PURPOSE: Pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis is routinely recommended for Western cancer patients undergoing major surgery for prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, it is uncertainwhetherroutine administration of pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis is necessary in all Asian surgical cancer patients. This prospective study was conducted to examine the incidence of and risk factors for postoperative VTE in Korean colorectal cancer (CRC) patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised two cohorts, and none of patients received perioperative pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis. In cohort A (n=400), patients were routinely screened for VTE using lower-extremity Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) on postoperative days 5-14. In cohort B (n=148), routine DUS was not performed, and imaging was only performed when there were symptoms or signs that were suspicious for VTE. The primary endpoint was the VTE incidence at 4 weeks postoperatively in cohort A. RESULTS: The postoperative incidence of VTE was 3.0% (n=12) in cohort A. Among the 12 patients, eight had distal calf vein thromboses and one had symptomatic thrombosis. Age ≥ 70 years (odds ratio [OR], 5.61), ≥ 2 comorbidities (OR, 13.42), and white blood cell counts of > 10,000/μL (OR, 17.43) were independent risk factors for postoperative VTE (p < 0.05). In cohort B, there was one case of VTE (0.7%). CONCLUSION: The postoperative incidence of VTE, which included asymptomatic cases, was 3.0% in Korean CRC patients who did not receive pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis. Perioperative pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis should be administered to Asian CRC patients on a risk-stratified basis.
Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cohort Studies ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Colorectal Surgery ; Comorbidity ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Leukocyte Count ; Prospective Studies* ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; Veins ; Venous Thromboembolism*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a one-session spouse-support enhancement childbirth education on childbirth self-efficacy and perception of childbirth experience. METHODS: The design of this study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest experiment. The participants in the study were 31 couples in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. The experimental couples were provided with one session on spouse-support enhancement childbirth education the night before delivery. Data were collected at two hours after delivery using the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory (CBSEI) and perception of childbirth experience scale. Data were analyzed using PASW statistics 18 program. Frequencies, percentage, mean, chi2 test, t-test were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Childbirth self-efficacy significantly increased in the experimental group as compared to the control group, but there was no significant difference in perception of childbirth experience in the experimental group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that a one-session childbirth education has beneficial effects on enhancing childbirth self-efficacy in pregnant couples. A one-session spouse-support enhancement childbirth education is recommended as an effective nursing intervention to promote couple's childbirth self-efficacy and it is also recommended that modifications of program to promote women's childbirth experience should be considered.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Parturition/psychology ; Patient Education as Topic ; Pregnant Women/*psychology ; *Self Efficacy ; Spouses/*psychology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to exam the effects of a short-term pulmonary program on lung function, exercise tolerance, and quality of life in chronic lung patients. METHOD: Randomized controlled pre-post test design was used. The outcome measures were forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1, % predicted), 6 min walking distance (6MWD), Borg score after 6MWD, and Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRDQ). Experimental group performed the 4-week home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program composed of inspiratory muscle training, upper and lower extremity exercise, relaxation, and telephone visit. Patients in control group were only given education about self-management strategies. Thirty four patients with moderate-to-severe respiratory impairment were recruited, and 28 patients (19 in experiments, 15 in control) completed the study. RESULT: Significant improvements in lung function, exercise tolerance, and health related quality of life were found only in the experiment group. CONCLUSION: This study yielded evidence for the potential and beneficial effects of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program in patients with moderate to severe chronic lung disease. The program could be adequately utilized for improvement of health related quality of life in chronic lung patients.

We report an unusual case of venous thrombosis complicated by pyogenic psoas muscle abscess in a patient with chronic biliary tract disease. A 64-year-old woman presented with high fever and progressive back and left flank pain. She had been admitted because of recurrent cholangitis and liver abscess 7 months ago. Both abscess and blood cultures had revealed Klebsiella pneumoniae and she had improved with treatment of antibiotics and percutaneous drainage of abscess. Computed tomography demonstrated psoas abscess and thrombosis of inferior vena cava and left iliac vein adjacent to abscess. Several days later, abscess culture showed Klebsiella pneumoniae. Because there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis and the thrombosis was confined only to the vein adjacent to the abscess, we considered that the thrombosis would be associated with the abscess. She was immediately treated with percutaneous drainage of abscess and antibiotics. Follow-up computed tomography demonstrated complete disappearance of both psoas abscess and venous thrombosis.
Abscess* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Biliary Tract Diseases ; Cholangitis ; Drainage* ; Female ; Fever ; Flank Pain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Iliac Vein ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Liver Abscess ; Middle Aged ; Psoas Abscess* ; Psoas Muscles ; Thrombosis ; Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; Venous Thrombosis*

Endoscopic band ligation has been a standard therapy in esophageal varix bleeding since it was first introduced in 1980s. However, technical problems have interrupted as a therapeutic management of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. We report a case of successful management of rectal bleeding with endoscopic band ligation in patient with chronic renal failure, who had been managed by hemodialysis since eight months before. Successful control of rectal bleeding was achieved by endoscopic band ligation. Three days later, round and shallow ulcer developed at the ligated site, which was improved at follow-up sigmoidoscopy and bleeding was not observed any more. He was discharged without complications. Herein, we report the band ligation as a useful method in treatment of rectal bleeding.
Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Ligation* ; Renal Dialysis ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Ulcer

Although excessive arteriovenous fistula blood flow may be a factor in the development of high-output cardiac failure, this diagnosis is easily over-looked. Surgical reduction of fistula blood flow can improve the condition. We here report a case of high-output cardiac failure due to excessive arterio-venous fistula blood flow in a hemodialysis patient. A 51-year-old man who had been treated with hemodialysis since 5 years ago was admitted for increasing cardiac failure. Echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac output and duplex measurement of the fistula confirmed the diagnosis of high-output cardiac failure due to excessive arteriovenous fistula blood flow. After surgical closure of the fistula, the signs and symptoms of cardiac failure subsequently subsided and both systolic and diastolic dimension of left ventricle much decreased.
Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Cardiac Output ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Fistula ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Renal Dialysis*

Hepatoblastoma is a primary embryonic liver tumor usually found in children. It extremely rarely occurs in adults. We report a case of hepatoblastoma in a 56 year old man with chronic hepatitis B of 10years duration. Laboratory investigation of the patient on admission showed a marked elevation of alpha-fetoprotein in serum. Ultrasonography and Computerized tomography scan revealed a primary tumor, 6x7cm in size, in the right lobe. The tumor removed by a right lobectomy. Complete removal of the tumor is the treatment which is potentially curative provided that lesion is confined within the liver capsule. The literature revealed and a case of this tumor reviewed.
Adult* ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; Child ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatoblastoma* ; Humans ; Liver ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography

Drug-induced acute interstitial nephritis is characterized by renal interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration and commonly presents as acute renal failure. This is caused mainly by methicillin, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, sulfonamide diuretics such as thiazide, but cases induced by furosemide are rare. We report a patient with acute interstitial nephritis causing reversible acute renal failure and dermatitis while she was taking furosemide. A 37-year old woman was referred to our hospital because of generalized skin rash and non-oliguric acute renal failure. She had peripheral eosinophilia (1,577/mm3) and serum creatinine level of 6.8mg/dL. Skin biopsy showed leukoclastic vasculitis and percutaneous renal biopsy showed severe interstitial infiltration of lymph ocyte and mild interstitial fibrosis with focal tubular atrophy. After withdrawal of furosemide, renal function and skin lesions were completely recovered.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Creatinine ; Dermatitis ; Diuretics ; Eosinophilia ; Exanthema ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Furosemide* ; Humans ; Methicillin ; Nephritis, Interstitial* ; Skin ; Vasculitis

OBJECTIVES: Renal osteodystrophy has been recognized as one of the major complications in long-term hemodialysis patients. Bone histomorphology is the definite method for diagnosis but plasma intact PTH level has predictive value for diagnosis of renal osteodystrophy. We performed this study to evaluate the prevalence and correlating factors of secondary hyperparathyroidism in ESRD patients. METHODS: we analyzed the intact PTH level (normal value: 12-72 pg/ml) and clinical parameters in 309 maintance hemodialysis patients retrospectively. RESULTS: The causes of ESRD were chronic glomerulonephritis (32%) diabetic nephropathy (25%) and hypertensive nephropathy (13%). In hemodialysis patients, the mean duration were 48+/-43 months, the serum phosphorus levels were 5.0+/-1.8 mg/dl, and the serum albumin levels were 3.9+/-0.6 gm/dl. The intact PTH levels were 175+/-266 pg/ml. The incidence of hypercalcemia (>10.5 mg/dl) in patients was 4.6% and the incidence of hypocalcemia (<8.5mg/dl) was 26.4%. Twenty-five percent of the patients had iPTH level more than three times normal. Another 42% had a less than normal iPTH level. In multiple regression, serum calcium (r=-0.24), age (r=-0.17) and duration of dialysis (r=0.15) correlated significantly with iPTH level. The iPTH levels between diabetic (82+/-139 pg/ml) and nondiabetic (229+/-320 pg/dl) patients were significantly different (P<0.01). But there are no significant correlation between sugar control and iPTH level. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the iPTH levels were significantly correlated with the age, durations of hemodialysis and the serum calcium levels. Level of intact iPTH in diabetic group were significantly lower than nondiabetes in hemodialysis.
Calcium ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Diagnosis ; Dialysis ; Glomerulonephritis ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary* ; Hypocalcemia ; Incidence ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Phosphorus ; Plasma ; Prevalence* ; Renal Dialysis* ; Renal Osteodystrophy ; Retrospective Studies ; Serum Albumin

No abstract available
Drug Therapy ; Glioma* ; Humans ; Nimustine* ; Radiotherapy*