BACKGROUND/AIMS: Treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR) is still associated with a high incidence of recurrence. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of drug-eluting balloons (DEB) for the treatment of ISR as compared with conventional balloon angioplasty (BA) and drug-eluting stents (DES). METHODS: Between January 2006 and May 2012 a total of 177 patients (188 lesions, 64.1 ± 11.7 years old) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for ISR were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical outcomes were compared between patients treated with DEB (n = 58, 32.8%), conventional BA (n = 65, 36.7%), or DES (n = 54, 30.5%). The primary end point was a major adverse cardiac event (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization(TLR). RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were not different except for a history of previous MI, which was more frequent in patients treated by conventional BA or DES than in patients treated by DEB (40.0% vs. 48.1% vs. 17.2%, respectively, p = 0.002). The total incidences of MACEs were 10.7%, 7.4%, and 15.4% in patients treated by DEB, DES, or conventional BA, respectively (p > 0.05). TLR was more frequent in patients treated by conventional BA than in patients treated by DEB or DES, but this was not statistically significant (10.8% vs. 6.9% vs. 3.7%, p > 0.05 between all group pairs, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that percutaneous coronary intervention using DEB might be a feasible alternative to conventional BA or DES implantation for treatment of coronary ISR. Further large-scaled, randomized study assessing long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes will be needed.
Angioplasty, Balloon* ; Coronary Restenosis ; Death ; Drug-Eluting Stents* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

Hemobilia is a rare gastrointestinal bleeding, usually caused by injury to the bile duct. Hemobilia after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is generally self-limiting and patients will spontaneously recover, but some severe and fatal hemorrhages have been reported. ERCP-related bowel or bile duct perforation should be managed promptly, according to the type of injury and the status of the patient. We recently experienced a case of late-onset severe hemobilia in which the patient recovered after endoscopic biliary stent insertion. The problem was attributable to ERCP-related bile duct perforation during stone removal, approximately 5 weeks prior to the hemorrhagic episode. The removal of the stent was performed 10 days before the onset of hemobilia. The bleeding was successfully treated by two sessions of transarterial coil embolization.
Bile Ducts ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Hemobilia* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Plastics* ; Stents*

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) pulmonary wedge resection has emerged as the standard treatment for primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Recently, single-port VATS has been introduced and is now widely performed. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the Tower crane technique as novel technique using a 15-mm trocar and anchoring suture in primary spontaneous pneumothorax. METHODS: Patients who underwent single-port VATS wedge resection in Chungnam National University Hospital from April 2012 to March 2014 were enrolled. The medical records of the enrolled patients were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 1,251 patients were diagnosed with pneumothorax during this period, 270 of whom underwent VATS wedge resection. Fifty-two of those operations were single-port VATS wedge resections for primary spontaneous pneumothorax performed by a single surgeon. The median age of the patients was 19.3±11.5 years old, and 43 of the patients were male. The median duration of chest tube drainage following the operation was 2.3±1.3 days, and mean postoperative hospital stay was 3.2±1.3 days. Prolonged air leakage for more than three days following the operation was observed in one patient. The mean duration of follow-up was 18.7±6.1 months, with a recurrence rate of 3.8%. CONCLUSION: The tower crane technique with a 15-mm trocar may be a promising treatment modality for patients presenting with primary spontaneous pneumothorax.
Chest Tubes ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Drainage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Medical Records ; Pneumothorax* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Instruments* ; Sutures ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-related complications should be promptly and properly managed in accordance with the type and severity of the complication and the comorbidity of the patient. Neurologic complications occur very rarely, but despite of the prompt management, the patient status can severely deteriorate and sometimes result in fatality. A female patient visited SAM Medical Center for abdominal pain and yellow skin. She has taken a current medication for essential hypertension since 10 years ago. Initial laboratory findings showed obstructive jaundice and abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed two common bile duct stones with moderate dilation of bile duct. Her vital sign with oxygen saturation was stable until the first attack of seizure 12 hours later after removal of stones through the ERCP. Emergent brain CT and magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple cerebral infarctions of both hemispheres with right predominance of middle cerebral artery territory and no evidence of air emboli. She died four days later despite of intensive care including high oxygen therapy and intravenous broad spectrum antibiotics with antiplatelet drug. We report a rare, delayed occurrence of a fatal multiple cerebral infarctions 12 hours after ERCP.
Abdominal Pain ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bile Ducts ; Brain ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde* ; Common Bile Duct ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Critical Care ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Oxygen ; Seizures ; Skin ; Vital Signs

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is an uncommon, usually benign neoplasm; however, a malignant potential has been described. Malignant GCT is an extremely rare neoplasm showing rapid growth and invasion into adjacent muscles, lymph nodes, or vessels, or even distant metastasis. We recently experienced a case of a histologically benign or atypical but clinically malignant GCT, with invasion of the lymph nodes and vessels in the sigmoid colon, diagnosed by segmental colon resection with lymph node dissection. We also performed a review of relevant medical literature.
Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid* ; Granular Cell Tumor* ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Muscles ; Neoplasm Metastasis

A 61-year-old man was diagnosed with aortic stenoinsufficiency with periannular abscess, which involved the aortic root of noncoronary sinus (NCS) that invaded down to the central fibrous body, whole membranous septum, mitral valve (MV), and tricuspid valve (TV). The open complete debridement was executed from the aortic annulus at NCS down to the central fibrous body and annulus of the MV and the TV, followed by the left ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with implantation of a mechanical aortic valve by using a leaflet of the half-folded elliptical bovine pericardial patch. Another leaflet of this patch was used for the repair of the right atrial wall with a defect and the TV.
Abscess* ; Aortic Valve ; Debridement ; Endocarditis ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mitral Valve* ; Tricuspid Valve*

BACKGROUND: Graft vessel preservation solution in coronary artery bypass surgery is used to maintain the graft conduit in optimal condition during the perioperative period. Nafamostat mesilate (NM) has anticoagulation and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, we investigated NM as a conduit preservative agent and compared it to papaverine. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat thoracic aortas were examined for their contraction-relaxation ability using phenylephrine (PE) and acetylcholine (ACh) following preincubation with papaverine and NM in standard classical organ baths. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured to check for the endothelial cell viability. Histopathological examination and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay were performed on the thoracic aortas of SD rats. RESULTS: The anti-contraction effects of papaverine were superior to those of NM at PE (p<0.05). The relaxation effect of NM on ACh-induced vasodilatation was not statistically different from that of papaverine. Viability assays using HUVECs showed endothelial cell survival rates of >90% in various concentrations of both NM and papaverine. A histopathological study showed a protective effect against necrosis and apoptosis (p<0.05) in the NM group. CONCLUSION: NM exhibited good vascular relaxation and a reasonable anti-vasocontraction effect with a better cell protecting effect than papaverine; therefore, we concluded that NM is a good potential conduit preserving agent.
Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Anticoagulants ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Apoptosis ; Baths ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; Endothelial Cells ; Guanidines ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Mesylates* ; Necrosis ; Papaverine ; Perioperative Period ; Phenylephrine ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Relaxation ; Survival Rate ; Transplants ; Vasodilation

BACKGROUND: Deep neck infections (DNI) can originate from infection in the potential spaces and fascial planes of the neck. DNI can be managed without surgery, but there are cases that need surgical treatment, especially in the case of mediastinal involvement. The aim of this study is to identify clinical features of DNI and analyze the predisposing factors for mediastinal extension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed medical records of 56 patients suffering from DNI who underwent cervical drainage only (CD group) and those who underwent cervical drainage combined with mediastinal drainage for descending necrotizing mediastinitis (MD group) from August 2003 to May 2009 and compared the clinical features of each group and the predisposing factors for mediastinal extension. RESULTS: Forty-four out of the 56 patients underwent cervical drainage only (79%) and 12 patients needed both cervical and mediastinal drainage (21%). There were no differences between the two groups in gender (p=0.28), but the MD group was older than the CD group (CD group, 44.2+/-23.2 years; MD group, 55.6+/-12.1 years; p=0.03). The MD group had a higher rate of co-morbidity than the CD group (p=0.04). The CD group involved more than two spaces in 14 cases (32%) and retropharyngeal involvement in 12 cases (27%). The MD group involved more than two spaces in 11 cases (92%) and retropharyngeal involvement in 12 cases (100%). Organism identification took place in 28 cases (64%) of the CD group and 3 cases of (25%) the MD group (p=0.02). The mean hospital stay of the CD group was 21.5+/-15.9 days and that of the MD group was 41.4+/-29.4 days (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: The predisposing factors of mediastinal extension in DNI were older age, involvement of two or more spaces, especially including the retropharyngeal space, and more comorbidities. The MD group had a longer hospital stay, higher mortality, and more failure to identify causative organisms of causative organisms than the CD group.
Comorbidity ; Drainage ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Length of Stay ; Mediastinitis ; Medical Records ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Neck ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Stress, Psychological

A 39-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital due to a pulsatile mass on her right inner thigh that was evident for two months. She did not exhibit any risk factors of atherosclerosis, no evidence of vasculitis, or any signs of previous trauma history. Ultrasound and computed tomography revealed an adult fist-sized aneurysm on the distal superficial femoral artery. The aneurysm was resected and peripheral circulation was restored with the interposition of a saphenous vein graft. The resected aneurysm had three layers that showed atherosclerosis on histological examination.
Adult ; Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Atherosclerosis ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Saphenous Vein ; Thigh ; Transplants ; Vasculitis

The aims of this study were; 1) to develop the final version of the Korean Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ), and 2) to compare the responsiveness between the RDQ and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores in patients having low back pain. The psychometric properties of the final Korean RDQ were evaluated in 221 patients. Among them, 30 patients were reliability tested. Validity was evaluated using an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) and the Korean ODI. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the RDQ and the ODI was compared in 54 patients with lumbar zygapophyseal (facet) joint pain. There was a moderate relationship between the RDQ and NRS (r = 0.59, P < 0.01) and a strongly positive correlation between the RDQ and the ODI (r = 0.76, P < 0.001). The Korean RDQ with the higher area under the ROC curve showed a better overall responsive performance than did the ODI in patients with lumbar facet joint pain after medial branch radiofrequency neurotomy (P < 0.01). The results of the study present the final version of the Korean RDQ is valid for assessing functional status in a Korean population with chronic low back pain.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Disability Evaluation ; Disabled Persons ; Female ; Humans ; Low Back Pain/*diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Pain Measurement ; Psychometrics ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea ; Research Design ; Severity of Illness Index