BK virus-associated nephropathy (BKVAN) is one of the major causes of allograft dysfunction in kidney transplant (KT) patients. We compared BKVAN combined with acute rejection (BKVAN/AR) with BKVAN alone in KT patients. We retrospectively analyzed biopsy-proven BKVAN in KT patients from 2000 to 2011 at Seoul National University Hospital. Among 414 biopsies from 951 patients, biopsy-proven BKVAN was found in 14 patients. Nine patients had BKVAN alone, while 5 patients had both BKVAN and acute cellular rejection. BKVAN in the BKVAN alone group was detected later than in BKVAN/AR group (21.77 vs 6.39 months after transplantation, P=0.03). Serum creatinine at diagnosis was similar (2.09 vs 2.00 mg/dL). Histological grade was more advanced in the BKVAN/AR group (P=0.034). Serum load of BKV, dose of immunosuppressants, and tacrolimus level showed a higher tendency in the BKVAN alone group; however it was not statistically significant. After anti-rejection therapy, immunosuppression was reduced in the BKVAN/AR group. Renal functional deterioration over 1 yr after BKVAN diagnosis was similar between the two groups (P=0.665). These findings suggest that the prognosis of BKVAN/AR after anti-rejection therapy followed by anti-BKV therapy might be similar to that of BKVAN alone after anti-BKV therapy.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use ; BK Virus/*physiology ; Creatinine/blood ; Female ; *Graft Rejection/diagnosis/virology ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage ; Kidney/*virology ; Kidney Diseases/pathology/surgery/*virology ; *Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyomavirus Infections/drug therapy/*etiology/pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Tacrolimus/administration & dosage ; Time Factors ; Transplantation, Homologous/adverse effects ; Tumor Virus Infections/drug therapy/*etiology/pathology

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which is also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, is a heterogenous group of inherited diseases of the peripheral nerve. The spectrum of severity varies from asymptomatic individuals to those with severe limb abnormalities requiring corrective surgery. We report two brothers who had previously been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie- Tooth disease 3 years earlier and were scheduled to undergo a correction osteotomy of both feet under general anesthesia. General anesthesia was induced with propofol 2 mg/kg, rocuronium 0.8 mg/kg and was maintained with O2-N2O-Sevoflurane. The younger brother showed no delay in recovery of the neuromuscular blockade but the elder brother showed a delay.
Anesthesia, General ; Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease* ; Extremities ; Foot ; Hereditary Sensory and Motor Neuropathy ; Humans ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Osteotomy ; Peripheral Nerves ; Propofol ; Siblings ; Tooth Diseases

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Long-term Helicobater pylori infection results in atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia, and increases the risk of gastric cancer. However, it is still controversial that eradication of H. pylori improves atrophy or metaplasia. Therefore, we investigated histological changes after the H. pylori eradication in patients with atrophy or metaplasia. METHODS: One hundred seven patients who received successful eradication of H. pylori infection in Hanyang University, Guri Hospital from March 2001 to April 2006, were enrolled. Antral biopsy was taken before the eradication to confirm the H. pylori infection and grade of atrophy or metaplasia by updated Sydney System. After a certain period of time, antral biopsy was repeatedly taken to confirm the eradication and investigate histological changes of atrophy or metaplasia. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 55.3+/-11.3, and average follow-up period was 28.7+/-13.9 months. Endoscopic diagnosis included gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, non-ulcer antral gastritis. Atrophy was observed in 41 of 91 and their average score was 0.73+/-0.92. After the eradication of H. pylori, atrophy was improved (0.38+/-0.70, p=0.025). However, metaplasia which was observed in 49 of 107, did not significantly improve during the follow-up period. Newly developed atrophy (7 of 38) or metaplasia (18 of 49) was observed in patients who without atrophy or metaplasia initially. Their average scores were slightly lower than those of cases with pre-existing atrophy or metaplasia without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: After the eradication of H. pylori infection, atrophic gastritis may be improved, but change of intestinal metaplasia is milder and may take longer duration for improvement.
Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Anti-Ulcer Agents/therapeutic use ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastritis, Atrophic/etiology/microbiology/*pathology ; Helicobacter Infections/*complications/drug therapy ; *Helicobacter pylori/drug effects/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Intestines/*pathology ; Male ; Metaplasia/microbiology ; Middle Aged ; Time Factors

Phantom limb pain is a painful sensation from an absent limb. The onset of pain is generally early, with 75% of patients developing pain within the first few days after amputation. The frequency and duration of attacks tend to be reduced with time, although the prevalence and intensity remain constant. We report here a case of a 38-year-old man who exhibited the signs and symptoms of phantom limb pain due to the above-knee amputations of both legs. He was not responded to opioid therapy and a continuous intravenous infusion of ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspatate receptor antagonist, reduced his severe pain.
Adult ; Amputation ; Extremities ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous* ; Ketamine* ; Leg ; Phantom Limb* ; Prevalence ; Sensation

Transient global amnesia is characterized by a sudden inability to form new memories (anterograde amnesia) that usually last for minutes to several hours but never longer than 24 hours. and there are no other focal neurologic signs or symptoms. Retrograde amnesia from a few hours to many years may also be associated with this condition. We report a case of a 56-year-old female patient who experienced transient global amnesia in the recovery room after general anesthesia. She repeated the same queries several times to persons nearby and appeared perplexed. A detailed neurologic examination was otherwise entirely normal. Her symptoms resolved completely the next day.
Amnesia, Retrograde ; Amnesia, Transient Global* ; Anesthesia, General* ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neurologic Examination ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Recovery Room*

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were 1) to estimate the preventable death rate in emergency medical system in Korea 2) to determine factors that affect preventability of trauma deaths 3) to identify management errors involved in preventable deaths. METHODS: The records of a 202 patients who died in the emergency departments or shortly after admission due to trauma at nine hospitals in three regions between from July 1, 2003, to June 30, 2004 were retrospectively reviewed by nine board certified physicians in emergency medicine using professional panel study methodology. Each panelist independently reviewed prehospital records, medical records, x-ray films, and inter-hospital transfer records using a structured survey format and preventability was determined by a unanimous agreement rule. The management errors that contributed to a preventable death were determined and classified as "structure-related"and "process-related"errors. RESULTS: Preventable deaths related to all management errors account for 39.6% of all trauma deaths. Whereas, 25.7% of preventable deaths were related to management errors in the studied hospitals. The preventability of trauma deaths were determined by the cause of death and the severity of injury. A total of 389 management errors are identified. Management errors occurred mostly in emergency departments (51.1%) and, in prehospital delivery (21.8%). Most of these errors were found to be processrelated (81.2%) rather then structure-related (18.8%). CONCLUSION: Preventable death rates in Korea are higher than other developed countries, which implies there is much to be improved in the quality of emergency medical services. We found this to be true especially, for processrelated errors, which need to be regularly assessed, and policy established that reduces preventable deaths.
Cause of Death ; Developed Countries ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Medicine ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Korea* ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; X-Ray Film

BACKGROUND: Induction with propofol has a high incidence of pain, as well as postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a course of dexamethasone on the pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting associated with a Propofol injection, in patients undergoing otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. METHODS: One hundred twenty adults, 20-60 years of age, ASA physical status I or II, were allocated to one of two groups. Either dexamethasone 5 ml (8 mg) or saline 5 ml was administered intravenously to each group. After 60 seconds, propofol was injected into the patients' hand veins over a 30 second period and the patient was asked questions regarding the injection pain after 10 seconds. Postoperative nausea, vomiting and post-tonsilectomy pain were recorded in the recovery room (1 h after surgery) and in the hospitalization area (6 h after surgery). RESULTS: The severity and incidence of pain at the time of the propofol injection, PONV, and the level of post-tonsillectomy pain were significantly lower in the dexamethasone group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The prophylactic intravenous administration of 8 mg dexamethasone is effective in reducing the severity of pain after a propofol injection and after the tonsillectomy, and decreased the incidence of PONV.
Administration, Intravenous ; Adult ; Dexamethasone* ; Hand ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nausea* ; Neck* ; Pain, Postoperative* ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Propofol ; Recovery Room ; Tonsillectomy ; Veins ; Vomiting*

PURPOSE: We determine the Korean antibody titer and positive rate of tetanus by using a with qualitative test (ELISA) and a quantitative test (TQS(R)). METHODS: This study was prospective collecting study with uncontolled patients who were admitted in 21 Emergency Departments during 3 months in South Korea. We measured TQS(R) and collected the serum with a centrifuge for 5 groups, which was classified with age: 2~10 years (I), 11~20 years (II), 21~30 years (III), 31~40 years (IV), 41~60 years (V), in each hospital. The freezed serum and the protocol with TQS(R) results were taken at the Soonchunhyang University Bucheon hospital to be analyzed. RESULTS: The number of enrolled patients was 1816 (male 58%). The positive rate of TQS(R) was 835 patients (46%), and there was no relation with region or sex. In sex and age, there was a definitive decline in the group III fort males and females. The results of ELISA was showed that 62.8% (> 0.15 IU/ml) and 52.2% (> 0.2 IU/ml) had protective levels of tetanus antibody. The proportion decreased to approximately 43% and 18% among persons 40~60 years of age at each level of antibody titers. By region and population, there was no statistical relationship with TQS(R) and ELISA, but previous military service was associated with a higher prevalence of protective antibodies to tetanus (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A substantial portion of adults in South Korea do not have antibody levels that are protective against tetanus. Also, the mean level of tetanus antibody titers was definitively lower than those of other developed conturies and consistently decreased with aging. Therefore, an adult formulation diphteria and tetanus toxoid every 5 or 10 years is recommended for all adults between 20 and 60 years of age after being tested with TQS(R) in South Korea.
Adult ; Aging ; Antibodies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Tetanus ; Tetanus Toxoid

Sudden cardiac arrest during epidural anesthesia is a rare but catastrophic complication. It was recently reported that occurs in one per 10,000 epidural anesthesia cases. We report one case of cardiac arrest in a healthy 45-year-old male patient undergoing relatively minor surgery. His preoperative blood pressure was 110-130/70-80 mmHg, heart rate 75-80 beats per minute, and oxygen saturation 98%. Immediately after tourniquet release, cardiac arrest was developed without warning signs. The patient was resuscitated by prompt precordial thump pacing, a fluid bolus, intravenous injection of atropine and ephedrine, and ventilated with oxygen. The procedure was completed and the patient recovered uneventfully.
Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Atropine ; Blood Pressure ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac* ; Ephedrine ; Heart Arrest ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen ; Surgical Procedures, Minor ; Tourniquets*

We experienced a malignant hyperthermia in 24-year-old male with sevoflurane during the mandibular prognathism surgery. The malignant hyperthermia emerged 150 minutes after induction of general anesthesia using propofol, rocuronium, sevoflurane, N2O and O2. Sevoflurane has been reported that it can induce delayed onset of malignant hyperthermia under absence of succinylcholine. The prognosis of malignant hyperthermia is determined by early recognition, vigorous treatment and the time of dantrolene injection. In our case, when we suspected episode, all anesthetics were stopped and dantrolene injection was immediately given intravenously. The patient recovered normal temperature and consciousness without any complication.
Anesthesia, General* ; Anesthetics ; Consciousness ; Dantrolene ; Humans ; Male ; Malignant Hyperthermia* ; Prognathism ; Prognosis ; Propofol ; Succinylcholine ; Young Adult