Is Routine Screening Using Duplex Ultrasonography for Deep Vein Thrombosis Necessary after Shoulder Arthroplasty?

The aims of this study were to examine the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after shoulder arthroplasty in Korean patients. A total of 265 patients who underwent shoulder arthroplasty were included. The mean age of the patients was 74.

Clinical outcomes of ABO-incompatible kidney transplant with rituximab and double-filtration plasmapheresis.

Objectives: The best treatment for end-stage renal disease is kidney transplant, but the shortage of donor organs has caused long waiting times for an appropriate organ allograft. The use of ABO-incompatible kidney transplant can be a valuable option to expand the donor pool. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate 13 patients who had successful ABO-incompatible kidney transplant with double-filtration plasmapheresis and rituximab.

Use of early postoperative MAG3 renal scan to predict long-term outcomes of renal transplants.

Objectives: A Tc-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine renal scan has been used to evaluate perfusion and excretory function of renal allografts. A Tc-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine renal scan has been reported to correlate with early allograft outcomes. This study was done to determine whether a Tc-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine renal scan has any relation with long-term renal transplant outcomes.

Natural course of venous malformation after conservative treatment.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical course of patients with venous malformation (VM) treated conservatively.

Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the database of our Congenital Vascular Malformation clinic and interviewed 207 patients with VM, who had been managed only conservatively. The questionnaires asked about changes in size (no change, increase in proportion to growth, increase greater than in proportion to growth, decrease) and changes in symptoms (markedly worse, moderately worse, no change, moderately improved, markedly much improved).

Treatment of arteriovenous malformations involving the hand.

Background: Hand arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are difficult to treat because of the necessity to maintain function and the high complication rate of treatment. The purpose of this study was to review the treatment of hand AVMs with embolo/sclerotherapy and the surgical procedures at a single institute.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and identified the patients who were referred to the vascular division owing to hand AVMs between 1995 and 2009.

Prevalence of asymptomatic critical carotid artery stenosis in Korean patients with chronic atherosclerotic lower extremity ischemia: is a screening carotid duplex ultrasonography worthwhile?

This study aimed to investigate prevalence of asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS) in Korean patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and identify predictive factors of ACAS in patients with PAD. Between 1994 and 2008, 546 patients who underwent bypass surgery due to PAD were identified in a single tertiary teaching hospital. Of those, 409 patients underwent preoperative screening carotid duplex ultrasonography (CDUS).

Thromoboagiitis Obliterans (TAO).

Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) is nonatherosclerotic inflammatory disease of the peripheral blood vessels, and TAO affects the small and medium sized vessels of the extremities. TAO is mainly seen in young males who smoke, and smoking is strongly associated with the disease course and progression. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the history, the physical examination and the clinical diagnostic criteria.

Analysis of the postoperative hemodynamic changes in varicose vein surgery using air plethysmography.

Objectives: This study used air plethysmographic parameters to evaluate the changes in venous hemodynamics after the surgical treatment of primary varicose veins.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1756 limbs of 1620 patients who had undergone surgery for great saphenous vein (GSV) reflux from January 1996 to June 2009 at Samsung Medical Center. Venous hemodynamic changes were evaluated by performing air plethysmography preoperatively and 1 month postoperatively and assessing the venous volume (VV), the venous filling index (VFI), the residual volume fraction (RVF), and the ejection fraction (EF).