When ultrasound or computed tomographic (CT) scans demonstrate a focal mass within the pancreas, the radiologist or gastroenterologist assumes that it is carcinoma. Statistically this is the correct diagnosis. However, distinguishing pancreatitis from carcinoma by ultrasound and CT is occassionally impossible. Similarly, abnormalities seen on ERCP, such as simultaneous obstruction of both the common bile duct and adjacent pancreatic duct (double duct sign), has been shown to occur in pancreatitis as well as in the more commonly diagnosed pancreatic carcinoma. We experienced 3 cases af focal pancreatic masses that mistaken a carcinoma. And so, knowledge that such a mass can be benign in a clinical setting sbould result in an organiged approach to the correct diagnosis and avoidance of any unnecessary operations.
Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis ; Inflammation* ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatitis* ; Ultrasonography

A case of generalized primary amyloidosis with a reveiw of the literatures is reported. The 38 year old patient suffered from malabsorption syndrome for a year and was presented chronic renal failure with renal enlargment, myxedema and hemorrhagic gastritis. Biopsy of kidney and stomach revealed characteristic findings of amyloidosis by congo red stain and electronmicroscopy.
Adult ; Amyloidosis* ; Biopsy ; Congo Red ; Gastritis ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Malabsorption Syndromes* ; Myxedema ; Stomach

No abstract available.
Bile* ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen* ; Gallbladder* ; Mesenteric Veins*

Upper G-I bleeding is a dangerous situation and effeetive control method without surgery is desirable. A hemostatic technique utilizing the dehydrating and fixative properties of pure ethanol was developed in Japan. This technique was performed through an endoscopic injector, in divided dose of 0,1 ~ 0.2 ml into several spots in the area surrounding the bleeding vessel in patients upper G-I bleeding excluding esophageal varies. We applieii this technique in treatment of 11 cases showing active bleeding of fresh blood clots. Rebleeding occurred in 2 cases(20%) and complete hemostasis was achieved in 9 cases(80%). We think this technique is safe and simple as an endoscopic hemostatic measure.
Ethanol* ; Hemorrhage* ; Hemostasis ; Hemostatic Techniques ; Humans ; Japan

Schwannomas are neurogenic tumors that arise from Schwann cells of the neural sheath. They are most often benign and solitary. Ancient schwannoma is a rare variant of schwannoma with a typical characteristics of a slow growing benign tumor. A case of ancient schwannoma which originated from the lingual nerve has not been reported in the literature yet. The clinical and histological aspects of this tumor are discussed and the literature regarding this rare entity is reviewed.
Lingual Nerve* ; Neurilemmoma* ; Schwann Cells

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy are relatively rare but extremely dangerous, because they may quickly develop into a fulminant disease and become a serious life-threatening disorder for mother and fetus in the third trimester. Therefore, early diagnosis, prompt delivery and intensive supportive care the cornerstones in the management of acute fatty liver of pregnancy. Clinical findings in acute fatty liver of pregnancy vary because it may occur with varying degrees of clinical severity and in conjunction with other third trimester symptoms, making early diagnosis difficult. However, careful history and physical examination, in conjunction with compatible laboratory and imaging results, are often sufficient to make the diagnosis, and liver biopsy is rarely indicated. We have experienced a case of acute fatty liver of pregnancy presenting as early hepatic encephalopathy, renal failure which developed during the third trimester. We diagnosed acute fatty liver of pregnancy based on clinical presentation and laboratory abnormalities. Despite of prompt delivery and adequate supportive care management, this severe complication of pregnancy has had an adverse outcome for mother.
Biopsy ; Early Diagnosis ; Fatty Liver ; Female ; Fetus ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Humans ; Liver ; Mothers ; Physical Examination ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Renal Insufficiency

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on hemiplegic shoulder subluxation in post-acute stroke patients. METHOD: Forty-four patients who had shoulder subluxation as a consequence of their first stroke were included and randomly assigned to either a control group (22 subjects) or a study group (22 subjects). Patients in both groups received physiotherapy and used an arm sling. The study group received, FES therapy to shoulder muscles (supraspinatus and posterior deltoid) for 30 minutes, five days a week for 6 weeks. The effect of FES therapy was evaluated by assessment of the severity of subluxation using radiologic measurements before and after treatment. RESULTS: 1) The severity of subluxation was significantly increased after 6 weeks (p<0.05) in the control group. In the study group, it was reduced but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). 2) In the group of patients with early treatment (onset duration, less than 6 months), the control group showed a significant increase in subluxation (p<0.05), but the study group showed significantly reduced (p<0.05) shoulder subluxation after treatment period. 3) In the group of patients with mild shoulder subluxation before treatment (less than 1 finger breadth), the control group showed a significant increase in subluxation (p<0.05), but the study group showed significantly reduced (p<0.05) shoulder subluxation after treatment period. CONCLUSION: The FES therapy is effective in preventing and reducing the severity of hemiplegic shoulder subluxation in post-acute stroke patients, especially if duration since stroke onset was less than six months and the severity of subluxation before treatment was mild.
Arm ; Electric Stimulation* ; Fingers ; Humans ; Muscles ; Shoulder* ; Stroke

OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety and efficacy of intravaginal misoprostol versus oral dinoprostone for labor induction at term. METHODS: One hundred of patients at term were randomized to receive either 50microgram of misoprostol vaginally every 4 hours or dinoprostone 0.5mg orally every 1 hour for the maximum of six doses. Intravenous infusion of oxytocin was administered under such circumferences as the patient did not go into active labor after maximum dose, SROM was developed without an adequate contraction pattern, or the patient had arrest of dilatation(no change in cervical dilatation for 2 hours). We compared the frequency of oxytocin augmentation, administration to delivery interval, vaginal delivery rate within 12 hours and 24 hours, intrapartum complications, induction failure, mode of delivery, neonatal outcomes, and maternal complications between two groups. RESULTS: The average interval from administration to delivery was shorter in the misoprostol group(739.4+/-372.4min vs 1087.7+/-765.1min, p<0.05), but the interval from administration to vaginal delivery of each group was similar(724.3+/-375.4min vs 800.3+/-697.0min). Regarding the frequency of vaginal delivery within 24 hours, however, misoprostol group was higher than dinoprostone group(88% vs 56%, p<0.001). And oxytocin augmentation of labor occurred less commonly in misoprostol group than in dinoprostone group(20% vs 76%, p<0.05). Any statistically significant difference in intrapartum complications, mode of delivery, and neonatal or maternal adverse outcome was not appeared between these two group. CONCLUSION: Vaginal misoprostol is as effective and safe as oral dinoprostone for cervical ripening and induction of labor at term. In addition, vaginal misoprostol contributes the curtailment of labor induction expenditure due to its moderate price; misoprostol costs 100 won per 50microgram.
Cervical Ripening ; Dinoprostone* ; Female ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Labor Stage, First ; Misoprostol* ; Oxytocin ; Pregnancy

Leiomyoma is the most common benign tumor of the esophagus, but it still occurs rarely as compared with the incidence of carcinoma in this area. Most of leiomyomas may manifest itself with unusual and inconsistent symptoms, and found incidentally during endoscopic or radiographic examination. Those who menifested symptoms are included as dysphagia and vague pain mostly. We experienced recently two cases with esophageal leiomyoma who underwent successful surgical resection and endoscopic enucleation, respectively.
Deglutition Disorders ; Esophagus* ; Incidence ; Leiomyoma*

PURPOSE: To define and measure macular thickness and volume using Fourier domain OCT (FD OCT) and compare the values with Stratus OCT in normal eyes and eyes with macular disease. METHODS: On the same day, macular thicknesses of the ETDRS 9 subfield and total macular volumes were measured in 35 eyes of 23 normal subjects and 19 diseased eyes of 24 patients with FD OCT and Stratus OCT. The macular cube scan protocol for FD OCT and the fast macular thickness map protocol for Stratus OCT were used to measure macular thicknesses. RESULTS: Foveal thickness of the central subfield in FD OCT (251.49+/-79.45 micrometer) was thicker than the value of Stratus OCT (210.26+/-60.57 micrometer) (p<0.001) in all eyes. Total macular volume was 7.72+/-1.06 mm3 and 7.04+/-0.96 mm3 for FD OCT and Stratus OCT, respectively (p<0.001). Retina thickness of the ETDRS 9 subfields in FD OCT was thicker than the value obtained using Stratus OCT. In addition, foveal thickness differences were statistically significant in both the normal and diseased eye groups. CONCLUSIONS: Macular thickness and total macular volume as measured by the FD OCT were larger than the values obtained using the Stratus OCT in both the normal and the diseased eye groups. The measuring algorithm of FD OCT defines the top of RPE as the outer retinal boundary, but Stratus OCT defines the outer retinal boundary as the IS/OS junction of the photoreceptor. Therefore, macular thicknesses of FD OCT are thicker than those of Stratus OCT. This difference should be considered when comparing the results of FD OCT with those of Stratus OCT.
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Cisplatin ; Doxorubicin ; Eye ; Humans ; Mitomycin ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde ; Tomography, Optical Coherence