A case of primary psoas abscess presenting as buttock abscess

Buttock abscess is a rare clinical manifestation from unusual extrapelvic extension of psoas abscess. A 48-year-old woman presented with painful swelling of the buttock with a sense of local heat. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large subfascial abscess over the glutei muscles and was traced into the intraabdominal cavity over the iliac wing to the psoas muscle. Both the psoas abscess and the buttock abscess were evacuated via separate approaches. Empirical antibiotic therapy was delivered for 3 weeks. After 6 months, no evidence of recurrence was found. Psoas abscess could be included in the differential diagnosis of buttock abscess

The current capacity and quality of colonoscopy in Korea

Background/Aims Little is known for the capacity and quality of colonoscopy, and adherence to colonoscopy surveillance guidelines in Korea. This study aimed to investigate the present and potential colonoscopic capacity, colonoscopic quality, and adherence to colonoscopy surveillance guidelines in Korea. Methods We surveyed representative endoscopists of 72 endoscopy units from June to August 2015, using a 36-item questionnaire regarding colonoscopic capacity, quality, and adherence to colonoscopy surveillance guidelines of each hospitals. Results Among the 62 respondents who answered the questionnaire, 51 respondents were analyzed after exclusion of 11 incomplete answers. Only 1 of 3 of endoscopy units can afford to perform additional colonoscopies in addition to current practice, and the potential maximum number of colonoscopies per week was only 42. The quality of colonoscopy was variable as reporting of quality indicators of colonoscopy were considerably variable (29.4%–94.1%) between endoscopy units. Furthermore, there are substantial gaps in the adherence to colonoscopy surveillance guidelines, as concordance rate for guideline recommendation was less than 50% in most scenarios. Conclusions The potential capacity and quality of colonoscopy in Korea was suboptimal. Considering suboptimal reporting of colonoscopic quality indicators and low adherence rate for colonoscopy surveillance guidelines, quality improvement of colonoscopy should be underlined in Korea

Clinical relevance of ground glass opacity in 105 patients with miliary tuberculosis

SummaryBackgroundAfter the application of chest computed tomography (CT), ground glass opacity (GGO) was introduced as one of major accompanying findings of miliary tuberculosis (MT) in addition to miliary nodules. However, little is known about whether GGO is associated with the clinical manifestations and outcomes of MT. Therefore, the present study examined the clinical relevance of GGO in patients with MT.MethodsChest radiographs and CT scans of MT patients were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical manifestations and outcomes were compared in terms of the extent of GGO revealed by chest CT.ResultsConfirmed 105 MT patients were included. GGO was observed in 70 (67%) patients. MT patients with an extent of GGO >50% (n = 21) had symptoms of shorter duration, more frequent dyspnea, and more pronounced changes in the levels of acute phase reactants. Miliary nodules were less discernible on CT in those with an extent of GGO >50%. MT patients with an extent of GGO >50% were significantly associated with a longer hospital stay (p = 0.02) and with acute respiratory failure (p < 0.001) than those with an extent of GGO ≤50%. However, mortality among MT patients was not associated with the extent of GGO.ConclusionMT patients with an extent of GGO >50% had more rapidly progressive manifestations and a greater potential for delayed diagnosis and poorer prognosis. Nevertheless, mortality was not higher in confirmed MT patients with an extent of GGO >50% than in those with an extent of GGO ≤50%

Successful management of heterotopic cornual pregnancy with laparoscopic cornual resection

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the feasibility of laparoscopic cornual resection for the treatment of heterotopic cornual pregnancy.Study designWomen who underwent laparoscopic cornual resection for heterotopic cornual pregnancy at our hospital between January 2003 and March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. We evaluated significant parameters such as operative complications and postoperative pregnancy outcomes of concomitant pregnancy.ResultsThirteen patients with heterotopic cornual pregnancy were included in the study. All were pregnant through assisted reproductive technology, and the diagnosis was made at a median of 6+6 weeks (range 5+4–10+0). They were successfully treated with laparoscopic cornual resection and admitted for a median of 4 days (range, 2–7) postoperatively. The median operative time was 65min (range, 35–145min) and estimated blood loss was 200mL (range, 10–3000mL). There was a spontaneous abortion at 7+6 gestational weeks in a patient who received bilateral cornual resection. Seven patients delivered babies at term and 3 at preterm. All 10 women delivered without any maternal or neonatal complications. Two were lost to follow-up.ConclusionsLaparoscopic cornual resection is a feasible primary approach for the management of heterotopic cornual pregnancy

Severe Episodic Memory Impairment in a Patient With Clinical Features Compatible With Corticobasal Degeneration

Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by asymmetric parkinsonism associated with apraxia, cortical sensory loss, and alien-limb phenomenon. Neuropsychological testing in patients with CBD typically shows deficits in executive functions, praxis, language, and visuospatial functioning, but not in memory. We report a CBD patient with severely impaired memory function but relatively mild motor symptoms. Detailed neuropsychological assessment showed significant verbal and visual memory deficits accompanied by frontal executive dysfunctions. Our observations indicate that CBD can in rare cases present with severe episodic memory impairment associated with frontal executive dysfunctions in the early stage of illness

Optimization of a Pretreatment for Copper Electroless Deposition on Ta Substrates

We investigated pretreatment methods for Cu electroless deposition on a Ta substrate. The native oxide on the substrate was effectively etched by the addition of HNO3 to a HF diluted solution and this was confirmed though X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and chronopotentiometry. To form the Pd catalyst for Cu electroless deposition, a two-step Sn sensitization and Pd activation was carried out. The oxide removal enhanced the adsorption of the Sn ions on the Ta substrate and led to well distributed Pd clusters through Pd activation. By measuring the resistivity of the film, the Sn sensitization time and the Pd activation time were optimized through changes in the incubation time, at which the sheet resistance abruptly decreased by the film formation via the coalescence of Cu grains. The resistivity of the Cu electroless film deposited using the optimized pretreatment conditions was 3.59 cm, which was further reduced to 2.7 cm through an annealing process.This work was supported by KOSEF through the Research Center for Energy Conversion and Storage RCECS , Dongbu Electronics, and by the Institute of Chemical Processes ICP