• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.63 no.1
• /
• pp.72-77
• /
• 2007

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) causes recurrent thromboses and morbidity during pregnancy, including fetal loss. This malady is associated with the persistent presence of anticardiolipin antibody or lupus anticoagulant. The pulmonary manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome include pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary hypertension, acute respiratory distress syndrome, etc. Pulmonary thromboembolism is often the initial manifestation of antiphospholipid syndrome and a timely diagnosis is critical due to the high mortality rate. We herein report on a 19-year-old man with pulmonary thromboembolism that was caused by primary antiphospholipid syndrome. He presented with blood-tinged sputum, fever and epigastric pain, and his chest computerized tomography showed pulmonary thromboembolism. The other possible causes of pulmonary thromboembolism were excluded and the diagnosis of primary antiphospholipid syndrome was confirmed by the lupus anticoagulant that was present on two occasions six weeks apart. We also discuss the nature and management of antiphospholipid syndrome, along with a brief review of the relevant literatures.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.572-575
• /
• 2003

Purpose : This study was performed to analyze the endoscopic findings in Henoch-Schonlein purpura patients, and to compare the differences in endoscopic findings according to age and gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods : We examined children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura aged 3 to 15 years between September 1996 and October 2002. The total number studied was 65, consisting of 41 boys and 24 girls. Endoscopy was performed and the results were analysed. Results : Among 65 cases, 12 cases of duodenitis, nine cases of gastritis and duodenitis, six cases of duodenal erosion, five cases of gastritis, five cases of duodenal ulcer, two cases of gastric ulcer and one case of colonic erosion were noted. Endoscopic abnormality was found in 38 of 53 who had gastrointestinal symptoms, and in two of 12 who didn't have gastrointestinal symptoms. Conclusion : Most of the gastrointestinal symptoms in Henoch-Schonlein purpura patients were relieved without complication. But in some cases severe symptoms such as hematemesis, melena, and abdominal pain localized to epigastric area were developed when diagnosis was delayed. Prompt endoscopy will be helpful for diagnosis and therapy of Henoch-Schonlein purpura with gastrointestinal involvement.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.204-209
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The goal of this study was to review the clinicopathologic characteristics of neuroendocrine tumor (NET) of the stomach. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 13 patients who were diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumor from January 1999 to August 2007 at Kosin Medical Center; 4,159 gastric cancer patients were treated surgically during the same time. The average follow up period was 14.3 months. Results: The majority of 13 patients were men (male-female ratio: 11:2) and the average age of patients with NET was 59.4 years (range: 42~72 years). The presenting symptoms were mostly epigastric pain and soreness. The tumor was limited to the mucosa or submucosa in two cases, and the tumor extended beyond the muscle layer in 11 cases. The mean size of the tumor was 7.0 cm, ranging from 0.7 cm to 15 cm. The type of the NEC (according to the WHO classification) was type 3 for eight patients, type 4 for four patients and type 1 for one patient. Regional lymph node metastasis was noted in 11 patients. Four cases showed recurrence of disease and the site of recurrence included liver in two patients, multiple organs (including the peritoneum and lung) in one patient and multiple organs (including liver, pancreas and duodenum) in one patient. The recurrent cases were type 3 and type 4 and the average survival period of the recurrent patients was 12.8 months. Conclusion: The majority of neuroendocrine tumors of the stomach were at an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. These tumors frequently recurred in the liver and they have a poor prognosis.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.171-181
• /
• 2006

Background: $Clonorchis$ $sinensis$ is an important human parasite that is usually found in the biliary tract. It is widely distributed in East Asia in Taiwan, Japan, China and Korea. About 2 million people are estimated to be infected with $C.$ $sinensis$ in Korea. This study was conducted to evaluate the state of infestation and clinical aspects of $C.$ $sinensis$. Material and Methods: We evaluate 1,063 patients with clonorchiasis retrospectively at Yeungnam University Hospital and Health Promotion Center from January 2001 to December 2003. All patients were diagnosed by a positive stool test for $C.$ $sinensis$ eggs. Clinical features, laboratory data and imaging studies were evaluated. Results: The ratio between affected males and females was 3.6 : 1. The highest infection rate was noted in the 40-60 age groups regardless of sex. The infection rate of $C.$ $sinensis$ among the residents of urban areas was higher than in rural areas. There were 813 (76.5%) patients who were asymptomatic. Common symptoms included right upper abdominal pain in 7.6% and epigastric pain in 7.2%. For the laboratory studies, serum ALP and GGT levels were within normal limits in 85.2% and 56.0% respectively. Peripheral eosinophilia was noted in 66.1% of cases. Of the 83 cases undergoing ERCP, 27 cases (32.5%) showed peripheral dilatation of the intrahepatic duct. Conclusion: This study suggests that $C.$ $sinensis$ infection is still endemic even in rural areas of Korea and that asymptomatic infections are common. Further work should be focused on the early diagnosis and treatment of patients with subclinical infection.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 2005

Purpose: With the recent boom in 'eating healthy', many adults are interested in dieting to prevent future diseases. However only well trained experts can distinguish between what are edible vegetables and herbs from their poisonous look-alikes. In cases where a patient unknowingly ingests a poisonous herb, is caught off guard by the poisonous side effects that occur because of their lack of knowledge of what they have ingested. This paper will focus on the need to educate the public about the risks involved with ingesting wild vegetables and herbs and study the emergency diagnosis and treatment of poisoned patients that enter the emergency room. Method: This study was done in the spring of 2004 (from March to May) in the Kangwon Young-Seo districts of Korea. 15 subjects used in this study, entered the emergency room showing signs of toxic symptoms. Data was collected by examining subject's records. Additional data was collected by collaborating with physicians in the hospital that diagnosed and treated the subjects. Identifying the poisonous vegetable or herb is the first step to proper diagnosis and treatment. Subjects admitted to the emergency room, underwent a battery of tests: laboratory examination, ECG, radiological exam and etc. Results: The demographics of the study encompassed subjects with the average age of $50{\pm}19$ years old. There were 10 men and 5 women. Common symptoms of this study included; gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain and so on. In the case of Caltha palustris ingestion, additional symptoms were present; bradycardia and hypotension which lasted for a long time. While cases that ingested Scopolia parviflora had little effect on vital signs but manic episodes lasted for about three days. Veratrum patulum ingestion showed signs of bradycardia and hypotension but contrary to Caltha palustris recovery was shorten by treating with dopamine. However, dizziness, headache and paresthesia of the extremities continued for a long time. Finally Sium ninsi ingestion showed visual disturbance, paresthesia of the extremities, dizziness as their initial symptoms. Conclusion: The risks involved with ingesting wild plants without the proper knowledge can lead to serious side effects and steps need to be taken to educate the public. In addition, all emergency physicians need to have a working knowledge of the symptoms and signs associated with ingesting toxic wild plants and need to treat accordingly.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.134-141
• /
• 2010

Purpose: A classic approach to abdominal stab wounds has been a routine laparotomy for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment. However, management protocols for abdominal stab wounds are still contentious in most trauma centers. We examined the relationship between the character of the stab wound and the injured intraabdominal organs by retrospectively analyzing the medical records of patients with abdominal stab wounds admitted to Gil hospital, and the findings for our patients are then confronted with a review of the literature. We aimed to propose proper management protocols to approach abdominal stab wounds. Methods: The medical records of all 80 patients sustaining abdominal stab wounds, admitted at the Department of Surgery, Gil Hospital, Gachon Medical School, from January 2004 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. All the abdominal stab wounds were collated based on the site and the character of the injury, investigations performed on admission, results of investigations, operations performed and findings at the time of the operation. Results: The most prevalent age group was patients in their forties and the average age of the patients was 41 years for both genders. The stab wounds were most commonly located at the periumbilical area (16.9%), followed by the epigastric area (15.6%), and 18.2% of the patients had multiple wounds. The most commonly eviscerated organ was the omentum (9 out of 16 cases); 61.7% of non-eviscerated patients underwent a therapeutic laparotomy while 81.3% of eviscerated patients underwent a therapeutic laparotomy. The small bowel was the most commonly injured organ (22.7%, 17 out of 75 injuries). The review revealed a relatively common diaphragmatic injury in abdominal stab wound patients (8 cases, 10.5%). The average hospital stay was 11 days. Conclusion: This review revealed commonly eviscerated and injured intraabdominal organs in abdominal stab wound patients and their relationship with a therapeutic laparotomy. Although the management is still controversial, the authors suggest indications for an immediate laparotomy and a protocol for managing abdominal stab wounds. Hemodynamic instability and peritoneal irritation signs are definite indicators for an immediate laparotomy, but the review revealed intraabdominal organ evisceration alone not to be a statistically significant factor. In addition, the authors suggest that abnormal CT findings can be valuable for making a decision on management of hemodynamically stable stab wound patients. Further study may clarify a role for a more selective approach to operative intervention and for a more extensive use of selective observation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.38 no.2 s.247
• /
• pp.157-163
• /
• 2005

Background: Clinical outcomes of esophageal cancer have not been satisfactory in spite of the development of surgical skills and protocols of adjuvant therapy. We analyzed the results of corrective surgical patients for esophageal cancer from January 1992 to July 2002. Material and Method: Among 129 patients with esophageal cancer, this study was performed in 68 patients who received corrective surgery. The ratio of sex was 59 : 9 (male : female) and mean age was $61.07\pm7.36$ years old. Chief complaints of this patients were dysphagia, epigastric pain and weight loss, etc. The locations of esophageal cancer were 4 in upper esophagus, 36 in middle, 20 in lower, 8 in esophagogastric junction. 60 patients had squamous cell cancer and 7 had adenocarcinoma, and 1 had malignant melanoma. Five patients had neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Result: The postoperative stage I, IIA, IIB, III, IV patients were 7, 25, 12, 17 and 7, respectively. The conduit for replacement of esophagus were stomach (62 patients) and colon (6 patients). The neck anastomosis was performed in 28 patients and intrathoracic anastomosis in 40 patients. The technique of anastomosis were hand sewing method (44 patients) and stapling method (24 patients). One of the early complications was anastomosis leakage (3 patients) which had only radiologic leakage that recovered spontaneously. The anastomosis technique had no correlation with postoperative leakage, which stapling method (2 patients) and hand sewing method (1 patient). There were 3 respiratory failures, 6 pneumonia, 1 fulminant hepatitis, 1 bleeding and 1 sepsis. The 2 early postoperative deaths were fulminant hepatitis and sepsis. Among 68 patients, 23 patients had postoperative adjuvant therapy and 55 paitents were followed up. The follow up period was $23.73\pm22.18$ months ($1\~76$ month). There were 5 patients in stage I, 21 in stage 2A, 9 in stage IIB, 15 in stage III and 5 in stage IV. The 1, 3, 5 year survival rates of the patients who could be followed up completely was $58.43\pm6.5\%,\;35.48\pm7.5\%\;and\;18.81\pm7.7\%$, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that long-term survival difference was associated with a stage, T stage, and N stage (p<0.05) but not associated with histology, sex, anastomosis location, tumor location, and pre and postoperative adjuvant therapy. Conclusion: The early diagnosis, aggressive operative resection, and adequate postoperative treatment may have contributed to the observed increase in survival for esophageal cancer patients.