25 Patients were received major spinal surgeries at main operating theater of Kangnam General Hospital from May 1990 to December 1990 by using the Haemonetics cell saver which was employed as an intraoperative blood salvage and autologous blood transfuser. The products of washed red blood cells were an average of 1490 cc packed RBC per case. Under the Light Microscopy, Washed RBC disclosed the morphologies of normal RBC size and shape. Fragmented RBCs or cell debris were not found and in one case agglutinated and denaturated RBCs were seen. While 20 patients were received spinal surgery prior to the utilization of cell saver, an average of 7.85 units of banked whole blood was transfused compared with 5.55 units in the cases of using the cell saver (p<0.05). Homologous banked blood utilization during spinal surgery declined more than 30% with the use of the cell saver. There was no evidence of infection, renal and/or hepatic failure related to the use of the cell saver. Haemonetics cell saver appeared to be safe, efficient and more over in some instanes life saving.
Erythrocytes ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Liver Failure ; Microscopy ; Operative Blood Salvage*

PURPOSE: Prealbumin is known as a biochemical marker for assessing nutritional status, and it is influenced by a systemic inflammatory condition. This study aims to find any correlation between patients' low serum prealbumin in electrical burn and unhealed burn surface area and insufficient nutritional support. METHODS: Data were collected by a review of the medical charts of patients admitted to Hanil General Hospital for electrical burn. Laboratory results such as prealbumin, albumin, total lymphocyte count (TLC), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were collected and tested every week. Residual burn surface area (residual BSA) during a specific period was calculated from the surgery record. Statistical analysis was conducted using Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 30 subjects were selected, all male. Average total burn surface area was 20.9±14.9%, and patients were operated on about three times after admission. There was statistical significance among all variables in Pearson's correlation test, but in multiple regression analysis, albumin and CRP were significant compared with prealbumin. CONCLUSION: The results could indicate that burn causes a systemic inflammatory reaction, which could affect the serum prealbumin level. Further study concerning the biological plausibility of each variable is needed.
Biomarkers ; Burns* ; Burns, Electric ; C-Reactive Protein ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Nutritional Status ; Nutritional Support ; Prealbumin*

It is very important for the anesthesiologists to manage this kind of patient during anesthesia because of severe hemodynamic change that is induced by aortic clamping and declamping, and its secondary effect on visce, heart and spinal cord, etc. To minimize the sudden severe hemodynamic change, we used the following agents and techniques in this clinical report. 1) Ethrane anesthesia with intermittent Innovar administration to minimize cardiac irritability. 2) To prevent secondary damage by distal hypotension during aortic clamping and declamping. 1. slight overhydration. 2. mannitol. 3. diuretics. 3) To prevent secondary damage by proximal hypertension during aortic clamping. 1. d-tubocurarine for muscle relaxation. 2. Morphine. 3. Chlorpromazine. 4. phentolamine. More over, we recommend this kind of anesthetic method in some other surgeries such as coarctation of aorta, aortic aneuryam and pheochromocytoma, etc. which may exhibit severe hemodynamic change during anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Aortic Coarctation ; Chlorpromazine ; Constriction ; Diuretics ; Enflurane ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Renovascular* ; Hypotension ; Mannitol ; Morphine ; Muscle Relaxation ; Phentolamine ; Pheochromocytoma ; Spinal Cord ; Tubocurarine

No abstract available.
Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa*

PURPOSE: The estimation of fluid deficit is crucial to the proper management of dehydrated children. Without well-documented serial weights on the same scale, the estimation of any given child's fluid deficit is imprecise and dependent largely on subjective clinical criteria. Despite the abundance of literature on clinical and laboratory evaluation of dehydration, few studies have focused on serum uric acid. So, we examined the usefulness of serum uric acid in gastroenteritis patients with dehydration. METHODS: Medical records of 90 gastroenteritis patients were retrospectively reviewed. By the body weight loss, we classified patients with mild, moderate, and severe dehydration groups. We studied the relevance of laboratory data (BUN, creatinine, serum bicarbonate, glucose, urine specific gravity, and uric acid) with dehydration. RESULTS: 54 children (60%) were dehydrated mildly, 24 (26%) dehydrated moderately, and 12 (14%) dehydrated severely. Statistically significant differences in BUN, creatinine, serum bicarbonate, glucose, and urine specific gravity could not be observed. But there was significant relationship between uric acid and the degree of dehydration. Data analysis suggested that the level of 7.0 mg/dL is the best cut-off value for predicting the development of moderate or severe dehydration. At this cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity were 66.6% and 87.1%. CONCLUSION: Our study supports that the measurement of serum uric acid with traditional scales is useful for predicting the development of dehydration. But, in order to be used as the indicator for proper treatment at an earlier stage, further validation about serum uric acid is necessary.
Body Weight ; Child ; Creatinine ; Dehydration* ; Gastroenteritis* ; Glucose ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Specific Gravity ; Statistics as Topic ; Uric Acid* ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical findings upon initial diagnosis and extraglandular manifestations in Korean patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: We collected clinical and laboratory data from 238 pSS patients enrolled at Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and Seoul Medical Center from March 2011 to December 2014. All patients met the American-European Consensus Group criteria for pSS. RESULTS: Upon initial diagnosis, sicca symptoms (xerophthalmia or xerostomia) as the chief complaint were only observed in 129 (54.2%) pSS patients, while extraglandular manifestation was more common as the chief complaint in male patients or those with younger age (<40 years) than female or older patients (both p<0.05). Extraglandular manifestations were found in 178 (74.8%) patients, with musculoskeletal manifestations being most common (53.8%). Peripheral neuropathy in pSS patients was associated with Raynaud phenomenon and elevated serum total immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels (both p<0.05). Serum beta2-microglobulin (beta2-M) levels were significantly correlated with European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) Sjogren's syndrome disease activity index, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum total IgG (all p<0.001), and were higher in patients with extraglandular manifestations than those without (p<0.05). Serum C3 levels were decreased in patients with extraglandular manifestation, compared to those without (p<0.05). Malignant lymphoma was found in Korean pSS patients (1.7%) and associated with elevated serum beta2-M levels (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Extraglandular manifestations were common in pSS patients and may be a diagnostic tool for male or younger pSS patients. Serum beta2-M levels can be useful markers for monitoring pSS patients.
beta 2-Microglobulin ; Consensus ; Diagnosis ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Lymphoma ; Male ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Raynaud Disease ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Seoul ; Sjogren's Syndrome*

Tinea barbae is a dermatophyte infection of the bearded areas of the face and neck. The incidence of tinea barbae has decreased as improved sanitation. We report a case of tinea barbae in a 49-year-old-man, who presented with relatively well-defined erythematous patch with pustules on the upper lip. A fungal culture from tissue of the lesions was grown on Sabouraud's dextrose agar and showed typical Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The nucleotide sequence of internal transcribed spacer for clinical isolate was identical to that of Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii IHEM 4411. The patient was treated with oral itraconazole for 3 months. The skin lesions improved 3 months after treatment, and recurrence has not been observed.
Agar ; Arthrodermataceae ; Base Sequence ; Glucose ; Humans ; Incidence ; Itraconazole ; Lip ; Neck ; Recurrence ; Sanitation ; Skin ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton*

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Antiphospholipid* ; Rheumatic Diseases*

PURPOSE: To analize the correlation between dynamic vascular pattern and structural histologic type of HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The materials consisted of 35 cases of HCC, which could be classified by structural histologic type and had available preoperative arterial dominant images. Excluding one case of pseudoglandular type, we compared structural histologic type of the tumors(trabecular group;13 cases, mixed group;10 cases, and nontrabecular group ;11 cases) with dynamic vascular pattern such as degrees of tumor staining, severity of tumor vessels on hepatic angiography, and with enhancing degrees of early phase relative to late phase on two-phase incremental bolus dynamic CT. RESULTS: In hepatic anglogram, trabecular group showed stronger tumor staining and more prominant dilatation and irregularity of tumor vessels than those of nontrabecular group, and In two-phase incremental bolus dynamic CT, and trabecular group showed more prominant tumor enhancement in early phase than those in late phase. CONCLUSION: The trabecular type(typical) and non-ti'abecular type of HCC showed radiologically different vascular patterns and therefore we believe that this maybe the basis with which diagnosis and treatment policy of radiologically atypical HCC could be made.
Angiography ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation

BACKGROUND: The changes in acid-base balance and serum electrolytes after infusion of 0.9% normal saline during renal transplantation are poorly characterized. In this study, the relationships between the infusion of fluids and the changes in arterial blood gas analysis, serum electrolytes and central venous pressure during renal transplantation were determined. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients undergoing elective renal transplantation were divided into two groups: group I (n = 33) was made up of patients who received a living related renal transplantation, while group II (n = 34) was made up of those who received a living unrelated renal transplantation. Blood gas analysis, central venous pressure and serum electrolytes were evaluated just after the beginning of the operation, just before reperfusion (unclamping of the renal artery and vein), just after reperfusion and 20 minutes after arriving in the recovery room. RESULTS: pH, base excess, HCO3 and Na+ concentration were decreased, but PaCO2 was not changed during the operation. Central venous pressure and K+ concentrations were elevated during the operation. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that 0.9% normal saline and mannitol leads to dilutional acidosis. If a lot of fluids are required during transplantation, we need to consider that 0.9% normal saline can aggravate acidosis in a renal transplantation patient.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Acidosis ; Blood Gas Analysis* ; Central Venous Pressure* ; Electrolytes* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Mannitol ; Recovery Room ; Renal Artery ; Reperfusion