The tracheostomy is increasingly being performed. In most cases, the tracheostomy sites are left to heal by secondary intention, so it leaves a depressed and wide scar that is cosmetically disfigured. Another problem os that the scar is also attached directly to the trachea itself and will move vertically with the trachea during the act of swallowing. Even though the tracheostomy scar is cosmetically acceptable, the mobility and retraction of the scar is a continual nuisance to the patient. We performed a retrospective study on 9 patients who had undergone revision of the depressed thracheostomy scar by the Renner Method from June, 1997 to February, 1999. The method includes transverse fusiform incision of the original scar and excision of the depressed portion of the scar to the level of the trachea itself. To prevent attachment of the skin and trachea, a bilateral subcutaneous flap and muscle flap were simply advanced to the midline and overlapped. Then the rest of scar that was not depressed was deepithelized and flipped to augment the soft tissue volume in the central depressed area. Satisfactory results were achieved in all patients without hematoma, infection, hypertrophic scar, and keloid formation. We believe this simple Renner method is one of the best ways of performing posttracheostomy scar revision.
Cicatrix* ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Deglutition ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intention ; Keloid ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Trachea ; Tracheostomy

BACKGROUND: With increase of antibiotics use and invasive procedures, infections caused by multi-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) are increasing. Recently, we experienced the outbreak of- nosocomial infections caused by MRAB resistant to imipenem and cefoperazone/sulbactam in intensive care units (ICU) and general ward. We analyzed the clinical characteristics of the infected patients and antibiotic susceptibility of the organisms. And surveillance cultures and IRS-PCR were performed to find out the transmission route. METHODS: We collected data from physical examination and clinical records. We performed surveillance cultures of environment, patients not infected with MRAB in ICU, and hands of health care workers. RESULTS: Between November 1996 and June 1997, 49 strains of MRAB were isolated from the 26 patients hospitalized in Kangnam St. Mary' s Hospital. The lower respiratory infection (13 cases) was the most common infection and sputum was the most common sources (47.1%). All strains of MRAB showed the same genotype. In disk diffusion test, all strains were resistant to piperacillin, gentamicin, amikacin, ceftazidime, cefoperazone/sulbactam, aztreonam, imipencm, ciprofloxacin. From the surveillance cultures, the genotypically identical strains were isolated from ventilator Y-piece, the floor of ICU, and hands of health care workers. It suggested that this strain was transmitted through ventilatory device or hands of health care workers. We instructed all the health care workers to wash hands, to disinfect hospital environment completely. Since July 1997, no further case has occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Since A. baumannii could be transmitted through ventilatory devices and the hands of health care workers, it is important to wash hands and to disinfect hospital environment completely.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter* ; Amikacin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Aztreonam ; Ceftazidime ; Ciprofloxacin ; Cross Infection* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diffusion ; Genotype ; Gentamicins ; Hand ; Humans ; Imipenem* ; Critical Care Units ; Patients' Rooms ; Physical Examination ; Piperacillin ; Sputum ; Ventilators, Mechanical

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis*

The traumatic optic neuropathy occurs in 0.5 to 5% of closed head trauma cases. Because it may cause permanent blindness, the early diagnosis and proper treatment are very important. We have treated 6 traumatic optic neuropathy patients among 433 head trauma cases from Sep, 1997 to Aug, 1998. Four patients showed visual recovery with steroid therapy. The diagnosis can be made clinically when the patient suffers from acutely decreased vision, Marcus-Gunn pupil, with its relatively normal fundoscopic finding, is considered as the most sensitive indicator and the first herald of visual tract injury, even though visual acuity is normal at the initial stage. The megadose steroid therapy must be diagnosed for the recovery of incompletely injured axons rather than regeneration. The optic canal decompression surgery must be spared for the delayed onset optic neuropathy patients who do not respond to the steroid therapy. In a case of indirect optic neuropathy, the associated orbital fracture reduction should not be undertaken until the optic neuropathy has stabilized. But severely displaced blow-in fracture of the orbit that decreases orbital volume should repaired early for orbital decompression.
Axons ; Blindness ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Head Injuries, Closed ; Humans ; Optic Nerve Diseases ; Optic Nerve Injuries* ; Optic Nerve* ; Orbit ; Orbital Fractures ; Pupil Disorders ; Regeneration ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND: Nosocomial urinary tract infection (UTI) accounts for 35% of the nosocomial infection and 80-90% of them are associated with urethral catheters. Recently, we experienced an outbreak of nosocomial UTI caused by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in neurosurgical intensive care unit (NSICU). METHODS: We investigated clinical records of the patients and observed the methods of care of urethral catheters in NSICU. Identification of P. aeruginose was done by API NE (API system; bioMerieux, France) and antibiotic susceptibility tests were done by disk diffusion method. Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay was used as a genotyping method. RESULTS: Between November 1997 and January 1998, 11 P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from the urine of 11 patients hospitalized in NSICU of Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital. Routine regular bladder irrigation, and emptying urine with common urinal had been done falsely. Antibiogram of the isolates showed resistance to multiple antibiotics including imipenem, gentamicin. amikacin, piperacillin, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, and cefoperazone/sulbactam. RAPD of the outbreak strains showed clonal relatedness, which was different from those of other clinical strains, We instructed all the health care workers to stop bladder Irrigation, and to use the separate urinals for each patient. Thereafter, no further case of P. aeruginosa UTI has occurred. CONCLUSION: An outbreak of UTI, caused by a single clone of P. aeruginosa, was confirmed by RAPD and was eradicated after correction of false practice on care-of urinary catheter.
Amikacin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ceftazidime ; Ciprofloxacin ; Clone Cells ; Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diffusion ; DNA ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Gentamicins ; Humans ; Imipenem ; Intensive Care Units ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Piperacillin ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa* ; Pseudomonas* ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

No Abstract available.
Infection Control*

BACKGROUND: ESBL-producing Klebsiella spp. are increasing worldwide, and infections with ESBL-producing organisms are usually hospital-acquired and common infections with ESBL-producing organisms include urinary tract infections, peritonitis, cholangitis, intraabdominal abscesses and nosocomial pneumonia. We studied the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae, which were isolated from the patients in St. Vincent Hospital. METHODS: Susceptibility to antibiotic was determined by standard disk diffusion and agar dilution methods for all 22 strains of K. pneumoniae. PCR amplifications were performed with primers specific for TEM. SHY, and CMY-1 genes, and the DNA of the amplified products were sequenced. Total DNA was extracted from the isolates restricted with XbaI, and fingerprinted using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Crude preparations of beta-lactamase were obtained by sonications and used for characterization of beta-lactamase by isoelectric focusing. RESULTS: The MIC90 values for ceftazidime and aztreonam were 128 microgram/mL and 64 microgram/mL, respectively. The MIC90 values for cefotaxime and sulperazon were 8 microgram/mL and 4microgram/mL, respectively, and that for cefoxitin was 1.0 microgram/mL, which is much lower than the value for third-generation cephalosporins. The MICs for ciprofloxacin. cefepime, and imipenem were less than 1 microgram/mL for all organisms, which is within the susceptible range. Isoelectric focusing studies demonstrated three beta-lactamases with pls of 5.. (TEM-1), 7.6 (SHV-2a), and 8.2 (SHV-12). The presence of blaSHV and blaTEM genes was confirmed by specific PCRs and DNA sequencing analysis. but blaCMY-1 genes were not found. According to DNA sequencing analysis, 21 K. pneumoniae strains produced SHV-12 ESBL and one strain produced SHV-2a ESBL. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the resistance of K. pneumoniae from clinical isolates to extended spectrum beta-lactam antibiotics may be due to the production of SHY-type ESBL. This approach in detecting and characterizing ESBL will be valuable for the control of infection and antibiotics use in medical institution.
Abscess ; Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Aztreonam ; beta-Lactamases ; Cefotaxime ; Cefoxitin ; Ceftazidime ; Cephalosporins ; Cholangitis ; Ciprofloxacin ; Dermatoglyphics ; Diffusion ; DNA ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Humans ; Imipenem ; Isoelectric Focusing ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Peritonitis ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sonication ; Urinary Tract Infections

BACKGROUND: Many patients discontinue peritoneal dialysis because they suffer from peritonitis associated with biofilm, which is mainly composed of microorganisms and glycocalyx. Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces more glycocalyx than any other gram-negative organism. Macrolide antibiotics are known to be effective against such glycocalyx-producing organisms. METHODS: We evaluated the effect of subinhibitory concentrations of roxithromycin on the biofilm formed by P. aeruginosa obtained from the clinical specimen of a patient with peritonitis. After seeding the organism in the dialysis fluid on silicone discs attached to the sampling plugs of a modified Robbins device for 18 hours, subinhibitory concentrations of roxithromycin-containing dialysis fluid were passed through the device. Sampling plugs were removed at 0, 4-, 24-, 48- hour intervals. Quantifications of the organisms and the glycocalyx were performed, and silicone discs were examined with scanning electron microscope. RESULTS: The colony count decreased at 4 hours of exposure to 1/2xMIC roxithromycin, and at 24 hours after exposure to 1/4xMIC or 1/8xMIC(P<0.05). At 48 hours, the colony count was the lowest in 1/2xMIC, followed by 1/4xMIC and 1/8xMIC, in successive order. The effect seemed to be concentration-dependent. On scanning electron microscopic examination, the production of glycocalyx decreased definitely as time passed, but it was not easy to exactly differentiate the amounts of the three concentration groups. Furthermore, quantification of glycocalyx by tryptophan assay was influenced by time (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The subinhibitory concentrations of roxithromycin are effectively enough to decrease the biofilm formed by P. aeruginosa colonized on a silicone disc in this in vitro model of peritoneal dialysis.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biofilms* ; Colon ; Dialysis ; Glycocalyx ; Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritonitis ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa* ; Pseudomonas* ; Roxithromycin* ; Silicones ; Tryptophan

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of off-pump coronary bypass grafting over the on-pump technique in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). To further reduce the risk of acute kidney injury and the need for renal replacement therapy, even in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, we adopted protocol-based perioperative management for patients with CKD. METHODS: From December 2012 to March 2015, 265 patients underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. To analyze renal function in a stable condition, we excluded 12 dialysis-dependent end stage renal failure and 10 emergency or urgent cases. Among the remaining 243 patients, 208 patients had normal kidney function (normal group), and 35 patients had CKD (CKD group). Minimizing contrast exposure, ensuring adequate hydration, using strict drug dosage adjustment, and optimizing hemodynamic status were key elements of the protocol for the CKD group. RESULTS: The risk of acute kidney injury was about ×3 higher in the CKD group than in the normal group (p=0.01). Estimated glomerular filtration rates and serum creatinine levels deteriorated until the third postoperative day in the CKD group. However, by adopting protocol-based perioperative management, this transient renal dysfunction recovered to preoperative levels by the fifth postoperative day without requiring renal replacement therapy in all cases. CONCLUSION: Off-pump coronary bypass surgery combined with this protocol-based perioperative management strategy in patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD could mostly be performed without renal replacement therapy.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump* ; Creatinine ; Emergencies ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Kidney ; Perioperative Care ; Renal Insufficiency ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Transplants*