A case of Severe Snake Bites of the Genus Agkistrodon for Pediatric Patients: A Case Report

Venomous snakes are estimated to inflict 400,000 bites annually, resulting in approximately 40,000 deaths. There are nearly 3,500 known species of snakes worldwide, and three species exist in Korea. Venom contains toxins that effect the cardiovascular system, the kidneys, the respiratory system and the muscles. There are many modalities in treating snake bites, but most of all, neutralization of the venom is the most important. however, many doctors in Korea hesitate in using antivenom. The reason is that there are no specific antivenoms against Korean venous snakes. In this case, a 2-year-old female child with a snake bite vistied our hospital Korea via a local clinic. Severe systemic symptoms and local symptoms, including compartment syndrome, were observed. When we tried antivenom, the result was satisfactory.

Incidence of Acute Appendicitis: Agespecific and Sex-specific Analysis

PURPOSE: This retrospective study was performed to investigate epidemiological characteristics in terms of the ageand the sex-specific incidences in patients with perforated or nonperforated appendicitis. METHOD: The study population comprised 314 patients who underwent appendectomies for suspected acute appendicitis between March 2002 and August 2003. This study used the student t-test, the coefficient of correlation, and the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel Chi-square statistics. RESULTS: The incidence of nonperforated appendicitis was higher. Perforated appendicitis occurred at almost the same incidence in both sexes. However, the incidence of perforated appendicitis was high in small children and the elderly. The statistics of this study proved that the incidence of perforated appendicitis of the elderly was considerable. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the elderly need careful examination and rapid evaluation. Also, we suggest that since perforated appendicitis has a long duration of treatment, diagnostic accuracy is needed.

Infected Urachal Remnants with Symtoms of the Acute Abdomen: The Differential Diagnosis & Proper Management

PURPOSE: Urachal anomalies are rare, but often give rise to a number of problems, such as infection, rupture, sepsis and malignant change. The abdominal manifestation of urachal remnants often prompts referral to general or urologic surgeons. Herein, our clinical experiences were analyzed and guide lines for the preoperative diagnosis and proper management of complicated urachal anomalies suggested. METHODS: Twelve cases of urachal cyst, who visited the surgery department of Pochon CHA university hospital between April 1, 1995 and December 10, 2002, were studied. Clinical data, including clinical manifestations, diagnostic modalities and treatment methods were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the twelve cases reviewed, nine were males and three were females with a mean age of 33.6 years. The most common clinical manifestation was abdominal pain (58%), followed by a palpable mass (25%). The accuracies of the diagnostic modalities were 60 and 37% for abdominopelvic computed tomography and abdominal ultrasonography, respectively. The preoperative diagnosis rate was 50%, with one case not even diagnosed during surgery. CONCLUSION: Persistent urachal remnants can present at any age, with a variety of clinical manifestations. Abdominal computed tomography is a reliable diagnostic tool, and additional diagnostic studies are not generally warranted. The early surgical treatment seems to be the best solution prior to the onset of complications that would expose patients to difficult surgical operations and protract hospitalization.