• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 1999

Purpose : For evaluation of acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae(M. pneumoniae) pneumonia in children, we have studied the Mycoplasma indirect particle agglutination test, cold hemagglutinin test, ESR, CRP, and total white blood cell counts and it's differential count retrospectively. Methods : The total numbers of patients whom compatible with diagnostic criteria of acute M. pneumoniae peumonia were 56 cases from Jan. to Dec. 1997. The diagnostic criteria were 1) onset of fever(${\geq}38.0^{\circ}C$) and coughing were within 7 days, 2) rhonchi and/or role was audible on chest, 3) pneumonic infiltration on chest X-ray, and 4) M. pneumoniae indirect particle agglutination test titer was higher than 1:640, or initial titer was less than 1:640 but increased more than 4 folds after week. We classified the enrolled patients according to initial antibody titer, such as soup A(${\leq}1:640$) and group B(${\geq}1:320$). We compared group A and B by demographic findings, clinical symptoms and signs, and laboratory findings. Results : 1) The male and female sex ratio was 1:1.4, and average onset age was $5.8{\pm}2.96$ years. 2) The average body temperature on admission was $38.5{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$ and productive coughing was noticed in 52 cases(93%). 3) The average total white cell counts were $10,470{\pm}877.0/mm^3$ in group B patients, which was significantly higher compared to $7,761{\pm}508.5/mm^3$ in group A(p<0.014). 4) The average value of ESR and CRP were within normal range in both group. 5) The most common site of pneumonic infiltration was right lower lobe of lung in both groups. 6) There were no correlation between antibody titer and cold hemagglutinine titer in patients and cold hemagglutination titer were less than 1:64 in 25 cases(45%). Conclusion : The clinical manifestations of pneumonia, findings of chest x-ray, and indirect particle agglutination test were useful on diagnosis of M. pneumoniae pnumonia onset within 7 days, but cold hemagglutinin test was a little diagnostic meaning.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2009

Calcifying fibrous tumors (CFTs) are unusual benign tumors of childhood, located primarily in soft tissues, pleura, and peritoneum. The cause and pathogenesis are unclear. We report a rare case of a CFT in a 2-year-old boy who presented with vomiting and abdominal distension. An abdominal X-ray showed an elliptical, calcific shadow in the LUQ area mimicking a foreign body. An internally protruding mass along the lesser curvature of the gastric body was an incidental finding during upper endoscopy, biopsies of which were negative. Abdominal CT showed a 4.5${\times}$3.2 cm soft tissue mass of the gastric wall with calcifications. A diagnosis of gastric submucosal mass was suspected and a wedge resection of the stomach was performed. On microscopic examination, the tumor was composed of whorls of dense hyalinized collagen bundles with a few fibroblasts. There were also amorphous dystrophic calcifications and nodular aggregates of mononuclear inflammatory cells. Immunohistochemically, spindle cells did not stain for anaplastic lymphoma kinase-1 (ALK-1), CK, smooth muscle actin (SMA), or desmin. Taken together, the mass was compatible with a CFT of the gastric wall. This is the first reported case of CFT in a Korean child.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.133-137
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• 1998

Although midgut volvulus is clinically characterized by bilous vomiting and abdominal distention, plain abdominal X-ray is usually non-specific and therefore it can be misdiagnosed to other diseases. Upper gastrointestinal contrast study and computed tomography have been used as a routine diagnostic tool but it takes cost and time. Abdominal ultrasonography is a relatively good alternatives in diagnosing midgut volvulus and it relatively saves cost and time. But case presentation of midgut volvulus diagnosed with abdominal ultrasonography are rarely found in literature. We experienced a 6 month old girl who had come to our hospital with bilous vomiting and was diagnosed as midgut volvulus with ultrasonography. Thus we report this case with the presentation of typical ultrasonographic findings of midgut volvulus.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 1999

Neurocristopathy originates from aberrant development of the neural crest by genetic abnormality. Dysgenetic or neoplastic neurocristopathy mayor may not combine at one or more organs. Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (Ondine's curse) is characterized by the respiratory depression during sleep, although showing normal ventilation while awake, because the baby does not responde to hypercapnea or hypoxia. One newborn girl, full-term, 3,020 g of birth weight with neurocristopathy is reported. It showed poor respiration at birth, and temporary Improvement with oxygen and respiratory stimulations. Abdomen was distended. Abdominal x-ray revealed small bowel obstruction and calcified opacity at the right lower quadrant. Because transitional zone was noticed at the distal jejunum during laparotomy, jejunostomy was performed. Several times trial of extubation have failed becaused of the repeated apneas. Brain sonography and echocardiogram were normal. The patient died of sepsis at 37 days of age. Para-aortic ganglioneuroblastoma was found at autopsy. In this case, congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, Hirschsprung's disease and congenital ganglioneuroblastoma are combined as a neurocristopathy.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.21-24
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• 2017

Background: In evaluation of craniosynostosis patients in terms of neurodevelopmental delay, positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) scan can be used to assess brain abnormalities through glucose metabolism. We aimed to determine the unnecessity of PET-CT in this study. Methods: Thirty-eight patients diagnosed with craniosynostosis who underwent distraction osteogenesis from October, 2010 to November, 2013 were reviewed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and PET-CT scan were carried out for evaluation of the brain structure and function, whereas X-ray and CT scan were taken for evaluation of the skull. Results: Nine patients reported abnormal MRI findings which were not significant, and five patients showed local problem on brain on PET-CT scan. No correlation was found among them. Conclusion: PET-CT evaluation of possible abnormal brain findings do not affect surgical planning or require additional therapy. Preoperative PET-CT scan is not the essential study to get any etiologic information of the disease consequences or to establish the treatment plan.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2020

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a rare disease in healthy people but a potentially fatal opportunistic infection by Pneumocystis jirovecii in immunocompromised patients with organ transplantation. We present three cases of PCP after kidney transplantation in pediatric patients. First case was a 4-year-old boy diagnosed with Denys-Drash syndrome and received living-donor kidney transplantation from his mother at age of 1. Second case was a 19-year-old male, with polycystic kidney disease, who received kidney transplantation from his mother at the age of 18. Third case was a 19-year-old female with chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology, who received kidney transplantation from her father at age of 15. These three patients who were on immunosuppressive therapy and completed of routine PCP prophylaxis for 6 months had presented with cough and dyspnea more than 1 year after transplantation. Chest x-ray all showed diffuse haziness of both lung fields, and bronchoalveolar lavage from bronchoscopy revealed Pneumocystisjirovecii infection. All patients showed clinical resolution with intravenous trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) therapy for at least 3 weeks and had continued secondary prophylaxis for another 6-12 months. This report suggests that clinicians should have suspicion for the possibilities of opportunistic infection such as PCP after kidney transplantation in children.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.246-250
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• 2009

Congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDH) usually cause respiratory distress soon after birth and are associated with a high mortality rate in the early postnatal period. However, there is a milder form of CDH that does not manifest during the neonatal period. The late presenting CDH is characterized by a variable clinical picture. We present the case of an otherwise healthy 5-month-old girl, who was referred for evaluation of an 1-day history of vomiting and irritability. Chest simple X-ray and CT showed bowel loops in the left thoracic cavity, which was consistent with diaphragmatic hernia. At operation, she was found to have a small left posterolateral diaphagmatic defect with viable small bowel loops in the left thoracic cavity. After surgical reposition of the hernia, the symptoms such as vomiting and irritability subsided. The lack of typical manifestation of CDH such as respiratory distress may lead to delayed diagnosis. The possibility of late presenting CDH should not be overlooked even after the neonatal period.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.211-216
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• 1999

The esophageal hiatal hernia is a herniation of an abdominal organ, usually the stomach, through the esophageal hiatus into thoracic cavity. It is a rare disease, usually congenital and frequently associated with gastroesophageal reflux and other congenital malformations in children. It is classified according to their anatomic characteristics as type I (sliding hiatal hernia), type II (paraesophageal hiatal hernia), type III (combined hiatal hernia) and type IV (multiorgan hiatal hernia). We experienced a case of type III congenital esophageal hiatal hernia simulating chest mass on simple chest x-ray because of right intrathoracic stomach secondary to congenital esophageal hiatal hernia and organoaxial rotation in 10 months male. After the operation, he showed an improved general condition and was discharged at the 14th hospital day. We report the case with the brief review of the related literatures.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.308-313
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• 1997

Ceftriaxone, an effective third generation cephalosporin with a wide range of antimicrobial activity, has become widely used by pediatricians for a variety of bacterial infections including meningitis. It has been associated with the development of sludge or stone in the gallbladder of some patients treated with this drug. Ceftriaxone associated biliary sludge has unusual acoustic characteristics and resembles gallstone. The sludge can cause symptoms such as cramping abdominal pain, and disappears after stopping ceftriaxone administration. Because of these seemingly confusing observations, it is important for the clinicians to recognize these findings that ceftriaxone treatment can cause. We report a case of ceftriaxone associated biliary sludge in Korean children. A 6-year-old girl who was treated for meningitis with ceftriaxone (100mg/kg/day) developed cramping upper abdominal pain from 5th hospital day. Physical examination, liver function tests and X-ray revealed no specific abnormal findings. But abdominal ultrasound revealed high amplitude echogenic sludge with prominent post-acoustic shadow in gallbladder and its diameter was 1.5cm. We stopped ceftriaxone administration and tried conservative care. Abdominal cramping pain subsided after 3 days of ceftriaxone removal. Second abdominal ultrasound confirmed the disappearance of sludge at 3 weeks later.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.124-131
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• 2021

Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungus that primarily causes opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts. It can also cause various infections in immunocompetent patients. Pulmonary cryptococcosis involving the lymph node is relatively rare in immunocompetent patients. In this report, a previously healthy 17-year-old girl presented with high-grade fever and persistent cough. Chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an anterior mediastinal conglomerate mass that expanded to the right supraclavicular area. Ultrasound-guided gun biopsy revealed histological evidence of cryptococcosis. Immunological screening tests did not identify immunodeficiency. She recovered completely with a combination therapy of amphotericin B and flucytosine for 2 weeks, followed by fluconazole for 8 months. The characteristics of cryptococcosis involving the mediastinal lymph node and the lung should be understood, and the possibility of cryptococcosis even in immunocompetent hosts should be considered.