PURPOSE: This prospective study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of preoperative radioimmu-noscintigraphy and intraoperative scintimetric examination (radioimmunoguided surgery: RIGS) using (99m)Tc-anti-CEA F(ab')(2), fragment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients with rectal cancer underwent preoperative whole body planar scintigraphy at 4 hours after injection of (99m)Tc-anti-CEA F(ab')(2), fragment and SPECT imaging at 18 hours. Surgical operation was performed at 24 hours after injection. During laparotomy, radioactivities from intraabdominal viscera were measured by gamma probe. The radioac-tivities from excised tumor and lymph nodes were also measured and compared with pathology. RESULTS: All nineteen patients were confirmed to have adenocarcinomas in the rectum. Twenty-seven of 97 excised lymph node groups had metastasis and 2 patients had liver metastasis in pathology. Preoperative radioim- munoscintigraphy detected primary tumors in 11 patients (sensitivity 55%) and it couId not detect any lymph nodes or liver metastasis. All patients showed high radioactivity in the kidneys, liver, spleen, and major vessels in intraoperative measurement by gamma probe, and tumor activity was not discriminated from background activity. However, ra4ioactivity from excised tumor was higher than normal rectum (T/B ratio; 3.47+/-2.25). When excised lymph node activity/background activity ratio > 1,5 was considered as positive criteria of metastasis, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 78.6%, 73.9%, 55.0% and 89.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Radioimmunoscintigraphy using (99m)Tc-anti-CEA F(ab')(2). has no additional value for preoperative staging and use of early RIGS using (99m)Tc-anti-CEA F(ab')(2)is inappropriate. For early RIGS using (99m)Tc labeled antibodies in rectal cancer patients, further development of more specific antibodies and methods to reduce background activity are needed.
Adenocarcinoma ; Antibodies ; Humans ; Kidney ; Laparotomy ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pathology ; Pilot Projects* ; Prospective Studies ; Radioactivity ; Radioimmunodetection* ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Rectum ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spleen ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Viscera

Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is an unusual form of spinal infection. Performing multilevel laminectomies is controversial in cases of extensive SEA considering the long surgical time and mechanical instability. Here, we report the case of an older woman with extensive SEA and poor general condition who was successfully treated with a less invasive treatment, namely skipped laminotomy using a pediatric feeding tube. A 79-year-old woman complained of progressive weakness in both legs, fever, and back pain. An extensive epidural abscess from the T3 to L5 vertebrae was observed on thoracic and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We performed skipped laminotomy at the T8 and T12 levels, and a 5-Fr pediatric feeding tube was advanced from the caudal level toward the rostral area and rostral level toward caudal level into the dorsal epidural space. Subsequently, regurgitation was performed with saline through the pediatric feeding tube at each level. Following this, to further irrigate the unexposed epidural abscess through laminotomy, the epidural space was washed by continuous irrigation, and the irrigation system was maintained for 48 hours.Follow-up MRI performed 3 weeks after the procedure confirmed near complete removal of the abscess in the thoracic spine, with a small residual abscess in the lumbar spine.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Cycle ; Classification ; Cyclin D1 ; Cyclins ; Genes, p53 ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Molecular Biology ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Neck ; Oncogenes ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical results of single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using the conventional transtibial technique and the anatomical outside-in technique for femoral tunneling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2007 to 2011, 89 patients who received ACL reconstruction were followed for > or =1 year were enrolled in the study. The conventional transtibial technique was used in 41 patients and the outside-in technique, in 48 patients. Femoral tunnel angle measurement and three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) were used for radiologic assessment of the location of femoral tunnel and Lysholm score and other tests were used for clinical assessment. RESULTS: Both techniques did not reveal statistical differences in the clinical assessment. However, in International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee evaluation, the sum of two questionnaire items regarding instability showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.01). In the pivot shift test, the anatomical outside-in technique showed outstanding rotational stability over the transtibial technique (p=0.04). The mean femoral tunnel inclination in coronal plane were 69.2degrees and 30.3degrees, respectively, for both techniques, and 21.6degrees and 50.8degrees, respectively in sagittal plane, showing statistically significant differences on simple radiography (p=0.04, 0.05). A 3D CT was performed in 17 patients with the conventional transtibial technique and 25 patients with the outside-in technique. Coefficients of variation were 0.33 and 0.13, respectively, from dorsal border of the condyle and 0.67 and 0.24, respectively, from the roof of intercondylar notch. CONCLUSIONS: Femoral tunnels created with the outside-in technique have superior knee joint rotational stability compare to the transtibial technique. Therefore, the outside-in technique could be considered as a valuable technique in single-bundle ACL reconstruction.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction ; Humans ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether the enuresis subtype, on the basis of nocturnal hypercalciuria, can be generally accepted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since 2003, 58 children visited our clinic for nocturnal enuresis, and were enrolled in this study. Patients were followed to evaluate the treatment response after three months medical treatment. Patients were divided into 3 groups; group 1 had nocturnal polyuria, group 2 had non-nocturnal polyuria and group 3 did not have nocturnal enuresis. The urine creatinine, osmolarity and calcium were measured in urine obtained both during the day and night. Hypercalciuria was defined as a urinary calcium to urinary creatinine ratio greater than 0.20. The treatment response was measured as a full, partial or non-response in the nocturnal hypercalciuria and non-nocturnal hypercalciuric groups. Statistical evaluation was performed using Pearson correlation, chi-squared, Student's t-test (paired) and ANOVA tests. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the calciuria to urinary creatinine ratios between the groups in the urine obtained during the night. There were no significant differences in urinary Ca/kg/12 hours between the groups, with the exception of a significant increase at night in group 1. There were no statistically significant correlations between nocturnal polyuria and nocturnal calciuria between the three groups. During the 3 months after medical therapy, there were no significant differences in the response rates between the nocturnal hyperclaciuria and non-nocturnal hypercalciuria groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, no evidence could be for hypercalciuria affecting nocturnal polyuria, including the treatment response results. Therefore, as the first diagnostic method of enuresis, the hypercalciuria measurement can not be recommended. Further study is necessary to classify the enuresis subtype on the basis of nocturnal hypercalciuria.
Calcium ; Child ; Creatinine ; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin ; Enuresis* ; Humans ; Hypercalciuria* ; Nocturnal Enuresis ; Osmolar Concentration ; Polyuria ; Prospective Studies*

BACKGROUND: Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug widely used as adjuvants for postoperative pain management with opioid sparing effect. The effect of diclofenac on postoperative opioid analgesia of morphine and meperidine was evaluated in 180 women after cesarean section. METHODS: One hundred eighty parturients were randomly allocated to four groups and each group had 45 women. The parturients were given loading dose of morphine in M group and meperidine in D group using intravenous patient controlled analgesia (PCA) device for up to 48 hours when the parturients awoke and complained abdominal pain. The parturients received diclofenac 75 mg every 12 hours intramuscularly followed by loading dose of morphine in MV group and meperidine in DV group. We evaluated the postoperative opioid requirement, numerical rating pain score, delivery/demand ratio, patient's satisfaction and side effects including respiratory depression, itching, nausea, urinary retention and dizziness. RESULTS: Diclofenac decreased over 40% of morphine or meperidine requirement and also pain score at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours in the use of PCA morphine and at 6, 12 and 24 hours in the use of PCA meperidine. And the incidence of sedation and itching decreased in MV and DV group. CONCLUSION: We concluded that diclofenac as adjuvant of opioid for postoperative pain after cesarean section could decrease requirement of morphine and meperidine, increase pain relief and decrease sedation and itching.
Abdominal Pain ; Analgesia ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Cesarean Section* ; Diclofenac* ; Dizziness ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Meperidine* ; Morphine* ; Nausea ; Pain, Postoperative ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis* ; Pregnancy ; Pruritus ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Urinary Retention

A renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus extension into the inferior vena cava occurs in approximately 5 percent of cases. Despite invasion of the inferior vena cava, an aggressive surgical approach for these neoplasms is recommended, but pulmonary and tumor embolisms have been common complications. Therefore, the prevention of tumor emboli during operation is necessary. Placement of a suprarenal filter in the inferior vena cava has become the procedure of choice for preventing tumor emboli during a radical nephrectomy.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Nephrectomy* ; Thrombosis ; Vena Cava Filters ; Vena Cava, Inferior*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The spinal accessory nerve dysfunction is a serious sequela following selective neck dissections despite preservation of the spinal accessory nerve. The incidence of this complication is known to be 20%-30% and the primary cause of nerve dysfunction is known as significant traction during resection of level IIb lymph node group. To try to answer whether level IIb could be preserved, we evaluated the incidence of metastasis to level IIb lymph node from various types of the head and neck cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients who underwent surgery for their head and neck cancer as an initial treatment from February 1999 to July 2000 were prospectively evaluated. Histopathological evaluations for 106 neck dissection specimens were performed in 60 patients with the head and neck cancer. RESULTS: A total of 7 patients (11.7%) had metastasis to level IIb lymph node. All but one case had ipsilateral level IIb metastasis. All seven cases had multiple lymph node metastases to other levels, including level I, IIa, III, IV, or V. Occult metastasis to level IIb was noted in one case of 25 clinically proven N0 head and neck cancer patients (4%). Primary sites and pathologies with level IIb metastasis were varied, including such sites as upper eyelid, parotid gland, or thyroid gland. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary report reveals low incidence of level IIb metastasis in some of clinically proven N0 head and neck cancer. Contralateral level IIb lymph node could be preserved in clinically proven N0 heasd and neck cases. Multiple lymph node metastases increase the probability of metastasis to level IIb. Level IIb resection is necessary in clinically proven N+ cases with multiple nodes or multiple levels of metastases. Also, Level IIb metastasis may tend to increase in some of the primary sites, which drain into the jugular chain via level IIb lymph node.
Accessory Nerve ; Eyelids ; Head and Neck Neoplasms* ; Head* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes* ; Neck ; Neck Dissection ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Parotid Gland ; Pathology ; Prospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland ; Traction

BACKGROUND: Compared with common well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas, the genetic alterations underlying the development and progression of anaplastic thyroid carcinomas(ATC) are still uncharacterized. Comparative genomic hybridization(CGH) is a cytogenetic technique that can identify gains and losses in the DNA sequence copy number in tumors. METHODS: The authors studied the changes in the DNA copy number due to CGH in paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 17 ATC cases, and tried to ascertain whether the genomic changes correlate with the clinicopathological parameters including patients' age, sex, primary tumor size, lymphovascular invasion, extrathyroid extension, regional node metastasis and immunohistochemical expression of cyclin D1. RESULTS: Fourteen of the 17 samples(82.4%) showed chromosomal changes, with a mean number of gains or losses per carcinoma of 3.6(range 2~6; 30 gains and 21 losses). The most frequently detected imbalance was the gain of chromosome 1q, which was seen in 35.7% of cases, particularly commonly in ATC associated with a papillary thyroid carcinoma. Other commonly occurring gains were present in 11q13 and 19(28.6%, respectively). Genomic amplification was detected in all four cases showing the 11q13 gain. Genomic losses were commonly noted in 3q, 6q, 18q andchi(21.4%, respectively). When numerical CGH alterations were compared to the clinicopathological parameters, there were no significant correlations(P>0.05). Cyclin D1 expression was noted in sixteen of the 17 cases(94.1%), but the extent of cyclin D1 expression was not correlated with the numerical CGH alterations(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Taken together, the aberrations of 1q, 3q, 6q, 11q13 and 18q are relatively common in ATC, and may play an important role it developement. These findings should lead to the characterization of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes that are potentially involved in the carcinogenesis of ATC. The amplification of 11q13 is characteristically found, but cyclin D1 in this region may be innocent of the aggressiveness of these carcinomas.
Base Sequence ; Carcinogenesis ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization* ; Cyclin D1 ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; DNA ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: The incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) arising from the isthmus is low; however, these tumors have aggressive clinical and pathological features. Moreover, the existing guidelines regarding the extent of surgery for this type of tumor are unclear. METHODS: This study enrolled 282 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with bilateral central lymph node dissection. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on the location of the median line of the PTC. Group I included patients in whom the median line was located between the lateral margins of the trachea; group II included all others. We compared the 2 groups and conducted a multivariate analysis to assess risk factors for contralateral node metastasis from a PTC arising from the isthmus. RESULTS: Patients in group I had significantly higher frequencies of extrathyroidal extension and central lymph node metastasis. Group I also had a higher frequency of contralateral node metastasis, and a tumor size >1.0 cm was identified as an independent risk factor for contralateral node metastasis among patients in this group. CONCLUSION: Bilateral central lymph node dissection could be considered for patients with isthmic PTCs >1.0 cm in size who have clinically suspicious node metastasis.
Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Node Excision* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Risk Factors ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroidectomy ; Trachea