Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma(PXA) is a benign brain tumor with favorable prognosis in spite of its marked pleomorphism. We report a case with review of the literature. An eight-year-old boy presented with headache and vomiting. Plain skull X-ray showed findings of increased intracranial pressure. The MR imaging demonstrated superficially located large cystic mass with a Iobulated mural nodule in the left frontal lobe. The mural nodule abutting leptomeninges showed intense enhancement on postcontrast Tl-weighted images, but the cyst wall was not enhanced. Preoperative diagnosis of PXA with the MRI findings could lead to avoidance of more aggressive brain resection and therefore more favorable neurological outcome
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Frontal Lobe ; Headache ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Prognosis ; Skull ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Colorectal Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Hernia*

We report two cases of nonvenereal sclerosing lymphangitis of the penis in a 34-year old man and a 28-year-old man. This disorder is an uncommon condition characterized by asymptomatie, firm, cord-like lesion of unknown etiology. Histopathologic findings reveal hypertrophy and sclerosis of lymphatic vessel walls, and some cases show thrombus formation within dilated vessels. Both cases had typical clinical and histopathologic features. In case I, the lesion resolved spontaneously on several occasions for 10 years. Therefore we argue that some individual may be predisposed to develop the condition, perhaps because of anatomical variation.
Adult ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Lymphangitis ; Lymphatic Vessels ; Male ; Penis* ; Sclerosis ; Thrombosis

The measurement of gastric emptying time is useful in differentiation of the hypochondriacal neurosis from the functional gastrointestinal disturbance, and also useful in searching the hidden gastro-intestinal disease in patients who are believed as the functional gastrointestinal disturbance. We confirmed in this study that the more delayed gastric emptying time was measured in functional gastrointestinal disturbance compared to normal group, and more shortened gastric emptying time was found after treatment with dopamine antagonist (cleboril) in this group.
Dopamine ; Gastric Emptying* ; Gastrointestinal Diseases* ; Humans ; Hypochondriasis

PURPOSE: Neuroendocrine (NE) cells of the prostate are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). By a comparative analysis of NE cell density in BPH tissue of men who were either exposed to or not exposed to 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, we investigated the relationship between NE cells and BPH, and the effect of androgen deprivation on NE cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prostate tissue specimens, obtained from 30 men by transurethral resection of the prostate or radical cystoprostatectomy, were used. Of the 30 patients, 10 had a prostate smaller than 25 ml (normal control), the other 20 had a prostate larger than 40ml, 10 of who had taken 5alpha-reductase inhibitor (finasteride) for 3 months before surgery (androgen blockade group), and 10 who had not (BPH group). The distribution of NE cells in the prostate was examined using the anti-chromogranin A (CgA) antibody, and the density of the CgA-positive cells was compared by an optical dissector method. Immunoblotting was performed using the neuron specific enolase (NSE) antibody. A Mann-Whitney U test was used in a statistical analysis. RESULTS: Most of the CgA-positive NE cells were localized between the acinar epithelial cells. The mean numbers of CgA-positive NE cells per acinus in the normal controls and the BPH groups were 1.67+/-0.78 and 4.45+/-2.54, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). However, the mean number of CgA-positive NE cells in the androgen blockade group, was 4.93+/-2.17, which was similar to the BPH group. In a NSE immunoblotting study, a distinct band was observed in the BPH and androgen blockade groups, but the density of the band was higher in the androgen blockade group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that NE cells may be involved in the hyperplastic process of BPH. Inhibition of dihydrotestosterone, caused by the oral administration of the 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, failed to induce any significant change in the NE cells, probably due to the incomplete androgen blockade.
Administration, Oral ; Cell Count ; Dihydrotestosterone* ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Immunoblotting ; Male ; Neuroendocrine Cells* ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia*

No abstract available.
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry* ; Humans* ; Steroids*

The vascular graft used for the reconstruction of certain types of vascular occlusive diseases and traumatic damages of the vessel, is very important, especially for the reconstruction of microvascular damages as occuring in hand injuries. Until recently microvascular graft done by microsurgical techniques was rare compared to the many- numbered large vessel grafts. But their biologic fate is currently uncertain. We studied the histologic changes occuring in the microvesseles of 1.5cm in length and 2mm in diameter, which were grafted to the femoral artery of rabbits by recently developed microsurgical techniques. Histologic changes were observed between different donor materials with different time intervals. For 60 rabbits which were used as experimental material, 15 cases received autogenous venous graft (group I). 15 cases autogenous arterial graft (group II) and 15 cases homogenous arterial graft (group I). The observd post-operative dates were 3,7,14.60 and 90 days for each respective group. The results were summerized as follows: 1. The patency rate of grafted vessels using microsurgical technique was 91.2%. 2. The histological changes observed were: a. On the 3rd and 7th day post-operatively, mainly inflammation, formation of thrombus, increased population of endothelium and formation of suture granuloma around the suture site were observed. b. On the 14th day, decreased numbers of inflammatory cells, progressed organization of thrombus, disorganization of the medial muscle layer of the grafted vessels and degeneration of endothelium were observed. c. On the 60th day, inflammatory cells and previously formed thrombi were no longer found and increased amount of fibrosis was prominent instead. 3. The autogenous venous graft group showed less histological changes in every aspect compared to the other two groups. 4. The autogenous arterial graft group showed considerable histological changes, but endothelial lining cells were well preserved. 5. In the homogenous arterial graft group, good patency rate of grafted vessel were observed despite of severe inflammatory change initially. 6. It can be concluded from the above observation that the micrcvascular graft thought to be most useful in recstablishing circulation of injured vessels was the autcgenous venous graft. Homogenous vessel graft and autogenous graft artery were also found to be applicable when autogenous vencous graft is not available.
Arteries ; Endothelium ; Femoral Artery ; Fibrosis ; Granuloma ; Hand Injuries ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Microvessels ; Rabbits ; Sutures ; Thrombosis ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

We studied two hundread cases of replantations-61 cases of major limb replantation and 139 cases of finger replantation. 53 of 179 patients had multiple amputation. The most common cause of amputation was cutting-machine injury and the next one was belt and roller injury. The patients were followed than 6 months, ranging 6 months to 5 years and 10 months, averaging 36 months. The success rate of replantation is 86.9%(53/61) in the amputated limbs and 80.6%(112/139) in the amputated digits. Main causes of failure were tissue crushing, vessel thrombosis, long ischemic time, and amputation wound infection. Common complications were infection (25 cases), delayed union(7 cases), nonunion(2 cases), bleeding tendency and hematoma formation due to systemic heparinization(5 cases). We used Seddon's classification to assess the recovery of the nerve function of the replanted limbs and digits. 84.6 % of success cases of limb replantation presented the excellent result in the motor fuction recovery and 89.1% also presented the excellent sensory recovery. 89.8% of the success cases of the digit replantation showed the excellent result in the sensory recovery. The factors influencing the functional recovery of the replantation surgery were mechanism of injury, ischemic time, surgical technique, numbers of anastomosed vessels, ratio between anastomosed artery and vein, and wound infection. This analysis demonstrated that strict selection of the indication or the replantation is the first step in the limb and digit replantation surgery.
Amputation ; Arteries ; Classification ; Extremities ; Fingers ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Operative Time ; Replantation ; Thrombosis ; Veins ; Wound Infection

PURPOSE: The Singh index which is based on a plain radiograph has commonly used in assessing the grade of osteoporosis. We studied value of the Singh index in assessing the grade of osteoporosis by obtaining reliability of the Singh index and correlation between the Singh index and bone mineral density. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six observers assessed radiographs of 60 patients suspected osteoporosis. The interobserver and intraobserver agreement of the Singh index were obtained by using kappa statistics. The bone mineral density of proximal femur was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in all patients, and then the results of bone mineral density were compared with those of Singh index by using percentage of variance. RESULTS: The kappa values of interobserver agreement ranged from 0.28 to 0.76 (mean value: 0.45) and the strength of the agreement was moderate. The percentage of variance of BMD which was explained by Singh index was 7.1%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the Singh index has low clinical value in assessing the grade of osteoporosis
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density ; Femur ; Humans ; Osteoporosis*