Background: Endoscope-assisted surgery is a surgical method that has been used in oral and maxillofacial surgical fields. It provides good illumination, clear, and magnified visualization of the operative field. The purpose of this article is to describe the early clinical experiences to conduct minimally invasive surgery with endoscope-assisted enucleation of cysts on the jaw. It appears that this approach may be a superior alternative to the conventional approach. Methods: In this study, 24 patients (9 females, 15 males, average age 41.5) underwent endoscope-assisted cyst enucleation under general anesthesia. All operations were done by one surgeon. The cases were classified depending on whether bone penetration occurred at the cyst site. The cystic lesions were enucleated using an endoscope with a 0°, 1.9 mm diameter, or a 30°, 2.7 mm diameter. Two bony windows were used for the insertion of a syringe for irrigation, curettes, suction tips, sinus blades, surgical drills, and an endoscope. An additional small channel was made for the insertion of endoscopic instruments. Results: The 24 patients who underwent cyst enucleation were regularly observed for 3 to 12 months to evaluate for complications. Although some patients experienced swelling and numbness, these symptoms did not persist, and the patients soon returned to normal and there was no sign of recurrence. Conclusions The results of this study have suggested the possibility of minimally invasive surgery with endoscopes when it comes to cyst removal in the oral and maxillofacial region. Nevertheless, this study has limitations designed as a preliminary report focusing on the feasibility of endoscope-assisted cyst enucleation in the oral and maxillofacial regions.

Pulmonary pneumatoceles are air-filled thin-walled spaces within the lung and are rare in adult cases of pneumonia. We report the case of a 74-year-old male who was admitted with a cough and sputum production. He had been treated with oral dexamethasone since a brain tumorectomy 6 months prior. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the chest revealed a large pneumatocele in the right middle lobe and peripheral pneumonic consolidation. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed; cultures identified extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Proteus mirabilis. A 4-week course of intravenous ertapenem was administered, and the pneumatocele with pneumonia resolved on follow-up chest CT. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of pulmonary pneumatocele caused by ESBL-producing P. mirabilis associated with pneumonia.
Adult ; Aged ; beta-Lactamases* ; Brain ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Cough ; Dexamethasone ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Mirabilis ; Pneumonia* ; Proteus mirabilis* ; Proteus* ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A 73-year-old, previously healthy man presented with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dry mouth and febrile sensation 3 hours after eating boiled wild mushrooms. After admission, he showed progressive severe respiratory distress, pancytopenia, azotemia, hypotension, hypoxemia and consolidation of the entire left lung on chest radiography. With a preliminary diagnosis of necrotizing pneumonia, he underwent left pneumonectomy in order to remove all necrotic lung tissue. Lung histology showed extensive hemorrhagic necrosis, massive inflammatory cell infiltration, prominent proliferation of young fibroblasts and the formation of an early-stage hyaline membrane along the alveolar wall. Despite aggressive treatment, including mechanical ventilation, continuous renal replacement therapy and administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factor and broad spectrum antibiotics, he died on hospitalization day 13. Subsequently, the mushroom was identified as Podostroma cornu-damae. This is the first case of a histological evidence of lung involvement by Podostroma cornu-damae poisoning in Korea.
Agaricales* ; Aged* ; Anoxia ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Azotemia ; Colony-Stimulating Factors ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Eating* ; Fibroblasts ; Granulocytes ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Hypotension ; Korea ; Lung ; Membranes ; Mouth ; Mushroom Poisoning ; Nausea ; Necrosis ; Pancytopenia ; Pneumonectomy ; Pneumonia ; Poisoning ; Radiography ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency* ; Sensation ; Thorax ; Vomiting

Infection-associated plasmacytosis is not uncommon; however, marked plasmacytosis in both peripheral blood and bone marrow that mimicks plasma cell leukemia is a very rare condition. We encountered a case of extreme plasmacytosis associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae sepsis in an aplastic anemia patient. A 42-year-old man presented with high fever of 5 days' duration. Hematological analysis revealed severe neutropenia and thrombocytopenia; his white blood cell count was 900/mm3, with 26% of plasma and plasmacytoid cells in peripheral blood. Bone marrow biopsy and aspiration showed 25% cellularity with marked plasmacytosis (80%), highly suggestive of plasma cell leukemia. On the eighth hospital day, K. pneumoniae was identified in blood and sputum cultures. Fever improved after switching antibiotics, although his hematological condition worsened. His bone marrow cellularity (plasma cell proportion) progressively decreased: the values were 25% (80%), 10% (26%), 10% (11%), and < 10% (< 4%) on the 8th, 30th, 60th, and 90th hospital day, respectively. His plasmacytosis was extremely severe but was confirmed to be reactive with polyclonality. The present case represents the first report of strong suspicion of K. pneumoniae sepsis-associated marked plasmacytosis in an aplastic anemia patient.
Adult ; Anemia, Aplastic ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Fever ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Leukemia, Plasma Cell ; Leukocyte Count ; Neutropenia ; Plasma ; Plasma Cells ; Pneumonia ; Sepsis ; Sputum ; Thrombocytopenia

Symptoms of basal rot occurred sporadically on creeping bent grasses growing at a golf course in Hampyeong, Korea in April 2007. Ten isolates of Microdochium sp. were obtained from leaves and crowns of the diseased bent grasses. All isolates were identified as Microdochium bolleyi based on morphological, cultural, and molecular characteristics. This is the first report on M. bolleyi associated with basal rot on creeping bent grass in Korea.
Crowns ; Golf ; Korea ; Poaceae

Sustained-releasing praziquantel (SRP) tablet was designed for single dose treatment regimen of clonorchiasis. A previous pre-clinical study confirmed its sustained-releasing characteristics and a better cure rate than conventional praziquantel (PZQ). In this clinical study, the pharmacokinetics of this SRP tablet were investigated in human volunteers (phase 1; 12 volunteers), and its curative efficacy was examined in clonorchiasis patients (phase 2; 20 volunteers). In the phase 1 clinical study, blood concentrations of both tablets showed wide individual variation. The AUC(last) of SRP was 497.9+/-519.0 ng.hr/ml (mean+/-SD) and PZQ of 628.6+/-695.5 ng.hr/ml, and the AUC(inf) of SRP was 776.0+/-538.5 ng.hr/ml and of PZQ 658.6+/-709.9 ng.hr/ml. C(max) values of SRP and PZQ were 90.7+/-82.2 ng/ml and 214.9+/-251.9 ng/ml, and T(max) values were 3.42+/-1.43 hr and 1.96+/-1.23 hr, respectively. SRP tablets showed similar AUC values, but lower C(max) and longer T(max) values than PZQ. In the phase 2 study, SRP at 30 mg/kg (single dose) achieved a 60% cure rate and a 95.5% egg reduction rate. The cure rate of a single dose SRP was unsatisfactory compared with that of the conventional PZQ dose, but much better than that achieved by a single dose PZQ.
*Praziquantel/adverse effects/pharmacokinetics/therapeutic use ; Parasite Egg Count ; Male ; Humans ; *Delayed-Action Preparations/pharmacokinetics/therapeutic use ; Clonorchis sinensis/*drug effects/isolation & purification ; Clonorchiasis/*drug therapy ; Area Under Curve ; *Anthelmintics/adverse effects/pharmacokinetics/therapeutic use ; Animals ; Adult

This study investigated the biochemical changes of abnormal fruiting bodies grown under artificial environmental conditions in P. ostreatus. Abnormal mushroom growth during cultivation damages the production of good quality mushroom. This study showed that different environmental conditions produced morphological changes in the fruiting bodies of P. ostreatus. The fruiting bodies with morphological changes were collected and examined for differences in biochemical properties, enzyme activities, and carbohydrates composition. The enzyme activities assay showed that glucanase and chitinase activities decreased when the temperature was below or above the optimum cultivation temperature for P. ostreatus. The biochemical compositions of the abnormal mushroom were significantly different from the normal fruiting bodies. It was suggested that the changes in the biochemical composition of abnormal mushroom were caused by the unfavorable environmental conditions during mushroom cultivation.
Agaricales ; Carbohydrates ; Chitinase ; Fruit* ; Pleurotus*

This study investigated the morphological differences of P. ostreatus grown in the artificial environmental conditions such as humidity, temperature, ventilation, and watering. Oyster mushroom, which was cultivated on artificial environmental condition, was shown to have different morphology of fruitbodies. The optimum CO2 concentration for good morphology of P. ostreatus was 0.3%. But most fruitbody showed the morphologically low qualities in more than 0.5% of CO2 concentration. In the humidity in excess of 80% at 13~16degrees C, the best morphology of P. ostreatus was investigated. The growth of fruitbodies of P. ostreatus in the ventilation system was good at the wind velocity ranging from 0.2~0.5 fpms and expouring type. In other conditions, P. ostreatus generally showed the morphology closing to malformation.
Humidity ; Pleurotus* ; Ventilation ; Wind

Angiodysplasia as a cause of gastrointestinal bleeding is increasingly recognized with the advancement of diagnostic technique. Most of angiodysplasia occur in old age and their sizes rarely exceed a few millimiters in diameters. Angiodysplasia of the gastrointestinal tract in young adult and adolescent is a very rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding and thought to be a distinct clinicopathologic entity. We experienced a case of angiodysplasia in young man with chronic upper gastrointestinal bleeding and iron deficiency anemia required periodic red blood cell transfusion. It is a very rare case that angiodysplasia involved entire stomach and total gastrectomy was necessary to manage chronic bleeding.
Adolescent ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Angiodysplasia* ; Erythrocyte Transfusion ; Gastrectomy ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Stomach* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Various intravenous (IV) antiarrhythmic drugs in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) refractory to electrical cardiooversion have been attempted. We assessed the efficacy of IV propafenone in patients with AF who failed to achieve normal sinus rhythm using standard external direct current (DC) cardioversion. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Of the 77 AF patients who underwent a DC cardioversion, 18, who were refractory for up to a maximal 360 joules of external DC cardioversion, were included in this study. Propafenone was infused for 10 minutes at doses of 2 mg/kg (n=3), 2.5 mg/kg (n=8), and 3 mg/kg (n=7) followed by repeated DC cardioversion. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients receiving propafenone was 55+/-14 years and 21% were women. The mean ejection fraction and the average diameter of the left atrium were 56+/-5% and 42+/-7 mm, respectively. The AF cycle length increased following propafenone infusion form 160+/-23 ms to 278+/-62 ms (p<0.05). The AF converted to a normal sinus rhythm following propafenone infusion in three patients. Thirteen patients were successfully cardioverted following IV propafenone infusion, with a mean accumulated energy of 410+/-216 joules (689+/-373 joules prior to propafenone infusion, p<0.05). Cardioversion failed in 2 patients;therefore, the success rate of the cardioversion in patients who received IV propafenone was 88.9% (16/18). No significant adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: IV propafenone can be safely used to enhance the efficacy of cardioversion in patients with AF refractory to transthoracic DC cardioversion.
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Electric Countershock* ; Female ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Propafenone*