No abstract available.
Thymus Hyperplasia*

Behcet's disease is a recurrent and multisystemic disorder which usually persists over many years and is classified under vasculitic syndrome. A classic triad in this disorder is composed of a recurrent oral ulcer, genital ulceration and uveitis. While intestinal Behcet's disease most commonly affects the ileoecal region, dysphagia associated with esophageal ulceration is very uncommon. A 34-year-old-female patient visited our hospital because of dysphagia, epigastric pain and fever. The patient had ulcers on the oral mucosa, soft palate and extemal genitalia. Multiple irregularly marginated ulcers surrounded with hyperemic edematous mucosa were found on the middle and distal esophagus and lesser curvature of the stomach by an esophagogastroduodenoscopic examination. The pathologic findings were non-specific ulcers with necrotizing vasculitis in the vulva and with suspicious vasculitis in the esophagus. So she was diagnosed to have a Behcets disease and was treated with steroid and sulfasalazine. In this study we report a case of esophageal involvement of Behcet's disease with a review of the literature.
Deglutition Disorders ; Esophagus ; Fever ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Mouth Mucosa ; Mucous Membrane ; Oral Ulcer ; Palate, Soft ; Stomach ; Sulfasalazine ; Ulcer ; Uveitis ; Vasculitis ; Vulva

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of coronary artery lesion(CAL) and the efficacy of intravenously administered immune globulin(IVGG) and aspirin therapy, identify risk factors for CAL, and analyze clinical characteristics in infants less than 12 months of age with Kawasaki disease. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of children less than 12 months of age with Kawasaki disease between 1994 and 1998, diagnosed at Chungnam National University Hospital. RESULTS: Of 202 patients with Kawasaki disease, 32(16 percent) were less than 1 year of age, including 7(3 percent) less than 6 months. Sex ratio of male to female was 2.5:1. Age at onset and Harada score were a predictor of the development of CAL:5(71 percent) of 7 children less than 6 months and 10(40 percent) of 25 children between 6 to 12 months of age acquired CAL (P<0.05), and 1(14 percent) of 7 children less than 6 months of age acquired giant CAL. No specific clinical or laboratory features predicted the development of CAL. Persistent(greater than 1 year) CAL were present in 2(7 percent) of 29 IVGG-treated children. The typical clinical features of Kawasaki disease was noted 24(75 percent) of 32 and the atypical one, 8(25 percent) of 32 children less than 12 months of age. CONCLUSION: Patients with Kawasaki disease of less than 12 months of age are at particularly increased risk of having CAL and difficulty in diagnosis due to atypical clinical features. So, it is suggested to intervene in the diagnostic criteria or risk factors for CAL, especially for patients with infant Kawasaki disease of less than 6 months of age.
Aspirin ; Child ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sex Ratio

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Propofol sedation is increasingly being used when performing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy because of its rapid onset and good recovery profile. For achieving safe sedation during endoscopy, close monitoring of the vital signs is necessary because of the sedation's potentially serious adverse effects. There are only a few studies on the induction of sedation with using propofol for endoscopy in Korea. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the adequate initial injected dose of propofol for achieving safe and effective sedation when performing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Koreans. METHODS: From March 2008 to July 2008, 150 subjects who visited Kwangju Christian Hospital were randomized into 3 groups. An initial bolus dose of 0.5 mg/kg, 1.0 mg/kg and 1.5 mg/kg of propofol was allocated to groups A, B and C, respectively. The effectiveness and safety profiles of each injected dose of propofol were prospectively assessed by measuring various parameters of the vital signs and the adverse events. RESULTS: Group C had a significantly shorter induction time and the patients in group C did not require additional injections of propofol without increasing adverse events, as compared to that of the other 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: 1.5 mg/kg of propofol was found to be more appropriate than 0.5 mg/kg or 1.0 mg/kg of propofol as the initial injected dose for induction of sedation during performance of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Koreans.
Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Humans ; Korea ; Propofol ; Prospective Studies ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Propofol is an effective sedative drug in endoscopic procedures, but it has potentially serious adverse effects, so close monitoring of the vital signs should be performed during endoscopy. This study was undertaken to determine the adequate induction dose of propofol for safe and effective sedation during esophagogastrodudenoscopy (EGD) in persons 60 years or older. METHODS: Three hundred patients who visited our hospital for EGD were randomly assigned to three groups (A,B and C). An initial induction dose of 0.5 mg/kg, 0.75 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg of propofol was allocated to groups A, B and C, respectively. RESULTS: The 0.5 mg/kg, 0.75 mg/kg and, 1 mg/kg dose of propofol were all safe as an initial dose of propofol for achieving sedation during EGD in persons 60 years or older. There was no difference in the total amount of propofol among the three groups. Group C had a significantly shorter induction time and a lower dose was required for an additional injection of propofol without increasing adverse events, as compared to the two other groups. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that 1 mg/kg of propofol is an effective induction dose for sedation during EGD in persons 60 years or older.
Aged ; Conscious Sedation ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Humans ; Propofol ; Vital Signs

Many advances, including the development of antibiotics, the advent of diagnostic techniques and the use of nonsurgical drainage have decreased the mortality rate of pyogenic liver abscess. But, early prompt diagnosis and proper treatment is mandatory in gas-forming pyogenic liver abscess because it may run a fulminating course to death. Gas-forming pyogenic liver abscess mostly occurred to old diabetics. Symptoms of duration are shorter and the prognosis is poorer in the gas-forming than in the non-gas-forming liver abscess. We report three cases of gas-forming pyogenic liver abscess which occurred in old diabetic patients. They were successfully managed by parenteral antibiotics and early percutaneous drainage under sonographic guidance. Early and adequate drainage of pus by pigtail catheter may play a crucial role on the treatment of gas-forming liver abscess.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Catheters* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Drainage* ; Humans ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver Abscess, Pyogenic ; Liver* ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Suppuration ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: High risks of fire alway exist for buildings in urban areas, especially those in downtown. Crowds, as well as more complex and larger structures, may cause more victims in the event of fire; therefore, emergency medical service plans must be established for such disastrous events. METHODS: On the evening of October 30, 1999, a fire broke out in downtown, Dong-Incheon Live-Hof restaurant; 56 people were killed and 76 were injured. Most of them were teenagers. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the victims. RESULTS: 1) Among the 56 dead, 54 died from smoke inhalation, one from extensive burns, and one from sepsis during treatment. 2) Among the 76 injured, 70 patients suffered from smoke inhalation, 53 from burns, and 9 from several types of trauma (sprains, contusions, lacerations, abrasions, fractures, etc.). 3) Later complications were laryngeal edema, pulmonary edema, scar contracture, and hypoxic brain damage, and so forth. 4) Post traumatic stress syndrome was unexpectedly more prevalent in mildly to moderately injured survivors and witnesses than in seriously injured survivors. CONCLUSION: Many complications exist after a fire. Some may be resolved in time, but others may result in permanent sequelae. Early rescue, early triage, and early management during transport by emergency medical service (EMS) personnel can result in fewer complications and a lower mortality rate. Therefore, we propose the establishment of plans to be followed during various major disasters.
Adolescent ; Burns ; Cicatrix ; Contracture ; Contusions ; Disasters ; Emergency Medical Services ; Fires* ; Humans ; Hypoxia, Brain ; Inhalation ; Lacerations ; Laryngeal Edema ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Pulmonary Edema ; Restaurants* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Smoke ; Survivors ; Triage

Flexible fiberoptic colonoscopy is extensively used for the diagnosis and management of colorectal disease. Many possible complications can occur. The most common and most serious complications are hemorrhage, perforation and respiratory problems. Colonic perforation usually results in a fatal and emergent condition. However, management of iatrogenic colonic perforation has been controversial. The choice between the medical versus the surgical approach has been dependent on the mechanism of the perforation, bowel preparation, location, size of the defect and severity of symptoms. We report here a case where colonic perforation emerged during endoscopic submucosal resection of a rectal tumor. The rectal perforation was accompanied with pneumoperitoneum, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumoretroperitoneum and pneumomediastinum. As the bowel preparation was excellent, intravenous antibiotics and total parenteral nutirition were administered. The patient was treated successfully without any complications.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colon ; Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mediastinal Emphysema* ; Pneumoperitoneum* ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Retropneumoperitoneum* ; Subcutaneous Emphysema*

Flexible fiberoptic colonoscopy is extensively used for the diagnosis and management of colorectal disease. Many possible complications can occur. The most common and most serious complications are hemorrhage, perforation and respiratory problems. Colonic perforation usually results in a fatal and emergent condition. However, management of iatrogenic colonic perforation has been controversial. The choice between the medical versus the surgical approach has been dependent on the mechanism of the perforation, bowel preparation, location, size of the defect and severity of symptoms. We report here a case where colonic perforation emerged during endoscopic submucosal resection of a rectal tumor. The rectal perforation was accompanied with pneumoperitoneum, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumoretroperitoneum and pneumomediastinum. As the bowel preparation was excellent, intravenous antibiotics and total parenteral nutirition were administered. The patient was treated successfully without any complications.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colon ; Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mediastinal Emphysema* ; Pneumoperitoneum* ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Retropneumoperitoneum* ; Subcutaneous Emphysema*

Ingestion of strong acids or strong alkalies may produces severe inflammation on the mucosa of the esophagus and this may also causes esophageal stricture. Several forms of non-operative dilatations have been utilized for the treatment of esophageal stricture and they have shown good results. Yet some patients do not achieve acceptable symptom relief despite of intensive dilatation. Temporary placement of esophageal stent has recently been used in some of these patients. Furthermore, mitomycin C has been used as a conservative treatment for refractive esophageal stricture in children, yet its efficacy has not been well established. We experienced a case of a 64-year old man with severe, recurrent esophageal stricture, and this was successfully managed by temporary placement of an esophageal stent, together with a spray of mitomycin C. We report on this case along with the review of the literature.
Alkalies ; Child ; Dilatation ; Eating* ; Esophageal Stenosis* ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lye* ; Middle Aged ; Mitomycin* ; Mucous Membrane ; Stents*