The Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in the Massive Pulmonary Thromboemolism: The Use of t-PA in 2 Cases

The massive pulmonary thromboembolism is serious illness that can lead to death within an hour after its occurrence. The incidence of cardiac arrest caused by massive pulmonary thromboembolism has been known as about 7%. Invasive therapeutic modalities to treat massive pulmonary thromboembolism during cardiac arrest including thoracotomy or cardiopulmonary bypass have been shown little effect. Administration of a thrombolytic agent is an alternative choice of treating massive pulmonary thromboembolism during cardiac arrest. This report describes our experience of cases with massive pulmonary thromboembolism that were treated with administration of a thrombolytic agent during CPR.

Analysis of Victims of the Fire that Broke Out at a Beer Bar in Inchon

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop field triage, transportation, distribution, and prehospital care at a fire disaster by analyzing the victims of the fire that broke out at a bar in Incheon. METHOD: We analyzed the cases of the victims of a fire in Incheon in Oct. 1999. We determined the primary care hospital, the arrival time, the burn size, the outcome, and the injury type from the medical records, the concerned organ records, and interviews with concerned persons. RESULT: The total number of victims was 137: 56 prehospital deaths, 1 hospital death, and 80 survivals. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the burn size and the severity was -0.175. There were 121 (89.6%) cases of inhalation injury, 59 (43.7%) cases of flame burns, 66 (48.9%) cases of hypoxic brain damage, and 16 (11.9%) cases involving other types of injury. CONCLUSION: The causes of death of the fire victims were inhalation injury and hypoxic brain damage due to CO poisoning and other toxic inhalants. We propose the use of a simple triage and rapid treatment (START) system and a reassessment the delayed category in fire disasters.

Clinical Significance of Myocardial Injuries in Patients with Nontraumatic Intracraninal Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of myocardial injuries in patients with nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage by identifying the occurrence of myocardial injury and defining its correlation with subsequent cardiovascular events. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty-four patients with nontraumatic intracraninal hemorrhage presented to the emergency department within six hours from onset of symptoms were enrolled. Brain CT, serial electrocardiography, and echocardiography were done at the emergency center. Blood samples for troponin I and creatine kinase(CK)-MB were drawn immediately and eight hours after admission. Troponin I and CK-MB were measured using a chemiluminescent immunoassay, respectively. RESULTS: Electrocardiographic and echocardiography abnormalities were found in 65 cases(52.4%) and 21 cases(17%), respectively. Serum troponin I and creatine kinase-MB were increased in 35 cases (28.2%) and in 58 cases(46.8%), respectively. Abnormal findings of echocardiography and ECG, as well as elevated levels of serum troponin I and creatine kinase-MB, were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular event and survival. Logistic regression analysis revealed that an abnormal echcocardiographic finding and elevation of serum troponin I were factors associated with the occurrence an adverse cardiovascular event and that electrocardiographic abnormalities and initial mental status were factors associated with poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that actual myocardial injury develops in a significant proportion of patients with nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage and that the development of the myocardial injury is associated with an adverse cardiovascular event that occurs during admission.

Is a Subcostal Approach Always Suitable for Emergency Pericardiocentesis?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether the conventional subcostal approach is suitable for emergency pericardiocentesis in patients with cardiac tamponade or impending cardiac tamponade. METHODS: This study was a prospective, observational study conducted at the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Patients who had symptomatic pericardial effusion and who needed emergency pericardiocentesis in the emergency department were included in this study. We measured the epicardium-to-pericardium distance at the subcostal, parasternal, and apical area with two-dimensional echocardiography to determine the appropriate puncture site for pericardiocentesis. An epicardium-to-pericardium distance of more than 1.0cm was considered as the primary safety factor in determining the puncture site for pericardiocentesis. The skin-to-pericardium distance was considered as secondary safety factor. RESULTS: Ninety-five consecutive patients(55 males and 40 females; total mean age: 53 year old) with cardiac tamponade or impending cardiac tamponade were enrolled in this study. The puncture site for pericardiocentesis, as determined by echocardiography, was the subcostal area in 43 patients(45%), the apical area in 40 patients(42%), the left parasternal area in 11 patients(12%), and the right parasternal area in one patient(1%). Pericardiocentesis failed in 2 patients(2%) with the subcostal approach and in one patient(1%) with the apical approach. The average epicardium-to-pericardium distance was 31+/-21mm in patients with the subcostal approach and 21+/-8mm in patients with other approaches. There were no differences in the amount of pericardial fluid and in the intrapericardial pressure among patients groups according to puncture site. There were two procedure related complications: a puncture of the right ventricle with the subcostal approach and a ventricular tachycardia with the apical approach. CONCLUSION: The puncture site for emergency pericardiocentesis should be determined by using two-dimensional echocardiography because approaches from other areas can be safer than the subcostal approach.

Mallory-Weiss Syndrome During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation by an Untrained Bystander

There have been many reports regarding complications associated with cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) and it may be true that there are many unrevealed complications. Although it is used to say that 'any CPR is better than no CPR', inadvertent or inadequate CPR may insult in serious organ injury. This report describes a 64-year-old woman who suffered Mallory-Weiss tear resulting from inadvertent cardiopulmonary resuscitation by a bystander who had never been trained. Possible mechanisms of gastric injuries caused by CPR are suggested, and importance of adequate CPR training are emphasized in this report.

Diagnostic Ability of Arm Exercise Thallium-201 SPECT in Detecting Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND: Exercise testing is a standard noninvasive method used in the evaluation and management of patients with suspected coronary artery disease. However, patients with lower limb impairment are unable to undergo a standard bicycle or treadmill test. Alternative methods of exercise testing are needed for patients with vascular, orthopedic or neurologic conditions who cannot perform leg exercise. This study was aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of arm exercise thallium-201 SPECT for evaluating chest pain in patients unable to perform leg exercise. METHOD: Twenty-five anginal patients performed arm ergometry testing in conjunction with thallium-201 SPECT. Thereafter all underwent coronary angiography. RESULT: Significant coronary artery disease (> or =50% stenosis) in at least one vessel was present in 22 (88%) of the 25 patients. The sensitivity of thallium-201 SPECT for detecting coronary artery disease was 91%, which was significantly higher than the 32% sensitivity found with the electrocardiographic response alone (p <0.001). Thallium-201 SPECT yielded a sensitivity of 88, 86 and 100% for one, two, and three vessel diseases, respectively, and an 84% sensitivity and 81% specificity for detecting individual vessel stenosis. CONCLUSION: Arm exercise thallium-201 SPECT is useful for detecting coronary artery disease in patients unable to perform leg exercise. In addition, it provides an information regarding exercise tolerance. Therefore, this test appears to be reliable and useful and should be considered in the detection of coronary artery disease in nonambulatory patients.

Treatment Modality in Patients with Traumatic Pericardial Effusion

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines of advanced trauma life support recommend open thoracotomy when pericardiocentesis reveals bloody pericardial effusion in patients with blunt chest trauma. However, open thoracotomy may not be always required for treating patients alive until arriving emergency department, because rapid accumulation of the blood into pericardial space results in immediate death at scene. We report our experiences of treating traumatic pericardial effusion, and discuss the therapeutic modality in patients with traumatic pericardial effusion. METHODS: The study consisted of 37 patients(20 males and 17 females with the mean age 42) sustaining traumatic pericardial effusion. The patients were divided according to treatment modality into 3 groups(group I : patients receiving conservative management, group II : patients treated with pericardiocentesis, group III : patients required emergency thoracotomy). We compared clinical presentations, hemodynamic profiles and echocardiographic findings among three groups. RESULTS: Cardiac tamponade was present in 14 of 37 patients. Pericardiocentesis was performed in 13 patients, and open thoracotomy in 4 patients. Pericardiocentesis was curative in 9 patients. Thoracotomy was performed in only 3(24%) of 13 patients required pericardiocentesis. 3(75%) of 4 patients having moderate or severe pericardial effusion from penetrating injury were required open thoracotomy. CONCLUSION: In selected patients who have traumatic pericardial effusion by blunt chest injury, pericardiocentesis may be curative, and thoracotomy may not be inquired as long as bleeding via indwelling pericardial catheter is not sustained after pericardiocentesis.

A Phase II Trial of VAD ( Vincristine , Doxorubicin and Dexamethasone ) Chemotherapy for Previously Untreated Multiple Myeloma / 대한내과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The combination of vincristine and doxorubicin by continuous infusion was reported to reduce tumor mass more rapidly than standard regimens, which maybe a result of effect on more slowly proliferating plasma cells. We conducted a phase II study to determine the activity and safety of VAD (vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone) chemotherapy, in which vincristine and doxorubicin are administered as a continuous infusion, for previously untreated multiple myeloma. METHODS: VAD chemotherapy (vincristine 0.4 mg/day 24 hour-continuous infusion, days 1~4; doxorubicin 9 mg/m2/day 24 hour-continuous infusion, days 1~4; dexamethasone 40 mg/day p.o. days 1~4) was given to eligible patients every 4 weeks and we assessed response and toxicity of the regimen. RESULTS: Between January 1991 and March 1997, total 25 patients entered this trial and 22 were evaluable. The complete response rate was 14%(3/22) and overall response rate was 59%(13/22, 95% C.I.: 38~80%). The time to response was 1.0~6.8(median 2.9) months. Progression free survival was 2~39+(median 11.5) months and the overall survival was 3+~42+(median 19.7) months. Toxicities of VAD regimen were leukopenia, infection, stomatitis and neurotoxicity, but there was no treatment-related death. CONCLUSION: VAD chemotherapy was tolerable, but not more active than the alkylating agent-based chemotherapy as a front-line treatment for the patients with multiple myeloma. But, because of its rapid response and relatively mild myelotoxicity, it could play a role for advanced or highly complicated disease and for remission induction before consolidation with high-dose chemotherapy.

Training Nurses, Trainee for Emergency Medical Technitinan, and Firefighters to use Automated External Defibrillator

BACKGROUND: Automated external defibrillator(AED) represent a major breakdown to permit more widespread application of the principle of early defibrillation. Many recent efforts to improve emergency medical services(EMS) and increase survival rates are simply efforts to get defibrillation to patients as rapidly as possible. AED is major innovation for the prehospital care of ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the course of initial training to three different groups(nurses, firefighters, and EMT trainee) to use AED. METHOD: We studies the efficacy of education of AED to 33 nurses, 15 EMT trainee, and 16 firefighters. Training lasted 75 mins and included 45 mins an overview of defibrillation, protocols for using the AED, and operation of the AED(Laerdal Heartstart 3000),15 mins demonstraion.4 check list was used to grade the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, operation of the AED, and the time required to deliver the first three defibrillations. RESULT: There were no statistically significant differences in performance and time required to deliver an electrical countershock among the groups(p=0.4). To the second test 92fo of all group completed all steps successfully. The step most often foiled was the preparing of the AED for defibrillation. CONCLUSION: In nurses, EMT trainee, and firefighters, it is both feasible and effective to train AED use irrespective of the degree of the trainee.

The Safety of Emergency Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Dlagnosis of Thoracic Aortic Diseases

BACKGROUND: Early recognition of thoracic aortic disease is critical to reduce morbidity and mortality. Transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) has recently proved superior to traditional diagnostic modalities such as computed tomogram(CT) scan, aortography and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in assessing thoracic aortic diseases because of high sensivity and portability. However, the safety of emergency TEE has never been evaluated in patients with acute aortic disease in the emergency department. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of TEE as an emergency diagnostic procedure to detect thoracic aortic diseases. METHOD: From May 1994 to July 1996,25 patients who were suspicious of thoracic aortic disease and underwent TEE as the first diagnostic tool in the emergency department were enrolled. Biplane TEE was used under the administration of low-dose benzodiazepine and phayngeal spray of lidocaine. Airway protection by endotracheal intubation was done if the patient had no gag reflex or unconsciousness. RESULT: Among the 25 patients including 16 patients with nontraumatic cause and 9 patients with trauma, 18 patients had thoracic aortic diseases on TEE. Three of 9 patients with trauma had aortic injury(an aortic tear, an aortic aneurysm, an aortic subintimal hematoma). Fifteen of 16 patients with nontraumatic cause revealed aortic dissection on TEE. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate were not significantly changed by TEE. There was no complication during TEE in 23 patients(92%). Severe hypertension was noted in a patient and cardiac tamponade from previous pericardial effusion was developed in a patient during TEE. CONCLUSION: Our observation suggests that TEE is a safe diagnostic modality to detect thoracic aortic diseases in the emergency department.