BACKGROUND: Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) has come into use and been widely extended because of the low complication rate and less-invasiveness. This article aimed to describe our experience in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm with EVAR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted for the 22 patients who underwent EVAR in a single hospital December 2001 to June 2009. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 68.5+/-7.6 years. There were several risk factors and comorbidities in 20 patients (90.9%). The mean diameter of the aortic aneurysms was 61.2+/-12.9 mm. The mean length, diameter, and angle of the aneurysmal neck were 30.5+/-15.5 mm, 24.0+/-4.5 mm, and 43.9+/-16.0degrees, respectively. The mean follow-up period of the patients was 28.8+/-29.5 months. The 30-day postoperative mortality was none. Seven patients (31.8%) had endoleaks during the hospital stay and three patients (13.6%) had endoleaks during the follow-up period. One patient (4.5%) died due to a ruptured aortic aneurysm. The cumulative patient survival rates were 88.2%, 88.2%, and 70.6% at 1, 3, and 5 years of follow-up, respectively. CONCLUSION: EVAR is currently a safe, feasible procedure for high risk patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm because of low postoperative complication and mortality if patients are selected properly and followed up carefully.
Aneurysm ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Aortic Rupture ; Comorbidity ; Endoleak ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Neck ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate

As the use of the antibiotics, antitumor substances, steroid hormone and immunosuppressive agent have been increased remarkably, the incidence of the fungal infection has also been increased. Aspergillus is a fungus belonged to ascomycetes family and distributed world-widely. Aspergillus infection of the spine is very rare. Mode of vertebral Aspergillosis is direct extension of primary lesion of lung in children, on the other hand, hematogenous metastasis in adults. We report a adult woman who suffered from thoracolumbar pain without any neurological deficit for 6 months prior to admission. Imaging studies revealed irregular bony destruction on the adajacent end plates of T12 and L1 vertebras with kyphotic change. We underwent operation via anterolateral approach using Z-plate fixation. followed by amphotericin-B administration.
Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ascomycota ; Aspergillosis* ; Aspergillus ; Child ; Female ; Fungi ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Spine*

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To investigate the difference between colorectal adenocarcinomas with white spots (foamy cells) and those without white spots, clinically and histopathologically, were examined 37 cases of colorectal adenocarcinomas were classified in this study. METHODS: Two groups: those with white spots and those without. In each case, evidence of lymph node and liver metastasis was sought. Immunoreactive staining for macrophage was performed. RESULTS: Increased incidence of exophytic tumors was found (73%, p=0.028) in the group with white spots. The incidences of lymph node metastasis were 33% vs. 45% between the group with white spots and the group of without, but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that foamy cells might have a beneficial role in colorectal cancer, although they were not statistically significant. Therefore, further prospective study be warranted.
Adenocarcinoma ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Dental Caries* ; Incidence ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Macrophages ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Forty one patients with unstable thoracolumbar lesions were treated using anterior internal fixation device. There were 39 cases with unstable thoracolumbar fracture, 1 case with post-traumatic kyphosis, and 1 case with aspergillosis spondylitis. The procedures consisted of anterior decompression through vertebrectomy and discectomy, interbody fusion using autogenous iliac bone or rib, realignment and stabilization with Kaneda device(7 cases), or Z-plate ATL device(34 cases). Most patients with incomplete neurologic deficit were improved one or two grades according to Frankel's classification. No patient showed neurological deterioration after surgery. We concluded that the anteroloteral approach with instrumentation in various unstable thoracolumbar lesions would provide satisfactory neurologic improvement as well as immediate firm stability with early ambulation and high fusion rate involving only a minimum number of motion segments.
Aspergillosis ; Classification ; Decompression ; Diskectomy ; Early Ambulation ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Kyphosis ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Ribs ; Spondylitis

BACKGROUND: Although patients with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) often reach the hospital alive, the perioperative mortality is still very high. We retrospectively reviewed thirty patients who underwent repair of RAAA to identify the factors affecting postoperative mortality in a single hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 2007 and May 2011, thirty patients with RAAA underwent emergent surgery (n=27) or endovascular aneurysm repair (n=3). Their medical records were retrospectively reviewed regarding three categories: 1) preoperative patient status: age, gender, vital signs, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, hematocrit, and hemoglobin level: 2) aneurysmal status: size, type, and rupture status; and 3) operative factors: interval time to operating room, operative duration, and amount of perioperative transfusion. RESULTS: The 30-day postoperative mortality rate was 13.3% (4/30); later mortality was 3.3% (1/30). On multivariate analysis, the initial diastolic blood pressure (BP), interval time to operating room and amount of preoperative packed cell transfusion were statistically significantly linked with postoperative mortality (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, preoperative diastolic BP, preoperative packed cell transfusion amount and interval time between arrival and entry to operating room were significantly associated with postoperative mortality. It is important to prevent hemorrhage as quickly as possible.
Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Transfusion ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Hematocrit ; Hemoglobins ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Operating Rooms ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Vital Signs

PURPOSE: Critically ill patients frequently require rapid measurements of serum potassium. Analyses of serum samples take some time, but the results of blood gas analyses are often available more promptly. This study aims to determine the correlation between potassium concentrations measured by blood gas analyzer and automated chemical analyzer with a view to identifying whether the plasma potassium level can be used as an alternative to the serum values in the clinical management of selected patients in the Emergency Department (ED). METHODS: This prospective study of patients who were deemed by their treating doctor to require a blood gas analysis and chemistry analysis compared the potassium concentrations obtained from plasma and serum taken simultaneously. Data were analyzed using a Pearson correlation and a linear regression. RESULTS: Four hundred ninety-six patients were entered into the study. The potassium concentrations measured using two blood gas analyzers and two automated chemical analyzers were relatively highly correlated (coefficient=0.871), with an average difference between two methods of 0.449 mmol/L. There was also a high level of agreement between the methods with the 95% limits of agreement being -0.2 to 1.2 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: Compared with data from other previous test, our data were unsatisfactory. However our trial makes it possible in our ED to obtain serum potassium level from the plasma level. In addition, hypokalemia obtained by blood gas analyzer should be made an exception in treating it.
Blood Gas Analysis ; Chemistry ; Critical Illness ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Hypokalemia ; Linear Models ; Plasma ; Potassium* ; Prospective Studies

No abstract available.
Animals ; Autoradiography ; Carcinogenesis* ; Diethylnitrosamine ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase* ; Liver* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Autoradiography ; Carcinogenesis* ; Diethylnitrosamine ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase* ; Liver* ; Rats*