• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.242-249
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• 2016

Background: We evaluated early and long-term results after heart transplantation (HTPL). Methods: One hundred five consecutive patients (male:female=80:25) who underwent HTPL between 1994 and 2013 were enrolled. Based on the changes in immunosuppressive regimen, the study patients were divided into two groups. Early and long-term clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared between the patients who underwent HTPL before (group E, n=41) and after July 2009 (group L, n=64). The group L patients were older (p<0.001), had higher incidence of hypertension (p=0.001) and chronic kidney disease (p<0.001), and more frequently needed preoperative mechanical ventilation (p=0.027) and mechanical circulatory support (p=0.014) than the group E patients. Results: Overall operative mortality was 3.8%, and postoperative morbidities included acute kidney injury (n=31), respiratory complications (n=16), reoperation for bleeding (n=15) and wound complications (n=10). There were no significant differences in early results except acute kidney injury between group E and group L patients. Overall survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 83.8%, 67.7%, and 54.9%, respectively, with no significant difference between the two patient groups. Rejection-free rates at 1 and 5 years were 63.0% and 59.7%, respectively; rates were significantly higher in group L than in group E (p<0.001). Conclusion: Despite increased preoperative comorbidities, group L patients showed similar early and long-term outcomes and significantly higher rejection-free rates when compared with group E patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3243-3248
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• 2016

Background: Stomach cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer in the world. In Iran, this type of cancer has high rates of incidence and mortality. This study aimed to assess the survival rate of patients with stomach cancer and its determinants in Kurdistan, a province with one of the highest incidence rates of stomach cancer in the country. Materials and Methods: We studied a total of 202 patients with stomach cancer who were admitted to Tohid Hospital in Sanandaj from 2009 to 2013. Using Kaplan-Meier nonparametric methods the survival rate of patients was calculated in terms of different levels of age at diagnosis, gender, education, residential area, occupation, underweight, and clinical variables including tumor histology, site of tumor, disease stage, and type of treatment. In addition, we compared the survival rates using the log-rank test. Finally, Cox proportional hazards regression was applied using Stata 12 and R 3.1.0 software. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was $64.7{\pm}12.0$ years. The survival rate of patients with stomach cancer was 43.9% and 7% at the first and the fifth year after diagnosis, respectively. The results of log-rank test showed significant relationships between survival and age at diagnosis, education, disease stage, type of treatment, and degree of being underweight (P<0.05). Moreover, according to the results of Cox proportional hazards regression model, the variables of education, disease stage, and type of treatment were associated with patient survival (P<0.05). Conclusions: The survival rate of patients with stomach cancer is low and the prognosis is very poor. Given the poor prognosis of the patients, it is critical to find ways for early diagnosis and facilitating timely access to effective treatment methods.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.389-391
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• 2009

Antiepileptic drug hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS), a delayed immunological reaction, is a relatively rare side effect of antiepileptic drugs and is usually overlooked. An array of symptoms can occur one to eight weeks after treatment with an antiepileptic drug. Symptoms may be as simple as a fever, skin rash, or lymphadenopathy, but may eventually involve internal organs and cause fatal outcomes. Additionally, because the symptoms resemble the features of various arrays of diseases and the reported mortality rate is approximately 10%, the importance of early diagnosis and ability to differentiate AHS from other diseases cannot be overemphasized. We report a case of a 14-year-old girl with AHS caused by lamotrigine, which mimicked atypical Kawasaki disease and infectious mononucleosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1107-1110
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• 2013

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), one of the primary liver cancers, is frequent in the northeastern part of Thailand. Surgical resection remains the best method of treatment, but patients suffering from ICC usually present at a late stage of the disease. Studies of survival and prognostic factors after surgery remain rare. The aim here was to evaluate the survival rate and factors affecting the survival of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after surgery. The study used a retrospective cohort design. The subjects were 73 consecutive patients with ICC, who were admitted for surgery to Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, during the period 2005-2009. The censoring date was 31 December, 2011, data being evaluated using uni- and multivariate analyses. Postoperative survival analysis was performed by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify independent prognostic factors. The total follow-up time was 99 person-years. The total number of deaths was 59, giving a mortality rate of 59 per 100 person-years. The cumulative 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 52.1%, 21.7%, and 11.2%, respectively. The median duration of survival after resection was 12.4 months. Univariate analysis revealed stage of disease, lymph node metastasis, histological type, histological grade and macroscopic classification to be statistically significant (p-value<0.05) prognostic factors. In the multivariate analysis, only macroscopic classification was statistically significant (p-value<0.05). In conclusion, macroscopic classification was the only independent factor found to be significantly associated with survival following surgical treatment of ICC.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2015

Objectives: Controlling blood pressure is a key step in reducing cardiovascular mortality in older adults. Gender differences in patients' attitudes after disease diagnosis and their management of the disease have been identified. However, it is unclear whether gender differences exist in hypertension management among older adults. We hypothesized that gender differences would exist among factors associated with hypertension diagnosis and control among community-dwelling, older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 653 Koreans aged ${\geq}60years$ who participated in the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare several variables between undiagnosed and diagnosed hypertension, and between uncontrolled and controlled hypertension. Results: Diabetes was more prevalent in men and women who had uncontrolled hypertension than those with controlled hypertension or undiagnosed hypertension. High body mass index was significantly associated with uncontrolled hypertension only in men. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that in women, awareness of one's blood pressure level (odds ratio [OR], 2.86; p=0.003) and the number of blood pressure checkups over the previous year (OR, 1.06; p=0.011) might influence the likelihood of being diagnosed with hypertension. More highly educated women were more likely to have controlled hypertension than non-educated women (OR, 5.23; p=0.013). Conclusions: This study suggests that gender differences exist among factors associated with hypertension diagnosis and control in the study population of community-dwelling, older adults. Education-based health promotion strategies for hypertension control might be more effective in elderly women than in elderly men. Gender-specific approaches may be required to effectively control hypertension among older adults.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1167-1174
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• 1997

We retrospectively reviewed a series of 20 patients treated with delayed sternal closure during a 5-year period from 1991 to 1996. Of the 2675 patients with cardiovascular su gery 20 underwent this procedure. Male and female ratio was 11:9, mean age was 6.4 months(range 7 days to 5 years). The indications included unstable hemodynamic profiles after open heart surgery due to myocardial edema and poor lung compliance(15), necessity of mechanical ventricular assist device due to weaning failure(3), and hypoxia after PAB(2). Sternum was closed at a mean interval of 102(range 4 to 213) hours after operation. During delayed sternal closure, central venous pressure was elevated(p<0.05). Mediastinitis and other wound problems did not occur. Sepsis developed in 2 patients and microorganism was confirmed in one of the two patients. Five patients died(mortality 25%). And two of 15 discharged patients died during follow-up period. Cumulative survival rate was 65.0% at 12 months and also 65.0% at 24 months.(Standard error was 10.7%) Delayed sternal closure Is considered to be a good method to decompress the hemodynamically compromised heart. Without that, it is not f asible to come off bypass or to decompress the heart. Of course. careful selection of the indication is imperative.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1128-1131
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• 1997

Injuries to versa cave continue to be associated with a high mortality. Essentials to successful treatment are immediate recognition of the injury and prompt control of the hemorrhage. We have experienced one case of inferior versa java perforation by a chest rainage tube in the patient with post-operative chronic empyema thoracic. The patient was 38-year old male who was taken RLL lobectomy after 6 cycle of chemotherapy due to small cell carcinoma in the RLL & suffered from post-operative chronic empyema thoracis at D hospital. He moved to our hospital for further evaluation with accidental removal of chest drainge tube. We inserted closed drainage tube and dark blood gushed out abruptly just after insertion of the drainage tube. CTscan, MRI, and angiogram were performed and showed the perforation of IVC just below RA. The IVC was repaired using simple interrupted 4-0 Prolene suture through right posterolateral thoracotomy. The patient recovered without event and doing well until now.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 1997

During a 6-year period, from January 1990 to December 1995, 101 neonates with congenital anomalies were admitted to the division of Pediatric Surgery of Youngdong Severance Hospital. All of them had prenatal screening more than once with ultrasound. Fifty eight of them had prenatally detectable anomalies by ultrasonography. However abnormalities were prenatally detected in 24 neonates(41%). The detection rate was 70% in patientws who had the prenatal screening at our hospital, whereas, the rate was 24% when it was performed at other medical facilities. Duodenal and jejuno-ileal atresia showed the highest detection rate(86%) followed by abdominal mass. Esophageal atresia was suggested by maternal polyhydramnios in 3 patients (25%). Only one patient with diaphragmatic hernia(1.75%) was prenatally detected and none with gastroschisis. The mean interval from birth to operation was 32 hours in the prenatally detected patients and 50 hours in the non detected. The complication rate and the mortality after emergency operation were 20% and 7% in the detected group, and 58% and 23% in the nondetected, respectively. The average period of the hospitalization was 20 days in the detected group and 39 days in the nondetected. We conclude that the prenatal detection of anomalies is necessary to ensure adequate care for the mothers and the babies with congenital anomalies. This includes early transfer, timing of optimal delivery and operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 1992

Total 20 cases of reoperation for mitral vavular disease, which had been performed during the period from May 1983 till October 1991, were reviewed. This study contained 1 case of previous balloon valvuloplasty and 1 case of death with bleeding from right ventricle during sternal reenrty. The average time intervals between reoperation and previous operation was 19 years in closed mitral commissurotomy[n=4], 7 years and 2 months in mitral valve replacement[n=10], 1 year and 8 months in mitral valvuloplasty[n=4], 3 years and 10 months in open mitral commissurotomy [n=2]. The cause of reoperation in closed mitral commissurotomy was progression of the disease, and residual stenosis with progression was the cause in open mitral commissurotomy cases. Technical failure might be the cause in the cases of valvuloplasty. In prosthetic valve replacement group the causes of reoperation were primary failure. Also two cases of suggested valve thrombosis and one case of failure of tricuspid annuloplasty was noted in prosthetic valve replacement group. The used valves for reoperation were Ionescue-Shiley in 3 cases, Bjork-Shiley in 6 cases, St. Jude Medical in 2 cases and CarboMedics in 8 cases. The mortality rate was 20%[n=4] and the causes of death were low output syndrome in 1 case, multiple organ failure in 2 cases and bleeding in 1 case during sternal reentry. During follow up 1 case of sudden death was observed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.815-818
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• 1997

Prosthetic valve endocarditis(PVE), although uncommon, is associated with significant mortality if the infection spreads into the paravavular structures with later abscess formation. However, combined antibiotic and surgical treatment is often successful. Accurate diagnosis by on echocardiography, effective myocardial protection during operation and increased surgical experience have improved the short-term and long-term outcomes for patients with PVE. A 35-year-old male had a history of replacement of aortic and mitral valve, and tricuspid annuloplasty on August 1994, was admitted due to sudden onset of aphasia, leftward deviation of both eyeballs and spiking fever and diagnosed of having PVE by echocardiography. Reoperation was done after 6weeks of antibiotic treatment. On the operative field, we could notice circumferential vegetation along aortic valve annulus, paravalvular leakage and abscess pocket. The mitral valve amlulus was healthy. The patient underwent redo aortic valve replacement using cryopreserved aortic homograft after radical debridement of infected issue. During the follow up of 7 months period the homograft was well functioning without recurrence of symptoms.