PURPOSE: Frequency of combined CBD stones on cholelithiasis has been known to range 5~20% in several reports, and diagnostic tools are USG, MDCT, MRCP and ERCP. Predictive factors of CBD stone for cholelithiasis were diameter of CBD, elevated liver enzyme, multiple small sized GB stones and concurrent pancreatitis. However, unsuspected CBD stone for acute cholecystitis is troublesome for patients and surgeons. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed Percutaneous gallbladder drainage (PGBD) for acute complicated cholecystitis from October 1996 to October 2006. Indications for PGBD are clinical symptoms (sepsis) & signs of peritonitis and radiologic findings such as GB empyema, gangrenous cholecystitis and pericholecystic fluid collection. Total laparoscopic cholecystectomy was 1,357 cases, and PGBD for acute complicated cholecystitis was 13.8%. RESULTS: Combined CBD stone rate was 13.6%. Whereas, unsuspected CBD stone was 0.5% (9 cases), 7 in calculous and 2 in acalculous cholecystitis. No. of stone was 1 in 7 cases, 2 in 1 case and 3 in 1 case. Size of stone was less than 5 mm in all cases. Diameter of CBD was not increased in all cases (less than 1 cm) and liver enzymes showed no elevation in all cases. Management for unsuspected CBD stone was preoperative endoscopic lithotripsy in 8 cases and postoperative fluoroscopic lithotripsy in 1 case. CONCLUSION: Cholecystography following PGBD for acute complicated cholecystitis is a useful diagnostic modality for detection of unsuspected CBD stone.
Acalculous Cholecystitis ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Cholecystography ; Cholelithiasis ; Drainage ; Empyema ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Liver ; Pancreatitis ; Peritonitis ; Retrospective Studies

We experienced a case of lumbar epidural lipomatosis patient who had been treated with several epidural steroid injection for the management of lower back pain. This 67-years-old man, complained of lower back pain and radiating paresthetic pain to the dorsum of left foot. Epidural lipomatosis is a rare condition of focal or multiple deposition of excessive adipose tissue in epidural space. Since excessive deposited adipose tissue compresses the spinal cord or spinal root, patients complaint the atypical low back pain and low extremity radiculopathy which mimics the symptoms of spinal stenosis or herniated nucleus pulposus. In managing of lower back pain patient, especially who had been treated with steroid previously, we should consider that epidural lipomatois would be one of the cause.
Adipose Tissue ; Epidural Space ; Extremities ; Foot ; Humans ; Lipomatosis* ; Low Back Pain* ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; Spinal Stenosis

Mirizzi syndrome is a rare complication, resulting in bile duct obstruction and jaundice that usually arise from impacted gallstone in the cystic duct or neck of the gallbladder. It is vitally important to confirm underlying cystic duct anomaly in Mirizzi syndrome since it can produce surgical difficulty and higher complications. Generally, Mirizzi syndrome is treated surgically while endoscopic treatment is limited. Herein, we present Mirizzi syndrome with low lying cystic duct and remnant cyst duct calculi treated successfully by biliary stent and administration of choleretic agent, following by balloon dilatation on cystic duct and balloon extraction of the stone.
Calculi ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis ; Cholestasis ; Cystic Duct* ; Deception* ; Dilatation ; Gallbladder ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Mirizzi Syndrome* ; Neck ; Stents

Mirizzi syndrome is a rare complication, resulting in bile duct obstruction and jaundice that usually arise from impacted gallstone in the cystic duct or neck of the gallbladder. It is vitally important to confirm underlying cystic duct anomaly in Mirizzi syndrome since it can produce surgical difficulty and higher complications. Generally, Mirizzi syndrome is treated surgically while endoscopic treatment is limited. Herein, we present Mirizzi syndrome with low lying cystic duct and remnant cyst duct calculi treated successfully by biliary stent and administration of choleretic agent, following by balloon dilatation on cystic duct and balloon extraction of the stone.
Calculi ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis ; Cholestasis ; Cystic Duct* ; Deception* ; Dilatation ; Gallbladder ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Mirizzi Syndrome* ; Neck ; Stents

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide and in Korea, and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most deadly tumor type in the different lung cancer histology. Chemotherapy is the main strategy of the treatment for SCLC, and etoposide and platinum regimen has been the only standard chemotherapy for about 30 years. To test feasibility of weekly divided dose irinotecan and carboplatin for Korean patients is the aim of this study. METHODS: Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed extensive stage SCLC were included. Patients with limited stage (LD), who could not tolerate concurrent chemoradiotherapy were also included. All the patients received irinotecan 60 mg/m2, carboplatin 2 area under the curve at day 1, 8, and 15 every 4 weeks. Study regimen was discontinued when the disease progressed or intolerable side effects occurred. No more than 6 cycles of chemotherapy were given. RESULTS: Total 47 patients were enrolled, among them 9 patients were LD. Overall response rate was 74.5% (complete response, 14.9%; partial response, 59.6%). Side effects greater than grade 3 were neutropenia (25.5%), fatigue (12.8%), thrombocytopenia (8.5%), sepsis (4.3%), and pancytopenia (2.1%). There was no treatment related death. CONCLUSION: Weekly divided irinotecan and carboplatin regimen is effective, and safe as a first line therapy for both stage of SCLC. Large scaled, controlled study is feasible.
Carboplatin* ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy ; Etoposide ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neutropenia ; Pancytopenia ; Platinum ; Sepsis ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma* ; Thrombocytopenia

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Little information is available on whether the speed of eating differs between individuals with and without dyspepsia, mainly because controlled studies are usually not feasible. METHODS: A survey was applied to 89 individuals with relatively controlled eating patterns, using questionnaires that assessed eating time and functional dyspepsia (FD) based on the Rome III criteria. RESULTS: The prevalence of FD was 12% (11 of 89 participants), and 7% (6 of 89) were diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The proportion of individuals reporting that they ate their meals rapidly was higher for those with FD than for those without FD or GERD (control) (46% vs 17%, p=0.043), as was the reported eating speed (7.1+/-1.5 vs 5.8+/-2.0 [mean+/-SD], p=0.045; visual analog scale on which a higher score indicated faster eating). However, the measured eating time did not differ significantly between FD and controls (11.0+/-2.8 vs 12.8+/-3.3 minutes, p=0.098). The proportion of individuals who ate their meals within 13 minutes was significantly higher for those with FD than for controls (91% vs 51%, p=0.020). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that eating speed affects dyspepsia. Further studies are warranted.
Dyspepsia ; Eating ; Female ; Food Habits ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Meals ; Prevalence ; Rome ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) involves the resection of the nipple-areolar complex (NAC) along with the breast parenchyma, and this improves aesthetic outcome for breast cancer patients. Yet most patients desire preservation of the NAC. The purpose of this study was to determine the associated risk factors of NAC involvement and to identify the value of preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for measuring the tumor-nipple distance (TND). METHODS: This prospective study was carried out in 92 breast cancer (3 patients with bilateral breast cancer) patients who underwent MRI and they had undergone modified radical mastectomy or SSM at the Department of Surgery in Soonchunhyang University Hospital from November of 2003 to March of 2006. The patients were divided into two groups: nipple-positive for malignancy (group 1; n=9) and nipple-negative for malignancy (group 2; n=86). We analyzed the risk factors of NAC involvement, including tumor size, nuclear grade, lymph node invasion, muticentricity, TND, the hormone recepor status, and lymphovascular invasion. The TND was measured by preoperative breast MRI (the imaging distance) in all patients and by the distance of specimens which were obtained postoperatively (the real distance) in 31 patients. RESULTS: The overall frequency of malignant nipple involvement was 9 of 95 (9.4%). There were no differences in tumor size, nuclear grade, lymph node invasion, muticentricity, the hormone recepor status and lymphovascular invasion between the two groups. The TND was identified as an independent predictor of malignant NAC involvement: the mean TND by breast MRI was 0.7 cm in group 1 and 2.7 cm in group 2 (p=0.01) the mean TND by pathologic measuring the specimen was 0.7 cm in group 1 and 3.2 cm in group 2 (p=0.02). In all the nipple involved cases, the tumor was within 2 cm of the nipple. In measuring the TND, there was no significant difference between the imaging distance of MRI and real distance of the sepcimen (p=0.166). CONCLUSION: The only predictive factor for malignant NAC invasion was TND in our study. NAC preservation would be appropriate for the patients with tumor located more than 2 cm away from the nipple. The TND as determined by preoperative MRI is considered to be helpful when deciding whether to preserve the NAC.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mastectomy ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Nipples* ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), the major steroidal product of the human adrenal, is abnormally low in patients with SLE. Moreover, a recent study confirms a positive effect of the precursor DHEA on the disease course in SLE, which supports an etiologically important role of the hormone on SLE. The aim of this study is to search for an interrelation between clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and disease activities and DHEAS in patients with SLE. METHOD: DHEAS were measured by radioimmunoassay kit using 125I-labeled DHEA-SO4 antibody-coated tube in the serum of 48 patients with SLE and in 46 control subjects. Laboratory findings, clinical symptoms, signs and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) in SLE patients were evaluated at blood sampling time. RESULTS: DHEAS was lower in patients with SLE compared to controls (45.60+/-42.62 mug/dL vs 101.55+/-56.54 mug/dL, p<0.005). The serum DHEAS levels were significantly negative correlation with SLEDAI (r=-0.333, p<0.05). There were significantly negative correlations between daily steroid dose and DHEAS (r=-0.384, p=0.012), and the amount of steroid used during previous 2 months and DHEAS (r=-0.011, p=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SLE have low levels of DHEAS and significant negative correlation between SLEDAI, steroid dose and DHEAS.
Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Radioimmunoassay

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study is to evaluate the differences of the rate and the ratio of heart rate changes, which is well known to reflect the vagal reactivation, after peak exercise between ischemic heart disease and normal during treadmill exercise test. Additionally R-wave amplitude changes are evaluated to have the discriminal power between ischemic heart disease and normal. METHODS: We have studied 253 human (196 control, 57 patients) who took the symptom-limited exercise test using Marquette case 8000 model. The 57 patients who showed the positive result by exercise test have confirmed by coronary angiography. The rate of heart rate changes was defined as the absolute difference of the heart rate subtracted by the just-previous stage heart rate. The ratio of heart rate changes was defined as the percentile of the rate of heart rate changes comparing to the just-previous stage heart rate. The changes of R-wave amplitude at lead V5 and aVF were obtained by the subtraction of R-wave amplitude at the peak exercise stage from that at the standing rest stage respectively. Additively heart rate recovery was defined as the rate of heart rate change which was obtained at 1 minute later after peak exercise. RESULTS: In patients and control, the resting heart rate were 70 +/- 13 bpm and 69 +/- 11 bpm (p>0.05), and the peak heart rate were 136 +/- 22 bpm and 155 +/- 18 bpm respectively (p<0.001). The rate of heart rate changes in patients group were significantly lower than that in control at 1 minute, 3 minute, and 5 minute respectively (p<0.001, p=0.008, p=0.002). The ratio of heart rate changes in patients group were also significantly lower than that in control at 1 minute, 3 minute, and 5 minute respectively (p=0.017, p=0.027, p=0.002). With comparing both groups, the incidences of ventricular ectopy were not different during exercise and recovery stages, and the difference in the changes of R-wave amplitude at lead V5 and aVF were not observed respectively. CONCLUSION: The rate and ratio of heart rate changes are significantly lower in iscemic heart disease than in normal, and these are resulted from the depression of vagal reactivation. These findings are supplemental to make a diagnosis and a arrhythmic risk stratification of ischemic heart disease.
Coronary Angiography ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Exercise Test ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myocardial Ischemia*

PURPOSE : To investigate the feasibility of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) as a method of boost radiotherapy following the initial irradiation by the conventional anterior / posterior opposed beams for centrally located non-small-cell lung cancer through the evaluation of dose distributions according to the various boost methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS : Seven patients with T3 or T4 lung cancer and mediastinal node enlargement who previously received radiotherapy were studied. All patients underwent virtual simulation retrospectively with the previous treatment planning CTs. Initial radiotherapy plans were designed to deliver 40 Gy to the primary tumor and involved nodal regions with the conventional anterior / posterior opposed beams. Two radiation dose levels, 24 and 30 Gy, were used for the boost radiotherapy plans, and 4 different boost methods (a three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), 5, 7, and 9-beams IMRT) were applied to each dose level. The goals of the boost plans were to deliver the prescribed radiation dose to 95% of the planning target volume (PTV) and minimize the volumes of the normal lungs and spinal cord irradiated above their tolerance doses. Dose distributions in the PTVs and lungs, according to the four types of boost plans, were compared in the boost and sum plans, respectively. RESULTS : The percentage of lung volumes irradiated >20 Gy (V20) were reduced significantly in the IMRT boost plans compared with the 3DCRT boost plans at the 24 and 30 Gy dose levels (p=0.007 and 0.031 respectively). Mean lung doses according to the boost methods were not different in the 24 and 30 Gy boost plans. The conformity indexes (CI) of the IMRT boost plans were lower than those of the 3DCRT plans in the 24 and 30 Gy plans (p=0.001 in both). For the sum plans, there was no difference of the dose distributions in the PTVs and lungs according to the boost methods. CONCLUSION : In the boost plans the V20s and CIs were reduced significantly by the IMRT plans, but in the sum plans the effects of IMRT to the dose distributions in the tumor and lungs, like CI and V20, were offset. Therefore, in order to keep the beneficial effect of IMRT in radiotherapy for lung cancer, it would be better to use IMRT as a whole treatment plan rather than as a boost treatment
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord