PURPOSE: To evaluate the radioloic findings of malignant retroperitoneal fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Post-contrast CT (n=9) and urographic (n=7) findings of nine patients with malignant retroperitoneal fibrosis were retrospectively analyzed. Primary tumors were found to be advanced gastric cancer (n=6), early gastric cancer (n=1), breast cancer (n=1), and cervical cancer (n=1). We analyzed CT findings with regard to the site of soft tissue lesion, ureteral involvement, the presence or absence of hydronephrosis, and distant metastasis. The level and length of ureteral involvement, presence or abscence of ureteral stenosis, and ureteral displacement as seen on urography, were analyzed. RESULTS: On CT scans, enhanced soft tissue lesions (mass, 5 cases; plaque, 4 cases) encircling the abdominal aorta and IVC were noted in all cases. Thickening of the ureteral wall (n=8), hydronephrosis (n=9), and enlarged lymph node (n=5) were also seen. On urography, irregular stenosis and medial displacement of ureters from level L2 to S2 were noted in all cases. The length of ureteral involvement was 4-6.5cm. CONCLUSION: The common CT findings of malignant retroperitoneal fibrosis were enhanced soft tissue lesion encircling the abdominal aorta and IVC, hydronephrosis, and thickening of the ureteral wall. On urography, ureteral stenosis and medial displacement were seen.
Aorta, Abdominal ; Breast Neoplasms ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retroperitoneal Fibrosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ureter ; Urography ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To assess the usefulness of the Hounsfield number, measured by a non-contrast enhanced pelvic CT, after a uterine artery embolization as an index of the successful outcome of a uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study subjects included 15 women (age range: 28-49 years, mean age: 36.4 years) diagnosed with symptomatic uterine myomas and seen from March 2003 to August 2005. A non-contrast enhanced pelvic CT scan was performed six hours after a uterine artery embolization. The global and maximal CT numbers were measured for each myoma. In addition, a pelvic MRI was performed to measure the volume of each myoma prior to and 6 months after the UFE. The relationship between fibroid volume reduction and the global CT number were prospectively analysed. RESULTS: The mean global CT number was 91.25 HU in Group I and 40.8 HU in Group II. Further, the mean fibroid volume reduction rate was 73% in Group I and 10% in Group II (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The global CT number measured by a non-contrast enhanced pelvic CT is a useful predictive factor of a successful uterine fibroid embolization.
Embolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; Myoma ; Prospective Studies ; Radiology, Interventional ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Uterine Artery Embolization ; Uterine Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: To study intrauterine or extrauterine misplacement of intrauterine devices in respect to their usage in diagnosis and therapy via retrospective analysis. METHODS: Data from 1993 to 2000 on a total of 32 patients from seven Catholic University branch hospitals who had been admitted to treat IUDs which had misplaced to intrauterine or extrauterine locations were analyzed for usage in a retrospective study. RESULTS: The data for intrauterine and extrauterine misplacement revealed no significant difference between from the statistical average in relation to age, parity and duration of insertion. In terms of removal method, all 15 patients with extrauterine misplacement underwent surgical extraction by open or laparascopic method under general anesthesia, but those patients with intrauterine misplacement had their device removed after cervical dilatation with a laminaria using local anesthesia. Concerning diagnosis, 81.2% of extrauterine misplacement were diagnosed using x-ray while 58% of intrauterine misplacement were diagnosed using vaginal US. The result of the Fisher's exact test showed a significant difference (p=0.043) in the rate of diagnosis for intrauterine and extrauterine misplacement of IUDs. Also, the results of multi-variable analysis performed for logistical regression analysis showed that intrauterine misplacement occurred 1.23 times more frequently than extrauterine misplacement. CONCLUSION: Further studies are required on a broader patient population, on more types of IUDs and with time variables taken into account. Despite more research, prevention of complications such as misplacement remains the most appealing situation, being influenced by such factors as technical skill of the physician inserting the IUD, appropriate duration of insertion and proper patient education.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Local ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hospitals, Satellite ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices ; Labor Stage, First ; Laminaria ; Parity ; Patient Education as Topic ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of percutaneous management and prognosis in venous rupture during angioplasty of hemodialytic arteriovenous fistulas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 814 patients who underwent angioplasty on account of inadequate hemodialysis, 63[39 women and 24 men aged 20-78 (mean, 55.8) years] were included in this study. All 63 had peripheral venous stenosis. Venous rupture was diagnosed when contrast leakage was seen at venography after percutaneous angioplasty (PTA). In order to manage venous rupture, the sites at which this occurred were compressed manually for 3-5 minutes or blood flow was blocked with a balloon catheter for the same period. In one case, a stent was inserted at the rupture site. Using the Kaplan-Meier method, we investigated the patency rate of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in cases of successful PTA. We also compared PTA patency rates in cases with and without peripheral venous rupture. RESULTS: Venous rupture occurred in 38 cephalic, 16 brachial, and 9 basilic veins. In 63 patients, bleeding stopped and in 54 (85.7%) of these, PTA was successful. Among the nine failed cases, dilatation was incomplete in five, though bleeding had stopped. In patients with brachial and cephalic vein rupture, the venous tract at the rupture site was not located. Two patients underwent surgery: one of these experienced brachial venous rupture, with incontrollable bleeding, and the other had nerve compression symptoms due to hematoma. Among 54 patients in whom PTA was successful, the primary and secondary six-month rates for angioaccess were 47.9% and 81.2%, and the mean patency period was 6.1 and 15.8 months, respectively. In cases of non-venous rupture, the mean patency period was 9.6 months, significantly longer than in cases involving venous rupture (p=0.02). CONCLUSION: Venous rupture occurring during the PTA of hemodialytic AVF can be managed percutaneously.
Angioplasty* ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Ocimum basilicum ; Phlebography ; Prognosis ; Renal Dialysis* ; Rupture* ; Stents ; Veins

Intrauterine device is one of the most used contraception in the world. One of the major complications of intrauterine contraception is perforation through the uterine wall into the pelvic or abdominal cavity. The currently accepted treatment of choice for displaced IUD is its removal of surgical laparoscopy or laparotomy. We report on three cases with misplaced IUD in pelvic or abdominal cavity, followed by a review of the literature.
Abdominal Cavity ; Contraception ; Intrauterine Devices ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of zinc treatment and hypothermia on visual adaptation and visual sensitivity in bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), which are poikilothermal animals capable of adjusting quickly to environmental temperature changes. METHODS: The effects of both zinc treatment and hypothermia on visual sensitivity were studied by using electroretinogram (ERG) recording and absorption spectra scanning before and after zinc and TSQ (N-[6-methoxy-8-quinolyl]-p-toluene sulfonamide) treatment, with or without temperature changes. RESULTS: In spite of malnutrition due to hibernation, the optimal zinc concentration effect was obtained at 10-4 M (10-2 M 200 microliter ZnCl2 in 20 microliter Ringer's solution) according to ERG recording. After zinc treatment and hypothermia induction, increments of all ERG components and thresholds were taken by ERG recording. These results showed that both zinc treatment and hypothermia may increase visual sensitivity during visual adaptation. In spectral scans, the absorbance increment due to zinc treatment and hypothermia was shown over the whole spectral range (400~750 nm), and it was especially prominent at alpha-peak (about 500 nm). In addition, there was a decrease in absorption differences between dark adaptation and light adaptation after zinc treatment. Furthermore, according to the visual sensitivity decrement using TSQ as a zinc specific chelator, this visual sensitivity increase was shown to be caused by zinc. CONCLUSIONS: As the results suggest, both zinc treatment and hypothermic effects may improve visual sensitivity by promoting rhodopsin regeneration and inhibiting rhodopsin bleaching induced by light illumination. Zinc may activate the enzyme activity of retinol dehydrogenase and phosphodiesterase, while hypothermic effects may improve precursor transport, which is required for rhodopsin regeneration, by tightening membrane adhesion between retinas and retinal pigment epithelia. In addition, we believe that zinc treatment and hypothermic effects may work synergistically to accelerate visual sensitivity during visual adaptation.
Absorption ; Adaptation, Ocular ; Animals ; Dark Adaptation* ; Hibernation ; Hypothermia ; Lighting ; Malnutrition ; Membranes ; Oxidoreductases ; Rana catesbeiana ; Regeneration ; Retina* ; Retinaldehyde ; Rhodopsin ; Vertebrates* ; Vitamin A ; Zinc*