No abstract available.
Free Tissue Flaps* ; Head and Neck Neoplasms* ; Head*

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a major cause of death in premature neonates, and it is caused by the failure of morphological and biochemical lung maturation (synthesis and secretion of lung surfactant). It is known that cortisol, thyroxine, prolactin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and estrogen accelerate the lung maturation. Cortisol and thyroxine are currently used in the antenatal treatment for the prevention of RDS in premature neonates. In order to evaluate the effect of EGF on the levels of cortsol, thyroxine, and prolactin, this study was undertaken. Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) with and without EGF was directly injected into the 25 days gestational fetus in uterus. Blood was collected for the measurement of cortisol, thyroxine, and prolactin one day or two days after the injection. Body weights and lung weights were also measured. The results were as follows: 1. There was no significant difference in body weights and lung weights between PBS-treated group(control group) and EGF-treated poup(experimental group), 24 hours and 48 hours after the injection. 2. 24 hours after the injection, the levels of cortisol were significantly inaeased in the EGF-treated group compared with those in the PBS-treated group. However 48 hours after the injection, there was no significant difference in the levels of cortisol between the two groups. The levels of thyroxine and prolactin in the EGF-treated group did not significantly differ from those in the PBS-treated group 24 hours and 48 hours after the injection. In conclusion, in vivo, the synthesis of cortisol may be affected by EGF treatment, which suggests that the action of EGF for lung maturation may be partially mediated by the increased endogenous levels of cortisol.
Body Weight ; Cause of Death ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Estrogens ; Fetus ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung ; Prolactin* ; Rabbits* ; Thyroxine* ; Uterus ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: To evaluate the overall surgical outcome of the tibial pilon comminuted fractures and perform the comparative analysis between the limited internal fixation-external fixation group and the delayed open reduction-internal fixation (ORIF) group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From June 1997 to June 2004, 17 tibial pilon comminuted fractures were treated with the limited internal fixation-external fixation (6 cases) or the delayed open reduction-internal fixation (11 cases). The average age of the patients was 47.7 years (range: 41~63 years), male was fourteen patients, female was three. Follow-up period was average 33.6 months (range: 12~84 months). The clinical outcomes were evaluated by using AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and patient satisfaction was also evaluated. RESULTS: AOFAS score at final follow-up was 80.4 points, and 88% of the patients were satisfied with the results. AOFAS scores of the external fixation group and the delayed ORIF group were average 77.0 points and 82.2 points respectively, which did not show the statistical difference (p>0.05). Bony union was achieved at average 16.0 weeks. There were 18 complications such as skin necrosis. CONCLUSION: We have achieved relatively encouraging functional results and high patient satisfaction for pilon comminuted fractures, without significant result difference between the two surgical techniques.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Patient Satisfaction ; Skin ; Tibia

Right atrial (RA) thrombi are rarer than left atrial thrombi; they are frequently associated with major pulmonary embolism and carry a very high risk of mortality, requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment. In particular, multiple, mobile right atrial thrombi have a very poor prognosis because of the high incidence of massive pulmonary embolism. Echocardiography is useful in the diagnosis of RA thrombi. The treatment options for RA thrombi are anticoagulation, thrombolysis, and thrombectomy. Here, we report a case of multiple, mobile right atrial thrombi and pulmonary embolism that presented as cardiogenic shock during arthroscopic lavage of a septic knee. It was diagnosed using transthoracic echocardiography and treated successfully with thrombolytics and anticoagulants.
Anticoagulants ; Echocardiography ; Heart Atria ; Incidence ; Knee ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Thrombectomy ; Thrombosis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the CT findings of peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritonealdialysis(CAPD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed CT scans of 14 symptomatic patients withperitonitis after CAPD. Diffuse abdominal pain was present in 11, fever in two, and abdominal mass with vomitingin one. The mean duration of CAPD ranged from 10 months to 5 years(mean : 3.9 years). On abdominal CT, weevaluated the presence and location of ascites, bowel wall thickening, cocoon formation, the pattern ofenhancement of peritoneal thickening, the presence of calcifications in the peritoneum, and mesenteric and omentalchange. RESULTS: On enhanced CT, multiloculated ascites was observed in all cases(n=14) ; it was located mainlyin the pelvic cavity with small multi-loculated fluid collections in the peritoneal cavity (n=13), including thelesser sac(n=3). In one patient, ascites was located in the space between the greater omentum and anteriorperitoneal surface. CT showed ileus in 12 cases, small bowel wall thickening in 11, and cocoon formation in five.Uneven but smooth thickening of the peritoneum, with contrast enhancement, was seen in eight cases, and in five ofthese, peritoneal thickening was more prominent in the anterior peritoneum. Other findings included reticularopacity in two cases, hematoma of the rectus muscle in one, and umbilical hernia in one. CONCLUSION:Multiloculated fluid collection, ileus, small bowel wall thickening, uneven but smooth peritoneal thickening, andcocoon formation appear to be CT features of CAPD peritonitis.
Abdominal Pain ; Ascites ; Dialysis ; Fever ; Hematoma ; Hernia, Umbilical ; Humans ; Ileus ; Omentum ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritoneum ; Peritonitis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A 38-year-old man presented with typical squeezing-type anterior chest pain. An initial electrocardiogram (ECG) showed prominent ST-segment elevation (V1-V4 lead, 3 mm). Suddenly, the patient fell unconscious and had no pulse. At that time, the ECG showed polymorphic ventricular fibrillation (VT). After direct current (DC) cardioversion, the patient regained vital signs and defibrillation converted the VT into an accelerated idioventricular rhythm with resolution of the ST-segment elevation. The patient was referred to our hospital for close observation and further evaluation. At our hospital, an ECG showed normal sinus rhythms and cardiac enzymes were within normal limits. We diagnosed the patient with variant angina rather than ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), because his clinical manifestations were quite distinct; ST-segment elevations disappeared slowly at the reperfusion stage. However, the patient's final diagnosis was STEMI because coronary angiography showed severe eccentric tubular stenosis (85%) with remnant thrombus in the middle left anterior descending artery. Defibrillation likely removed the thrombus, which led to STEMI.
Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm ; Adult ; Angina Pectoris, Variant ; Arteries ; Chest Pain ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Electric Countershock ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Revascularization ; Reperfusion ; Thrombosis ; Unconscious (Psychology) ; Ventricular Fibrillation ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND/AIMS: With the increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease, angiocardiography using contrast-enhancing media has become an essential diagnostic and therapeutic tool, despite the risk of contrast-medium-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI). CIAKI may be exacerbated by renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) blockers, which are also used in a variety of cardiovascular disorders. This study evaluated the effects of RAS blockade on CIAKI after coronary angiography. METHODS: Patients who underwent coronary angiography in our hospital between May 2009 and July 2011 were reviewed. Serum creatinine levels before and after coronary angiography were recorded. CIAKI was diagnosed according to an increase in serum creatinine > 0.5 mg/dL or 25% above baseline. RESULTS: A total of 1,472 subjects were included in this study. Patients taking RAS blockers were older, had a higher baseline creatinine level, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and had received a greater volume of contrast medium. After propensity score matching, no difference was observed between the RAS (+) and RAS (.) groups. Multiple logistic regression identified RAS blockade, age, severe heart failure, contrast volume used, hemoglobin level, and eGFR as predictors of CIAKI. Multiple logistic regression after propensity matching showed that RAS blockade was associated with CIAKI (odds ratio, 1.552; p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the incidence of CIAKI was increased in patients treated with RAS blockers.
Acute Kidney Injury/*chemically induced/diagnosis/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Aged ; Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers/*adverse effects ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/*adverse effects ; Biological Markers/blood ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Contrast Media/*adverse effects/diagnostic use ; Coronary Angiography/*adverse effects ; Creatinine/blood ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate/drug effects ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney/*drug effects/physiopathology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Propensity Score ; Renin-Angiotensin System/*drug effects ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: It is well known that treatment with quetiapine can easily cause somnolence and daytime sleepiness in patients with bipolar disorder. Such sedation may be the discomfort to the drug in terms of patient's perspectives and results in drug noncompliance. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of 6-week quetiapine monotherapy on subjective aspects of sleep in patients with acute bipolar disorder. METHODS: In a Korean multi-center, open-label, 6-week study, patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of bipolar I disorder (manic or mixed episodes) were included to treatment with quetiapine. The dose of quetiapine initially started at 200 mg/day and rapid titrated up to 800 mg/day within day 7 according to the clinical judgements. Clinical improvement was evaluated using Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Clinical Global Impression-Bipolar version (CGI-BP). Extrapyramidal side effects were measured by Simpson-Angus Rating Scale (SARS) and Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (BARS). The overall subjectively reported adverse events were gathered during the study period. Subjective sleep questionnaire modified from Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ) was used to assess the subjective measures of sleep, which included the aspects covering the ease of getting to sleep (GTS), quality of sleep (QOS) and hangover behavior next day (HOV). All assessments were done at baseline and days 7, 14, 21 and 42 after treatment with quetiapine. Analyses were focused to compare the differences between pre-drug baseline and post-treatment with quetiapine. RESULTS: Total 78 (male=30, female=48) patients were included and most of them were inpatients (N=59, 74.7%). Fifty-nine (75.9%) patients were completed the study. Mean changes of YMRS from baseline were significant at days 7, 14, 21 and 42. There were no significant differences from baseline in SARS and BARS at any assessment points. The common subjectively reported adverse events were somnolence, dizziness and dry mouth. While mean changes of 5 items measuring nighttime sleep (GTS and QOS) from baseline were significantly improved at days 7, 14, 21 and 42, those of HOV were not differed between baseline and post-treatment assessments. CONCLUSION: Data showed that quetiapine monotherapy had favorable effect on acute manic symptoms and well tolerated. Also this result suggests that quetiapine monotherapy may improve the self-perceived quality of sleep without any daytime impairment following sleep in acute manic patients.
Bipolar Disorder ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Dizziness ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Mouth ; Psychomotor Agitation ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Quetiapine Fumarate

No abstract available.
Intestine, Small* ; Ulcer*

Primary cardiac lymphomas (PCL) are extremely rare. Clinical manifestations may be variable and are attributed to location. Here, we report on a case of PCL presenting with atrioventricular (AV) block. A 55 year-old male had experienced chest discomfort with unexplained dyspnea and night sweating. His initial electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed a first degree AV block. Along with worsening chest discomfort and dyspnea, his ECG changed to show second degree AV block (Mobitz type I). Computed tomography (CT) scan showed a cardiac mass (about 7 cm) and biopsy was performed. Pathologic finding confirmed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The patient was treated with multi-drug combination chemotherapy (R-CHOP: Rituximab, cyclophoshamide, anthracycline, vincristine, and prednisone). After treatment, ECG changed to show normal sinus rhythm with complete remission on follow-up CT scan.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; Atrioventricular Block ; Biopsy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; Male ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Thorax ; Vincristine ; Rituximab