We present the case of a 48-year-old woman who complained of sustained dyspnea and newly developed dyspnea, who then suddenly and unexpectedly expired during bronchoscopy. On postmortem examination, the deceased had advanced gastric cancer as a primary tumor. Frequent lymphatic tumor emboli were observed with some pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis (PLC), and pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTMA). PLC and PTMA are lethal forms of pulmonary metastasis, and PTMA can lead to sudden death. The characteristic findings of PLC and PTMA in the deceased were not predominant, however, and the clinical manifestation was not acutely deteriorating. These findings are, therefore, insufficient to explain the deceased's sudden death. Clinically, the deceased manifested hypoxemia, bradycardia and cardiac arrest during bronchoscopy and then soon expired, suggesting the possibility of cardiovascular complication related to bronchoscopy. Despite several limitations, we assumed that the sudden unexpected death might have been induced by cardiovascular complications related to bronchoscopy and due to the underlying pathologic condition by PLC and PTMA.
Anoxia ; Autopsy ; Bradycardia ; Bronchoscopy ; Carcinoma ; Death, Sudden ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Thrombotic Microangiopathies

A 32-year-old multiparous woman (gravida 2, para 2) with a history of previous cesarean section had acute abdominal pain and collapsed at 21 weeks of gestation. Exploratory laparotomy was performed because of the patient's worsening condition; ultrasound examination results were suggestive of massive hemoperitoneum, and fetus in vertex presentation with bradycardia. Uterine rupture between the left lower segment and borderline of the cervix in the anterior wall with active bleeding was confirmed. An uncomplicated classical cesarean section was performed, but the fetus was stillborn due to preterm birth. Hysterectomy was performed after the cesarean section. The patient was admitted to intensive care units for 3 days and was discharged in 12 days following delivery. Placenta percreta at the anterior lower segment of the uterus was confirmed in the pathology report.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Bradycardia ; Cervix Uteri ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Fetus ; Hemoperitoneum ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Intensive Care Units ; Laparotomy ; Pathology ; Placenta Accreta* ; Placenta* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnancy* ; Premature Birth ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Rupture* ; Uterus

OBJECTIVES: To explore the metabolic characteristics of lethal bradycardia induced by myocardial ischemia in rat's serum. METHODS: A rat myocardial ischemia-bradycardia-sudden cardiac death （MI-B-SCD） model was established, which was compared with the sham-operation group. The metabolic profile of postmortem serum was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）, coupled with the analysis of serum metabolic characteristics using metabolomics strategies. RESULTS: The serum metabolic profiles were significantly different between the MI-B-SCD rats and the control rats. Compared to the control rats, the MI-B-SCD rats had significantly higher levels of lysine, ornithine, purine, serine, alanine, urea and lactic acid; and significantly lower levels of succinate, hexadecanoic acid, 2-ketoadipic acid, glyceraldehyde, hexendioic acid and octanedioic acid in the serum. There were some correlations among different metabolites. CONCLUSIONS There is obvious metabolic alterations in the serum of MI-B-SCD rat. Both lysine and purine have a high value in diagnosing MI-B-SCD. The results are expected to provide references for forensic and clinical applications of prevention and control of sudden cardiac death.
Animals ; Bradycardia/pathology* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Lysine/metabolism* ; Metabolomics/methods* ; Myocardial Ischemia/metabolism* ; Purines/metabolism* ; Rats

Bradycardia ; complications ; Carcinoma ; Carotid Sinus ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; complications ; secondary ; Humans ; Hypotension ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Fundoplication is accepted as an effective treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The recent results of laparoscopic fundoplication demonstrated safety and less morbidity, shorter hospital stay and less pulmonary complication compared to the open operation. Laparoscopic fundoplication has been our first choice of operation for gastroesophageal reflux disease since 2003. Among 29 cases, there were 2 conversion cases because of severe distension of transverse colon and hepatomegaly. We studied 27 consecutive patients operated upon from January 2003 through December 2004. There were 15 boys and 12 girls, ages from 1.5 months to 12 years (median 25.3 months). Body weight ranged from 2.9 kg to 37 kg (median 9.8 kg). Neurological abnormalities were present in 23 patients. Indications for surgery included medically refractory reflux associated with vomiting, pneumopathy, otorhinolaryngologic pathology, failure to thrive, esophagitis, apnea and bradycardia. We used 4-5 trocars of 5 mm or 12 mm with 30degrees telescope and performed the Nissen technique in all patients. In neurological impaired patients, gastrostomy tube was placed at the time of fundoplication. Median operative time was 130 minutes (70 . 300 minutes). There was no mortality nor intraoperative complication. Twenty-six patients were followed for median of 19 months (8 . 31 months). Four patients (15.4 %), who were all neurological impaired, developed recurrent symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Two of these patients had reoperation (1 laparoscopic approach, 1 open method). There were significant increases in body weight in 11 patients after fundoplication. Laparoscopic fundoplication is acceptable as a safe and effective method for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Apnea ; Body Weight ; Bradycardia ; Child* ; Colon, Transverse ; Esophagitis ; Failure to Thrive ; Female ; Fundoplication* ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Gastrostomy ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Operative Time ; Pathology ; Reoperation ; Surgical Instruments ; Telescopes ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: Even though the causes and appearance of upper gastrointestinal tract lesions vary with age, attention has seldomly been focused on the infancy and early childhood. This study aimed to provide, as basic material, the experience of esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD) in infants and early children. METHODS: The objects were 66 patients(male 40, female 26) who underwent EGD examination in case of endoscopic indication at department of pediatrics of Taegu Hyosung Catholic University Hospital from March 1993 to February 1996. The scope of study included age distribution, chief complaints, endoscopic findings, final diagnosis. RESULTS: 1) The frequency of age distribution was 31.8% under 12 months, 16.6% in 13-24 months, 7.5% in 25-36 months, 7.5% in 37-48 months, 19.6% in 49-60 months and 16.6% in 61-72 months. The 48.4% of total application was done in children under 24 months. 2) The indications were vomiting(29.4%), epigastric pain(20.0%), melena or hematemesis(20.0%), chronic diarrhea(12.9%), recurrent abdominal pain(8.2%), foreign body ingestion(3.5%), drug intoxication(2.3%), chronic cough(1.1%), generalized edema(1.1%) and diagnosis of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome(1.1%). 3) Endoscopic findings were chronic gastritis or duodenitis(21.2%), gastric or duodenal ulcer(13.6%), acute gastritis or duodenitis(7.5%), acute hemorrhagic gastritis or duodenitis(6.0%), reflux esophagitis(4.5%), pyloric stenosis(4.5%), pseudomembranous esophagitis(1.5%), esophageal varix(1.5%), gastric polyp(1.5%), dilatation of distal esophagus (1.5%), whitish discharge through the duodenum(1.5%) and nonspecific findings(34.8%). 4) Final diagnosis were gastroduodenal mucosal lesions with unidentified underlying diseases(37.8%), protracted diarrhea(16.6%), gastroesophageal reflux disease(4.5%), cyclic vomiting syndrome(4.5%), cow's milk allergy(4.5%), idiopathic hypertrophic pyloric stenosis(4.5%), foreign body removal(4.5%), recurrent abdominal pain syndrome(3.0%), drug intoxication(3.0%), Henoch-Schoenlein purpura(1.5%), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (1.5%), portal vein thrombosis(1.5%), esophageal web(1.5%), intestinal lymphangiectasia (1.5%), small intestinal hemangioma(1.5%), fungal esophagitis(1.5%) and unidentified underlying disease(6.0%). 5) The practices of EGD in infants and early children were done without serious adverse effects. The occurrence of bradycardia was developed in a newborn case during the procedure and was improved shortly after removal of scopy. CONCLUSIONS: The EGD studies were useful means of identifying the upper gastrointestinal anatomy and pathology in infants and early children with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. The practice of pediatric EGD in infants and early children was done without serious side effects. Pediatric EGD is now an integral part of the practice of pediatric gastroenterology.
Abdominal Pain ; Age Distribution ; Bradycardia ; Child* ; Daegu ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Endoscopy, Digestive System* ; Esophagus ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Gastritis ; Gastroenterology ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Melena ; Milk ; Pathology ; Pediatrics ; Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome ; Portal Vein ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: Even though the causes and appearance of upper gastrointestinal tract lesions vary with age, attention has seldomly been focused on the infancy and early childhood. This study aimed to provide, as basic material, the experience of esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD) in infants and early children. METHODS: The objects were 66 patients(male 40, female 26) who underwent EGD examination in case of endoscopic indication at department of pediatrics of Taegu Hyosung Catholic University Hospital from March 1993 to February 1996. The scope of study included age distribution, chief complaints, endoscopic findings, final diagnosis. RESULTS: 1) The frequency of age distribution was 31.8% under 12 months, 16.6% in 13-24 months, 7.5% in 25-36 months, 7.5% in 37-48 months, 19.6% in 49-60 months and 16.6% in 61-72 months. The 48.4% of total application was done in children under 24 months. 2) The indications were vomiting(29.4%), epigastric pain(20.0%), melena or hematemesis(20.0%), chronic diarrhea(12.9%), recurrent abdominal pain(8.2%), foreign body ingestion(3.5%), drug intoxication(2.3%), chronic cough(1.1%), generalized edema(1.1%) and diagnosis of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome(1.1%). 3) Endoscopic findings were chronic gastritis or duodenitis(21.2%), gastric or duodenal ulcer(13.6%), acute gastritis or duodenitis(7.5%), acute hemorrhagic gastritis or duodenitis(6.0%), reflux esophagitis(4.5%), pyloric stenosis(4.5%), pseudomembranous esophagitis(1.5%), esophageal varix(1.5%), gastric polyp(1.5%), dilatation of distal esophagus (1.5%), whitish discharge through the duodenum(1.5%) and nonspecific findings(34.8%). 4) Final diagnosis were gastroduodenal mucosal lesions with unidentified underlying diseases(37.8%), protracted diarrhea(16.6%), gastroesophageal reflux disease(4.5%), cyclic vomiting syndrome(4.5%), cow's milk allergy(4.5%), idiopathic hypertrophic pyloric stenosis(4.5%), foreign body removal(4.5%), recurrent abdominal pain syndrome(3.0%), drug intoxication(3.0%), Henoch-Schoenlein purpura(1.5%), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (1.5%), portal vein thrombosis(1.5%), esophageal web(1.5%), intestinal lymphangiectasia (1.5%), small intestinal hemangioma(1.5%), fungal esophagitis(1.5%) and unidentified underlying disease(6.0%). 5) The practices of EGD in infants and early children were done without serious adverse effects. The occurrence of bradycardia was developed in a newborn case during the procedure and was improved shortly after removal of scopy. CONCLUSIONS: The EGD studies were useful means of identifying the upper gastrointestinal anatomy and pathology in infants and early children with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. The practice of pediatric EGD in infants and early children was done without serious side effects. Pediatric EGD is now an integral part of the practice of pediatric gastroenterology.
Abdominal Pain ; Age Distribution ; Bradycardia ; Child* ; Daegu ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Endoscopy, Digestive System* ; Esophagus ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Gastritis ; Gastroenterology ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Melena ; Milk ; Pathology ; Pediatrics ; Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome ; Portal Vein ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Vomiting