PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to compare the shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) with the rigid ureteroscopic stone removal (URS) in order to establish the efficacy in treating upper ureteral stones according to the stone size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 328 patients who have been treated for upper ureteral stones between January 1999 and December 2002. 227 patients were treated with SWL, and 101 patients were treated with URS. We analyzed the success rates of the stone removal, reasons for failure, and complication rates of each procedure. RESULTS: The overall success rate of the URS was 93.1%. In terms of stone size, the success rates were 94.5% (<10mm) and 91.3% (>10mm), respectively. With the SWL treatments, the overall success rates after the first, second, and third sessions were 59%, 78%, and 92.5%, respectively. According to the stone size, the success rates were 96.5% (<10mm) and 85.7% (>10mm) after third sessions, respectively. The success rate was significantly affected by the size of the stone in the SWL group, but this was not the case with the URS group. The associated complication rates of URS and SWL were 11% and 7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, URS was relatively more efficacious than SWL when the stone was larger than 10 mm. The proper selection of patients for in situ SWL or URS would improve the results of the initial treatment.
Humans ; Lithotripsy* ; Shock* ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Calculi ; Ureteroscopy

Background : Recurrent wheezing in infants is manifested in a number of disease spectrums and gastroesophageal reflux ( GER ) has been known to be associated with apnea, recurrent pneumonia, asthma, chronic cough, and wheezing. The prevalence of GER in infants with recurrent wheezing and the relationship between atopy and GER in infantile asthmatics have not yet been established, but it was hypothesized that microaspiration of food allergen could induce food-induced wheezing. Objective : To evaluate the prevalence of GER in infants with recurrent wheezing episodes, and to determine whether the presence of atopy affects the prevalence of GER in infantile asthmatics. Method : Seventy infants with recurrent wheezing episodes were evaluated for GER using 24 hour continuous esophageal pH monitoring. Patients were classified into five groups, : 12 atopic asthmatics : 20 nonatopic asthmatics : 15 infants with recurrent bronchiolitis : 8 infants with recurrent pneumonia : and 15 infants with chronic lung disease ( CLD ) of prematurity. GER was considered to be prevalent when reflux index was higher than 95 percentile of normal values by Vandenplas, 1991. Result : The prevalence of GER in infants with recurrent wheezing was 21.4%. The prevalence of GER in each group was 25% in atopic asthmatics, 20% in nonatopic asthmatics, 6.7% in infants with recurrent bronchiolitis, 12.5% in infants with recurrent pneumonia, and 40% in infants with CLD of prematurity. There were no significant differences in prevalence of GER between atopic asthmatics and nonatopic asthmatics, between asthmatics with atopic dermatitis and those without, and between asthmatics with family history of allergy and those without. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of GER in infants with recurrent wheezing was high, especially in infantile asthmatics and infants with chronic lung disease of prematurity. The presence of atopy may not affect the prevalence of GER in infantile asthmatics.
Apnea ; Asthma ; Bronchiolitis ; Cough ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Esophageal pH Monitoring ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Infant* ; Lung Diseases ; Pneumonia ; Prevalence* ; Reference Values ; Respiratory Sounds*

BACKGROUND: To identify the expression patterns and usefulness of various antibodies in making diagnoses and predicting prognoses, an immunohistochemical study was performed on thymic epithelial tumors (TETs). METHODS: Forty-two cases of TETs were reclassified according to the new World Health Organization (WHO) classifications. CD3, CD5, CD79a, CD99, pan-, high- and low-molecular weight cytokeratins, EMA, vimentin, MIB-1 (Ki67) and p53 immunostaining were carried out. RESULTS: There were two, twelve, eight, two, thirteen and one case for type A, AB, B1, B2, B3 and C, respectively. Combined B1/B2 and B2/B3 were 2 cases each. Fourteen cases (33.3%) had myasthenia gravis. CD99 was immunoreactive mainly in cortically derived lymphocytes, while CD3 and CD5 were immunoreactive in medullary-derived lymphocytes. CD5 immunoreactivity was negative in all thymic epithelial cells, except for one case of type B3. MIB-1 indices were highly expressed in cortical lymphocytes and some thymic epithelial cells, but did not show any correlation with grades. p53 in thymic epithelial cells was expressed in 6 (46%) out of 13 cases of type B3 and one case of type C, and it was negative in all other subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: Only p53 was helpful for predicting high grades (B3 and C) (P<0.05). By MIB-1 indices, we could tell how many cortical immature lymphocytes were occupied in TETs, however, grading could not be achieved.
Antibodies ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Epithelial Cells ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratins ; Lymphocytes ; Myasthenia Gravis ; Prognosis ; Thymus Gland ; Vimentin ; World Health Organization* ; World Health*

PURPOSE: Combined androgen blockade(CAB) is often used in the management of advanced adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Recent case reports indicated that hypogonadism from CAB therapy is associated with osteoporosis and related fracture. The effect of CAB on bone mineral density(BMD) has not been adequately studied in men with prostate cancer. In this study, the possibility, frequency and severity of osteoporosis following CAB in prostate cancer patient was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 19 men with advanced prostate cancer receiving CAB were evaluated for the presence of osteoporosis defined as bone mass 2.5 standard deviation below peak bone mass of young normal men(T-score). The BMB of the femoral neck and lumbar spine were measured. The BMD was then compared to the age-matched control value and reported as the Z-score. BMD measurements were compared to duration of CAB and Gleason score. RESULTS: Osteoporosis occurred in 10 of 15 patients in lumbar spine, and 4 of 18 patients in femoral neck. Osteoporosis was unrelated to the type of the CAB(orchiectomy, or LHRH-agonist). CAB caused a decrease in mean BMD of lumbar spine and femoral neck. There is a negative linear relation between mean BMD and duration of CAB(lumber spine; R2=0.059, Y=-2.368-0.016X, p>0.05, femoral neck; R2=0.089, Y=-1.923-0.020x, p>0.05). There is a statistically significant negative linear relationship between Gleason score and mean T-score of femoral neck(lumbar spine; R2=0.391, Y=-0.08-0.371X, p<0.05, femoral neck; R2=0.517, Y=0.855-0.450x, p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provide evidence for acceleration of osteoporosis among men whose prostate cancers were treated with CAB. This study indicates a need for bone mineral density determination at the onset of CAB and at periodic intervals there after to begin appropriate therapy, undefined at this point, for prevention of osteoporosis and its complications aggravated by this therapy.
Acceleration ; Adenocarcinoma ; Bone Density ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Male ; Neoplasm Grading ; Osteoporosis* ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Spine

PURPOSE: This study was performed to assess the difference of the continence indices before and after the tension-free vaginal tape procedure (TVT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively our experience with 30 patients treated with the TVT procedure for stress urinary incontinent women, between January 2002 and December 2003. A comprehensive medical history, physical examination, urinalysis, urine culture, voiding diary, uroflometry and cystourethrogram were performed preoperatively and 3 months after surgery. The positions and mobilities of the bladder neck and the urethra were compared preoperatively and postoperatively by cystourethrograms both at rest and during voiding. The surgical outcomes were evaluated by global satisfaction question, and the definition of success or failure determined by using Stamey's criteria. Multiple parameters, with regard to the uroflometry, and cystourethrogram were analyzed using chi-square tests. RESULTS: In the 30 patients followed up, the TVT procedure was successful in 93.3% (cured 83.3%, improved 10%) 3 months after the procedure. The position and mobility of the bladder neck showed no significant difference before and after surgery, but significant change in the urethral knee angle in cured and improved patients during maximum straining was noted cystourethrographically on cured and improved patients during maximum straining. The preoperative peak flow rates and average flow rates were significantly decreased after surgery, but the residual urine was not. There were no serious complications related to the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The TVT procedure is an effective surgical procedure for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence. The procedure seems neither to change the hypermobility nor to elevate the position of the bladder neck. Urinary continence after surgery is most probably achieved by creating a dynamic mid urethral kinking at stress.
Female ; Humans ; Knee ; Neck ; Physical Examination ; Retrospective Studies ; Suburethral Slings* ; Surgical Mesh ; Urethra ; Urinalysis ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Incontinence

OBJECTIVES: To integrate the results of studies which assess an association between blood lead and blood pressure. METHODS: We surveyed the existing literature using a MEDLINE search with blood lead and blood pressure as key words, including reports published from January 1980 to December 2000. The criteria for quality evaluation were as follows: 1) the study subjects must have been workers exposed to lead, and 2) both blood pressure and blood lead must have been measured and presented with sufficient details so as to estimate or calculate the size of the association as a continuous variable. Among the 129 articles retrieved, 13 studies were selected for quantitative meta-analysis. Before the integration of each regression coefficient for the association between blood pressure and blood lead, a homogeneity test was conducted. RESULTS: As the homogeneity of studies was rejected in a fixed effect model, we used the results in a random effect model. Our quantitative meta-analysis yielded weighted regression coefficients of blood lead associated with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure results of 0.0047 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.0061, 0.0155) and 0.0004 (95% CI: -0.0031, 0.0039), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The published evidence suggested that there may be a weak positive association between blood lead and blood pressure, but the association is not significant.
Blood Pressure*

A central vacuum scavenger modified by the authors, was used to control the atmospheric contamination of the operating room by anesthetic gases and vapours. Air pollution was monitored by measuring the concentrations of halothane vapour in the air of the operating room with the gas chromatograph. Under endotrachal intubation, the semi-colsed circle absorber system was used for anesthetic administration and maintained with 0.8~1.2% Halothane. Total gas flow rates were 4 liter/min with 50% oxygen in nitrous oxide for daily work. Air sampling was taken early in the morning at 10cm high from the floor before anesthesia. After daily work, they were also done at 10cm, 120cm, and 140cm high from the floor and at the corridor of the operating room. We investigated the differences of halothane concentration according to each sits by the changing central vacuum pressure. Results are followings: The atmospheric halothane concentration of the operating room before anesthesia were 0.27+/-0.12, 0.22+/-0.11 and 0.15+/-0.06 ppm.The atmospheric halothane concentration of the operating room after daily work were 7.94 +/- 1.30 ppm without the active central vacuum pressure.The atmospheric halothane concentration of the operating room after daily work were 1.41 +/-0.48ppm of 20mmHg of central vacuum pressure.The tmospheric halothane concentration of the operating room after daily work were 0.49+/-0.18ppm of 40mmHg of central vacuum pressure. The atmospheric halothane concentrations at the corridor of the operating room after daily work were 1.09+/-0.19, 0.77+/-0.11n and 0.36+/-0.17ppm when each vacuum pressure was 0mmHg, 20mmHg and 40mmHg. A significant reduction (p<0.01) in atmospheric halothane concentration of the operation room was obtained by the use of the central vacuum pressure with the scavenger. The higher the vacuum pressure, the greater reduction of the operating room air pollution was observed.
4-Acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic Acid ; Air Pollution* ; Anesthesia ; Anesthetics, Inhalation ; Halothane* ; Intubation ; Nitrous Oxide ; Operating Rooms* ; Oxygen ; Vacuum*

Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency(OTCD), the most common inborn error of the urea cycle, is inherited in X-linked manner. In affected hemizygote males, OTCD manifests hyperammonemic coma that often leads to death during the newborn period. Our patient was at high risk for inborn error of urea cycle metabolism, since his two elder brothers died a few days after birth due to hyperammonemia. He was diagnosed as OTCD based on biochemical profiles and direct sequencing of the OTC gene. He has been managed with Ross metabolic protocol including protein restriction, administration of sodium benzoate, phenylacetate, arginine, citrulline, and diet therapy (Cyclinex-I ) since birth. At the 8 months of age, we performed living-related liver transplantation(LRLT) using his father's left lateral segment. The patient's serum ammonia level was restored to normal after LRLT without protein restriction. During postoperative follow up for 10 months, he was still in normal neurological and developmental status.
Ammonia ; Arginine ; Citrulline ; Coma ; Diet ; Diet Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemizygote ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Infant, Newborn ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Male ; Metabolism ; Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency Disease* ; Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase* ; Ornithine* ; Parturition ; Siblings ; Sodium Benzoate ; Urea

A testis tumor is comparatively rare and most of them are discovered as a palpable asymptomatic mass. We recently experienced two cases of incidental testicular tumor during scrotal exploration for trauma. Pathologic study revealed a mixed germ cell tumor and mature teratoma, so we report here on these two cases with a review of the related literatures.
Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Teratoma ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis

A testis tumor is comparatively rare and most of them are discovered as a palpable asymptomatic mass. We recently experienced two cases of incidental testicular tumor during scrotal exploration for trauma. Pathologic study revealed a mixed germ cell tumor and mature teratoma, so we report here on these two cases with a review of the related literatures.
Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Teratoma ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis