Although there have been a few reports of cases in which cancer cells of extrauterine origin were observed in vaginal smears, such findings are relatively uncommon. We recently experienced a case of ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma diagnosed by cervicovaginal smear in a 56-year-old woman in routine work-up of carcinoma peritonei. The cellular features were several scattered cellular clusters of adenocarcinoma cells in clear background without tumor diathesis. Psammoma body was not present. Exploratory laparotomy confirmed the diagnosis of bilateral ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma with multiple metastases.
Adenocarcinoma ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; Diagnosis ; Disease Susceptibility ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Laparotomy ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thyroid Gland ; Vaginal Smears

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is characterized by histological findings of an immunoinflammatory destruction of small- and medium-sized bile ducts with progressive portal fibrosis, and the presence of anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) with a laboratory evidence of chronic cholestasis. The term "autoimmune cholangitis" (AIC) is used for a disease with the clinical and pathologic features of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) but with negative AMA and positive anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) tests. Eight cases of AIC and ten cases of PBC were reviewed in order to determine whether there was any difference between two diseases in clinico-pathologic aspects. All of the patients were female and the mean ages of AIC and PBC patients were 48 and 47 years, respectively. ANA test was positive in six of ten PBC paients and their mean titer was lower than that of AIC patients. IgM level was significantly higher in PBC group than in AIC group. No significant difference was found between two groups with respect to biochemical and histopathological features. Since the only consistently distinguishing features between these two conditions are the autoantibody profile (AMA vs ANA) and immunoglobulin level (IgM), these two conditions might be part of a spectrum. PBC can be considered to be the same as AMA-positive AIC or alternatively AIC to be the same as AMA-negative PBC.
Bile Ducts ; Cholangitis* ; Cholestasis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary*

To evaluate the normal development of the paranasal sinuses in children with CT, authors prospectively studied with brain CT scans of 260 children without known sinus diseases, ranging in age from 7 days to 16 years. Maximal anteroposterior and transverse diameters(mm) and maximal cross-sectional area(mm2) of both sides of the maxillary sinus were measured with the aid of computer device. As to the ethmoidal and sphenoidal sinuses, we simply documented the presence of the aplastic ethmoidal sinus and calculated the age-incidence of the sphenoidal sinus pneumatization, respectively. There noted three phases in the development of the maxillary sinus. The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the maxillay sinus increased nearly in parallel. The former was always greater than the latter. In no cases was the ethmoidal sinus aplastic and almost all sinuses were pneumatized even in infants as early as 7 days old. CT identified the conchal pattern of sphenoidal sinus pneumatization in infants as early as 11 days old. Sphenoidal sinus pueumatization was seen in 38% of the children under the age of 1 year, 82% of the children between the age of 1 and 2 years, and almost all children older than 2 years. The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the maxillary sinus seem to reach the adult size by 8 years of age, and the conchal pattern of sphenoidal sinus pneumatization can be recognized earlier with CT than on the plain radiographs.
Adult ; Brain ; Child* ; Humans ; Infant ; Maxillary Sinus ; Paranasal Sinuses* ; Prospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Hypocomplementemia is found in all types of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) but not in all patients. Hypocomplementemia can be ascribed to at least two circulating complement reactive modalities. The activation of the classical pathway produced by circulating immune complexes and the presence in the blood of anticomplement autoantibodies, called "nephritic factor"(NF). The activation of the classical pathway by circulating immune complexes is probably the major mechanism responsible for hypocomplementemia in idiopathic MPGN type I. Nephritic factors have been shown to be responsible for the hypocomplementemia in both MPGN type II and III. NFa is probably the major mechanism responsible for the hypocomplementemia of idiopathic MPGN type II. NFt appears to be solely responsible for the hypocomplementemia in MPGN type III. Judging from the complement profile, NFt also may be present in some patients with MPGN type I. Although infection by meningococcus has been associated with deficiency of any of the plasmatic proteins of complement, it more commonly involves deficiency of the terminal components of the complement pathway(C5-C9). We experienced a patient who had MPGN and meningococcal meningitis. We examined the complement level and significantly lower levels of C3, C5 were found persistently. C7 was low at first and it returned to normal range after 2 months. C9 was normal at first, and was low after 2 months. This is the first reported case in which MPGN with meningococcal meningitis occurred.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Autoantibodies ; Complement System Proteins* ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative* ; Humans ; Meningitis, Meningococcal* ; Neisseria meningitidis ; Reference Values

BACKGROUND: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is usually managed pharmacologically. It is not uncommon for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to suffer from PHN. It is difficult to prescribe a sufficient dose of anticonvulsants for intractable pain because of the decreased glomerular filtration rate. If the neural blockade and pulsed radiofrequency ablation provide only short-term amelioration of pain, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with a low level of evidence may be used only as a last resort. This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of spinal cord stimulation in the treatment of PHN in patients with CKD. METHODS: PHN patients with CKD who needed hemo-dialysis who received insufficient relief of pain over a VAS of 8 regardless of the neuropathic medications were eligible for SCS trial. The follow-up period was at least 2 years after permanent implantation. RESULTS: Eleven patients received percutaneous SCS test trial from Jan 2003 to Dec 2007. Four patients had successfully received a permanent SCS implant with their pain being tolerable at a VAS score of less than 3 along with small doses of neuropathic medications. CONCLUSIONS: SCS was helpful in managing tolerable pain levels in some PHN patients with CKD along with tolerable neuropathic medications for over 2 years.
Anticonvulsants ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Health Resorts ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Diseases ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Pain, Intractable ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Stimulation

BACKGROUND: Follicular patterned thyroid nodules with incomplete nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FTN-INPTCs) are difficult to diagnose, and their biological behavior and association with follicular variants of PTC (FVPTCs) have not yet been established. The aim of this study is to determine immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of FTN-INPTCs. METHODS: We investigated immunohistochemical features (galectin-3, HBME-1, CK19, fibronectin-1, CITED1), BRAF V600E mutation and RASSF1A promoter methylation status in 30 FTN-INPTC cases, along with 26 FVPTCs, 21 follicular adenomas (FAs) and 14 nodular hyperplasias (NHs). RESULTS: Expression of galectin-3, HBME-1, CK19 and CITED1 was significantly higher in FTN-INPTCs than in FAs or NHs, but expression of galectin-3, CK19 and fibronectin-1 was lower in FTN-INPTCs than in FVPTCs. The BRAF V600E mutation was not detected in the benign nodules or FTN-INPTCs, whereas 57% of FVPTCs had the mutation. RASSF1A promoter methylation was higher in FTN-INPTCs than in benign nodules but there was no difference between FTN-INPTCs and FVPTCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results represent the borderline immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of FTN-INPTC. We conclude that FTN-INPTC is an intermediate lesion between a benign nodule and a FVPTC, and that it is pathogenetically related to FVPTC.
Adenoma ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Factor IX ; Galectin 3 ; Hyperplasia ; Methylation ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule

Acinar cell cystadenoma (ACA) is a very rare cystic lesion of the pancreas. The lining epithelium of ACA is morphologically identical to acinar cells of the pancreas. It is uncertain whether ACA is a benign neoplasm or cystic transformation of acinar glands but it is worthy to consider ACA in the differential diagnosis of other cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. We report here a 25-year old-woman who was operated on for a cystic mass of the pancreas. Grossly, a multilocular cystic mass containing clear serous fluid was observed. There was no communication between the cysts and the pancreatic ducts. Microscopically, cysts of various size were lined by columnar, cuboidal or flattened epithelial cells with a few foci of pseudostratification. The cells had granular apical cytoplasm and basally located nuclei with minimal atypia, the same as normal acinar cells. Metaplastic ossification was noted in the stroma. Immunohistochemically, the lining epithelium was positive for cytokeratin 7, antitrypsin and antichymotrypsin.
Acinar Cells* ; Cystadenoma* ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Keratin-7 ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Neoplasms

Hydrocephalus, which is one of the major complications following intracranial aneurysm operations, can prevent patients from improvement of consciousness, symptoms and signs that can be expected after operation. Whenever there is no evidence of appreciable improvement after intracranial aneurysm operation, follow-up brain CT scannings will reveal the development of hydrocephalus. And also radioisotope cisternography and clinical findings could be clarified as Glasgow coma scale(GCS) and Hunt & Hess classification, which will help clinicians making a decision on shunt operation. Among 183 patients of subarachnoiod hemorrhage admitted, 92 patients were operated on due to intracranial aneurysms. Nine patients(9.8%) of them were underwent shunt operations because of hydrocephalus following intracranial aneurysm operations. Eight patients showed improvement of clinical findings and 9 patients have been improved according to GCS score.
Aneurysm ; Brain ; Classification ; Coma ; Consciousness ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus* ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Reactivation of the latent varicella zoster virus in the sensory ganglion causes herpes zoster (HZ). Its characteristic symptom is a painful rash in the involved dermatome. HZ-induced motor weakness is rare and is usually resolved within one year of the onset, but some patients permanently experience motor dysfunction. Epidural steroid administration, with antiviral therapy, can be effective in treating pain from HZ and preventing postherpetic neuralgia. But an epidural block is contraindicated in patients receiving thromboprophylaxis. A psoas compartment block (PCB) provides equivalent analgesic efficacy with significantly low incidence of complication, compared to an epidural block. A 68 year old male patient recieving thromboprophylaxis presented with motor weakness following painful rash in his left L4 dermatome. Ten days before presentation, herpetic rash occurred on his left leg. We performed PCB with a steroid and local anesthetic, which successfully and safely alleviated the pain and motor weakness from HZ.
Exanthema ; Ganglia, Sensory ; Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leg ; Male ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic

Acute infarction in the whole territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) can lead to massive cerebral edema, raised intracranial pressure and cerebral herniation which may result in come and death ultimately. There are same reports which mentioned that craniectomy or stroketomy was an effective life-saving procedure and favorable outcome would be expected after the procedure. In this study, the effect of decompressive partial temporal lobectomy was evaluated in twelve patients of extensive panhemispheric infarction of middle cerebral artery(MCA). We investigated radiologically proven patients of extensive panhemispheric infarction of MCA with impending herniation process, who were admitted to our hospital from March 1991 to June 1996, prospectively and retrospectively. Decompressive partial temporal lobectomy was performed in twelve patients and eighteen patients were treated by only conventional medical treatment(control group). Prognosis were compared between two groups to analyse the effect of the decompressive lobectomy. Fourteen out of the 18 controls(78%) and five out of 12 patients who were treated by decompressive lobectomy(41%) expired due to herniation process. The mortality between two groups was significantly different(P(0.05). Four patient had relatively good outcome(by Barthel index score) and all of them belonged to the decompressive lobectomy group. These results suggest that the decompressive lobectomy be an effective life saving procedure for malignant cerebral edema after a total MCA infarction.
Brain Edema ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Intracranial Pressure ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies