BACKGROUND: Among the many methods estimating the quantity of beta-hCG for pregnancy testing in urine, immunochromatography is one of most widely used semi-quantitative detection method for its convenience to use and also for its rapid result reporting system. PREG-Q(TM) is a newly introduced semi-quantitative immunochromatography method for detecting b-hCG. Clinical usefulness of PREG-Q(TM) was evaluated as a screening test for early pregnancy detection. METHODS: Accuracy, detection limit, cross-reactivity with various glycoprotein hormones, interference study, and comparison study using total 100 urine samples from pregnant (50 samples) and non-pregnant women (50 samples) was evaluated. RESULTS: All the 50 urine samples of pregnant women showed positive results, and another 50 urine samples of non-pregnant women showed negative results with PREG-Q(TM). The lower detection limit of PREG-Q(TM) was 25 mIU/mL and the result was not affected by addition of glycoprotein hormones tested. Interfering substance causing false negative or false positive results enrolled didn't affect the test results in this study. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude PREG-Q(TM) is an excellent test kit for pregnancy test, and is valuable especially for detecting early pregnancy.
Female ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Immunochromatography ; Limit of Detection ; Mass Screening* ; Pregnancy Tests ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women

BACKGROUND: Cord blood(CB) has been suggested as an alternate source of stem cells in transplantation because of lower incidence of graft versus host disease and ease of collection. To optimize storage space cord blood needs to be stored as separated product. Additionally, for cord blood bank to be economical and efficient, volumes smaller than that of whole packs needs to be stored. However, CB processing procedures described so far involve open systems and/or reagents which are not licensed for use in humans. Consequently, these procedures poorly match the needs for closed-system, large-scale CB banking. In our study, we use the triple bag system in which the CB is separated by centrifugation to maintain of sterility and volume reduction. And simple and effective RBC depletion method was evaluated with 10% pentastarch and 4% modified gelatin. METHODS: The collection of CB was performed from 45 full term newborns. The collection was made by gravity and uterine contraction before placental expulsion with triple transfusion bag containing CPD-A1. 10% Pentastarch(Group A) or 4% modified gelatin(Group B) is added directly to the CB containing bag. After RBC sedimentation, the WBC-rich supernatant is collected in a satellite bag. After RBC depletion, recovery of mononuclear cells(MNC), CD34+ cells were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Mean volume of collected CB and final RBC-depleted products were 68.1+/-17.0 mL and 18.1+/-4.1 mL in Group A and 68.0+/-15.8 mL, 23.1+/-6.3 mL in Group B, respectively. After RBC depletion, the number of MNC and CD 34+ cells were 2.61+/-1.51x108, 1.19+/-0.96x106 in Group A and 4.03+/-3.16x108, 1.43+/-0.86x106 in Group B. Mean recovery of MNC, CD34+ cells were 70.2+/-43.7%, 60.2+/-31.5% in Group A, and 84.7+/-39.9% and 87.7+/-7.5% in Group B, respectively. CONCLUSION: CB processing in closed-system using triple bag with 4% modified gelatin appears to be safe, easy, effective and particularly suitable for large-scale CB banking.
Centrifugation ; Fetal Blood* ; Gelatin ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Gravitation ; Humans* ; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives ; Incidence ; Indicators and Reagents ; Infant, Newborn ; Infertility ; Stem Cells ; Umbilical Cord* ; Uterine Contraction

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recently, treatment using an endoscopic device is actively being developed. Techniques for incision and bleeding control have been developed, but endoscopic suturing remains to be perfected. Using an endoscopic suturing technique, a variety of diseases could be managed noninvasively. We have attempted to use a new endoscopic suturing device which enables a continuous suture using a flexible upper endoscope. METHODS: A suturing device was designed where a semicircular needle could sew through tissue by rotation making a continuous suture possible. RESULTS: We successfully sutured the stomach tissue of a dog using an optimized suturing device model. CONCLUSIONS: The initial model was found to have some problems. However, we hope to develop a continuous suturing device for flexible upper endoscope procedures in Korea.
Animals ; Dogs ; Endoscopes ; Endoscopes, Gastrointestinal* ; Endoscopy ; Hemorrhage ; Hope ; Korea ; Needles ; Stomach ; Sutures*

Cap polyposis is a rare disorder characterized by bloody, mucoid diarrhea with rectosigmoid polyps covered by a cap of fibrinopurulent exudate. The etiology and pathogenesis of cap polyposis is unknown, and no specific treatment has been established. Drug therapies are usually unsuccessful. Patients with a solitary cap polyp respond well to endoscopic polypectomy, while patients with multiple polyps and concurrent anorectal pathology require surgical resection. However, rapid recurrence has been described after a limited surgical resection, and this necessitates panproctocolectomy. We report a case of a 58-year-old female diagnosed as cap polyposis on rectum with similar clinical and endoscopic features of pseudomenbranous colitis successfully treated with infliximab (murine chimeric monoclonal antibody to TNF-alpha).
Colitis ; Diarrhea ; Drug Therapy ; Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous ; Exudates and Transudates ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pathology ; Polyps ; Rectum ; Recurrence ; Infliximab

Duodenal intramural hematoma is mostly caused by blunt abdominal trauma. Spontaneous duodenal intramural hematoma has been reported in the literature in patients with over-anticoagulation and coagulation disorders. The presentation of patients can vary from mild and vague abdominal pain to intestinal tract obstruction and an acute abdomen. The diagnosis is evident by gastroduodenal endoscopy, EUS and abdominal CT scan. We report a case of spontaneous duodenal intramural hematoma without the history of abdominal trauma and coagulation disorders in 54-year-old male patient. After conservative treatment, the patient was discharged without any complications.
Abdomen, Acute ; Abdominal Pain ; Diagnosis ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease which affects mainly children and young adults, and its cause remains unknown so far. Infliximab, a monoclonal antibody to the pivotal cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha, has been approved as a drug for both induction and maintenance therapy for moderately to severely active, or fistula-complicated Crohn's disease. The authors report a 12-year-old male patient diagnosed as Crohn's disease complicated with a perianal fistula, which was refractory to the conventional therapy. After the 0, 2, and 6 week scheduled intravenous infusion of infliximab, the patient reached to clinical remission in both subjective symptoms and objective manifestations. For children or young adults who develop Crohn's disease in a refractory course, infliximab may serve as a drug which leads to a clinical improvement or even to an extent of remission.
Antibodies, Monoclonal/*administration & dosage ; Child ; Crohn Disease/*drug therapy ; Drug Administration Schedule ; English Abstract ; Gastrointestinal Agents/*administration & dosage ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Male

Gangliocytic paraganglioma is a rare and benign gastrointestinal tumor that usually arises in the second portion of the duodenum. Histogenesis of this tumor is yet unclear. It is incidentally found during radiographic examinations or during endoscopy looking for the cause of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, which usually manifests as mucosal ulcerations. To our knowledge, there was only one case of duodenal gangliocytic paraganglioma presenting with melena in Korea. We experienced a case of gangliocytic paraganglioma arising from the ampulla of Vater, presenting as obstructive jaundice, which was subsequently removed surgically. Thus, we report this case with a review of literatures.
Ampulla of Vater* ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Jaundice* ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Korea ; Melena ; Paraganglioma* ; Ulcer