Efficacy and Safety of Dexmedetomidine for Postoperative Delirium in Adult Cardiac Surgery on Cardiopulmonary Bypass

BACKGROUND: Delirium after cardiac surgery is associated with serious long-term negative outcomes and high costs. The aim of this study is to evaluate neurobehavioral, hemodynamic, and sedative characteristics of dexmedetomidine, compared with the current postoperative sedative protocol (remifentanil) in patients undergoing open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: One hundred and forty two eligible patients who underwent cardiac surgery on CPB between April 2012 and March 2013 were randomly divided into two groups. Patients received either dexmedetomidine (range, 0.2 to 0.8 microg/kg/hr; n=67) or remifentanil (range, 1,000 to 2,500 microg/hr, n=75). The primary end point was the prevalence of delirium estimated daily via the confusion assessment method for intensive care. RESULTS: When the delirium incidence was compared with the dexmedetomidine group (6 of 67 patients, 8.96%) and the remifentanil group (17 of 75 patients, 22.67%) it was found to be significantly less in the dexmedetomidine group (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between two groups in the extubation time, ICU stay, total hospital stay, and other postoperative complications including hemodynamic side effects. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study suggests that dexmedetomidine as a postoperative sedative agent is associated with significantly lower rates of delirium after cardiac surgery.

Cardiac Parasitic Infection in Trichinellosis Associated with Right Ventricle Outflow Tract Obstruction

Here, we present a rare case of cardiac parasitic infection found in an adult female patient who had the symptoms of dyspnea upon exertion. She was diagnosed with a double-chambered right ventricle due to infundibular hypertrophy confirmed by transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac computed tomography. We performed surgery of infundibulectomy around the pulmonary valve. In the end, histopathological findings of the resected infundibular muscle demonstrated trichinellosis, a type of roundworm infection.

Surgical Experience of Persistent Type 2 Endoleaks with Aneurysmal Sac Enlargement after Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

Herein, we present a case of a successful treatment of persistent type 2 endoleaks associated with aneurysmal sac enlargement after endovascular aneurysm repair in an elderly patient. We confirmed the diagnosis by abdominal computed tomography and selective angiography revealing an 11.0-cm aneurysm sac with type 2 endoleaks. An attempt for the endovascular embolization of collateral arteries was unsuccessful due to anatomic variations and their multiple complex communications. Instead, transperitoneal sacotomy and direct suturing on the feeding target vessels was successfully performed without any endograft damage. In conclusion, sacotomy appears to be a feasible therapeutic substitute where endovascular or other techniques have a high risk of failure and lead to unsuccessful results.

Changes of Symptoms and Manometric Results after Hemorrhoidectomy for Hemorrhoids with Difficulty in Evacuation

PURPOSE: We aimed to identify the need for an adjunctive internal sphincterotomy based on an evaluation of the changes in the symptoms and manometric results after a hemorrhoidectomy for hemorrhoids with difficulty in evacuation. METHODS: Twenty-five (25) patients who had hemorrhoids with difficulty in evacuation and 13 patients who had hemorrhoids without difficulty in evacuation were prospectively evaluated. Patients were interviewed about symptoms and underwent anorectal manometry before and 2 months after surgery. Difficulty in evacuation is defined as the difficulty that a patient has when trying to evacuate the rectum. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the sex ratio, the frequency of bowel movements, and the duration of bowel movements between the two groups (P<0.05). In cases with difficulty in evacuation, the frequency of bowel movements was significantly higher postoperatively and the duration of bowel movements was significantly shorter (P<0.05). The symptom of difficulty in evacuation disappeared in 21 of the as patients experiencing such a symptom, and was improved in the remaining of patients (P<0.05). Following the hemorrhoidectomy for the patients with difficulty in evacuation in the mean and the maximum resting pressure, and the maximum squeeze pressure decreased significantly (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An adjunctive internal sphincterotomy was not necessary for patients who had hemorrhoids with difficulty in evacuation because following the hemorrhoidectomy, the resting pressure was significantly decreased, and the difficulty in evacuation had nearly subsided.

Kasabach-Merritt syndrome in an adult with consumption coagulopathy: report of a case / 대한혈액학회지

No abstract available.

A case of inflammatory pseudotumor completely resolved by steroid therapy / 결핵

No abstract available.