No abstract available.
Free Tissue Flaps ; Scalp ; Thigh

The molecular mechanisms of the carcinogenic process of gastric cancer have not been fully understood yet. In order to know whether c-Ha-ras gene is being involved in the process of gastric carcinogenesis, 8 gastric cancer cell lines, 8 cases of gastric cancer and same number of adjacent dysplasia were analyzed for the presence of mutation at codon 12, 13 and 61 of the c-Ha-ras gene by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and mutant-specific oligonucleotide hybridization. Point mutations at codon 12 of the c-Ha-ras gene were found in 2 out of 8 gastric cancer and dysplasia samples in one case, but we found no mutation at codon 13 or 61 of the c-Ha-ras gene. These results suggest that the frequency of mutation of the c-Ha-ras gene detected by sensitive PCR technique is low indeed, however it would be notable that such a genetic change has been detected in the dysplastic lesion of the gastric cancer patient.
Base Sequence ; *Codon ; *Genes, ras ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; *Mutation ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stomach Neoplasms/*genetics

Calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT) is a rarely reported benign tumor, accounting for 0.4-3% of all odontogenic tumors. Approximately 150 cases have been reported in the literature between 1958 and 2003. The age range of CEOT varies from 8 to 92 years with mean of 36.9 years, and the occurrence of the lesion in both genders is almost equal. It has 2 clinico-topographic variants: the intraosseous (94%) and the extraosseous (6%) type. The intraosseous type has a predilection for mandible (maxilla : mandible ratio of 1 : 2). The intraosseous CEOT commonly associated with non-erupted teeth accounts for more than half (52%) of the cases and usually appears as painless swelling that causes bony expansion. The location of diffused round-shaped calcifying material is inside the connective tissue stroma and epithelial islands. The tumors tend to be located toward the tooth crown, which usually has a unilocular radiolucent region containing variant radiopaque materials radiologically. In this paper, we report a case of CEOT occurring in the left mandibular first premolar of a 23-year-old female and present a brief review of the literature.
Accounting ; Bicuspid ; Connective Tissue ; Female ; Humans ; Islands ; Mandible ; Odontogenic Tumors ; Skin Neoplasms ; Tooth ; Tooth Crown ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Cardiac myxoma is uncommon, even though accounts for 50% of primary cardiac tumor, histologically benign disease but may be lethal because of its strategic position. It has diverse clinical manifestations mimicking various diseases, which can be described under the three headings: constitutional, obstructive and embolic and the diagnosis can be easily missed unless clinician has high index of suspicion. A correct diagnosis is made before operation with the development of echocardiography. We reviewed our clinical experience in diagnosis and management of 21 cases of myxomas from 1985 to 2000. METHODS: There were 4 males (19%) and 17 females (81%). Their ages ranged from 17 to 66 years (mean 42.2 years). All the patient's medical records on their clinical features, laboratory findings, chest X-rays, electrocardiograms, echocardiographic findings, operative findings and postoperative follow-up were reviewed. RESULTS: Seventeen cases (81%) of the myxomas originated in left atrium and four (19%) in right atrium. Most common symptom was that of intracardiac obstruction such as dyspnea or dyspnea on exertion (62%). Fatigue which accounted for most of the constitutional symptom found in 38% of the 21 patients while embolism accounted for 38%. In all patients, echocardiography was used for diagnosis and the diagnostic accuracy of echocardiography was 100%. All patients received surgical treatment and immediate postoperative complications occurred in seven patients (33%). Among them, serious complications were found in two cases and one expired due to congestive heart failure. Follow-up duration ranged from 2 months to 15 years. There was no recurrence or other problem in all patients during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Although clinical suspicion is difficult due to the nonspecific presentation of myxoma, the diagnosis can be made easily with echocardiographic examination in all cases and surgical excision of myxoma may be curative with good long-term result.
Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Embolism ; Fatigue ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Heart Atria ; Heart Failure ; Heart Neoplasms ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Myxoma* ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Thorax

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Heparin is crucial in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome. However, unfractionated heparin has pharmacokinetic, biophysical and biological limitations, but its low molecular weight has been used to overcome these limitations. The aim of this study was to find the optimal dose of dalteparin in Koreans. Instead, significant rises in the levels of aminotransferase were found in the liver during the study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A clinical investigation was conducted, at Seoul National University Hospital, between December 2000 and February 2001. The anti-Xa activity was checked just before the first, and 4 hours after, the second and ninth doses of dalteparin. Liver function tests were obtained on the first and follow-up day (day 6 or 7). RESULTS: Of the 17 patients who completed 10 doses of dalteparin, 13 showed significant rises in the levels of liver aminotransferase. In 5 cases, the levels of aminotransferase rose to 3 times, and in one case, to over 10 times the upper normal limit. All of the patients were asymptomatic, and the levels showed a decline one or two days later. The follow-up aminotransferase level was normalized in 8 out of 11 patients whose liver function tests were followed up. CONCLUSION: Previous studies have shown that 120 IU/kg of dalteparin was the optimal dose in Western countries. Whether this is the optimal dose for Koreans has not been proven, and there have been no studies to elucidate its adverse effects (e.g. hepatotoxicity) in Koreans. Therefore, large scale, randomized trials may be warranted to determine the pharmacodynamics and kinetics of dalteparin in Koreans.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Coronary Disease ; Dalteparin* ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heparin ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Liver ; Liver Function Tests ; Molecular Weight ; Seoul

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: his study was performed in order to assess the incidence of coronary artery stenosis in patients with valvular heart disease (VHD) in Korea and its correlation with coronary risk factors and to investigate the need for coronary angiography in this subgroup of patients with VHD before surgery. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: atients with rheumatic mitral VHD (n=375) and isolated aortic VHD (n=187) who underwent cardiac catheterization and coronary angiography at Seoul National University Hospital between January, 1991 and December, 2000 were enrolled in the study. Significant coronary artery stenosis on angiography was defined as stenosis of more than 50% of the luminal diameter. In each patient the presence of the following coronary risk factors were recorded:moking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and total cholesterol concentration. RESULTS: n patients with rheumatic mitral VHD, the incidence of significant coronary artery stenosis was 5.6% and was correlated significantly with age, hypertension and smoking. Significant coronary artery stenosis was not found in patients below 50 years of age. In patients with isolated aortic VHD, the incidence of significant coronary artery stenosis was 9.1% and was correlated significantly with age. Significant coronary artery stenosis was not found in patients below 45 years of age. CONCLUSION: he incidence of coronary artery stenosis in VHD was very low and showed a general distribution in older ages in Korea. These results suggest that coronary angiography, a routine evaluation before valve surgery in younger patients who have neither risk factors nor angina pectoris, should be performed selectively in patients older than 45 years with consideration of the cost and risk of the procedure.
Angina Pectoris ; Angiography ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cholesterol ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Stenosis* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Heart Valve Diseases* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Phenobarbital ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Smoke ; Smoking

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In aortic dissection (AD), CT angiography (CTA) is useful both in initial diagnosis and long term follow-up. In this study, we used CTA to evaluate the morphologic changes of aorta after AD. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the initial and follow-up CTA images of 43 patients with AD. The diagnoses were double-lumen dissection (n=13), intramural hematoma (n=11), and residual dissection after surgery (n=19). The duration of CTA follow-up was 3.3+/-1.9 years (range 7 - 89 months). After reviewing the CTA images of the thoracic aorta level, and of the upper and lower abdominal aorta levels, we compared the areas of total lumen, true lumen and false lumen and the area ratio of true/total lumen. RESULTS: Changes in luminal areas were greatest in the thoracic aorta, where both the true lumen area and the ratio of true/total lumen area increased. Subgroup analysis revealed that although the total lumen area increased significantly in the classic AD group, no changes were noted in the ratio of true/total lumen area. Only the increase in false lumen area (from 5.8 cm 2 to 9.0 cm 2) was significant (p=0.036). In patients with intramural hematoma, a decrease in total lumen area and an increase in the ratio of true/total lumen area were noted. CONCLUSION: In classic AD, false lumen dilatation occurs with false lumen enlargement, whereas in intramural hematoma total aorta size decreases with any increase in the ratio of true/total lumen area.
Angiography* ; Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Phenobarbital ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed