Numerous eye diseases have been examined by means of time-amplitude ultrasonography for a period of more than ten years. A diagnostic ultrasonic examination is of great help in the following pathologic conditions: intraocular foreign body, retinal detachment, vitreous opacities, melanoma of the choroid, retrolental fibrorlasia, as well as in dermoid cysts and abscesses of the anterior orbit, etc. In my investigations, I have reeently also used the EKOLINE 20 ultrasonic equipment and frequencies of 6 to 11 Mc. Time-amplitude ultrasonography were performed on 7 cases (orbital tumor, 2 cases of intraocular foreign body, retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage, eale's disease, intraocular tumor and vitreous hemorrhage). In addition to a brief review of literature, Time-amplitude ultrasonography findings of 7 cases of ocular diseases have been reported.
Abscess ; Choroid ; Dermoid Cyst ; Eye Diseases ; Foreign Bodies ; Melanoma ; Orbit ; Retinal Detachment ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography* ; Vitreous Hemorrhage

PURPOSE: Myoepithelioma of the lacrimal gland is an extremely rare monomorphic adenoma. We report a case of myoepithelioma of the lacrimal gland. METHODS: A 34-year-old woman visited with an asymptomatic palpable mass on the left upper lid for a year. On ophthalmic examination, the visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes and other ophthalmic examinations were unremarkable. Computed tomographic scan revealed a well-circumscribed, low-attenuated mass lesion in the lacrimal gland. The mass was excised and histopathologic examination and immunohistochemical staining were performed. RESULTS: The lesion consisted of a brown mass, up to 1.5 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm. Histopathologically, there were round, ovoid nuclei associated with an interstitial hyaline deposition. Immunohistochemical staining was strongly positive for S-100 protein and vimentin, intermediately positive for cytokeratin and smooth muscle actin, and negative for glial fibrillary acid protein. Recurrence of the neoplasm was not observed during 5 months of follow-up after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The case was diagnosed with myoepithelioma of the lacrimal gland on the basis of clinical and histopathological findings. Myoepithelioma of the lacrimal gland is very rare and only a few cases have been reported.
Female ; Humans

Tracheo-innominate artery fistula is a rare, but it is one of the gravest complications next to tracheostromy. Early recognition and prompt surgical management is mandatory. The patient was a 66 year old women with MCA infarct who maintained tracheostomy for lyear. She had respiratory arrest due to the excessive bleeding through the tracheostomy site. We report an successful experience for control of bleeding by an innominate artery fistula division and primay suture closure under direct digital compression.
Aged ; Arteries* ; Brachiocephalic Trunk ; Female ; Fistula* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Sutures ; Tracheostomy

OBJECTIVE: Hydrocephalus is a common sequelae of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and patients who develop hydrocephalus after SAH typically have a worse prognosis than those who do not. This study was designed to identify factors predictive of shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus among patients with aneurysmal SAH, and patients who require permanent cerebrospinal fluid diversion. METHODS: Seven-hundred-and-thirty-four patients with aneurysmal SAH who were treated surgically between 1990 and 2006 were retrospectively studied. Three stages of hydrocephalus have been categorized in this paper, i.e., acute (0-3 days after SAH), subacute (4-13 days after SAH), chronic (> or =14 days after SAH). Criteria indicating the occurrence of hydrocephalus were the presence of significantly enlarged temporal horns or ratio of frontal horn to maximal biparietal diameter more than 30% in computerized tomography. RESULTS: Overall, 66 of the 734 patients (8.9%) underwent shunting procedures for the treatment of chronic hydrocephalus. Statistically significant associations among the following factors and shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus were observed. (1) Increased age (p < 0.05), (2) poor Hunt and Hess grade at admission (p < 0.05), (3) intraventricular hemorrhage (p < 0.05), (4) Fisher grade III, IV at admission (p < 0.05), (5) radiological hydrocephalus at admission (p < 0.05), and (6) post surgery meningitis (p < 0.05) did affect development of chronic hydrocephalus. However the presence of intracerebral hemorrhage, multiple aneurysms, vasospasm, and gender did not influence on the development of shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus. In addition, the location of the ruptured aneurysms in posterior cerebral circulation did not correlate with the development of shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus. CONCLUSION: Hydrocephalus after aneurysmal SAH seems to have a multifactorial etiology. Understanding predisposing factors related to the shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus may help to guide neurosurgeons for better treatment outcomes.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Animals ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage ; Horns ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Meningitis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

Cystic masses are among the most common sonographically detectable abnormalities of the umbilical cord. Umbilical cord cysts have been described in association with fetal anomalies, with chromosomal or structural defects being found in over 20% of cases. We present a case of umbilical cord cyst associated with fetal death at 29 weeks of gestation with a brief review of literatures.
Fetal Death* ; Pregnancy ; Umbilical Cord*

We describe a rare case of cerebral venous thrombosis and liver infarction with HELLP syndrome in a 25-year-old woman with eclampsia. She had complained of epigastric pain and had visited a local hospital for treatment. Also, signs of fetal distress were presented. After an emergency cesarean section, generalized tonic-clonic seizure occurred twice at a 10-minute interval. The patients was transferred to our emergency room, and the neurologic examination at that time, revealed a deep drowsy mentality and positive Babinski's sign; the deep tendon reflex was two positive. The laboratory findings revealed thrombocytopenia, an elevated liver function test, abnormal coagulation profiles. A bilateral ischemic change with left basal ganglia hemorrhage was seen on brain CT, and multiple foci of ill defined low-density lesions, mainly in the subcapsular portion of the liver and perivascular space, were visible on the abdominal CT. There was a faint showing of the deep venous system on the angiogram of both carotid arteries and a cerebral venous thrombosis was confirmed by using 4-vessel angiography. During the following 2 days, the cerebral hemorrhage and the low-density lesion were resolved through applications of heparin, and the patient returned to a nearly alert mental status. Finally she died of a hemorrhagic shock as a complication of disseminated intravascular coagulation.
Adult ; Angiography ; Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage ; Brain ; Carotid Arteries ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cesarean Section ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Eclampsia ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; HELLP Syndrome* ; Heparin ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Intracranial Thrombosis ; Liver Function Tests ; Liver* ; Neurologic Examination ; Pregnancy ; Reflex, Babinski ; Reflex, Stretch ; Seizures ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; Thrombocytopenia ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Venous Thrombosis*

BACKGROUND: Administration of a vasopressor is frequently required in treating septic shock. The conventional method of vasopressor infusion, which includes incremental titration of a vasopressor to raise blood pressure, is sometimes a time-consuming process that might prolong the duration of the shock. PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate whether a method of vasopressor infusion that starts from an acceptable maximal dose has advantages over a method of vasopressor infusion that starts from a low dose in patients with septic shock. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients with septic shock, which was not corrected with fluid resuscitation of 20~30 ml/kg, were randomized into two groups. The patients in the low-to-high group (n=13) received a vasopressor in an incremental manner starting from a low dose. The patients in the high-to-low group (n=12) received a vasopressor in a decremental manner starting from an acceptable maximal dose. The shock durations (time from the beginning of vasopressor infusion to correction of the shock), and the hemodynamic and metabolic parameters, including blood pressure, pulse rate, arterial lactate concentration, anion gap, base excess, and central venous oxygen saturation, before vasopressor infusion, and 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours after vasopressor infusion were compared for the two groups. The length of ICU stay, the length of total hospital stay, the type of discharge, and the survival rate were also compared. RESULTS: The shock duration was shorter in the high-to-low group than in the low-to-high group (14.7+/-21 min. vs 41.9 +/-41 min., p=0.01). There were no differences between the two groups as to hemodynamic and metabolic parameters. The ICU stay was shorter in the high-to-low group than in the low-to-high group (7+/-7 days vs 10+/-22 days); however, the difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.934). CONCLUSION: The method of vasopressor infusion starting from acceptable maximal dose shortens the duration of shock compared to the conventional incremental titration method.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Length of Stay ; Oxygen ; Resuscitation ; Sepsis ; Shock ; Shock, Septic* ; Survival Rate ; Vasoconstrictor Agents

BACKGROUND: Myocardial cell death after myocardial infarction or reperfusion is classified into necrosis and apoptosis. Bcl-2 protein is a cytoplasmic protein, which inhibits apoptosis and is expressed in acute stage of myocardial infarction but not in normal heart. This study was performed to investigate whether Bcl-2 protein was expressed respectively to the reperfusion time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty nine New Zealand white rabbits weighing 1.5-4.8 kg (mean, 2.9kg) were alloted into 7 groups (n=5 in each group) which underwent left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion for 30 minutes, followed by reperfusion. The animals were sacrificed at 1, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours, and 3, 7 days after occlusion. Ventricle was excised immediately after intervention. Tissues were fixed in 10% buffured formalin and embedded in paraffin. Bcl-2 protein was detected by immunohistochemical stain with using monoclonal antibody against Bcl-2 protein. RESULTS: The positive immunohistochemical reactivity for Bcl-2 protein was observed in 12, 24 hours, and 3 days reperfusion groups. Bcl-2 protein was detected in salvaged myocytes surrounding the infarcted area. CONCLUSIONS: Bcl-2 protein is expressed at the late acute stage of infarct. Therefore, the expression of Bcl-2 protein may not protect acute cell death, but may play a role in the prevention of late cell death after myocardial is chemia-reperfusion.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Death ; Coronary Vessels ; Cytoplasm ; Formaldehyde ; Heart ; Muscle Cells ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Reperfusion ; Myocardium* ; Necrosis ; Paraffin ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the resuscitation outcomes and the clinical characteristics of geriatric nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by analyzing data from a single institution's registry. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 804 patients who came to the emergency department with nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during the period 1991-2002. Only patients over 18 years of age were included. Clinical characteristics, variables associated with cardiac arrest, and data during resuscitation were obtained from our cardiac arrest database. Patients were divided into two age groups: less than 65 years of age (non-geriatric group, n=530), and over 65 years of age (geriatric group, n=274). RESULTS: The proportion of cardiac etiology was higher with the geriatric group than with the non-geriatric group (48% vs 39%, chi-square=0.013). A lower incidence of ventricular arrhythmia was observed in the geriatric group (8% vs 13%, chi-square= 0.037). The arrest time, the CPR time, the witnessed arrest, the epinephrine doses, and total defibrillation energy were not different between two groups. Spontaneous circulation was restored in 127 (46%) patients in the geriatric group and in 255 (48%) patients in the non-geriatric group (chi-square=0.382). The patients discharged alive numbered were 33 (6%) in the non-geriatric group and 10 (4%) in the geriatric group (chi-square=0.138). CONCLUSION: Cardiac etiology was predominant in geriatric cardiac arrest and a lower incidence of ventricular arrhythmia was observed. An older age (over 65 years) did not affect the resuscitation outcome.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Epinephrine ; Heart Arrest* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest ; Resuscitation* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Antithrombin III (AT-III) is a serum protease inhibitor that inhibits the blood coagulation protease thrombin and is seen to be present in low levels in cases of shock, sepsis, or major trauma. Coagulopathy and hemorrhage are known contributors to trauma prognosis but the actual relationships of AT-III to mortality and to injury severity are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between AT-III and injury severity. METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of data collection from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2003. Sixty patients with multiple trauma were studied. The revised trauma score (RTS), the injury severity score (ISS), the systemic inflammatory response syndrome score (SIRS), the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation III (APACHE III), the length of ICU stay, the base-deficit value and the serum lactate were measured to evaluate injury severity. We estimated the relation between the severity of injury and the serum level of AT-III. RESULTS: In patients with multiple trauma, the serum AT-III level was lower in the non-survival group (12.6 mg/dL) than it was in the survival group (17.2 mg/dL) (p=0.004). Among the previous injury severity evaluation system, the unit of transfusion for 24 hours had the strongest correlation with AT-III (R=0.546, p=0.000). The base deficit (R=0.418, p=0.001), the length of ICU stay (R=0.415, p=0,030), the APACHE III (R=0.367, p=0.021), and the RTS (R=0.247, p=0.006) were also correlated with AT-III. A logistic regression showed a strong association between the AT-III level and the mortality rate (mortality rate = 1.067- 0.370 x AT -III, p= 0.004). CONCLUSION: In patients with severe trauma, The serum AT-III level was correlated with the RTS, the APACHE III, the number of transfusion units, the severity of shock, and the length of ICU stay. The serum AT-III level also showed a strong correlation with mortality.
Antithrombin III* ; APACHE ; Blood Coagulation ; Data Collection ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Lactic Acid ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Multiple Trauma ; Prognosis ; Protease Inhibitors ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Shock ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ; Thrombin