PURPOSE: Retrospective studies were carried out to clarify the incidence of contralateral occurrence after unilateral repair of hydrocele in children and the role of ultrasonography in preoperative recognition of asymptomatic hydrocele. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 452 patients of under 14 years old who underwent unilateral hydrocele repairs between January, 1990 and December, 1997 were reviewed. Patients with contralateral occurrence were defined as those who had previous unilateral hydrocele repairs and no clinical or historical evidence of contralateral hydrocele at the time of the initial repair Patients with simultaneous presence of bilateral hydrocele on their initial visit were excluded from this study. 36 patients who visited lately underwent ultrasonographic examination of both side of the groin and scrotum prior to surgery to identify asymptomatic contralateral hydrocele. RESULTS: The incidence of contralateral occurrence after unilateral hydrocele repairs was 5.4%(24 patients). When the left side was repaired initially, 13(7.4%) patients showed contralateral occurrence and when the right side was repaired initially, 11 (4.0%) patients showed contralateral occurrence. In the 36 patients who underwent ultrasonography, 2 patients(5.6%) had asymptomatic contralateral hydrocele and exploration revealed the presence of a patent processus vaginalis. On the other hand, 2 patients(5.6%) with negative ultrasonographic findings had contralateral repairs 1 month after clinically apparent hydrocele repair. CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence was low, contralateral occurrence after unilateral repair of hydrocele in children was noted. Therefore, preoperative thorough history taking and physical examination in unilateral hydrocele patients should be performed. Also, in suspicious cases, inguinal or scrotal ultrasonography is helpful for the detection of the clinically occult contralateral hydrocele in children.
Adolescent ; Child* ; Groin ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Physical Examination ; Retrospective Studies ; Scrotum ; Ultrasonography

Early diagnosis and prompt surgical exploration in blunt scrotal trauma is mandatory to save the affected testis and decrease the morbidity. We reviewed 25 cases of blunt scrotal trauma evaluated with ultrasonography as a result of violence, sports, traffic accident from March, 1989 to February, 1997. The right side was affected slightly more often than the left side. Sonography identified scrotal hematocele in 21 out of 25 cases and 4 cases had no evidence of scrotal hematocele. In 7 out of 21 cases with scrotal hematocele, ultrasonography showed rupture sites of the tunica albuginea (5) and intratesticular radiolucency displacing the normal echogenicity of the testicular parenchyina (2). In the other 14 cases ultrasonography showed no evidence of rupture. In 4 cases without scrotal hematocele, one was diagnosed as traumatic orchitis due to testicular enlargement and two had focal intratesticular hematoma so that these cases didn't undergo explorations. And 1 case had rupture of the tonics albuginea combined with testicular torsion at the time of exploration. Surgical explorations were performed in 19 (76.0%) out of 25 cases, who showed definitive rupture sites of the tunica albiginea (8), large hematoma and/or persistent severe pain without being seen rupture sites of the tunica albuginea (11) on ultrasonography and their operative methods were orchiectomy in 9 (36.0%), evacuation of the hematocele in 6 (24%), partial orchiectomy in 2 (8.0%) and simple closure of the tunica in 2 cases (8.0%). There was a direct relationship between salvageability and early surgery. In 13 out of 19 cases who underwent explorations within 3 days after trauma, the surgical managements comprised evacuation of the hematocele in 5 (38.5%), orchiectomy in 4 (30.8%), partial orchiectomy in 2 (15.4%), and simple closure of the tunica in 2 cases (IS.4%). However, in 6 cases who underwent explorations 4 days later after trauma, the surgical managements comprised orchiectomy in 5 (83.3%) and evacuation of the hematoma in 1 case (16.7%). In comparison with operative findings, 5 of the 14 cases, in which ultrasonography showed large hematocele without rupture of the tunica, had rupture of the tunica. Also, 7 cases, in which ultrasonography showed rupture of the tunica, all had rupture of the tonics. All patients with a history of blunt scrotal trauma, followed by a large hematocele without lure of the tunica or severely distorted testis on ultrasonography should have early surgical exploration to exclude injury to the testicle. A delayed treatment decreases the salvage rate due complications, such as ischemic necrosis and severe inflammatory reaction.
Accidents, Traffic ; Early Diagnosis ; Hematocele ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Orchiectomy ; Orchitis ; Rupture ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; Sports ; Testis ; Ultrasonography ; Violence

BACKGROUND: Bisphosphonates are now well established as successful antiresorptive agents for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. We investigated the effect of cyclic intravenous treatment with an aminobisphosphonate, pamidronate in cases of primary osteoporosis. METHODS: Eighteen patients with primary osteoporosis (bone mineral density BMD t-score < -2.5) received four courses of pamidronate (30 mg with 500 mL normal saline over 2 hours every 3 months). The serum biochemical parameters and bone turnover markers were measured before each treatment. The bone pain score, medication score, and the side effects were also monitored. BMD and simple spine X-ray were performed before and 1 year after of treatment. RESULTS: BMD at the lumbar spine (L2-4) significantly increased from 0.798+/-0.110 g/cm2 to 0.860+/-0.107 g/cm2 after 1 year of treatment with pamidronate: by +8.3+/-9.4% of baseline. BMDs at the femoral neck, Ward s triangle and the trochanter also increased, but not significantly. Serum total alkaline phosphatase (p<0.05) and urine deoxypyridinoline/creatinine (p=0.069) decreased with treatment. Other bone turnover markers were unchanged. The bone pain score decreased significantly. None of the patients experienced a new fracture during treatment. The frequency of the side effects following the first infusion was 61.1% (a transient fever and myalgia with flu-like symptoms in 10 patients and mild phlebitis in 1 patient). However, only two patients complained of flu-like symptoms after second infusion, and no patient complained following the third infusion. CONCLUSION: Cyclic intravenous treatment of pamidronate every three months was effective in increasing BMD and in the decreasing bone turnover rate, and was relatively well tolerated in primary osteoporotic women.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bone Density ; Bone Density Conservation Agents ; Diphosphonates ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Fever ; Humans ; Myalgia ; Osteoporosis ; Phlebitis ; Spine

No abstract available.
Lithotripsy*

No abstract available.
Lithotripsy*

Wegener`s granulomatosis (WG) is a multisystem disorder of unknown origin characterized by necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis. WG usually affects the upper respiratory tract, lungs, and kidneys with focal glomerulonephritis, but almost any organ can be affected. The ureter is primarily an unusual location for lesions of WG. A 30-year-old woman presented with intermittent right flank pain and hematuria. A renal ultrasound demonstrated unilateral hydronephrosis and a retrograde pyelography revealed a filling defect at right mid ureter and a computed tomography displayed marked concentric thickening of the right ureteral wall which was mimicking ureteral tumor. At nephroureterectomy, the right ureter was found to be obstructed by dense, intramural fibroinflammatory reaction. There was a necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis in the muscle layer of the ureter. Our case represents the rare occurrence of WG presenting ureteral bstruction.
Adult ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Glomerulonephritis ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney ; Lung ; Respiratory System ; Ultrasonography ; Ureter* ; Urography ; Vasculitis

BACKGROUND: The BEPSI(Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument) was developed as an instrument for quick assessment of stress in a busy office setting, and well correlated with other stress scales. Bae et al. developed the BEPSI(Korean version)[BEPSI-K] in Korea, which was used broadly in health examination. In this study, we attempted to assess degree of stress and to find stress-related factors among Koreans by the BEPSI-K. METHODS: A household telephone survey of 1,060 responders was carried out using multistage stratifed random sampling technique from April to May, 1997. The data were collected from 947 subjects who answered all the items of the BEPSI-K. RESULTS: The reliability of the BEPSI-K was demonstrated (Cronbachs alpha 0.71). The BEPSI-K score showed left-shifted distribution, and its mean was 1.72. It also was significantly high in the unmarried, those with a low educational level, those with a low income, non-economic group, hypertensive patients, smokers, non-exercisers and drinkers. Among 947 subjects, 7.7 percent was high stress according to tercile of the original BEPSI score. CONCLUSIONS: Stress-related factors were marital status, educational level, income level, occupation, exercise, smoking, drinking, and hypertension in Korea.
Drinking ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Marital Status ; Occupations ; Single Person ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Telephone ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: Discrepancies exist in the currently available data on the prevalence of diabetic neuropathy. Variations in the prevalence of diabetic neuropathy have reflected the different criteria used to form its diagnosis. The majority of diagnostic criteria are less practical in many routine clinical settings where there is a need for a simple assessment using widely available techniques to rapidly screen large numbers of patients. We already reported that the questionnaire of Feldman's two-step assessment was less useful in Koreans, because of the different expression of neuropathic symptoms. We proposed a representative questionnaire which was based on patients' own complaints, and assessed its clinical availability. METHODS: Ninety diabetic patients(45 cases with diabetic neuropathy, 45 cases without neuropathy) were included in this study. Diabetic neuropathy was diagnosed by neurologic examination and nerve conduction velocity. The questionnaire consisted of 7 questions on foot sensation (prickling, lancinating, burning, numb), which are frequent complaints of diabetic patients. All subjects were assessed with the questionnaire. RESULTS: 1. The most sensitive symptom was tingling sensation (75.6%) and the least sensitive one was numbness(28.9%). 2. The most specific symptom was numbness(82.2%) and the least specific one was tingling sensation(33.3%). 3. If we would assume that three or more of symptoms were diagnostic, the sensitivity and specificity were 66.7% and 53.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our new questionnaire can be used as a screening test or a follow-up tool for the diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in Koreans.
Burns ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Diagnosis* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Neural Conduction ; Neurologic Examination ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Prevalence ; Sensation ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of the MR urography (MRU) in the diagnosis of hydroureteronephrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients with hydronephrosis (26 cases) underwent MR urography, using a 1.5T MR scanner (Signa Horizon, GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, U.S.A). The causes of hydronephrosis included benign ureteral stricture (12), ureteral stones (8) and malignant strictures (6), and were confirmed by operation, biopsy, conventional urography or clinical follow up. For MRU, a fat suppressed, respiratory-triggered, heavily T2-weighted fast spin echo (FSE) pulse sequence was used, and the 3-dimensional MR images were subsequently processed by a maximum-intensity-projection algorithm. We evaluated the success rate of MRU and its accuracy in determining the level and cause of obstruction, and compared the degree of hydroureteronephrosis seen on MRU with that seen on conventional urography. RESULTS: In all cases, a urogram was successfully obtained. In determining the degree of hydroureteronephrosis and the level of obstruction (in the upper ureter in 11 cases, in the mid-ureter in four, and in the lower ureter in 11), MRU findings matched those of conventional urography. In 24/26 cases (92%), MRU accurately determined the cause of urinary tract obstruction ; the two exceptions were in cases involving ureteral stones. CONCLUSION: MRU is a promising, noninvasive diagnostic method for evaluating hydroureteronephrosis, especially in children, pregnant women and patients with an allergic reaction to iodinated contrast material.
Biopsy ; Child ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Hypersensitivity ; Pregnant Women ; Ureter ; Urinary Tract ; Urography*

Nitric oxide (NO) modulates the activities of various channels and receptors to participate in the regulation of neuronal intracellular Ca2+ levels. Ca2+ binding protein (CaBP) expression may also be altered by NO. Accordingly, we examined expression changes in calbindin-D28k, calretinin, and parvalbumin in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal region of neuronal NO synthase knockout(-/-) (nNOS-/-) mice using immunohistochemistry. For the first time, we demonstrate that the expression of CaBPs is specifically altered in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal region of nNOS-/- mice and that their expression changed according to neuronal type. As changes in CaBP expression can influence temporal and spatial intracellular Ca2+ levels, it appears that NO may be involved in various functions, such as modulating neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis, regulating synaptic transmission, and neuroprotection, by influencing the expression of CaBPs. Therefore, these results suggest another mechanism by which NO participates in the regulation of neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis. However, the exact mechanisms of this regulation and its functional significance require further investigation.
Animals ; Calcium ; Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; Carrier Proteins ; Cerebral Cortex ; Homeostasis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Neurons ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Synaptic Transmission