A case of Haemophilus aphrophilus native valve endocarditis / 대한내과학회지

Haemophilus aphrophilus, a fastidious, gram-negative oropharyngeal species grouped as a HACEK organism, is a rare cause of infective endocarditis. Three cases of endocarditis with Haemophilus aphrophilus were reported in Korea, and all of them required valve replacement surgery. We describe a case of native valve infective endocarditis with cerebral embolism and infarction caused by Haemophilus aphrophilus in a 61-year-old woman who was successfully treated with antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks without valve replacement surgery.

Gluteal and Thigh Compartment Syndrome due to Rhabdomyolysis Following Prolonged Immobilization: A Case Report / 대한신장학회지

Compartment syndrome is rarely associated with non-traumatic rhabdomyolysis. We report the case of a 23-year-old man who developed compartment syndrome associated with rhabdomyolysis caused by prolonged immobilization after antidepressive drug overdose. Elevation of serum creatine phosphokinase and myoglobinuria indicated rhabdomyolysis. Painful swelling of the right buttock and thigh and right lower limb paralysis with sensory and motor deficit were suggestive of gluteal and thigh compartment syndrome with the complication of sciatic nerve injury. The patient received an immediate fasciotomy, medical treatment and rehabilitation. At five months after initial treatment, the patient could walk independently with nearly full recovery of his right lower limb function.

A Case of Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis, Presenting as Hemoperitoneum, Successfully Treated by Enterolysis / 대한신장학회지

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is an uncommon but fatal complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Recently, there were some reports of advanced EPS cases that were successfully treated by enterolysis although an intestinal perforation or leakage from intestinal anastomosis were associated with a high mortality. We experienced a case of EPS in a 53-year-old man on PD for 3.5 years without a previous history of episode of peritonitis who presented with hemoperitoneum during treatment of peritonitis. EPS was diagnosed radiologically according to typical CT findings; The series of CT scans revealed how to develop in sequence from a very subtle findings to full-blown findings of EPS. Enterolysis was performed because the patient did not respond to conservative management such as cessation of PD with transfer to hemodialysis, nutritional support and steroid therapy. In spite of intestinal perforation during surgery, he was successfully treated with enterolysis. Therefore, we report this case with review of the literature.

Blunted erythropoietin response: the common findings in various anemic patients / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The characteristics of erythropoietin response in patients suffering with anemia of chronic disease and in the patients with various other anemias are poorly defined. Thus, we evaluated the clinical factors that influence the erythropoietin response. METHODS: We enrolled the anemic patients (hemoglobin <13 g/dL for males and <12 g/dL for females) who visited the Hematology-Oncology department of Konkuk University Hospital from Mar 2006 to April 2007. The laboratory tests, including the complete blood count, serum ferritin, serum vitamin B12/folate, the peripheral blood morphology and serum erythropoietin, were done. The erythropoietin response to anemia was assessed by the ratio of the log of the measured erythropoietin to the log of the expected erythropoietin. RESULTS: A total of 161 patients, including 42 iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) patients, were analyzed. 119 non-IDA patients were diagnosed with infection (n=46), chronic renal failure (n=27), cancer (n=20), heart failure (n=12), or with other diseases (n=14). Except for the cancer patients, all the patients with other diseases showed a blunted erythropoietin response in comparison with the IDA patients (p=0.000). Among the non-IDA patients, those patients older than 65 years showed more blunted erythropoietin response than did the younger patients (p=0.01), and the diabetics without renal dysfunction also tended to respond better to erythropoietin than did the non-diabetics (p=0.055). CONCLUSION: A blunted erythropoietin response was observed in most of the anemic patients in our study. Old age and diabetes may further blunt the erythropoietin response. The feasibility of erythropoietin testing and supplementation treatment in these patients merits further evaluation.

A Case of Osteitis Condensans Ilii in a Nulliparous Woman / 대한류마티스학회지

Osteitis condensans ilii (OCI) is a benign joint condition, which is most often seen in young multiparous women. It is essentially diagnosed by radiological findings which reveal a bilateral and symmetrical sclerosis of iliac sides of sacroiliac joints or narrowing. A 30-year-old woman presented with a ten-year history of low back pain and buttock pain. She was a nulliparous woman and had no history of pregnancy. Her low back pain was mild and developed intermittently. Physical examinations and laboratory studies were unremarkable. Plain X-ray showed bilateral sclerosis of the iliac bones adjacent sacroiliac joints. Computed tomography confirmed the sclerotic changes in both iliac bones without a bony change in sacrum. There is no joint space narrowing or bony erosion in the sacroiliac joints. On the basis of the imaging studies, she was diagnosed as OCI and treated symptomatically with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. After the symptomatic treatment, her symptom was improved.

Microsurgical Anatomy of the Choroidal Fissure

The authors had studied the microsurgical anatomy of the choroidal fissure and the operative approaches directed through the fissure. In this study, eight formalin-fixed cadaveric hemisheres were examined. In four hemispheres, the intracranial vessels were perfused with colored silicone latex. The choroidal fissure is divided into three portion : (a) body portion, (b) atrial portion, and (c) temporal portion. Dissection through the body portion of the choroidal fissure exposes the velum interpositum, internal cerebral vein, and third ventricle. The quadrigeminal cistern, pineal region, and posterior part of the ambient cistern can be exposed through the atrial portion of the choroidal fissure. Opening through the temporal portion of the choroidal fissure exposes the structures in the ambient cistern, which include the basal vein, posterior cerebral artery, anterior and lateral posterior choroidal arteries, and hippocampal formation. This study provides valuable knowledges of microsurgical approaches to the third ventricle and basal cistern by demonstrating the neural nd vascular relaionship around the choroidal fissure.

Clinical Study of Surgically Treated Cerebral Aneurysms

The author reviewed 294 cases of surgically treated cerebral aneurysms during the period from January, 1987 to December, 1992. The results were as follow: The sex ratio between male and female was 1:1.53 and the mean age was 51.3 years. 2) At admission, 220 patients were in relatively good neurologic condition and functional recovery was obtained in 229 patients(78%). 3) The most common site was anterior communicating artery and the number of posterior circulation aneurysms was 12(4%). 4) The incidence of multiple aneurysms was 4% and clinical vasospasm was observed in 19% of the patients. 5) Operative mortality was 8.8% and the prognostic factors were related with age, sex, history of hypertension, amount of SAH, size and site of aneurysm, preoperative neurologic state, clinical vasospasm, and timing of operation.

Outcome of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms Treated by Coating

In rare occasions in which aneurysmal neck clipping is nearly impossible, coating is employed. During the period from 1985 to 1992, 312 patients with aneurysm underwent surgery;aneurysmal neck clipping were performed in 284 cases while coating only in 28. The reasons that coating was required were;wide and broad neck in 13, perforators arising from the neck in 4, neck tearing during dissection in 3, very friable neck in 2, severe adhesion with surrounding structures in 3, and small aneurysm without enough room for clipping in 3. In twenty-three cases, cotton wisp and bioglue were used as coating materials. In another five cases, the aneurysmal wall was reinforced using Surgical or Gelfoam. Patients were followed for 24 months on average of all the patients. Four had last contack. Six died(4 due to rebleeding and 2 due to pneumonia). Fourteen were good and 4 were moderately disabled. There were no rebleeding incidences during first three months' follow-up after coating. We thus concluded that coating an aneurysm offers some protection from rebleeding, particularly when the rebleeding risk period is over.

Clinical Analysis of Chronic Subdural Hematoma after Burr-Hole Craniostomy and Closed-System Drainage

In a retrospective study between January 1984, and July 1985, 50 cases of chronic subdural hematoma were analysed. All hematomas were operated on by enlarged burr-hole craniostomy and closed-system drainage. The results of the analysis were summerized as follows: 1) Eighty percent of the patients were 40 years or older. The ratio of male versus female was 4.6:1. 2) History of trauma was present in 70%, Seven patients were known to be chronic alcoholics. 3) The major clinical symptoms and signs were headache(72%), alteration of consciousness(54%), motor weakness(48%), papilledema(34%). 4) Clinical findings at admission and outcome at discharge were graded according to the scale proposed by Markwalder et al. Majority of the patients belonged to group 1(52%), followed by . group 2(40%), 3(6%). 5) The hematoma densities in brain CT at admission were hypodense(46%), isodense(34%), hyperdense(16%), and mixed-dense(4%). The shapes were planoconvex(42%), crescentic(32%), biconvex(26%). Four patients(8%) had bilateral hematomas at admission. 6) The average numbers of burr-hole craniostomy were two (80%), and the average duration of drainage was three days(72%). Only four hematomas were without neomembranes. 7) Burr-hole craniostomy and catheter drainage resulted in an excellent outcome in 43 patients(86%) at the time of discharge. There was no death in this study group.