Among 666 premature infants or low birthweight infants who were admitted in NICU of St. Francisco General Hospital from January 1990 to Jun 1992, 96 infants were diagnosed as retinopathy of prematurity by indirect ophthalmoscope. The result were follows: 1) Among 666 patients, retinopathy of prematurity developed in 96 patients(14.1%) 2) The high incidence was observed in low birthweight and small gestational age. 3) Mean age of first diagnosing time was 42.0( 12 day of life and mean gestational age was 31.8 2.5 weeks and mean birthweight was 1646.5 (350.7gm. 4) In gestational age, birthweight and duration of oxygen therapy, there was statistically difference between cryotherapy group and spontaneous regression group. Other possible risk factors-hyaline membrane disease, apnea, anemia-were showed higher incidence in cryotherapy group. 5) Among the 20 infants who were treated with cryotherapy, 16 infants (80%) showed regression of neovascularization.
Apnea ; Cryotherapy ; Gestational Age ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Membranes ; Ophthalmoscopes ; Oxygen ; Retinopathy of Prematurity*

Patients vary markedly in their responses to d-tubocurarine chloride. Despite an attempt to diminish the variation in responses to relaxants by standardizing experimental techniques, anesthetic concentration kept constant, acid-base status kept constant, premedication omitted, dosage calculated in terms of mg/sq meter body surface, the marked variation was found to persist. The dose related neuromuscular blocking effect of d-tubocurarine chloride was investigated using a rabbit common peroneal nerve anterior tibial muscle preparation. All experimental rabbits tracheas were intubated through tracheostomy under general anesthesia with Nembutal 40 mg/kg intravenously. Reapiration was controlled by a Harvard animal respirator. The body temperature was kept at 35-37 degrees C by a thermoblanket. The degree of neuromuscular block following intravenous d-tubocurarine chloride was measured by single twitch response. The common peroneal nerve was stimulated supramaximally using a square waves of 0. 2 msec duration at a frequency of 0.1 Hz, and each stimulus was repeated once every 10 seconds. The ratio of the twitch height was calculated. The results were as follows: 1) No neuromuscular blocking effect was observed with 0.1 mg/kg of intravenous d-tubocu- rarine chloride. 2) 100% of neuromuscular blocking effect was observed with more than 1mg/kg of intravenous d-tubocurarine chloride. This is 5 to 10 times higher than the human dose. 3) Dose related prolonged neuromuscular blocking effect was observed from d-tubocurarine chloride in rabbits.
Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Body Temperature ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Pentobarbital ; Peroneal Nerve ; Premedication ; Rabbits* ; Trachea ; Tracheostomy ; Tubocurarine ; Ventilators, Mechanical

We investigated the sero-prevalence of toxocariasis among healthy Korean adults in 1999. A total of 314 sera from normal inhabitants in Whachon-gun, Gangwondo, Korea was examined for specific antibody levels against excretory-secretory products of second stage larvae of Toxocara (TES). The presence of cross-reactions with other helminthiases such as cysticercosis, paragonimiasis, sparganosis or clonorchiasis was also checked by specific IgG ELISA. Sera showing positive reaction against TES were also tested by IgG immunoblot and by IgE ELISA. Out of 314 subjects, 16 was found to be positive by TES IgG ELISA and immunoblot, among whom 12 were also positive by TES IgE ELISA. Among the 16 seropositive samples, two sera showed positive reaction against Paragonimus and sparganum antigen, respectively. These results inferred that cross-reactions were negligible between toxocariasis and other helminthiases. Toxocariasis seroprevalence among Korean rural adults was detected to be approximately 5%.
Adolescent ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth/blood ; Cross Reactions ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Larva Migrans, Visceral/*epidemiology/immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Toxocara/immunology

In order to assess the effects of diazepam and meperidine as premedication for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, eighty eight patients undergone an elective upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were studied. Studied patients were divided into two groups; one group was premedicated with buscopan and stropine(group I), and the other group was premedicated with diazepam and meperidien (group II). The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1) 83.0% of the group II (44/53) did not eomplain any discomfort by the procedure, but only 23.9% (8/35) of the group I showed no discopmort. The difference between two groups is statiatieally significant (p<0.005). 2) In 41 patients with previous experience of endoscopy, 22 patients from 27 of the graup Il(81.5%) did not feel any discomfort but it wes only 3 patients among 14 of the group I (21.4%) who did not feel discomfart (p<0,005). 3) In 47 patients without previous experience of endoscopy, 23 patients from 26 of the group II (88. 5%) did not show discomfort but it way only 5 patients among 21 of the group I (23.7%) (p<0.005). 4) In the patients with previous experience of endoscopy, 21 patients among 27 of the group II (77. 8%) felt better than that of the previous experience but it was only 3 patients among 14 of the group I (21.4%) (p<0.005). From the above results, we would emphasize that it is more effective to use diazepam and, meperidien as premendication for the gastrointestinal endoscopic procedure since it removes pstients apprehension rendering them a good cooperation with very minimal side effects,
Butylscopolammonium Bromide ; Diazepam ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Humans ; Meperidine ; Premedication*

BACKGROUND: The maximal removal rate of indocyanine green (ICG Rmax), which has been used as a useful indicator of quantitative assessment of the hepatic function, has some disadvantages such as high cost, requirement of multiple sampling, and long turn-around time. This study was designed to clarify that the measurement of the lidocaine metabolite, monoethylglycinekylidide (MEGX) test, can replace the ICG Rmax. And in healthy adults, MEGX forma pion was measured and compared according to methods of measurement and serf. METHOD: In 18 patients to whom ICG Rmax test was requested, ICG Rmax test was carried out at two doses of 0.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg and MEGX formation after 15 minute of 1 mg/kg lidocaine Injection was measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method. The correlation between them was analyzed, To 25 healthy volunteers included in this study as normal control, lidocaine was given intravenously at, a dose of 1 mg/kg and MEGX forma pion was measured IS and 30 minute later (MEGX15, MEGX30) using both high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and FPIA methods. RESULT: Patient group resealed significant correlation between ICG Rmax and MEGX15 (r=0.7674, p<0.001) and also between ICG Rl5 and MEGX15 (r=0.5612, p=0.008). There was significant difference between MEGX15 of 9 patients with chronic liver diseases and those of normal controls (22.24+/- 13.18 and 35.40+/- 14.43 ng/mL, respectively) (p=0.01). In normal controls, the correlation between methods was significant (p=0.001) and the values measured by FPIA method was significantly higher than that by HPLG (p(0.001). Of the normal controls, male group had higher MEGX15 values than female group in both methods (in HPLC method 33.89+/-15.95 and 22.53+/- 8.36, and in FPIA method 41.48+/-16.61 and 28.81+/-7.88 ng/mL, respectively), and in female group MEGX30 values was significantly elevated compared to MEGX15 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Inferred from the fact that the correlation between ICG Rmax and MEGX was good, MEGX test can be considered a replacement for ICG Rmax. In healthy adults, it is considered that there is serf-related difference In the rate of lidocaine metabolism so we should pay attention to it in interpreting the MEGX results.
Adult ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Female ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Indocyanine Green* ; Lidocaine ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Mesons ; Metabolism

No abstract available.
Abscess* ; Nocardia*

PURPOSE: Patients with esophageal cancer treated with surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy or radiation alone were retrospectively analyzed. METHOD: From August 1986 to June 1992, 93 patients who were treated with 30 Gy or more in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology were evaluated. Median age was 59 years. Ninety one were male and remaining 2 were female. Patients with stage II,III, and IV disease were 25, 62 and 6 respectively. Thirteen of the tumor were located in upper one third, 56 in middle one third and 24 in lower one third. Forty three patients had tumors 5cm or less in size and remaining 50 had greater than 5cm. Of those 93 patients, 41 were treated with surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy and 52 with radiation alone. Dose of radiation ranged from 34 to 66.6 Gy. Follow up period was 12 to 61 months. RESULTS: Stage of the tumor was the most important prognostic factor of the evaluated factors. Median survival for entire group of patients was 12 months. Median survival for patients treated with surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy and radiation alone were 15 and 10 months, respectively. There was no difference of 2 year survival. Median survival was 21 months for Stage II and 10 months for Stage III disease, In StageII disease, that was 21 months for postoperative group and 17. 5 months for radiation alone group. Five year survival were 27.5% and 9%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the result of surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy was not different from that of radiation alone despite of slightly longer median survival in postoperative group. Also stage of the disease was the most important prognostic factor.
Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies

Pancreatic pseudocyst rupture into the portal vein is a very rare complication and only three reported cases were confirmed using MRI. We report the case of a 50-year-old man with fistula formation between the pseudocyst and the portal vein, confirmed noninvasively by MRI. T2-weighted MR images and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed fluid signal intensity within the portal, superior mesenteric, and splenic veins, and a direct communication between the pseudocyst and the portal vein.
Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst* ; Pancreatitis ; Portal Vein* ; Rupture ; Splenic Vein ; Venous Thrombosis

The extended medical insurance system has resulted in increasing numbers of patients who go directly to specialists in the general hospitals via consultation of general practice physicians in local clinics as well as on the patient's own decision. In order to classify and evaluate the patients, who come to the emergency room of the general hospital, whether the patient's disease status truely needed emergency treatment or whether the patients were treated adequately or not at the emergency room, we reviewed retroscpectively 3,775 patients who came to the emergency room of Kang Nam St. Mary's hosptial Between January and July 1984. We classified them according to their age, sex, department, the status of disease(emergency or not) and evaluated the adequacy of emergency treatment and the prognosis. We concluded as follows: 1) Every emergency room shoul be prepared with adequate equipment and operated by sufficient numbers of well trained medical personnel. 2) It is necessary that the medical personnel who work at the emergency room should be continuously educated and trained for adequate care of the patients with central nervous system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system and cardiovascular system problems. 3) Our review revealed that it seems necessary that the specialists in emergency care, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, should be stationed at emergency room. 4) For the more efficient operation of the emergency room, the establishment of a medical delivery system is necessary.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Cardiovascular System ; Central Nervous System ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Emergency Treatment ; General Practitioners ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Insurance ; Prognosis ; Respiratory System ; Specialization

No abstract available.
Animals ; Dogs ; Mandible