Effects of dexamethasone on catheter-related bladder discomfort and emergence agitation: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial / 대한마취과학회지

Background@#Catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) is common in patients with a urinary catheter and is a risk factor for emergence agitation (EA). The mainstay of CRBD management is anticholinergics. Dexamethasone inhibits acetylcholine release. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dexamethasone on postoperative CRBD and EA. @*Methods@#In this prospective study, 90 patients undergoing urological surgery requiring urinary catheterization were allocated randomly to one of two groups (each n = 45). Before induction of anesthesia, the dexamethasone group received 10 mg (2 ml) of dexamethasone intravenously, while the control group received 2 ml of saline in the same manner. The incidence and severity of CRBD were assessed 0, 1, 2, and 6 h after the patient arrived in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) as the primary outcomes. The incidence and severity of EA were also compared during emergence and recovery from anesthesia as secondary outcomes. @*Results@#The incidences of CRBD in the control group and dexamethasone group at 0, 1, 2, and 6 h postoperatively were 28.9% and 15.6%, 55.6% and 55.6%, 57.8% and 46.7%, and 53.3% and 51.1%, respectively. The incidence and severity of CRBD assessed at 0, 1, 2, and 6 h postoperatively did not show intergroup differences. The incidence and severity of EA in the operating room and PACU also showed no difference between the groups. @*Conclusions@#Dexamethasone (10 mg) administered before induction of anesthesia did not further reduce the incidence or severity of CRBD or EA in patients undergoing urological surgery.

Unusual Pseudoaneurysm of the Dorsalis Pedis Artery after an Iatrogenic Injury

Aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm of the dorsalis pedis artery (DPA) are rare vascular entities. Pseudoaneurysms of the DPA are commonly due to blunt trauma, sharp penetrating injury, fracture, or iatrogenic injury. Herein, we report the case of a patient with a rare iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm that occurred after blood sampling. The diagnosis was suspected based on palpitation of a pulsatile mass on the dorsal foot and confirmed by color Doppler ultrasound and computed tomography angiography. Surgical treatment was successfully performed by reconstruction with an autologous venous graft. The patient recovered well, with no ischemic complications.

Thoracic Scoliosis in Patients with Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax

BACKGROUND: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) affects patients without clinically apparent lung disorder found in tall and thin young male. Scoliosis refers to curves exceeding 10° Cobb angle observed through chest X-ray and affects 2% to 4% of adolescents. Both conditions are commonly encountered in primary health care setting. The aim of this study is to access the correlation of thoracic scoliosis and PSP in adolescent. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted for patients diagnosed for PSP in Konyang University Hospital between January 2010 and March 2017. Chest X-rays of 222 patients and 155 normal control (NC) cases were reviewed to measure the Cobb angle. Greater than 10° of Cobb angle is diagnosed as scoliosis. RESULTS: Scoliosis in patient with PSP has higher incidence than that of NC group (p < 0.001). Median value of Cobb angle is 12.9° in PSP group and 14.7° in NC group. Directional relationship between scoliosis and pneumothorax in PSP group is also observed; 40.5% cases are ipsilateral and 59.5% are contralateral. CONCLUSION: PSP patients tend to have thoracic scoliosis more commonly compared with normal healthy adolescent. Scoliosis may contribute to heterogeneity of alveolar pressure which exacerbates subpleural bleb formation that can cause pneumothorax. The causal relationship is unclear and further studies are needed in the future.

Endocarditis with Intracardiac Migration of Transvenous Permanent Pacing Lead: 1 Case Report / 대한흉부외과학회지

When any part of the pacemaker system is infected, all pacemaker hardware should be removed, because reinfection rates of 51% to 77% have been noted in patients whose infected pacemaker system has been only partially explanted. The removal of infected leads during cardiopulmonary bypass prevents mechanical injury as well as the spread of infection and vegetation. We report one case of endocarditis by staphylococcus aureus with infected transvenous pacing lead which was migrated into the heart from the left subclavian vein. We removed the migrated pacing lead and vegetation under cardiopulmonary bypass.

Endocarditis with Intracardiac Migration of Transvenous Permanent Pacing Lead: 1 Case Report / 대한흉부외과학회지

When any part of the pacemaker system is infected, all pacemaker hardware should be removed, because reinfection rates of 51% to 77% have been noted in patients whose infected pacemaker system has been only partially explanted. The removal of infected leads during cardiopulmonary bypass prevents mechanical injury as well as the spread of infection and vegetation. We report one case of endocarditis by staphylococcus aureus with infected transvenous pacing lead which was migrated into the heart from the left subclavian vein. We removed the migrated pacing lead and vegetation under cardiopulmonary bypass.

Redo Konno Procedure / 대한흉부외과학회지

A 28 year-old male who had received Konno procedure twelve years ago with 23mm mechanical aortic valve and bovine pericardium with which his small aortic annulus, ventricular septum and right ventricular outflow tract had been enlarged was transferred due to sudden congestive heart failure. There were perforations on aortic and interventricular portion of bovine pericardial patch above and below the aortic valve, respectively, which was calcified and denaturated severely. The perforations seemed to be attributed to the cracks, resulting from mobility of mechanical aortic valve itself and stiffness of calcified and denaturated bovine patch. We performed a redo Konno procedure applying PTFE patch.

Cardiac Malignant Mesenchymoma: Two Cases Report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Primary cardiac tumors are rare and about 20~25% of primary cardiac tumors are malignant. Moreover, primary malignant mesenchymoma of the heart is extremely rare. Recently, we have experienced two cases of cardiac malignant mesenchymoma. In the first case, malignant mesenchymoma which was originated from the posterior wall of the left atrium obstructing the mitral orifice was revealed pathologically in a 61-year-old woman with mitral regurgitation. The mass, which was 2.7 X 3.7cm in size on the posterior wall of left atrium, was extended to the posteromedial commissure and annulus of the mitral valve. The mass was resected partially without excision of the left atrial free wall. She was discharged after 30 days without any problems and she received chemotherapy and followed up for 19months. The second case was a 4 X 5cm in size, friable, yellow-whitish multilobulated mass in the left atrium which was originated from the left lower pulmonary vein. Multiple minor tumor nodules were found in the wall of the left atrium and the posterior leaflet of mitral valve. Partial mass excision and mitral valve replacement were performed.