Dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica, also known as Trevor's disease, is a rare disorder characterized by osteochondral overgrowth of one or more epiphyses and usually affecting the lower limbs. It typically presents in childhood, with painless swelling or deformity around the involved joint. We report a case of recurrent dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica which presented as a large popliteal mass four years after excision of the initial lesion.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Epiphyses ; Joints ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

BACKGROUND: The Maasai are the most widely known African ethnic group located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. Most spend their days either barefoot or in their traditional shoes made of car tires. Although they walk long distances of up to sixty kilometers a day, they do not suffer from any foot ailments. Little is known about their foot structure and gait. The goal of this investigation was to characterize various aspects of Maasai foot in standing and walking. METHODS: Foot length, calf circumference, hindfoot alignment, step length, cadence, and walking velocity were obtained from 1,096 adult Maasai people (545 males and 551 females; mean age, 40.28 +/- 14.69 years; age range, 16 to 65 years). All included subjects were from rural areas, where the primary terrain was sandy soil, who spend most of their lifetime barefoot, walking. They all denied any medical history or previous symptoms related to foot problems. A trained clinician scanned all feet for deformities. Static (standing) and dynamic (walking) Harris mat footprints were taken to determine the distribution of forefoot pressure patterns during walking. RESULTS: The average foot length was 250.14 +/- 18.12 mm (range, 210 to 295 mm) and calf circumference was 32.50 +/- 3.22 cm (range, 25 to 41 cm). The mean hindfoot alignment was 6.21degrees +/- 1.55degrees of valgus. Sixty-four subjects (5.84%) had bilateral flat-shaped feet with a low medial longitudinal arch that exactly matched the broad pattern of their static footprints. Step length, cadence, and walking velocity were 426.45 +/- 88.73 cm (range, 200 to 690 cm), 94.35 steps/min (range, 72 to 111 steps/min), and 40.16 +/- 8.36 m/min (range, 18.20 to 63.36 m/min), respectively. A total of 83.39% subjects showed unilateral or bilateral deformities of multiple toes regardless of age. The most frequent deformity was clawing (98.79%) of which the highest incidence occurred with the fifth toe (93.23%). Dynamic footprints showed even pressure patterns throughout the forefoot (64.87%), followed by lateral forefoot pressure concentration patterns (21.81%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows the distinct parameters that provide more insight into the Maasai foot.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Ethnic Groups ; Female ; Foot/*anatomy & histology/*physiology ; Foot Deformities, Acquired/*epidemiology/ethnology ; Gait/*physiology ; Humans ; Kenya ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rural Population ; Tanzania ; Walking/*physiology ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Aortic Valve

BACKGROUND: Arterial pressure is the most commonly utilized guideline for the management of critically ill patients. However, the site of arterial pressure monitoring can impact the observed pressure. In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, peripheral arterial pressure can underestimate central aortic pressure and vasodilators magnify this phenomenon. There was also a large discrepancy between radial and femoral artery pressure in endotoxemic patients treated with vasopressors or hypothermic patients. We evaluated the effect of the continuous infusion of norepinephrine, the most commonly used vasopressor, on pressure and blood flow in both the brachial and femoral artery in dogs in normal condition. METHODS: Both the brachial and femoral arteries were cannulated for pressure monitoring and the other side arteries were exposed for the measurement of blood flow in 10 dogs. Two doses of norepinephrine (NE), 0.05 microgram/kg/min and 0.1 microgram/kg/min, were infused for 10 minutes each in sequence. Hemodynamic variables and blood flow were measured before the infusion of NE, and immediately after the infusion of the two doses of NE. RESULTS: NE increased both brachial and femoral arterial pressures with no difference between the two pressures. NE decreased blood flow in both brachial and femoral arteries even though cardiac output was maintained constantly which means NE caused the redistribution of blood flow. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike endotoxemic shock conditions or hypothermic vasoconstriction, NE didn't show different effects on pressure monitoring sites regardless of their diameter in normal condition. NE increased blood pressure and decreased blood flow in the same degree in both the brachial and femoral artery.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Arteries ; Blood Pressure* ; Cardiac Output ; Critical Illness ; Dogs ; Femoral Artery* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Norepinephrine* ; Shock ; Thoracic Surgery ; Vasoconstriction ; Vasodilator Agents

The first author's name was misspelled as Saija Seo. The correct spelling is Saiju Seo.

Meckel diverticulum is the most common congenital abnormality of the small intestine. The condition occasionally involves invagination of the bowel lumen, leading to intussusception. We report a case in which intussusception secondary to an inverted Meckel diverticulum, together with an ectopic pancreas, occurred in an adult, and describe the associated radiologic, clinical and pathologic findings.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Diverticulum ; Humans ; Intestine, Small ; Intestines ; Intussusception* ; Meckel Diverticulum* ; Pancreas*

PURPOSE: To describe the normal sonographic anatomy of the submandibular duct and to assess the value of sonography in the diagnosis of sialolithiasis of the submandibular gland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using continuous injection of saline via a sialography needle, we evaluated the normal sonographic anatomy of the submandibular duct in healthy volunteers (n=5). We also reviewed sonographic findings in 47 patients with (n=29) or without (n=18) stones. In each case, the presence or absence of stone was proved by sialography or surgery. RESULTS: In control subjects, sonography accurately depicted the ductal anatomy of the submandibular glands and its relationship with adjacent tissues. For the detection of stones, sonography had a sensitivity of 86%, a specificity of 100%, and an accuracy of 91%. For ductal dilatation, its sensitivity was 91%, its specificity, 100%, and its accuracy, 94%. In 68% of cases with stones, a circumferential low echoic rim surrounding the stone ("rim sign") was present on sonogram. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound is a useful procedure and could replace sialography in most patients with sialolithiasis of the submandibular gland.
Diagnosis* ; Dilatation ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Needles ; Salivary Gland Calculi* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sialography ; Submandibular Gland* ; Ultrasonography*

Postoperative atrial arrhythmia after thoracotomy is relatively common, with a reported incidence ranging from 8% to 30%. These arrhythmias may cause hypotension, congestive heart failure and lengthen the period of postoperative hospitalization. The most important precipitating factor is atrial dilation and identified risk factor is an advanced age of the patient. The effect of various prophylactic regimens to reduce atrial arrhythmias is controversial. We report a case of postoperative atrial fibrillation in a 73 year-old female patient undergoing repair of esophageal hiatal hernia.
Aged ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Female ; Heart Failure ; Hernia, Hiatal* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Precipitating Factors ; Risk Factors ; Thoracotomy

BACKGROUND: Low values of lung compliance have been reported in patients with increased pulmonary blood flow due to intracardiac left to right(L-R) shunt. The compliance had returned to within normal limits 4 to 6 weeks after surgical correction of the shunt. We investigated whether lung compliance was improved immediately after surgical correction of the shunt. METHODS: Fifty four pediatric patients who were undergoing repair of intracardiac L-R shunt were evaluated. Lung compliance, arterial oxygen tension(PaO2) and arterial to end-tidal carbon dioxide tension difference(Pa-ETCO2) were measured after induction of anesthesia and at the completion of surgery. Left atrial pressure(LAP) was monitored. Lung compliance and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension were measured by monitoring system built in Cato anesthetic ventilator system. RESULTS: Lung compliance was significantly lower after surgery(6.57+/-6.46 ml/mbar) than after induction of anesthesia(7.71+/-7.18 ml/mbar). After surgery, PaO2 was significantly decreased and Pa-ETCO2 significantly increased than after induction of anesthesia. The decrease in lung compliance after surgery significantly correlated with a decrease in PaO2(r=0.43) and an increase in Pa-ETCO2 (r=0.47) but not correlated with LAP. CONCLUSIONS: Although surgical correction of intracardiac L-R shunt reduces pulmonary blood flow, the lung compliance decreases in immediate postoperative period. Therefore a deterioration of postoperative lung compliance may need judicious management for pulmonary and hemodynamic instability.
Anesthesia ; Carbon Dioxide ; Compliance ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Lung Compliance* ; Lung* ; Oxygen ; Postoperative Period ; Ventilators, Mechanical

BACKGROUND: Dobutamine and amrinone, phosphodiesterase-III inhibitor, are known to have both inotropic and vasodilatory properties. We evaluated the effects of both drugs on systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: With Institutional Review Board approval, 45 patients whose mean pulmonary arterial pressure was greater than 30 mmHg were studied. After sternotomy under the steady state of anesthesia and controlled ventilation (30 mmHg < PaCO2 < 40 mmHg), patients recieved one of following drugs for 30minutes (min); dobutamine 5.0ug/kg/min (Group I), low dose amrinone (loading dose 1.0 mg/kg, followed by infusion 7.5 g/kg/min, Group II) or high dose amrinone (loading dose 2.0 mg/kg, followed by infusion 10 g/kg/min, Group III). Hemodynamic variables were measured at 10 min and 30 min after start of infusion. RESULTS: Dobutamine didn't decrease pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and cause no hemodynamic change while low and high dose amrinone reduced PAP and especcially decrease of PAP in low dose amrinone group was statistically significnat. High dose amrinone increased cardiac index (CI) and decreased both systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) and central venous pressure (CVP) more significantly than control value. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic right ventricular failure associated with PH, amrinone may decrease the PAP and improve cardiac performance more effectively than dobutamin does. Increment of dosage of amrinone may not result in significant reduction of PAP.
Amrinone* ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Central Venous Pressure ; Dobutamine* ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Sternotomy ; Vascular Resistance ; Ventilation