Treatment of giant aneurysms of the basilar artery remains difficult and controversial. Especially, surgical treatment of the basilar trunk aneurysm have a potential morbidity or mortality due to its anatomical environment and the complicated surgical exposure. A 32-year-old female presented with an unruptured, giant basilar trunk aneurysm manifesting as brainstem compression signs and cranial nerve dysfunction. Cerebral angiography disclosed a giant aneurysm with a wide neck and an intra-aneurysmal thrombus arising from the mid-basilar artery. Aneurysm was embolized with Guglielmi detachable coils; and complete occlusion of the aneurysm was obtained.
Adult ; Aneurysm* ; Arteries ; Basilar Artery ; Brain Stem ; Cerebral Angiography ; Cranial Nerves ; Female ; Humans ; Mortality ; Neck ; Thrombosis

Takayasu's arteritis is a chronic vasculitic disease of the aorta, its major branches and the pulmonary arteries, resulting in stenosing, occlusive or aneurysmal lesion. While the precise etiology of Takayasu's disease is unknown, an autoimmune mechanism or active tuberculous inflammation have been suggested. It is more common in young oriental women but has a rare incidence in children. We experienced a case of Takayasu arteritis type IV in an 8years old girl. The diagnosis was made by physial examination and digital substraction aortography(DSA) which showed narrowing of left common carotid artery, right subclavin artery and left renal artery. The perfusion defect at posterior segment of right upper lobe was noted in lung perfusion scan. Medical treatment and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty(PTA) were performed. In addition to case report, a brief review of literature was added.
Aneurysm ; Angioplasty* ; Aorta ; Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Perfusion ; Pulmonary Artery ; Renal Artery ; Takayasu Arteritis*

OBJETIVE: To analyze the antithrombin III deficiency in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The blood samples were tested by chromogenic assay to evaluate the activity of antithrombin III. RESULTS: There was only one case of antithrombin III deficiency. This patient experienced one neonatal death after delivery and one FDIU (fetal death in utero). And also this patient showed a lupus anticoagulant and the prolongation of PTT. CONCLUSIONS: Women with recurrent miscarriage who have no obvious identified cause should consider hematologic screening. Antithrombin III deficiency could be a cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion. But the incidence is very rare in Korean patients.
Abortion, Habitual ; Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Antithrombin III Deficiency* ; Antithrombin III* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy

Congenital hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia is a rare genodermatosis. It is characterized by hypohidrosis hypotrichosis, dental hypoplasia and characterstic facial features, which reflect a wide constellation of developmental defec of tissue from the ectoderm. We have encountered three cases of congenital hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia in a 28-year-old female, her new-born baby, and a 10-month-old boy with a family history. All of the three patients had hypohidrosis, hypotrichosis, defective dentition, and characterstic facial features, which were characterstic features of this disorder. In addition, they showed dry skin, sparse and thin hairs. Histopathologic findings of previous cases revealed no eccrine gland structure in the dermis with routine and immunohistochemical stainning such cytokeratin and filaggrin. We report three typical cases of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia with the review of literature.
Adult ; Dentition ; Dermis ; Eccrine Glands ; Ectoderm ; Ectodermal Dysplasia 1, Anhidrotic* ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Hypohidrosis ; Hypotrichosis ; Infant ; Keratins ; Male ; Skin

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TGF-p receptor mutation is now considered as one of the carcinogenic process of many tumors. To evaluate whether there is an abnormality in TGF-p type II receptor in osteosarcoma cell lines, we performed Northern analysis, cross-linking assay, luciferase activity and TGF-p growth inhibition assay in four osteosarcoma cell lines: G292, U202, HOS and SaOS. We also transfected the tumor cells with normal TGF-p type II receptor sequence to find if there is a possibility of gene therapy in osteosarcoma. In Northern analysis, Type II receptor expressions were decreased at SaOS, U202 and HOS cell lines. In cross-linking assay, all four cell lines didnt show type II receptor at their cell surface. The growth of these tumor cells were not suppressed by TGF-p. From these findings, we concluded that the normal production of TGF-p type II receptor was impaired in osteosarcoma. The transfection of these tumor cells with normal type II receptor sequence restored growth inhibition by TGF-p. This means even though TGF-p type II receptor is abnormal in osteosarcoma, we can restore its function by transfection of normal sequence. We think that the TGF-p type Il receptor gene therapy can be one of the treatment method for osteosarcoma in the future.
Cell Line* ; Genetic Therapy ; Luciferases ; Osteosarcoma* ; Transfection

PURPOSE: Carbamate insecticides are potent cholinesterase inhibitors capable of causing severe cholinergic toxicity. Use of carbamate rather than organophosphate insecticides has been increasing. Compared with organophosphate poisoning, relatively few studies have investigated carbamate-associated acute pancreatitis. We investigated general characteristics and pancreatitis of carbamate poisoning and the predictors, among those readily assessed in the emergency department. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of consecutive patients, aged over 18 years, who were admitted between January 2008 and April 2012 to an emergency department (ED) of an academic tertiary care center for treatment of carbamate poisoning. Patients who exhibited poisoning by any other material, except alcohol, were excluded. After application of exclusion criteria, patients were divided according to carbamate-induced pancreatitis and non-pancreatitis groups. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients were included in this study. Among these 41 patients, the prevalence of acute pancreatitis was 36.6% (15 patients). Initial blood chemistry tests showed a statistically higher glucose level in the pancreatitis group, compared with the non-pancreatitis group (222, IQR 189-284 vs. 137, IQR 122-175 mg/dL, P<0.05). Regarding clinical courses and outcomes, a significantly higher proportion of patients developed pneumonia [10 (66.7%) vs. 6 (23.1%), P<0.05] and had a longer hospital stay (7 days, IQR 6-12 vs. 5 days, IQR 2-11, P<0.05), but no difference in mortality, in the pancreatitis group vs. the non-pancreatitis group. In multivariate analysis, the initial glucose was showing significant association with the presentation of carbamate-induced acute pancreatitis (odds ratio 1.018, 95% confidence interval 1.001-1.035, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Carbamate-induced acute pancreatitis is common, but not fatal. Initial serum glucose level is associated with acute pancreatitis.
Blood Glucose ; Carbamates ; Chemistry ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Glucose ; Humans ; Insecticides ; Length of Stay ; Lipase ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; Pancreatitis* ; Pneumonia ; Poisoning* ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers

PURPOSE: Because carbon monoxide (CO)-intoxicated patients with an alert mental status and only mild cognitive dysfunction may be inadequately assessed by traditional bedside neurologic examination in the emergency department (ED), they may not receive appropriate treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the incidence and features of cognitive dysfunction using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K) in ED patients with CO poisoning with alert mental status. We conducted a retrospective review of 43 consecutive mild CO poisoned patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15 based on documentation by the treating emergency physician in the ED between July 2014 and August 2015. RESULTS: Cognitive dysfunction, defined as a score of less than 24 in the MMSE-K, was diagnosed in six patients (14%) in the ED. In the MMSE-K, orientation to time, memory recall, and concentration/calculation showed greater impairments. The mean age was significantly older in the cognitive dysfunction group than the non-cognitive dysfunction group (45.3 yrs vs. 66.5 yrs, p<0.001). Among the initial symptoms, experience of a transient change in mental status before ED arrival was significantly more common in the cognitive dysfunction group (32.4% vs. 100%, p=0.003). CONCLUSION: Patients with CO poisoning and an alert mental status may experience cognitive dysfunction as assessed using the MMSE-K during the early stages of evaluation in the ED. In the MMSE-K, orientation to time, memory recall, and concentration/calculation showed the greatest impairment.
Carbon Monoxide ; Carbon* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Memory ; Neurologic Examination ; Poisoning ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare, life-threatening, and rapidly progressive soft tissue infection associated with extensive necrosis. Despite recent advances in its management, outcomes have not improved and the mortality rate from this disease is still high. The objective of this study was to identify the predictive factors of mortality for patients diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis in the ED. METHODS: A total of 38 necrotizing fasciitis cases diagnosed by an emergency department from January 2001 to April 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Mean serum lactate levels were significantly higher in non-survivors than survivors (8.03+/-4.48 vs. 3.26+/-2.46, p=0.001). Serum glucose levels, arterial pCO2, and HCO3 values were significantly lower in non-survivors than survivors (114.75+/-78.01 vs. 203.92+/-122, p=0.027;25.02+/-6.82 vs. 32.74+/-7.06, p=0.005; 13.76+/-6.08 vs. 20.63+/-5.12, p=0.002, respectively). Microorganisms isolated included coagulase-negative Staphylococci from seven patients (18.4%), Acinetobacter baumannii from six patients (15.8%), Enterococcus faecium from five patients (13.2%), Staphylococcus aureus from five patients (13.2%), Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus from three patients (7.9%), Enterococcus faecalis from three patients (7.9%), Escherichia coli from two patients (5.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa from two patients (5.3%), Enterobacter cloaca from two patients (5.3%), Klebsiella oxytoca from two patients (5.3%), and Klebsiella pneumonia from two patients (5.3%). More Acinetobacter baumannii were cultured from the non-survival group than the survival group (p=0.022), while there was no statistical difference from surgical treatment between the survivor and non-survivor group (p=0.460). Interestingly, serum lactate levels above 4.0 mmol/L were a predictor of mortality in the ED (OR, 20.000; confidence interval, 1.796-222.777). CONCLUSION: Initial serum lactate levels above 4 mmol/Larea predictor of mortality in patients diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis in the ED.
Acinetobacter baumannii ; Blood Glucose ; Cloaca ; Emergencies* ; Enterobacter ; Enterococcus faecalis ; Enterococcus faecium ; Escherichia coli ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing* ; Humans ; Klebsiella ; Klebsiella oxytoca ; Lactic Acid ; Mortality* ; Necrosis ; Pneumonia ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Retrospective Studies ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Streptococcus ; Survivors

PURPOSE: Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare, life-threatening, and rapidly progressive soft tissue infection associated with extensive necrosis. Despite recent advances in its management, outcomes have not improved and the mortality rate from this disease is still high. The objective of this study was to identify the predictive factors of mortality for patients diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis in the ED. METHODS: A total of 38 necrotizing fasciitis cases diagnosed by an emergency department from January 2001 to April 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Mean serum lactate levels were significantly higher in non-survivors than survivors (8.03+/-4.48 vs. 3.26+/-2.46, p=0.001). Serum glucose levels, arterial pCO2, and HCO3 values were significantly lower in non-survivors than survivors (114.75+/-78.01 vs. 203.92+/-122, p=0.027;25.02+/-6.82 vs. 32.74+/-7.06, p=0.005; 13.76+/-6.08 vs. 20.63+/-5.12, p=0.002, respectively). Microorganisms isolated included coagulase-negative Staphylococci from seven patients (18.4%), Acinetobacter baumannii from six patients (15.8%), Enterococcus faecium from five patients (13.2%), Staphylococcus aureus from five patients (13.2%), Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus from three patients (7.9%), Enterococcus faecalis from three patients (7.9%), Escherichia coli from two patients (5.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa from two patients (5.3%), Enterobacter cloaca from two patients (5.3%), Klebsiella oxytoca from two patients (5.3%), and Klebsiella pneumonia from two patients (5.3%). More Acinetobacter baumannii were cultured from the non-survival group than the survival group (p=0.022), while there was no statistical difference from surgical treatment between the survivor and non-survivor group (p=0.460). Interestingly, serum lactate levels above 4.0 mmol/L were a predictor of mortality in the ED (OR, 20.000; confidence interval, 1.796-222.777). CONCLUSION: Initial serum lactate levels above 4 mmol/Larea predictor of mortality in patients diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis in the ED.
Acinetobacter baumannii ; Blood Glucose ; Cloaca ; Emergencies* ; Enterobacter ; Enterococcus faecalis ; Enterococcus faecium ; Escherichia coli ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing* ; Humans ; Klebsiella ; Klebsiella oxytoca ; Lactic Acid ; Mortality* ; Necrosis ; Pneumonia ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Retrospective Studies ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Streptococcus ; Survivors