Angioedma is a group of disorders with multifactorial etiology but a similar clinical expression, is characterized by swelling of subcutaneous or submucosal tissue. Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is a chronic multi-systemtic disease characterized by inflammation and tissue damage resulting from deposition of auto-antibodies and immune complex. We experienced a case of angioedema which was the first manifestation of SLE in 24-year-old female patient. She had suffered from severe facial edema and multiple lymphadenopathy for six months and she also had pleural effusion, positive anti-nuclear and anti-DNA antibody test. Marked decrease of C3 and C4 levels was noted with normal antigenic level, and activity of Cl esterase inhibitor. The angioedema was not improved with anti-hitamine agents and instead disappeared with use of corticosteroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Complement levels normalized after corticosteroid treament. We report a case of SLE which initial manifestation was angioedema.
Angioedema ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Complement System Proteins ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Pleural Effusion ; Young Adult

Temporal bone fracture is usually the result of blunt head injury as ossicular disruption or isolated dislocation of individual ossicles may occur after temporal bone trauma. The incus is particularly prone to displacement because of its fragile ligamentous support. We report a rare case of incus dislocation into the external auditory canal associated with an underlying temporal bone fracture.
Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Dislocations* ; Ear Canal* ; Head Injuries, Closed ; Head* ; Incus* ; Ligaments ; Temporal Bone

Gastrointestinal stroma tumors (GISTs) are CD117- positive primary mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and are noted to have a possible non-random association with neurofibromatosis-1 (NF-1, Von Recklinghausen disease). We report a case of a duodenal GIST presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding in a 74-year-old female, and this condition was accompanied with NF-1. A upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and abdominal computed tomography scan revealed several submucosal tumors in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Histological and immunohistochemical studies on the surgical resection specimen revealed gastrointestinal stromal tumors of an uncommitted type. The patient was treated with local excision of the tumors and is now in a favorable state.
Aged ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Ileum ; Jejunum

Clinical manifestations of Salmonella infection are variable such as enterocolitis, bacteremia, enteric fever, focal infection and asymptomatic carrier status. Among these presentations, enterocolitis is the most common clinical manifestation and can be diagnosed by the use of fecal specimens. Patients with severe infectious colitis are at increased risk of developing a colon perforation after colonoscopy due to colon trauma. We report a case of a 31-year-old woman with transverse colon perforation after colonoscopy that was diagnosed with enterocolitis caused by infection with non-typhoidal group D Salmonella.
Adult ; Bacteremia ; Colitis ; Colon ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonoscopy ; Enterocolitis ; Female ; Focal Infection ; Humans ; Megacolon, Toxic ; Salmonella ; Salmonella Infections ; Typhoid Fever

Twenty-one myasthenic patients were treated with high-dose daily prednisone regimen at Seoul National University Hospital from May 1983 to January 1985. Observations in relation to dosage, drug schedule, clinical responses, and sideeffects led us to following conclusions concerning the management of myasthenia gravis with steroid. In addition, factors influencing the result were considered. 1) Among 21 patients, twenty(95%) showed clinical improvement of variable degrees. 2) Significant improvement could be expected especially in male patients, in older patients, and in those with duration of myasthenia gravis less than 6 months prior to treatment. Performance of thymectomy or thymothymectomy, thymic pathology, and clinical grade at the time of therapy were not considered to affect the outcome. 3) Ten cases (48%) suffered from initial exacerbations, most of which occurred within the first four days of treatment. Steroid-induced crises developed in four cases with preexisting brittle or severe generalized myasthenia. 4) Period taken to show the initial response and the maximum improvement varied widely but majority of them occurred within 15 days and 70 days respectively. 5) Off-day weakness during the alternate-day schedule required special cautions and, if persitent, immediate return to daily schedule was desirable. 6) Thymectomy prior to steroid treatment was not always necessary but, when both regimens were scheduled together, preparation therapy with steroid thought to be more favorable. 7) Aside from initial exacerbations side-effects during the treatment were not remarkable, all of which disappeared with reduction of dosage.
Appointments and Schedules ; Humans ; Male ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Pathology ; Prednisone ; Seoul ; Thymectomy

BACKGROUND: Diabetic patients have an excess risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, QT interval variables on EKG were suggested as a non-invasive diagnostic tool in the assessment of diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy. It has been recently reported that QT interval variables could predict cardiac death in diabetic patients. We investigated whether QT interval variables also predicted ischemic heart disease in diabetic patients. METHODS: Among non-insulin dependent diabetic patients who were admitted to Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital since 1993, we selected study subjects who had no ischemic heart disease at the time of EKG and were follewed up for more than 4 years. Sex, age, duration of diabetes, blood pressure, smoking, HbAlc, diabetic, retinopathy, serum creatinine concentration at the time of EKG and QT interval variables(QT, QTc,QT dispersion, QTc dispersion) were analysed by regression analysis with ischemic heart disease as the sole end point. RESULTS: Out of total 118 patients, 21 patients developed ischemic heart disease during follow-up. Patients were followed up for a mean of 68 months. Sex,age, duration of diabetes, serum creatinine concentration and all QT variables were identified as the potentially important variables in univariate analysis. In Cox multivariate analysis with these variables, serum creatinine concentration and all QT variables were significant and independent predictors of ischemic heart disease in diabetic patients. Among QT variables, QTc dispersin outperformed all other predictors(risk ratio 8.132; confidence interval 3.908~16.921) CONCLUSION: These results suggest that QT interval variables, especially QTc dispersion, could be a useful predictor of ischemic heart disease in diabetic patients and could be used as screening test to select diabetic patients for more extensive cardiac investigation.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Creatinine ; Death ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Smoke ; Smoking

BACKGROUND: Early oral intake (EOI) associated with early recovery of normal bowel function has been shown to be an important determinant for improving patients' satisfaction. We investigated the tolerability of EOI and its effects on the recovery of bowel function after epidural anesthesia. METHODS: A prospective randomized trial of patients undergoing lower extremities surgery under epidural anesthesia was performed. A liquid drink was given to 150 patients in the EOI group 1 hours after surgery, and to 150 patients in the delayed oral intake (DOI) group 8 hours after surgery. We recorded presence of bowel sounds immediately after operation, symptoms of ileus, time to the first flatus, time to the first defecation, degree of appetite before the first meal, and patients' satisfaction. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the presence of immediate postoperative bowel sounds, the degree of appetite before the first meal, mild ileus, and severe ileus between groups. Time to the first flatus and time to the first defecation in the EOI group were shorter than those of the DOI group. The patients' satisfaction in the EOI group was higher than that of the DOI group. CONCLUSIONS: For uncomplicated patients undergoing lower extremities under epidural anesthesia, beginning oral hydration as early as 1 hour after the operation is safe and well tolerated and resulting in faster recovery of bowel function and higher patients' satisfaction.
Anesthesia, Epidural ; Appetite ; Defecation ; Flatulence ; Humans ; Ileus ; Lower Extremity ; Meals ; Prospective Studies

No abstract available.
Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Herpes Simplex* ; Pneumonia ; Simplexvirus*

Primary pulmonary diffuse alveolar amyloidosis is a rare form among the pulmonary amyloidosis. Especially in primary form diffuse alveolar type is much more rare disease. the patient was checked simple chest X-ray for the purpose of routine screening test, he had no respiratory symptoms and signs and he had no complaint of other organ symptoms, while in chest roentgenogram it was found bilateral diffuse interstitial infiltration of the lung, but any other organs which commonly involved in amyloidosis were not involved in laboratory and other specific diagnostic procedures. We report a case of pulmonry diffuse alveolar amyloidosis only localized in lung which was confirmed by transbronchial lung biopsy.
Amyloidosis* ; Biopsy ; Humans ; Lung* ; Mass Screening ; Rare Diseases ; Thorax

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Anatomical alterations of sinonasal cavity produced by various sinonasal diseases and surgeries can cause too much or too little sinus ventilation, which may develop pathology in the sinus. We studied the effect of the anatomical changes in nasal cavity and nasopharynx on the pressure of paranasal sinuses and ventilation of maxillary sinus in model experiment. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Anatomically accurate laboratory sinonasal model was constructed from computerized axial tomography scans of a healthy male. The pressure changes in the paranasal sinuses and oxygen washout from the maxillary sinus were investigated during controlled respiration by volunteer via corrugated tube connected to the nasopharynx of the normal model. The same procedures were performed in the adenoid hypertrophy and ethmoidectomized models. RESULTS: Adenoid hypertrophy caused an increase in maxillary antral pressure amplitude (the difference between peak positive and negative pressure), but showed a decrease in ventilation. In the ethmoidectomized model, ethmoidectomy improved maxillary sinus ventilation with slight decrease in the antral pressure amplitude, and widening of the ostium significantly increased ventilation, whereas near total middle turbinectomy impaired ventilation. CONCLUSION: The results obtained with the present model experiment may be of use for the understanding of the relations between anatomical change in the sinonasal cavity and sinus ventilation.
Adenoids ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Nasal Cavity* ; Nasopharynx* ; Oxygen ; Paranasal Sinuses* ; Pathology ; Respiration ; Ventilation* ; Volunteers