Background: The incidence of inappropriate shocks remains high at 30% in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). This retrospective study sought to examine the efficacy of strategic programming (ICD programming with a long detection interval and high-rate cutoff) in reducing electrical storm, inappropriate shocks, and unexpected hospital visits in patients with ICDs with/without cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-Ds). Methods: This was a single tertiary center retrospective study, evaluating the clinical outcomes, especially regarding inappropriate therapies in patients with ICDs or CRT-Ds. Enrolled patients underwent ICD or CRT-D implantations from January 2008 to May 2016. Clinical information was attained by a thorough chart review. Results: We analyzed 155 defibrillator patients from January 2008 to May 2016 (124 patients had ICDs and 31 had CRT-Ds). Since we adopted this strategic programming as a default programming from 2015 implanted ICDs and CRT-Ds, we divided the patients into two groups: devices implanted before 2015 (group A, n = 94) versus implanted after 2015 (group B, n = 61). During a median of 1289 days of follow-up, electrical storms occurred in three patients (eight events) in group B versus 11 (28 events) in group A (P = 0.18); appropriate therapies were delivered in 27 patients (56 events) in group A versus 7 (15 events) in group B (P = 0.72); inappropriate therapies were delivered in 15 patients (21 events) in group A versus 1 with 1 episode in group B (P = 0.03); and 5 unexpected hospitalizations occurred in four patients in group B versus 36 in 24 patients in group A (P = 0.02). Conclusion The clinical application of strategic programming reduced inappropriate shocks and unexpected hospitalizations in ICD and CRT-D patients.

We report on a case of successful management of a patient with abdominal aortic rupture requiring massive blood transfusion during the peri-operative period. The patient had fully recovered 19 days after the operation, through intra-operative cardiac arrest and massive transfusion. We analyze a process of blood transfusion and related complications resulting from massive transfusion in order to establish a treatment for peri-operative patients with hypovolemic shock.
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* ; Aortic Rupture ; Blood Transfusion ; Heart Arrest* ; Humans ; Rupture* ; Shock

PURPOSE: Bone bruises of patients with acute traumatic knee injuries, that are not found on simple radiograph, can be found on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the frequency and locations of bone bruises on MRI in acute traumatic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 25 and 19 MRls, in which acute traumatic ACL and PCL injury was pre sent and there was no abnormality in simple radiograph, were reviewed. MRI was taken within 51 days of injury. A bone bruise was determined as a geographic and nonlinear area of signal loss on T1 images and increased signal intensity on T2 images involving the subcortical bone. RESULTS: In 16 patients with bone bruises and acute ACL injury, bone bruises were found in the lateral compartment of the knee in 15 (93.8%) patients. The most common area was the lateral tibial plateau (11 cases, 68.8%) and the second was lateral femoral condyle (9 cases, 56.3%). In 5 patients with bone bruises and acute PCL injury, bone bruises were found in the lateral compartment of the knee in all 5 (100%) patients. The most common area was lateral tibial plateau (4 cases, 80%) and the second was lateral femoral condyle (2 cases, 40%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute traumatic ACL or PCL injuries the bone bruises are often found on the lateral compartment of the knee, especially lateral tibial plateau and lateral femoral condyle on MRI.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Contusions* ; Humans ; Knee ; Knee Injuries ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament

Purpose: To report a case of ocular and facial herpes zoster and meningitis after herpes zoster vaccination.Case summary: A 60-year-old man was administered Zostavax® on his left arm; he developed a vesicular rash over his left eye and forehead 4 days afterwards. He started antiviral drugs for the rash, and visited the hospital for severe headache and spread of the rash to involve the tip of his nose, face, and palate by day 7. He was taking Synthyroid® (Bukwang Pharmaceuticals, Seoul, Korea) since his thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer 6 years ago. He had never been diagnosed with chickenpox, but had an episode of red facial rash in childhood. Slit-lamp examination revealed conjunctival chemosis, hyperemia, and a pseudodendrite in the peripheral cornea. The anterior chamber was quiet, and there were no significant findings on his brain magnetic resonance imaging. Varicella zoster virus was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid by polymerase chain reaction. The patient was treated with oral acyclovir drugs and topical ganciclovir, levofloxacin, and bromfenac. One week later, the pseudodendrite disappeared and conjunctival chemosis improved. There was no recurrence during 6 months follow-up. Conclusions Reactivation of ocular or facial herpes zoster or meningitis after zoster vaccination may occur, rarely. Immediate antiviral treatment is required in these cases.

OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed to describe our experience with performing hemicraniectomy for treating patients with malignant cerebral infarction. This study also aimed at describing the difference between our experience and that of the published articles. METHODS: Ten patients who had anterior circulation territory cerebral infarction underwent decompressive hemicraniectomy for treating their life threatening brain swelling between August 2004 and October 2007. We retrospectively analyzed the patients' medical records and radiological films and we described the patients' clinical and radiological details. The outcomes were measured according to the case fatality rate at 2 weeks and the modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 9 months. We compared our institution's outcomes with the pooled analysis result of three randomized controlled trials (DESTINY, DECIMAL, HAMLET trial). RESULTS: Nine men and one woman were included in this study. Their mean age was 61.5 +/- 11.9 years, and the mean National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission was 17.3 +/- 6.0. Five patients died within 2 weeks after operation. Four patients had a mRS of 5 and one had a mRS of 4 at 9 months. Our series included elder patients (mean difference : 9.9~18.3 years) who had a low NIHSS score on admission (mean difference : -4.8~-6.8) as compared to that of the pooled analysis group. Our series revealed a higher proportion of an unfavorable outcome (mRS > or = 4) compared to that of the pooled analysis results (p=0.01). No patient in our series would have been eligible, according to the inclusion criteria, for inclusion in the pooled analysis studies. CONCLUSION: We think that the higher proportion of an unfavorable outcome in our series was a consequence of the elder age of our patients.
Brain Edema ; Cerebral Infarction ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke

Small cell carcinoma of the cervix has been traditionally considered a rare subtype ofsquamous cell carcinoma characterized by a highly malignant behavior. However, it has becomeobvious that the majority of small cell carcinomas of the cervix expresses neuroendocrine,not squamous, differentiation. One case of intermediate cell neuroendocrine carinoma andthree cases of small cell undifferentiated carcinoma were reported. Patients ranged in age from37 to 50 (median, 44years) and presental as stages Ib(two patients), IIa(one patient), andIIb(one patient). One cases of intermediate cell neuroendocrine carinoma was combined with-endocervical adenocarcinoma and one case of small cell undifferentiated carcinoma was combinedwith adenocarcinoma in situ. All 4 tumors expressed one or more epithelial markers andneuroendocrine markers. Electron microscopically, neuroendocrine granules were observed inall 4 cases but large amount in intermediate cell neuroendocrine carinoma. A variety of treatmentregimens was employed. One patient with intermediate cell neuroendocrine carinoma isalive now for 60 months after starting of treatment. But two of three patients with small cellundifferentiated carcinoma died of disease (34, 45 months) and one of them is alive now for20 months. One patient had spinal metastasis and paraplegia which were treated twice withsurgery and irradiation on tumor bed and the other patient was comatose with multiple livermetastasis. Small cell undifferentiated carcinoma of the cervix was more aggressive thanintermediate cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix. We can differentiate small cellundifferentiated carcinoma of the cervix from intermediate cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of thecervix, pathologically, ultrastructurally and immunocytochemically.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Carcinoma, Small Cell* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Coma ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraplegia

Although classical benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) has generally been resolvable by routine manual repositioning maneuvers, nevertheless resistant cases and variant remain a significant problem. Recently, we experienced a case of posterior semicircular canal BPPV combined with changes to various types of BPPV during manual reposition maneuver and vestibular neuritis. We examined her brain MRI due to low response of routine manual reposition maneuvers and frequently recurrence of BPPV. In brain MRI, we found 1.3cm sized mass in hypoglossal canal. It seemed to be neuroma on hypoglossal nerve. A refractory BPPV poses problems of pathophysiogenetic interpretation, differential diagnosis with a CNS lesion and therapeutic strategy. We thought that refractory BPPV should be treated with more frequently examination and manual repositional maneuver and distinguished from CNS lesion.
Brain ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hypoglossal Nerve ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroma ; Recurrence ; Semicircular Canals ; Vertigo* ; Vestibular Neuronitis*

Although classical benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) has generally been resolvable by routine manual repositioning maneuvers, nevertheless resistant cases and variant remain a significant problem. Recently, we experienced a case of posterior semicircular canal BPPV combined with changes to various types of BPPV during manual reposition maneuver and vestibular neuritis. We examined her brain MRI due to low response of routine manual reposition maneuvers and frequently recurrence of BPPV. In brain MRI, we found 1.3cm sized mass in hypoglossal canal. It seemed to be neuroma on hypoglossal nerve. A refractory BPPV poses problems of pathophysiogenetic interpretation, differential diagnosis with a CNS lesion and therapeutic strategy. We thought that refractory BPPV should be treated with more frequently examination and manual repositional maneuver and distinguished from CNS lesion.
Brain ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hypoglossal Nerve ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroma ; Recurrence ; Semicircular Canals ; Vertigo* ; Vestibular Neuronitis*

It is not a common case for neurosurgery department and the other departments to perform joint operation at the same time. Patients with severe head injury are a condition in which vital signs are unstable due to severe brain swelling and increased intracranial pressure, and emergency surgery is required. A 44-year-old man visited the trauma center with a motorcycle accident. The Glasgow Coma Scale score at the time of emergency department was 3 points, and the pupil was fixed at 6 mm on both sides. His medical history was unknown. His vital signs including blood pressure (BP), heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation were stable. Associated injuries included multiple fractures of whole body. Brain computed tomography revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage and severe cerebral edema. During the preparation of the craniectomy, abdominal ultrasonography performed because of decreased BP resulted in a large amount of hemoperitoneum. The bi-coronal craniectomy and splenectomy were performed simultaneously for about 4 hours. After fifty days of treatment, he was discharged with Glasgow Outcome Scale-extended 4 points and is undergoing rehabilitation. In severe polytrauma patients, active concurrent surgery is a good method to save their lives.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Fractures, Multiple ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Head* ; Heart Rate ; Hemoperitoneum ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Joints ; Methods ; Motorcycles ; Multiple Trauma ; Neurosurgery ; Oxygen ; Pupil ; Rehabilitation ; Respiratory Rate ; Splenectomy* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Trauma Centers ; Ultrasonography ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: Bipolar hip hemiarthroplasty (BH) was known to require a large amount of transfusion. And, patients who underwent BH were extreme old age and had underlying medical diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate packed RBC (Red blood cell) transfusion and pre- and intraoperative variables during BH in elderly patients over 75 years in one university hospital. METHODS: A total of 36 patients who underwent BH from September 2013 to August 2014 in our hospital were evaluated through a retrospective study using computerized medical records and archived documents. RESULTS: Average age of patients was 81.5+/-5.3 years and packed RBC transfusion was performed in 41.6% of all enrolled patients. There was no significant difference in age, weight, height, and time of operation between transfused patients and non-transfused patients. Intraoperative volume of packed RBC transfusion was 0.6 (minimum value: 0, maximum value: 4) units. CONCLUSION: Preparation of blood components such as packed RBC is required in elderly patients over 75 years who were planned BH.
Aged* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Hemiarthroplasty* ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized ; Retrospective Studies