The increasing use of intravenous polyethylene catheters has led to a growing incidence of accidental catheter breakage and migration of fragments into the central vascular system usually in the inferior vena cave, the right atrium, of the pulmonary artery. The most common complications were formation of a thrombus in the area of the foreign body, infection with endocarditis, and perforation of the heart. And so obviously the polyethylene catheter must be removed. In 1967, Massumi and Ross et al have been successful in removing a catheter fragment from the right atrum percutaneously with a snare device. With some modification as suggested by Curry, method of retrieving fragments of polyethylene catheters from the heart without chest surgery utilize wire snares or endoscopic forceps. This report describe the technique and its use in successfully managing these complications in four consecutive cases.
Catheters* ; Endocarditis ; Foreign Bodies ; Heart Atria ; Heart* ; Incidence ; Polyethylene ; Pulmonary Artery ; SNARE Proteins ; Surgical Instruments ; Thorax ; Thrombosis

PURPOSE: The determination of tetanus prophylaxis according to patients' memories of past immunization is inaccurate. However, by using the Tetanos Quick Stick(R) test, it is possible to select Korean adults with low tetanus antibody titers and to perform tetanus prophylaxis in the emergency department. In 1996, Ha reported that tetanus toxoid injection into healthy Korean adults revealed significant differences between the tetanus antibody titers at the beginning and the tetanus antibody titers after 1 week. Our purpose is to determine the effect of a single tetanus toxoid in Korean adults with low tetanus antibody titers. METHODS: Blood samples were taken from 44 volunteers for a period of 6 weeks. All samples were analyzed using the Tetanus IgG ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method. RESULTS: The results for tetanus antibody titers at the beginning and after 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks were 0.04+/-0.05 IU/mL, 1.22+/-3.63 IU/mL, 4.99+/-7.3 6 IU/mL, 8.36+/-11.10 IU/mL and 6.59+/-9.21 IU/mL respectively. There was a statistically significant defference between the tetanus antibody titers at the beginning and the tetanus antibody titers after 2 weeks. There was no statistically significant defference between the tetanus antibody titers after 2 weeks and 6 weeks. After 4 weeks, all subjects' tetanus antibody titers were at the protective level. CONCLUSIONS: A single tetanus toxoid injection is effective in Korean adults with low tetanus antibody titers.
Adult* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin G ; Tetanus Toxoid* ; Tetanus* ; Volunteers

The authors present 2 cases of malignant pituitary adenoma. One case has remote metastases to the right frontal lobe, and the other case has invasion into the adjacent temporal lobe and malignant features histologically. Malignant pituitary adenoma constitute less than 1% of the large reported series of pituitary adenoma, which defined as (1) it burst its capsule to invade the adjacent nervous structures or bone, (2) it shows malignant features histologically, such as frequent mitoses, anaplasia with hyperchromatic pleomorphic cells, loss of alveolar arrangement, and (3) presence of distant metastases.
Anaplasia ; Frontal Lobe ; Mitosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pituitary Neoplasms* ; Temporal Lobe

Pagonimus Westmani, occuring as an important human infestation of the lung, is widely distributed in the Far East ; Korea, Japan, China and the Philippines. Since Otani found the parasites for the first time in the human brain in 1887, it has been established that cerebral infestation occurs with the highest frequency among extrapulmonary involvement. In 0.8 to 25 percent of patients infested with the lung flukes cerebral paragonimiasis may be developed. The larvae may procedure arachnoiditis, abscess, fibrous cystic lesions and granulomas in the brain. Based on a review of the literatures and upon the 7 cases of cerebral paragonimiasis which have been observed by the authors at the National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, the following points are stressed. 1) Males had a significantly higher prevalence than females. Cerebral paragonimiasis was most commonly found in young adults(16 to 25yrs). 2) Clinically the patients with cerebral involvement were characterized by Jacksonian type of epilepsy, headache and visual disturbance. Mental deterioration, hemiplegia, hemihypesthesia, homonymous hemianopsia and optic atrophy were the five major signs. 3) The patients having symptoms for less than 6 months developed mild leukocytosis in many cases. All the cases of cerebral paragonimiasis revealed positive reaction in the intradermal tests with purified antigens of P. Westermani. 4) On skull films multiple round or oval cystic calcification was diagnostic value for cerebral paragonimiasis. On angiogram vascular staining and abnormal vessels were not disclosed. On pneumoencephalogram subcortical atrophy or filling defect of the ventricle may be showed. 5) The predilection area of the granuloma and fibrous cystic mass were the occipital, posterior parietal and posterior temporal lobes. 6) The patients with chronic stabilized cerebral paragonimiasis. having intractable symptoms and signs, could not be improved with Bithionol treatment. But headache, vomiting, visual disturbance, facial weakness and especially intractable seizure were improved in our cases treated with surgical operation.
Abscess ; Arachnoid ; Arachnoiditis ; Atrophy ; Bithionol ; Brain ; China ; Epilepsy ; Far East ; Female ; Granuloma ; Headache ; Hemianopsia ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Intradermal Tests ; Japan ; Korea ; Larva ; Leukocytosis ; Lung ; Male ; Optic Atrophy ; Paragonimiasis* ; Parasites ; Philippines ; Prevalence ; Rabeprazole ; Seizures ; Seoul ; Skull ; Temporal Lobe ; Trematoda ; Vomiting

Objective: : Here, we evaluated whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) profiles and their changes after intraventricular chemotherapy for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC) could predict the treatment response or be prognostic for patient overall survival (OS) along with clinical factors. Methods: : Paired 1) pretreatment lumbar, 2) pretreatment ventricular, and 3) posttreatment ventricular samples and their CSF profiles were collected retrospectively from 148 LMC patients who received Ommaya reservoir installation and intraventricular chemotherapy. CSF profile changes were assessed by calculating the differences between posttreatment and pretreatment samples from the same ventricular compartment. CSF cell counts were further differentiated into total and other based on clinical laboratory reports. Results: : For the treatment response, a decreased CSF ‘total’ cell count tended to be associated with a ‘controlled’ increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) (p=0.059), but other profile changes were not associated with either the control of increased ICP or the cytology response. Among the pretreatment CSF profiles, lumbar protein level and ventricular cell count were significantly correlated with OS in univariable analysis, but they were not significant in multi-variable analysis. Among CSF profile changes, a decrease in ‘other’ cell count showed worse OS than ‘no change’ or increased groups (p=0.001). The cytological response was significant for OS, but the hazard ratio of partial remission was paradoxically higher than that of ‘no response’. Conclusion : A decrease in other cell count of CSF after intraventricular chemotherapy was associated with poor OS in LMC patients. We suggest that more specific CSF biomarkers of cancer cell origin are needed.

Objective: : Here, we evaluated whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) profiles and their changes after intraventricular chemotherapy for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC) could predict the treatment response or be prognostic for patient overall survival (OS) along with clinical factors. Methods: : Paired 1) pretreatment lumbar, 2) pretreatment ventricular, and 3) posttreatment ventricular samples and their CSF profiles were collected retrospectively from 148 LMC patients who received Ommaya reservoir installation and intraventricular chemotherapy. CSF profile changes were assessed by calculating the differences between posttreatment and pretreatment samples from the same ventricular compartment. CSF cell counts were further differentiated into total and other based on clinical laboratory reports. Results: : For the treatment response, a decreased CSF ‘total’ cell count tended to be associated with a ‘controlled’ increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) (p=0.059), but other profile changes were not associated with either the control of increased ICP or the cytology response. Among the pretreatment CSF profiles, lumbar protein level and ventricular cell count were significantly correlated with OS in univariable analysis, but they were not significant in multi-variable analysis. Among CSF profile changes, a decrease in ‘other’ cell count showed worse OS than ‘no change’ or increased groups (p=0.001). The cytological response was significant for OS, but the hazard ratio of partial remission was paradoxically higher than that of ‘no response’. Conclusion : A decrease in other cell count of CSF after intraventricular chemotherapy was associated with poor OS in LMC patients. We suggest that more specific CSF biomarkers of cancer cell origin are needed.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Angio-Seal(r) (a St. Jude Medical Co., USA) hemostatic puncture closure device produces direct femoral arterial hemostasis, by anchoring a collagen plug to the anterior vascular wall, through a sheath delivery system. The rapid and effective hemostasis leads to earlier ambulation, minimized hospital stay, patient discomfort and vascular complications. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and complications of an Angio-Seal in patients undergoing coronary angiography and angioplasty. SUBJECTS AND MEHTODS: A total 228 consecutive patients, admitted to our hospital for percutaneous coronary intervention, between October 2001 and May 2002, were enrolled and randomized into 2 groups. 116 patients were treated with an Angio-Seal and the other 112 with manual compression only (control group). The clinical characteristics, procedure related factors, time to ambulation, times to outpatient discharge and complications were analyzed in each patient. All the clinical and procedure-related factors, leading to oozing and delayed bleeding, were also analyzed in the 113 patients who had a successfully completed Angio-Seal deployment. RESULTS: The times to ambulation (7.96+/-5.81 hours vs. 23.32+/-3.35 hours) and times to outpatient discharge (2.00+/-0.94 days vs. 3.47+/-3.61 days) were significantly shorter in the Angio-Seal compared to the control group (p=0.001 & p=0.001, respectively). There was oozing in 20 patients (17.7%) and delayed bleeding in 6 (5.3%) of the successful Angio-Seal deployment group. The occurrence of oozing was significantly higher in the heparin infusion cases (40%. 18.3%, p=0.034), and was correlated with a later hematoma formation rate and the size of the hematoma (30% vs. 9.7%, 0.68+/-1.26 cm vs. 0.17+/-0.70 cm, p=0.015 & p=0.001, respectively). Delayed bleeding was correlated to the hematoma occurrence rate (50% vs. 11.2%, p=0.006). CONCLUSION: The Angio-Seal resulted in earlier ambulation and shorten the patients' hospital stay. Oozing, delayed bleeding, hematomas were noted as complications. Oozing and delayed bleeding were correlated with a high hematoma occurrence rate. Careful inspection of the puncture sites, following an Angio-Seal deployment, should be performed.
Angioplasty* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Collagen ; Coronary Angiography* ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Heparin ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Outpatients ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Punctures ; Time Factors ; Walking

BACKGROUND: We sought to examine the use and outcomes with early intraaortic balloon couterpulsation(IABP) combined early reperfusion therapy in patients presenting with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction. The use of IABP in patients with cardiogenic shock is widely accepted. however, there is a paucity of information on the use of this technique in patients with cardiogenic shock who are treated with reperfusion therapy in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight Patients presented with cardiogenic shock were classified into two groups: the early IABP group (insertion within 12 hours after AMI onset time) and late IABP group (insertion after 12 hours). We compared In-hospital mortality in two group (early IABP group vs late IABP group). RESULTS: Two groups show no significant difference at clinical feature and coronary angiographic results. Among total 28 patients, 7 patients were treated with thrombolytic therapy and 21 patients with PTCA. Insertion site bleeding, fever, thrombocytopenia were reported as some of the complications of IABP insertion. In-hospital mortality of early IABP group and late IABP group were 4 patients(25%) and 8 patients(66%), respectively(p<0.05). Early IABP insertion and early PTCA showed lower hospital mortality rates. There was significant difference in the time to PTCA after AMI onset between the to groups(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: IABP appears to be useful in patients presenting with cardiogenic shock unresponsive medical therapy. Early IABP insertion and early Reperfusion therapy may reduce In-hospital mortality rates in PostMI Cardiogenic shock patients.
Fever ; Hemorrhage ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Korea ; Myocardial Infarction ; Reperfusion* ; Shock, Cardiogenic* ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thrombolytic Therapy

In this study, we observed that lysophosphatidylglycerol (LPG) completely inhibited a formyl peptide receptor like-1 (FPRL1) agonist (MMK-1)-stimulated chemotactic migration in human phagocytes, such as neutrophils and monocytes. LPG also dramatically inhibited IL-1beta production by another FPRL1 agonist serum amyloid A (SAA) in human phagocytes. However, LPG itself induced intracellular calcium increase and superoxide anion production in human phagocytes. Keeping in mind that phagocytes migration and IL-1beta production by FPRL1 are important for the induction of inflammatory response, our data suggest that LPG can be regarded as a useful material for the modulation of inflammatory response induced by FPRL1 activation.
Chemotaxis, Leukocyte/*drug effects ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta/*biosynthesis ; Lysophospholipids/*pharmacology ; Monocytes/drug effects/immunology/metabolism/physiology ; Neutrophils/drug effects/immunology/metabolism/physiology ; Peptides/metabolism/pharmacology ; *Phagocytes/drug effects/immunology/metabolism/physiology ; Receptors, Formyl Peptide/*metabolism ; Receptors, Lipoxin/*metabolism ; Serum Amyloid A Protein/metabolism/pharmacology

Neutrophils play a key role in innate immunity, and the identification of new stimuli that stimulate neutrophil activity is a very important issue. In this study, we identified three novel peptides by screening a synthetic hexapeptide combinatorial library. The identified peptides GMMWAI, MMHWAM, and MMHWFM caused an increase in intracellular Ca2+ in a concentration-dependent manner via phospholipase C activity in human neutrophils. The three peptides acted specifically on neutrophils and monocytes and not on other non-leukocytic cells. As a physiological characteristic of the peptides, we observed that the three peptides induced chemotactic migration of neutrophils as well as stimulated superoxide anion production. Studying receptor specificity, we observed that two of the peptides (GMMWAI and MMHWFM) acted on formyl peptide receptor (FPR)1 while the other peptide (MMHWAM) acted on FPR2. Since the three novel peptides were specific agonists for FPR1 or FPR2, they might be useful tools to study FPR1- or FPR2-mediated immune response and signaling.
Animals ; Calcium/metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cells, Cultured ; Chemotaxis, Leukocyte/drug effects ; Humans ; Mice ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Neutrophils/*cytology/*drug effects ; PC12 Cells ; Peptides/*pharmacology ; Rats ; Receptors, Formyl Peptide/agonists