Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma presenting as undifferentiated non-small cell carcinoma with giant cells: A case report and review of literature.

Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma (PPC) is a poorly differentiated non-small cell lung carcinoma, including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or undifferentiated non-small cell lung carcinoma with at least 10% spindle and/or giant cells. Here, we report a case of PPC showing undifferentiated non-small cell lung carcinoma with giant cells. A 71-year-old man with dyspnea underwent right lobectomy because of a mass in the right upper lobe of the lung.

Time taken to resume driving following hip arthroscopy.

Background: Resuming driving is a common concern among patients undergoing hip arthroscopy. The present study aimed to assess whether patients who had undergone right hip arthroscopy presented with poorer driving performance than patients with normal hips and to analyze the time required to regain preoperative driving performance.

Methods: Forty-seven patients who had undergone right hip arthroscopy and consented to our test protocol were included in this study.

Analysis of PAX8 immunohistochemistry in lung cancers: a meta-analysis.

Background: In this meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the PAX8 immunohistochemical expressions in primary lung cancers and metastatic cancers to the lung.

Methods: We identified and reviewed relevant articles from the PubMed databases. Ultimately, 18 articles were included in this meta-analysis.

Diagnostic Roles of Immunohistochemistry in Thymic Tumors: Differentiation between Thymic Carcinoma and Thymoma.

The present study aims to evaluate the diagnostic roles of various immunohistochemical (IHC) markers in thymic tumors, including thymic carcinoma (TC) and thymoma (TM). Eligible studies were obtained by searching the PubMed databases and screening the searched articles. Thirty-eight articles were used in the present meta-analysis and included 636 TCs and 1861 TMs.

Prognostic roles of lymph node micrometastasis in non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to confirm the prognostic roles of lymph node (LN) micrometastasis (LNMM) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) through a meta-analysis.

Methods: This study included 2026 NSCLC cases without detection of LN metastasis in histologic examination. We investigated the detection rate of LNMM in early-stage NSCLC and analyzed the correlation between LNMM and the rates of recurrence and survival.

Extravascular Migration of a Fractured Inferior Vena Cava Filter Strut.

A 20-year-old man presented with a femur fracture and epidural hemorrhage (EDH) following a fall. One month after fracture surgery, swelling developed in both legs, and he was diagnosed as having a deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. A retrievable inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) was inserted, because EDH is a contraindication to anticoagulants.

Analysis of Risk Factors for Conversion from Off-Pump to On-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft.

Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) is performed worldwide, but significant risks are associated with conversion to on-pump surgery. Therefore, we evaluated the composite outcomes between an OPCAB group and a conversion group.

Methods: From January 2008 to December 2012, 100 consecutive patients underwent OPCAB at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, of whom 84 underwent OPCAB without adverse events (OPCAB group), and 16 were converted to on-pump surgery (conversion group).

Obesity-related decrease in intraoperative blood flow is associated with maturation failure of radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula.

Objective: Successful arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation is often challenging in obese patients. Optimal initial intraoperative blood flow (IOBF) is essential for adequate AVF maturation. This study was conducted to elucidate the effect of obesity on IOBF and radiocephalic AVF maturation.

Long-term results of surgical angioplasty for left main coronary artery stenosis: 18-year follow-up.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the long-term outcomes of surgical angioplasty for left main coronary artery (SA-LMCA) stenosis.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 24 consecutive patients (mean age, 55 years; male/female, 12/12) who underwent a surgical angioplasty for the left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis at our institution between 1995 and 2002. We used autologous pericardium in 7 patients and bovine pericardium in 17 patients as a patch.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in near-drowning patients with cardiac or pulmonary failure.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the early outcomes of using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in near-drowning patients with cardiac or pulmonary failure.

Methods: This study was based on data from 9 patients including 2 children (mean age 33; 8 males, 1 female) who received ECMO after near-drowning between 2008 and 2013. Veno-arterial or veno-arteriovenous ECMO was used in 2 patients with sustained cardiac arrest and veno-venous ECMO was used in 7 patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Hemoglobin Level to Facilitate Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass without Transfusion.

Background: Conservation of blood during cardiac surgery is important because of the shortage of donor blood, risks associated with transfusion, and the costs of allogeneic blood products. This retrospective study explored the feasibility of off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) without transfusion.

Methods: One hundred and two consecutive patients underwent OPCAB from January 2007 to June 2012 at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital.

Nanostructured lipid carrier-loaded hyaluronic acid microneedles for controlled dermal delivery of a lipophilic molecule.

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were employed to formulate a lipophilic drug into hydrophilic polymeric microneedles (MNs). Hyaluronic acid (HA) was selected as a hydrophilic and bioerodible polymer to fabricate MNs, and nile red (NR) was used as a model lipophilic molecule. NR-loaded NLCs were consolidated into the HA-based MNs to prepare NLC-loaded MNs (NLC-MNs).

Cardiac resynchronization therapy using a dual chamber pacemaker in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction and a left bundle branch block.

Through the use of a dual chamber (DDD) pacemaker, we achieved a cardiac resynchronization effect in a 51-year-old female patient who was transferred to our hospital from another hospital for an operation for three-vessel coronary artery disease. Her electrocardiogram showed a left bundle branch block (LBBB) and a prolonged QRS interval of 166 milliseconds. Severe left ventricle (LV) dysfunction was diagnosed via echocardiography.

A hybrid procedure for atrial fibrillation using total thoracoscopic ablation and post-procedural electrophysiological confirmation of ablation lines.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common chronic arrhythmia in the world, and it is associated with an increased long-term risk of stroke, heart failure, and all-cause mortality. To overcome the limitations of transvenous radiofrequency (RF) ablation for AF, total thoracoscopic ablation (TTA) has evolved as a new technique. TTA has several advantages over transvenous RF ablation and is known to produce better outcomes, especially in patients with persistent AF.

Revascularization in left main coronary artery disease: comparison of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting vs percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objectives: There is no evidence for the increasing use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with surgery in patients with left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease. We compared the clinical outcomes of patients with LMCA disease who had undergone PCI with those of patients who had off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) grafting.

Methods: From January 2001 to December 2009, 899 patients with LMCA disease were treated with OPCAB (n = 553) or PCI (n = 346).

Surgical experience of ascending aorta and aortic valve replacement in patient with calcified aorta.

Background: The conventional method of aortic cross-clamping is very difficult and increases the risk of cerebral infarct due to embolism of the calcified aorta in these patients. Accordingly, we analyzed our experience with 11 cases of ascending aorta and aortic valve replacement with hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Materials And Methods: From January 2002 to December 2009, 11 patients had ascending aorta and aortic valve replacement with hypothermic arrest at our hospital.

Anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extract from Orostachys japonicus on modulation of signal pathways in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.

In this study, powder of Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (O. japonicus) was extracted with 95% ethyl alcohol and fractionated using a series of organic solvents, including n-hexane (hexane), dichloromethane (DCM), ethylacetate (EtOAc), n-butanol (BuOH), and water (H(2)O).

Stimulation of activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes by solvent fractions and isolated compound from Cedrela sinensis leaves in HepG2 cells.

Cedrela sinensis has been widely used in traditional Oriental medicine to treat a variety of diseases. However, little is known about the cellular actions by which this plant mediates its antioxidant effects. In this study, activity-guided fractionations of C.