A Case of Empyema and Retropharyngeal Abscess Complicated by Acute Epiglottitis / 감염

After the introduction of antibiotics, empyema is a rare complication of retropharyngeal abscess caused by acute epiglottitis. But once it occurs, it may be a fatal outcome. Retropharyngeal abscess may spread to mediastinum and pleural cavity along the deep cervical fascia, then it can induce pneumonia, mediastinitis, empyema, and sepsis. Because of its fatal complication, early diagnosis and intensive surgical treatment, such as incision and drainage, is necessary. Now we have a experience of empyema caused by retropharyngeal abscess in a 56-year old diabetic patient with nephropathy. He was admitted to our hospital because of hoarseness and sore throat due to acute epiglottitis. Several days after his admission, he complained of swelling of neck, which was diagnosed as retropharyngeal abscess by the computerized tomography. Retropharyngeal abscess was managed with antibiotics, incision and drainage and culture revealed Peptostreptococcus prevotii. Subsequently empyema developed in his right chest, which was managed with closed thoracotomy, though, he expired due to progression of sepsis.

Effects of Dialyzer Reuse on Clearances of Blood Urea Nitrogen and beta2-Microglobulin in the Three Different Membranes / 대한신장학회잡지

BACKGROUND: We performed the study on the changes of beta2-microglobulin(beta2M) clearance and urea reduction ratio after reuse of dialyzers with three different membranes. METHODS: 9 patients who had received regular hemodialysis more than five years were enrolled. Three kinds of dialyzer membrane were used; i.e. : Two of them were high-flux and the other was low-flux. Dialyzer reprocessing was performed by an automated machine using glutaraldehyde and bleach. Each dialyzer was reused 10 times. Solute clearance was determined for each dialyzer after the 1st, 5th, 8th and 10th reuse. RESULTS: Urea clearance was well maintained after reuse with both high-flux and low-flux membrane but beta2M clearance was significantly greater with high-flux dialyzers than low-flux dialyzer. Effects of each dialyzer reuse on beta2M clearance showed no significant decrease until the 10th reuse and no significant difference in beta2M clearance between the two high-flux dialyzers(polyamide vs PEPA membrane, p= 0.197). CONCLUSION: Reuse of dialyzers was cost-effective. After reuse of dialyzer, clearance of solute was maintained in both small and large solutes until the 10 th reuse. Further study is needed regarding the maintenance of solute clearance with increased number of reuses.

Analysis of Underlying Diseases in Elderly Patients with Atrial

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation(AF) is the common and importand arrhythmia in the eldery. Because the distribution of cardiovascular disease changes according to age group and era, the distribution of underlying diseases in patients with AF also tends to change. The purpose of this study is to identify the difference between the eldery(> or = 65yr) and the young adult(<65yr) patients with AF in distribution of underlying disease. METHODS: 218 patients with AF diagnosed by routine EKG and Holter minitoring from Jan. 1996 to Dec 1998 in National Medical Center was evaluated. Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively in aspect of age, sex, developmental form & underlying disease of AF. In detail. last two subjects were investigated in two separate age group and at the same time, relation between them studied. RESULTS: The majority of age group with AF was 65~74yr(40.4%) and the eldery patient was 59.7%. Acute paroxysmal form and chronic persistent form was 21.1% and 78.9% respectively. There was no significant difference in development form of AF between the eldery and young adult group(chi2=1.45, p=0.227) The common underlying disease were hypertension(33.4%), congestive heart failure(32.1%), rheumatic valvular heart diseas(20.2%). ischemic heart disease(14.2%), hyperthyroidism(6.9%), COPD(4.1%), and lone AF(10.1%). In the eldery patients. hypertension is the most common underlying disease(42.3%) and congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, rheumatic valvular heart disease, and COPD were 36.2%, 21.5%, 10.8%, 6.9% respectively. In the young adult group-, rheumatic valvular heart disease was the most common(34%), and congestive heart failure, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and hyperthyroidism were 26.1%, 20,5%, 3.4%, 10.2% respectively(chi2 = 62.71, p = 0.000). wheares ischemic heart disease, COPD, hyperthyroidism, stress, trauma, acute alcohol intoxication and lone AF were more common in acute paroxysmal AF, but hypertension, congestive heart failure, reumatic valvular heart disease were more common in chronic persistent AF(chi2 = 93.75, p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Among underlying disease of AF. hypertension, congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease were markedly increased and rheumatic valvular heart disease was decreased than previous reports in Korea. Hypertension, congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, COPD were more common in the eldely and as to rheumatic valvular heart disease, hyperthyroidism, and lone AF were in the young adult. Thus it showed significant difference in underlying desease between the eldery & the young adult as well as acute paroxysmal & chronic persistent form.

A case of microscopic polyangiitis combined with pulmonary silicosis / 대한내과학회지

Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is a distinct type of systemic small vessel vasculitis affecting small sized vessels with few or no immune deposit and no granulomatous inflammation. Cause or pathogenetic mechanism of MPA has been unknown but association with silicon or silica exposure or pulmonary silicosis has been reported rarely and supports hypothesis that environmental factors are important modulating or triggering factors of the vasculitis in the indivisual who may be genetically predisposed. We report a case of microscopic polyangiitis with underlying pulmonary silicosis in 43 year-old male. He was admitted due to hemoptysis, dyspnea, fever and bilateral pulmonary infiltration with underlying small nodular densities in whole lung field and egg-shell calcification of both hilar areas. Laboratory findings showed hematuria, proteinuria and rapid deterioration of renal function. Renal biopsy revealed focal segmental necrotizing glomerulonephritis with early cellular crescents accompanied with membranous glomerulonephropathy and perinuclear-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody was positive. Under the diagnosis of MPA, he has been managed with high dose steroid, cyclophosphamide and hemodialysis. Chest infiltration decreased and hemoptysis and hypoxia was improved but renal function was not recoverd and he needed regular hemodialysis continuously.

A Case of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma in Polycystic Liver Disease / 대한간학회지

Cholangiocarcinoma has been associated with various fibrocystic diseases of liver and biliary tract, but cholangiocarcinoma in polycystic liver disease (PLD) was extremely rare. It was reported that the prognosis of cholangiocarcinoma associated PLD was very poor and distant metastases were common. We report a rare case of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma associated with PLD in 58- year- old female who presented vague abdominal pain. She had also polycystic kidneys with normal renal function. MRI showed well demonstrated tumor with central scar and a adjacent large cyst in the left lobe of the liver. She underwent extended left lobectomy. On microscopic examination, the tumor was moderately differentiated cholangiocarcinoma having abundant fibrous stroma and necrosis and the adjacent cyst showed focal in situ carcinomatous changes in the lining epithelium.