PURPOSE: To determine the reliability of sonourethrog raphy (SUG) in the evaluation of male anterior urethral strictures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Both SUG with retrograde saline infusion and retrograde urethrography (RUG) were performed in 5 young normal volunteers and 20 patients with symptoms of impaired urine flow. Those findings were compared with urethroscopic and operative findings in all patients. RESULTS: SUG was more accurate in the evaluation of the stricture length and degree than RUG in 7 patients with anterior urethral strictures, when compared with their subsequent open urethroplasty findings. Only SUG could classify the degree of spongiofibrosis surrounding the strictures in 15 patients. So, SUG was diagnostically as efficacious as or, superior to, RUG in all 20 patients. CONCLUSION: SUG can be used as one of complementary and reliable tools for diagnosis, evaluation and follow-up of anterior urethral strictures.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Urethral Stricture*

The positive binding activity of lectin, peanut agglutinin (PNA), against the mucinous malignancies of the ovary was studied in order to clarify biologic differences among those lesions using immunoperoxidase method (ABC). A total of 23 cases were included in this study and they were classified as 10 cases of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, 9 mucinous tumors of borderline malignancy and 4 pseudomyxoma peritonei, histologically. Nine of 10 cystadenocarcinomas and all cases of pseuomyxoma peritonei showed more than moderate degree of positive binding activity (>2+) with PNA in the neoplastic epithelial cells. In the cases of borderline malignancy, only 3 of 9 revealed as much similar binding pattern with PNA as cystadenocarcinoma group, in contrast, minimal degree of positivity (1+) was noted in the remainder. These findings may suggest heterogeneity in the biochemical characteristics among the cases of borderline lesion. And it is proposed that the higher PNA binding cases in ovarian mucinous borderline malignancy require extensive sampling by multiple sections and further careful follow-up study.
Follow-Up Studies

We report an autopsy of a male fetus that showed multiple congenital anomalies that could best be designated as Meckel-Gruber syndrome. The fetus was born dead at the gestational age of 38 weeks. His parents denied any history of congenital malformation. And the parity of the mother was 0-0-0-0, but she had the past history of receiving herb medication for common cold. The congenital anomalies found in this case consited of occipital meningoencephalocele, midline cleft palate, bifid epiglottis, hepatic fibrosis, choledochal cyst, bilateral polycystic kidneys, postaxial polydactyly of both hands and feet, aplasia of the left testis, secundum type atrial septal defect and patent ductus arterious. This malformation syndrome is rare and lethal. The prenatal diagnosis should be made by ultrasound study or analysis of the amniotic fluid for alpha-feto protein during intrauterine period. The kidneys showed Potter type III cystic change and there was a characteristic hepatic fibrosis.
Male ; Humans

No abstract available.

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease with an acute evolution of inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. Although the precise immune mechanisms and involved antigens are uncertain, both humoral and cellular immune mechanisms are thought to be involved. Interactions between the various compartments of the immune system are governed by cytokines. Laboratory investigations have shown that immune activation can be quantified by measurement of cytokines and soluble immune activation products in serum. Interleukin-2(IL-2) is probably the best characterized among the many cytokines and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and neopterin are major immune activation products. In order to observe activities of cellular immunity of GBS, we measured serum concentrations of IL-2, sIL-2R and neopterin in 28 patients with GBS and in 22 healthy controls. Serial serum samples were drawn 2 to 25 days after motor onset of the disease, 2 to 3 days after treatment with plasmapheresis and 43-300days of follow-up. The occurences of IL-2 positive serum samples were 41.7%, 23.8% and 18.2% in each time in GBS but none in healthy controls. Initial serum sIL-2R and neopterin level were elevated in 21% and 17% of patients with GBS compared with healthy controls. After plasmapheresis, both serum sIL-2R and neopterin level were significantly elevated in GBS compared with initial serum samples and healthy controls. Thus, T-cell and macrophage activation may play a role in the pathogenesis of GBS. However, further study is needed to evaluate the effect of plasmapheresis and clinical severity on the serum concentration of IL-2, sIL-2R and neopterin in GBS.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Cytokines ; Follow-Up Studies ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome* ; Humans ; Immune System ; Immunity, Cellular ; Interleukin-2* ; Macrophage Activation ; Neopterin* ; Plasmapheresis ; Polyradiculoneuropathy ; Receptors, Interleukin-2* ; T-Lymphocytes

No abstract available.
China* ; Depression* ; Republic of Korea*

No abstract available.

We observed the effect of application of n-PTFE on mandibular bone defects in the rabbit. GTR is based on the hypothesis that during wound healing, non-osteogenic cells are mechanically blocked from entering a bone defect. This allows the slower-migrating mesenchymal cells from the surrounding bone and marrow, having osteogenic potential, to move the defect site. Bilateral through & through defects, 8mmx4mm in size, involving the inferior border of mandible, were created in the mandible angle of 15 rats. The experimental side was applied with high-density n-PTFE membrane, with the opposite side serving as a control. In the first week of the early experimental period, the bone defects of experimental groups were filled with highly vascularized fibrous connective tissue showing prominent osteoblastic activity with osteoid formation, whereas the defects of control were replaced by dense fibro-muscular tissue without osteoblastlf activity. After 3 weeks, the experimental group revealed well formed bone trabeculae and fibro-vascular marrow within surrounding membrane. With time the amount of new bone was decreased with increase of hematopoietic marrow, and the cortical plate composed of dense mature bone was more thicker. In the whole experimental periods, the inflammation and foreign body reaction were not found around the inserted n-PTFE membrane. After removal of membrane there was marked remodeling of newly formed bone by active osteoclasts in periosteal soft tissue, which decreased the bone volume apparently. These findings suggest that n-PTFE has biocompatibility, flexibility, and rigidity and offer rapid bone regeneration within limited area by the membrane. On the other hand, the early removal of membrane caused reduction of bone volume by the osteoclastic resorption. Thus, the time of removal may be more important factor for maintenance of regenerated bone volume.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Regeneration ; Connective Tissue ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Hand ; Inflammation ; Mandible ; Membranes ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoclasts ; Pliability ; Rabbits* ; Rats ; Wound Healing

A 12-year-old boy developed cholestatic hepatitis with Steven-Johnson syndrome following the use of amoxicillin. The skin lesion and general condition were improved over 2 weeks, but jaundice was gradually aggrevated. We performed liver biopsy, on 30th hospital day, which showed cholestatic hepatitis. The patient improved gradually and liver function was normalized 5 months later.
Amoxicillin ; Biopsy ; Child ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Liver ; Male ; Skin

Seven cases of retroperitoneal laparoscopic lumbar sympathectomy were successfully performed in 10 patients with ischemic lesions of lower limbs or ischemic rest pain between June, 1996 and October, 1996. All patients had nonreconstructable distal vessels on femoral angiogram. Our techniques of retroperitoneal laparoscopic lumbar sympathectomy is described in detail. Procedure offers the advantage of minimally invasive surgery and can be performed more efficiently as the experience of the surgeon accumulates.
Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Sympathectomy*