No abstract available.
Mitral Valve*

PUPOSE: Anastomosis site stricture is a common complication after a total gastrectomy. End-to-end anastomosis (EEA) stapler devices are preferred to a hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy these days. However, stapling devices have been reported not to reduce the incidence of esophagojejunostomy site stricture considerably. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From Sep. 1998 to Dec. 2000, at Korea Gastic Cancer Center, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, we experienced 228 total gastrectomies in which EEA stapling devices had been used. We investigated the correlation of the stricture with the size of the EEA stapling device, the type of esophagojejunal reconstruction, reflux esophagitis, and duration of stricture development. RESULTS: Among the 228 cases, as far as the patient's age was concerned, the 7th decade was the most common 64 cases, followed by the 5th decades. The Male-to-female ratio was 2.3 : 1. A loop esophagojejunostomy was used in 223 cases, and the Roux-en-Y method was used in 5 cases. The 32 patients with anastomosis site stricture were patients with loop esophagojejunal anastomosis. Anastomosis site stricture occurred in 14% (32/228) of the total gastrectomy cases, in15.9% (11/69) of the total gastrectomies involving stapler devices with a 25-mm diameter, and in 13.2% (21/159) of the total gastrectomies involving staper devices with a 28-mm diameter. There was no correlation between the incidence of stricture and EEA- stapling device size (P>0.05). Reflux esophagitis occurred in 56 of the 228 cases, with 7 of those 56 cases (12.5%) and 25 of the remaining 172 cases (14.5%) having strictures. There was no considerable difference in the stricture incidence rate according to the presence of reflux esophagitis (P>0.05). The onset of stricture development, occurred within 6 months in 16 cases, including 4 cases of reflux esophagitis, between 7 and 18 months in 14 cases, including 3 cases of reflux eshophagitis, and after 19 months in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: An esophagojejunostomy site stricture after a total gastrectomy was not correlated with the esophagojejunal reconstruction type, the size of the stapling device, or the presence of reflux esophagitis. General anastomosis technical factors (e.g., adequate blood supply, tension-free manner, adequate hemostasis) may be more important to prevent anastomosis site stricture after an esophagojejunostomy during a total gastrectomy.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Esophagitis, Peptic ; Gastrectomy* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Seoul

No abstract available.
Heterografts*

Background and Objectives: In recent years, brain organoid technologies have been the most innovative advance inneural differentiation research. In line with this, we optimized a method to establish cerebral organoids from feeder-free cultured human pluripotent stem cells. In this study, we focused on the consistent and robust production of cerebral organoids comprising neural progenitor cells and neurons. We propose an optimal protocol for cerebral organoid generation that is applicable to both human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells. Methods: and Results: We investigated formation of neuroepithelium, neural tube, and neural folding by observing the morphology of embryoid bodies at each stage during the cerebral organoid differentiation process. Furthermore, we characterized the cerebral organoids via immunocytochemical staining of sectioned organoid samples, which were prepared using a Cryostat and Vibratome. Finally, we established a routine method to generate early cerebral organoids comprising a cortical layer and a neural progenitor zone. Conclusions We developed an optimized methodology for the generation of cerebral organoids using hESCs and hiPSCs. Using this protocol, consistent and efficient cerebral organoids could be obtained from hiPSCs as well as hESCs. Further, the morphology of brain organoids could be analyzed through 2D monitoring via immunostaining and tissue sectioning, or through 3D monitoring by whole tissue staining after clarification.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the mitigative effect of alendronate and risedronate on osteolysis in the mouse calvarian model by using titanium (Ti) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experimental mice (male C57/BL6) are divided into three groups; control, Ti particle-treated and PMMA particle-treated group. Each Ti and PMMA particle-treated group was divided into three subgroups which received no bisphosphonates, which received alendronate, and which received risedronate. We measured number of osteoclast, area of osteolysis, bone and soft tissue thickness, ratio of bone and total tissue on mid-sagittal suture area (MSSA) and compared between two groups. RESULTS: Both alendronate and risedronate had significant inhibitory effect on Ti or PMMA particle-induced osteolysis in mouse calvarian model (p<0.05). Furthermore, bisphosphonates prevented formation of particleinduced osteolysis as RANK/Fc. Risedronate had better capability for preserving bone thickness in PMMA treated mice and also showed decreased soft tissue thickness in Ti treated mice than alendronate (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Both alendronate and risedronate may be an effective agents on mitigation of Ti and PMMA particle-induced osteolysis. However, risedronate showed better structual bone preserving capacity than alendronate in particle-treated mouse calvariae.
Alendronate ; Animals ; Diphosphonates ; Etidronic Acid ; Mice ; Osteoclasts ; Osteolysis ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Sutures ; Titanium ; Risedronate Sodium

Acute bilateral reexpansion pulmonary edema after pleurocentesis is a rare complication. In one case, bilateral reexpansion pulmonary edema after unilateral pleurocentensis in sarcoma was reported. Verious hypotheses regarding the mechanism of reexpansion pulmonary edema include increased capillary permeability due to hypoxic injury, decreased surfactant production, altered pulmonary perfusion and mechanical stretching of the membranes. Ragozzino et al suggested that the mechanism leading to unilateral reexpansion pulmonary edema involves the opposite lung when there is significant contralateral lung compression. Here we report a case of bilateral reexpansion pulmonary edema and acute respiratory distress syndrome after a unilateral pleurocentesis of a large pleural effusion with contralateral lung compression and increased interstitial lung marking underlying chronic liver disease.
Capillary Permeability ; Liver Diseases ; Lung ; Membranes ; Perfusion ; Pleural Effusion ; Pulmonary Edema* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Sarcoma

PURPOSE: To evaluate the antiadhesive effects and safety of an oxidized regenerated cellulose (Interceed) after thyroidectomy. METHODS: Seventy-six thyroidectomized patients were prospectively randomized into two groups with regard to the use of Interceed. We evaluated each group for their adhesive symptoms using four subjective and four objective items at the 2nd week, 3rd and 6th month after thyroidectomy. All patients were examined for vocal cord motility by indirect laryngoscope at each period. RESULTS: Total adhesion scores at each postoperative follow-up period decreased with time, but were not significantly different in each group. The median score for swallowing discomfort for liquid was significantly lower in the Interceed group than in the control group 2 weeks after surgery. In addition, the severity of skin adhesion to the trachea was reduced in the Interceed group compared with the control group 6 months after surgery. During the study, there were no adverse effects or significant differences in postoperative complications between the groups. CONCLUSION: Interceed appeared to be safe and effective in improving neck discomfort at early postoperative periods and preventing skin adhesion to the trachea 6 months after thyroidectomy.
Adhesives ; Cellulose ; Cellulose, Oxidized ; Deglutition ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laryngoscopes ; Neck ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; Prospective Studies ; Skin ; Thyroidectomy ; Trachea ; Vocal Cords

PURPOSE: Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is an uncommon thyroid tumor and the clinical course is variable. Many prognostic factors for MTC have been studied, but the significance of some of these factors remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prognosis of recurrent disease in patients suffering with MTC. METHODS: Fifty three patients who were operated for MTC from 1987 to 2006 in Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) was retrospectively analyzed. Their medical records were reviewed for the demographic data, the laboratory data and the clinical course, the treatment and the long-term outcome. The median duration of follow-up was 66.5 months. Forty-two patients who were operated on primarily in this hospital were analyzed for their recurrence free survival. RESULTS: The mean age atdiagnosis was 41.8 years. There were 28 femaleand 25 male patients. Eleven patients (22.9%) had multifocal disease. There were 32 sporadic MTC patients, 15 MEN2A patients, 3 familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC) patients and 1 MEN 2B patient. The 10- and 15-year overall survival rates were 91.9% and 76.5%, respectively; the 5- and 10-year recurrence-free survival rates were 70.6% and 45.5%, respectively. By univariate statistical analysis, the stage (stage I/II vs. III/IV, P=0.025), extrathyroidal extension (P=0.039), cervical lymph node metastasis (P=0.044), and the postoperative calcitonin level (≥25 pg/ml) (P=0.003) were the significant factors that influenced recurrence. CONCLUSION: The overall prognosis of MTC is favorable. The significantfactors for a poor prognosis were the presence of lymph node metastasis, TNM stage III and IV, positive extrathyroidal extension at the first diagnosis and a high postoperative calcitonin level.
Calcitonin ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Medical Records ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2a ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2b ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence* ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Survival Rate ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

Eosinophilic pleural effusions (EPE) are defined as those effusions that contain at least 10% eosinophils, and EPE can be associated with peripheral blood eosinophilia in a variety of systemic diseases. There have been a few cases that have addressed the association of peripheral blood eosinophilia and posttraumatic EPE, and this condition can be misdiagnosed as being the result of other causes due to the delayed presentation. We report here on a case of 47-year-old male who presented with eosinophilic pleural effusion associated with peripheral blood eosinophilia at 2 months after minor chest trauma. We excluded the other possible causes such as consumption of drugs, parasite infection, malignancy, diseases of pulmonary eosinophilic infiltration, autoimmune diseases and pulmonary thromboembolism. We observed his clinical course without specific treatment. Three months later, the pleural effusion completely disappeared and the number of peripheral eosinophils returned to normal.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parasites ; Pleural Effusion ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Thorax

Scleroderma is a connective tissue disorder characterized by fibrosis of the skin, vessels and internal organs (gastrointestinal tract, lung, heart, and kidney etc.). Renal involvement in scleroderma has a clinical manifestation from subnephrotic proteinuria to renal crisis accompanied by hypertension, and shows a typical histology of intimal proliferation and fibrinoid necrosis of blood vessel without primary glomerular pathology. We experienced a case of nephrotic syndrome in a 31-old-female patient with sclerodema. But the patient has not showed a clinical feuture of hypertension or renal crisis, moreover, renal biopsy of the patient showed global sclerosis and crescent formation in the glomeruli without vessel involvement. We report this case with a brief review of literature.
Biopsy ; Blood Vessels ; Connective Tissue ; Fibrosis ; Glomerulonephritis ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney ; Lung ; Necrosis ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Pathology ; Proteinuria ; Sclerosis ; Skin