The influence of maturation period of arteriovenous fistula on its survival in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: Arteriovenous fistula(AVF) has been the most important, primary mode of achieving vascular access for chronic hemodialysis by this time. In general, maturation period over 4 to 8 weeks after operation for the formation of AVF has been recommended for the long-term survival of AVF, and so insertion of central venous catheter without using AVF being matured has been primarily recommended whenever hemodialysis is needed. But not infrequently, serious complications have been reported in association with the insertion and the use of central venous catheter. So earlier use of AVF is regarded as a good method of avoiding serious complications with regard to the insertion and the use of central venous catheter. But early use of AVF has not been generally recommended, for early use of AVF has been regarded to be associated with early failure of AVF. But few studies have reported the correlation between maturation period and AVF survival. And in practice, early use of AVF has already been performed frequently by not a few nephrologists or nurses of dialysis units. So authors tried to examine the correlation between maturation period and AVF survival rate, and to find the validity of early use of AVF if it is regarded usable for the hemodialysis by experienced hemodialysis nurses and nephrologists. METHODS: A retrospective analysis using 88 AVF cases which had been created in 85 patients from Oct. 1986 through June 1996, and from which authors could get enough information for this study was done. Authors compared one year survival rates of AVF according to the maturation period, the presence of DM, and condition of AVF assessed clinically by doctors and experienced nurses in hemodialysis units. Also from the cases with AVF obstruction, authors examined the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year survival rate of AVF according to the maturation period. RESULTS: One year survival rate of AVF with maturation period less than 4 weeks was higher than that with maturation period more than 4 weeks, but there was no statistical significance. One year survival rate, irrespective of the length of maturation period for AVFs, of AVF regarded to be usable and good for hemodialysis was higher than that of AVF regarded to be usable but not good for hemodialysis. In the study with the AVF obstruction group only, one year survival rate of AVF with maturation period less than 4 weeks was higher than that of AVF with maturation period more than 4 weeks but there was no statistical significance. And one year AVF survival rate was higher in non DM group(94.1%) than DM group(60%) regardless of maturation period of AVF(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: On the contrary to the views that longer maturation period of more than 4 weeks will be necessary for the long-term survival of AVF, our results suggest that shorter maturation period for AVF less than 4 weeks does not necessarily mean early failure of AVF once AVF is regarded to be usable for hemodialysis. So it is suggested that early use of AVF instead of inserting central venous catheter is a reasonable approach for getting an adequate vascular access for hemodialysis in chronic renal failure patients who were subjected to receive hemodialysis on waiting peroid of AVF maturation.

A Case of Paraneoplastic Membranous Nephropathy Associated with Adenocarcinoma of the Lung / 대한암학회지

The paraneoplastic nephrotic syndrome can be diagnosed by clinical and immunologic features. We have had a case of paraneoplastic nephrotic syndrome in the patients with aadeno-carcinoma of the lung, whose diagnosis was made by excluding other causes of nephrotic syndrome. The type of renal lesion was membranous glomerulopathy which commonly occurs in carcinoma. The quantity of proteinuria in this patient had decreased according to the improvement of lung cancer with combination chemotherapy. After fourth chemotherapy he was refractory to treatment, and unfortunately he had passed away with cardiac tamponade.

Two Cases of Emphysematous Pyelonephritis in a Diabetic Patients: Experience of Successful Management by Medical Treatment / 대한신장학회잡지

Emphysematous pyelonephritis is an uncommon, but life-threatening necrotizing inflammation of renal parenchyme and perinephric tissue by gas-forming organisms. This disease is encountered mainly in patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and/or urinary tract obstruction etc. Though the pathogenesis of this diseases is still poorly understood, radiographic demonstration of gas shadow in renal parenchyme and peri-nephric tissue establishes the diagnosis of emphysematous pyelonephritis. The identification of this finding has been believed to consider incision and drainage or nephrectomy in addition to medical treatment, because of high mortality rate of this disease in spite of vigorous medical management. We report two cases of emphysematous pyelonephritis complicated in 62-year-old female and 48- year-old male patients with diabetes mellitus. Nephrectomies were not performed because of bilateral emphysematous pyelonephritis in one patient and of refusal of nephrectomy by the other patient. But patients were recovered completely on medical management.

A Case of Pulmonary Cryptococcosis Diagnosed by Percutaneous Needle Aspiration and Biopsy / 감염

Cryptococcosis is a systemic infection caused by the yeast-like fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, involving central nervous system, lung, skin, prostate and bone. We have experienced a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis without involving other organ in healthy person. A previously healthy 74-year old female patient was admitted due to cough, sputum, general weakness and perioral numbness. As compared with chest PA that was taken 1 year before admission, single nodule of left upper lobe was enlarged slightly. CT-guided needle aspiration and biopsy were done and cryptococcosis was diagnosed by pathology. After central nervous system infection was excluded, oral fluconazole was given for 12 weeks. The cryptococcoma was nearly disappeared with 12-weeks' treatment and did not relapse until 6 month later.