ; Swine ; Vacuoles ; Water

Bronchopleural fistula is an uncommon but serious complication of lung resection, with a high mortality and morbidity. Problems associated with bronchopleural fistula and empyema are related to positive-pressure ventilation, which may result in infectious contamination of healthy lung tissue, loss of air, decreased alveolar ventilation leading to carbon dioxide retention, and the development of a tension pneumothorax. We experienced difficult intubation in patient who has large bronchopleural fistula and anatomic deviations of intact bronchus of the left lung, so we used a long single lumen tube made by attaching an another cuffed endotracheal tube under direct vision. The arterial oxygenation was effective, but carbon dioxide elimination was inadequate. After the operation, the ordinary cuffed endotracheal tube was intubated orally and the patient was transferred to the ward without problems 6 days after the operation.
Anesthesia* ; Bronchi ; Carbon Dioxide ; Empyema ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Intubation ; Lung ; Mortality ; Oxygen ; Pneumothorax ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Ventilation

An oculogyric crisis which was resolved after intravenous injection of diazepam 10 mg developed in a 16-year-old girl after an oral dose of 400 mg of albendazole. Although ocular side effects of albendazole are rare, it can induce an alarming oculogyric crisis in some sensitive subjects. The mechanism of the oculogyric crisis is unclear.
Adolescent ; Albendazole* ; Diazepam ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous

Bowen's disease is an intraepidermal squamous cell carcinoma also referred to as a squamous carcinoma in situ. Pigmented Bowen's disease is a rare variant and represents less than 2 % of all lesions. Clear cell Bowen's disease, also known as pagetoid Bowen's disease is also rare and characterized by an atypical proliferation of pale tumor cells within the epidermis. We report an unusual case of Bowen's disease in a 50-year-old man which presented as a brown to black colored scaly plaque with crusts on the back. The histopathologic feature of the skin lesion showed Bowen's disease with increased basal pigmentation, dermal melanophages and epidermal clear cells. So we termed this case 'pigmented pagetoid Bowen's disease'
Bowen's Disease* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pigmentation ; Skin