No abstract available.
Leydig Cell Tumor*

Scrub typhus (Tsutsugamushi disease)is an acute febrile systemic illness caused by Rickettsia tsutsugamushi that is transmitted to humans by the bite of larval-stage trombiculid mites (chiggers). The authors analyzed chest radiographic findings of scrub typhus in 160 patients in Ulsan area. One hundred and eight (67.5%) of160 patients showed abnormal findings which included lung lesions in 108 patients (67.5%), cardiomegaly in 37 patients (23.1%), lymphadenopathy in 25 patients (15.6%) and pleural effusion in 11 patients (6.9%). Among the lung lesions, interstitial patterns were seen in 107 patients (66.9%), mostly fine or medium reticulonodular, and air-space patterns in 14 patients(8.8%) and combined interstitial and air-space patterns in 13 patients (8.1%). Sixty-four patients(40%) had combined chest radiographic findings. The typical chest radiographic findings of scrub typhus would be helpful in evaluation of the causes of acute febrile illness that occur during late fall in the endemic area.
Cardiomegaly ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Pleural Effusion ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Scrub Typhus* ; Thorax* ; Trombiculidae ; Ulsan*

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to evaluate the analgesic effect of a self administered surgical wound infusion of local anesthetic alone compared to combination of local anesthetic and morphine or ketorolac. METHOD: Forty eight patients undergoing minor surgery were randomly classified into four groups: Group 1 (saline, n = 10), Group 2 (bupivacaine only, n = 11), Group 3 (bupivacaine with morphine, n = 14), and Group 4 (bupivacaine with ketorolac, n = 13). A two-hole 19 G epidural catheter was tunneled subcutaneously into the surgical wound and was connected to 100 ml elastometric balloon pump filled with either 0.5% bupivacaine only, 0.5% bupivacaine and morphine 40 mg, or 0.5% bupivacaine and ketorolac 80 mg. We assessed the postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at postoperative 0.5, 1, 2, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours, and the side effects, sedation score and total amount of infused bupivacaine were recorded. RESULTS: VAS pain score were significantly decreased until 36 hours in groups 2, 3, and 4 compared to group 1, and significantly lower at 1, 2, 12, and 24 hrs in groups 3, 4 than in group 2 (P < 0.05). The total requirement of infused bupivacaine in groups 3, 4 is significantly decreased compared to that of group 2. Side effects like nausea, vomiting, urinary retension, pruiritis, respiratory difficulty, sedation, and dizziness did not occur in the four groups but seroma did in one case. CONCLUSION: Patient-controlled surgical wound infusion of bupivacaine reduced postoperative pain after minor surgery without any side effects. The combination of bupivacaine with morphine or ketorolac gave rise to a significant additive effect to local analgesia.
Analgesia ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Bupivacaine ; Catheters ; Dizziness ; Humans ; Ketorolac ; Morphine ; Nausea ; Pain, Postoperative ; Seroma ; Surgical Procedures, Minor ; Vomiting ; Wounds and Injuries*

In the condition of diabetic retinopathy, the vascular changes are localized primarily in the retinal capillaries and are presumed to promote angiogenesis. To investigate the change of retinal blood flow velocities and morphological parameters in diabetic retinopathy, we measured perifoveal capillary blood velocities(v) and the size of foveal avascular zones(FAZ). Thirteen patients with diabetic maculopathy and nine healthy volunteers were included in this study. The scanning laser technique in conjunction with an image analysing system were used to assess the morphological and hemodynamic changes in diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic maculopathy group showed a slower capillary blood velocity than normal group(2.44+/-0.39mm/sec vs2.75+/-0.61 mm/sec, p>0.18). The foveal avascular zone was significantly larger in diabetic maculopathy group than in normal group(313.5+/-64.6micrometervs. 238.9+/-93.8micrometer, p<0.05). This results indicate that the retinal microcirculation is altered in diabetic patients compared with healthy subjects. These alterations may be due to the change of the capillary wall and blood viscosity in diabetic patients. The determination of these parameters can be utilized in monitoring the progress of diabetic maculopathy.
Blood Flow Velocity ; Blood Viscosity ; Capillaries ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Healthy Volunteers ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Microcirculation ; Retinaldehyde

BACKGROUND: It used to induce hypercarbia that carbon dioxide insufflated into the peritoneum in laparoscopic surgery. It might stimulate sympathetic nervous system, and decrease splanchnic circulation, hepatic function, and metabolism of anesthetics. The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of hypercarbia on concentrations of propofol at the time of eye opening and recovery of orientation after propofol target controlled infusion (TCI) during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Fifty patients were divided randomly into a laparoscopic group (group 1, n = 25) and an exploratory group (group 2, n = 25). A propofol infusion was started at a propofol target concentration of 6microgram/ml, and anesthesia was maintained at 4microgram/ml by using a Diprifusor (TM) turing the operation, intraabdominal pressure was maintained automatically at 12 14 mmHg by a CO2 insufflator and controlled ventilation settings were adjusted about 50 mmHg of PaCO2 after peritoneal insufflation. This ventilatory setting was not changed throughout the operation. We evaluated the estimated plasma concentrations of propofol at the time of eye opening and recovery of orientation in each group using user interface of a Diprifusor (TM). RESULTS: In the laparoscopic group, PaCO2, and PetCO2 increased significantly at 5, 15, 30 minutes after carbon dioxide insufflation, but there was no significant difference in concentrations of propofol at eye opening and orientation after propofol TCI between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hypercarbia induced by insufflation of carbon dioxide into peritoneum didn't give rise to an influence on awakening concentrations after propofol TCI during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Anesthesia ; Anesthetics* ; Carbon Dioxide ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Humans ; Insufflation ; Laparoscopy ; Metabolism ; Peritoneum ; Plasma ; Propofol* ; Splanchnic Circulation ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; Ventilation

Coronary stent dislodgement is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. We report a case of stent dislodgement in the ascending thoracic aorta. The stent was mechanically distorted in the left circumflex artery (LCX) while being delivered to the proximal LCX lesion. The balloon catheter was withdrawn, but the stent with the guide wire was remained in the ascending thoracic aorta. The stent was unable to be retrieved into the guide catheter, as it was distorted. A goose neck snare was used successfully to catch the stent in the ascending thoracic aorta and retrieved the stent externally via the arterial sheath.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary/*adverse effects/*instrumentation ; *Aorta, Thoracic/radiography ; Cardiac Catheterization/*adverse effects/*instrumentation ; Coronary Angiography ; Device Removal/*instrumentation ; Foreign Bodies/etiology/radiography/*therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography, Interventional ; *Stents ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the potentiating effect of anesthetics to vecuronium, and recovery profiles, and cost according to the consumption amounts, and usefulness of newly developed anesthetic agents for ambulatory anesthesia. METHODS: Seventy-five patients undergoing a major gynecological surgery were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 received isoflurane, group 2 received sevoflurane, and group 3 received desflurane. Clinical duration, recovery index, recovery time in each group, and consumption of volatile anesthetics by weighing the vaporizes were measured. RESULTS: Emergence from anesthesia was more rapid in the group 2 and 3, and there was no significant difference in potentiating effect of anesthetics to a neuromuscular blocker among the three groups. Costs according to the comsumption amount were significantly higher in the group 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Sevoflurane and desflurane clinically represent a more efficient alternative to isoflurane in ambulatory anesthesia because of their rapid emergence without side effects.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthetics ; Female ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Humans ; Isoflurane* ; Muscle Relaxation* ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Vecuronium Bromide

PURPOSE: The present study was performed to determine the optimum conditions(RPM, load, sharpness of drill) for drilling human cortical bone with standard drill, and to evaluate the histological changes occuring in bone after drilling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: in experiment I, we measured temperature elevations and the durations of temperature elevation in cadaveric femoral cortices at specific distances from the drill hole wall while drilling. The effects of drilling force, speed and new versus worn drill on the termperature were determined. In experiment II, we also measured temperature elevations in the same manner in porcine femoral cortices and evaluated the histological changes occuring in bone after drilling. RESULTS: In experiment I, the most significant temperature elevation(68.4degrees C ) was found when worn drill was used. The lower drilling force and faster speed resulted in 55.1degrees C and 45.8degrees C temperature elevation, respectively. However, drill diameter was not a significant factor for temperature elevation. In experiment II, greater heat production was measured with worn drill, at lower drilling forces, at faster drill speed. The acute histologic reactions in bone were hyperemia, degeneration of osteocytes, change in bone stainability, tears, and fragmentation of the bone edges around the drill holes. The observed histological changes were proportional to the amount of trauma produced, that is, the greater the degree of thermal irritation, the greater the degree of histologic activity. CONCLUSION: In cortical drilling, greater heat production was measured with worn drill, at lower drilling forces, at faster drill speed and the greater the degree of thermal irritation, the greater the degree of histologic activity. A further study of the reaction of bone to drilling at longer intervals of time at different conditions may possibly show whether aseptic thermal necrosis could be prevented.
Cadaver ; Hot Temperature* ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Necrosis* ; Osteocytes ; Thermogenesis*

It is deirable to identify the tumoric factors anticipating the therapeutic failure in breast cancer patients received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. So, we studued the tumoric topoisomerase II alpha enzyme, c-erbB-2 oncoprotein, and Pgp expression in breast cancer tissues to identify the roles of these factors as the predictors of chemotherapeutic result. The results were as follows. 1) There wee no significant differences in the average value of topoisomerase II alpha enzyme, c-erb B-2 oncoportein overexpression, and Pgp expression according to stages. 2) CAF chemotherapy was suggested to be more effective than CMF chemotherapy in more advance stages. 3) There was a possible suggestion that the breast cancer with high topoisomerase II alpha enzyme activity might indicate the failure with CMF chemotherapy. 4) C-erbB-2 oncoportein overexperession suggested the possibility of therapeutic failure with CMF chemotherapy and the selection of CAF chemotherapy might improve the survival of advanced breast cancer patients with c-erbB-2 overexpression. In conclusion, it was suggested that c-erb-2 oncopotein overexpression and high topoisomerase II alpha activity might have a meaningful role in the selection of proper chemotherapeutic regimen in setting of adjuvant chemotherapy and predict the therapeutic failure of some chemotherapeutic agents for breast cancer. An expanded study for these factors is required to reveal the clinical significance in chemotherapy for breast cancer patients.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II* ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; P-Glycoprotein*