Prediction of suspicious ankle instability using the calcaneofibular ligament cross-sectional area.

Background: An injured calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) is a major cause of ankle instability (AI). Previous research has demonstrated that the thickness of the calcaneofibular ligament (CFLT) is correlated with higher-grade sprains and ankle instability. However, inflammatory hypertrophy is distinct from ligament thickness; accordingly, we considered that the calcaneofibular ligament cross-sectional area (CFLCSA) as a potential morphological parameter to analyze inflammatory CFL.

A case of pleural paragonimiasis confused with tuberculous pleurisy.

Here, we report a case of pleural paragonimiasis that was confused with tuberculous pleurisy. A 38-year-old man complained of a mild febrile sensation and pleuritic chest pain. Radiologic findings showed right pleural effusion with pleural thickening and subpleural consolidation.

The role of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in the diagnosis of recurrent non-small cell lung cancer after surgery.

Objective: Obtaining an accurate histopathological diagnosis is mandatory for the optimal treatment of patients who are suspected of having recurrent lung cancer. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the usefulness of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for the diagnosis of recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) among patients who undergo curative surgical resection.

Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent convex probe EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal or hilar lymph node and peribronchial lung parenchymal lesions between May 2009 and May 2011 were included.

Normalization of Elevated CA 19-9 Level after Treatment in a Patient with the Nodular Bronchiectatic Form of Mycobacterium abscessus Lung Disease.

Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is a widely-used tumor marker in patients with pancreatic cancer. However, some patients with respiratory disease also exhibit elevated serum CA 19-9 levels. We report a case of normalization of elevated serum CA 19-9 levels after treatment of the nodular bronchiectatic form of Mycobacterium ab scessus lung disease.

Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease Caused by Mycobacterium lentiflavum in a Patient with Bronchiectasis.

We report a rare case of lung disease caused by Mycobacterium lentiflavum in a previously healthy woman. A 54-year-old woman was referred to our hospital due to chronic cough and sputum. A computed tomography scan of the chest revealed bilateral bronchiectasis with bronchiolitis in the right middle lobe and the lingular division of the left upper lobe.

Early intervention on the outcomes in critically ill cancer patients admitted to intensive care units.

Purpose: To determine whether earlier intervention was associated with decreased mortality in critically ill cancer patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed of 199 critically ill cancer patients admitted to the ICU from the general ward between January 2010 and December 2010. A logistic regression model was used to adjust for potential confounding factors in the association between time to intervention and in-hospital mortality.

Prognostic significance of different subgroup classifications of critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency in patients with septic shock.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of classification of patients with septic shock into different critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency subgroups. A retrospective observational study was conducted in patients with septic shock who underwent a short corticotropin stimulation test within 72 h of the onset of shock. Patients were classified into normal adrenal function (NOM), low basal cortisol (LBC) (basal cortisol, <10 μg/dL), or low Δ cortisol (LDC) (basal cortisol, ≥10 μg/dL; cortisol, <9 μg/dL) groups.

A case of successful treatment of stomal variceal bleeding with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and coil embolization.

Variceal bleeding from enterostomy site is an unusual complication of portal hypertension. The bleeding, however, is often recurrent and may be fatal. The hemorrhage can be managed with local measures in most patients, but when these fail, surgical interventions or portosystemic shunt may be required.

[A case of spontaneous dissection of the superior mesenteric artery treated by percutaneous stent placement].

Acute mesenteric ischemia can result from emboli, arterial and venous thrombi or vasoconstriction secondary to low-flow states. Isolated spontaneous dissection of the superior mesenteric artery is a rare cause of acute mesenteric ischemia. The mortality rates of acute mesenteric ischemia averages 71% with a range of 59-93%.