Even though the value of computed tomography (CT) used to detect the colon carcinoma with minimal invasion is limited, its usefulnes sin the evaluation of the extent of disease such as hepatic metastasis or distant lymph node invasion has been emphasized. To examine the role of CT in the evaluation of colon carcinoma, CT scans obtained during the past 2 years in 56 patients with surgically proven colon carcinoma were reviewed and the findings correlated with pathologic results. The sensitivity and accuracy of CT for pericolic fat infiltration were 86, 58 and 80% respectively. Those of regional node were 60, 83 and 75% and distant node 67, 100 and 95%. Liver metastases showed sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 83, 98, 96% and peritoneal metastases 67, 94 and 89% respectively. CT detected local invasion with fair degree of accuracy but the true value of CT lie in the detection of distant invasions such as liver and distant lymph node metastases thereby leading to preclusion of unnecessary procedures and implementation of appropriate precedures.
Colon* ; Humans ; Liver* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Unnecessary Procedures

Mucormycosis is a rare disease caused by fungi. Most commonly involved sites of mucormycosis infection are sinuses, lungs, skin and soft tissues. Systemic risk factors for mucormycosis are diabetes mellitus, neutropenia, corticosteroid use, hematological malignancies, organ transplantation, metabolic acidosis, deferoxamine use and advanced age. Local risk factors are history of trauma, burns, surgery and motor vehicle accidents. We present a case of cutaneous mucormycosis in a patient with diabetes mellitus. A 66-year-old female with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, admitted with necrotizing lesion after minor abrasions on leg. We took a culture of the lesion and it is diagnosed with mucormycosis. Disease progressed despite administration of systemic amphotericin B. We performed above-knee amputation and changed antifungal agents into liposomal amphotericin B. A tissue biopsy showed nonseptate, irregularly wide fungal hyphae with frequent right-angle branching. Our case report suggests that patients with risk factors should be observed carefully.
Acidosis ; Aged ; Amphotericin B ; Amputation ; Antifungal Agents ; Biopsy ; Burns ; Deferoxamine ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Female ; Fungi ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Leg ; Lung ; Motor Vehicles ; Mucormycosis* ; Neutropenia ; Organ Transplantation ; Rare Diseases ; Risk Factors ; Skin ; Transplants

We describe a unique patient with progressive external ophthalmoplegia, intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and neurogenic bladder. Genetic study in this patient shows point mutation at T8356C, the locus known as that of myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a mitochondrial syndrome consisting of intestinal pseudo-obstruction, neurogenic bladder, and progressive external ophthalmoplegia, point mutation at T8356C. We suggest that this could comprise a new mitochondrial disease rather than a new variant of mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy.
Humans ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction* ; MERRF Syndrome ; Mitochondrial Diseases* ; Ophthalmoplegia, Chronic Progressive External ; Point Mutation* ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic*

BACKGROUND: In the western hemisphere, resistance to activated protein C (APCR) is the most common risk factor for venous thromboembolic disease. A one-point mutation in the coagulation factor V that renders it APCR is found in more than 90% of patients with APC-resistant venous thrombosis. In Hispanic and Caucasian patients with arterial ischemic stroke, the prevalence of APC-R is approximately 10%. To determine the prevalence of APC resistance and its causative factor V mutation (Arg 506 Gln) in Koreans, we screened a group of Korean ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: We evaluated 60 Korean patients with arterial ischemic stroke diagnosed by either magnetic resonance neu-roimaging, conventional angiogram, or both, after 2 weeks of symptom onset. The mean age of the subjects was 59.2 years (13-82 years). APC resistance was expressed as a ratio of the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) with and without adding APC to the subject's plasma. The presence of the factor V Leiden (Arg 506 Gln) mutation was determined by a direct polymerase chain reaction-based assay on peripheral blood leukocytes. RESULTS: Only one patient (n=1/60, 1.6%) had APC resistance and none were found to have the factor V Leiden (Arg 506 Gln) mutation. CONCLUSIONS: APCR and the factor V Leiden mutation do not seem to be a significant genetic risk factor for arterial ischemic stroke in Koreans.
Activated Protein C Resistance* ; Factor V* ; Hispanic Americans ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Plasma ; Prevalence ; Protein C ; Risk Factors ; Stroke* ; Venous Thrombosis

Autologous fat injection for soft tissue augmentation in the face has been claimed to be a safe procedure. However, there are several case reports where patients suffered from various neurologic deficits following fat injections. We report a patient who suffered from cerebral infarction after fat injections into the face. We assume that fragments of fat reach cerebral arteries by reversed flow through the branches of the carotid arteries caused by local increase in pressure in highly vascularized tissue.
Carotid Arteries ; Cerebral Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Stroke*

Traditionally, monocular parital oculomotor pareses are localized to the cavernous sinus or retro-orbital region and are usually caused by diabetes mellitus, aneurysms of the internal carotid artery, inflammation by vrial infection or autoimmune diseases, neuropathy or neuromuscular disesases. Although rare, the monocular partial oculomotor paresis also can be caused by lesions of ventral midbrain because of their particular topographic arrangement. We present 2 cases with fascicular oculomotor nerve involvement from midbrain lesion, who presented with monocular partial ocu-lomotor nerve palsy. One patient showed partial ptosis and slow saccadic movement of the right eye. The other patient showed parital ptosis and limitation of adduction and elevation in the left eye. They had normal pupil size and light reflexes. Brain magnetic resonance images showed focal infarction in the fascicular portion of the oculomotor nerve.
Aneurysm ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cavernous Sinus ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Inflammation ; Mesencephalon* ; Oculomotor Nerve Diseases* ; Oculomotor Nerve* ; Paralysis ; Paresis ; Pupil ; Reflex

Mercury poisoning affects various organs including peripheral and central nervous systems, especially cerebellum. We report a case of mercury intoxication presenting cerebellar ataxia. From several days after exposure to mercury vapor, scanning speech, head titubation, bilateral limb and truncal ataxia developed and progressed slowly. On admission, brain MRI did not show remarkable change. However, nine months later, atrophic changes in both cerebellar hemispheres on follow-up brain MRI and perfusion defects in same areas on brain SPECT were found.
Ataxia ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebellar Ataxia* ; Cerebellum ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mercury Poisoning ; Perfusion ; Poisoning ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spinal Cord* ; Subacute Combined Degeneration* ; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

Inverted nipples have shortened lactiferous ducts and less fibrous and collagenous muscular tissue and less connective tissue present, thus giving less bulk and less tissue for nipple projection. Until now, many authors suggested various methods of correction of inverted nipple, but it shows that perfect method does not exist. From July 2008 to December 2010, 41 nipples in 21 patients were treated. 20 patients had bilateral inverted nipples. Under the local anesthesia with sedation, the nipple was everted. A small incision was made on both lateral side at the nipple-areola junction. After nipple traction, the lactiferous ducts and surrounding connective tissues were divided by sharp dissection only through vertical direction. Upper and lower purse-string sutures using Nylon 4-0 were performed for the maintenance of corrected nipple. The small incision was closed by the simple suture. The operation time averaged 15minutes for each nipple. The mean follow-up period was 6 months. There were no complications associated with surgery, such as recurrence, infection, hematoma, nipple necrosis and sensory loss. We applied modified purse-string sutures to mild and moderate inverted nipple patients, and acquired good results. So we report our experience with a review of literature.
Anesthesia, Local ; Breast Diseases ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Nipples ; Nylons ; Recurrence ; Suture Techniques ; Sutures ; Traction

BACKGROUND: Small deep cerebral infarct can be associated with small-vessel occlusive disease, largevessel disease, low-flow or thrombo-embolic mechanism. This study is designed to investigate ralationship between symptomatic single small deep infarcts ahd vascular diseases. METHODS: We studied 154 patients who had symptomatic, small-sized(<20 mm), single, subcortical infarction(basal ganglia, corona rediata, centrum semiovale) who were admitted to our hospital from jund, 1996 to September, 1999. They were evaluated about the lesion site and vascular status of the carotid system and middle cerebral artery, using MRI, MRA and cervical duplex sonography or conventional angiography. RESULTS: Among 154 patients with single small deep infarction, 100 were related with small artery disease(64.9%), 38 with middle cerebral artery disease(26.7%) and 16 with carotid artery disease(10.4%). The basal ganglia or basal ganglia with corona radiata area were more frequently responsible lesion sites in both small artery disease(n=59, 59%) and middle cerebral artery disese(n=28, 73.7%) than in carotid artery disease(n=1, 6.3%). The centrum ovale or centrum ovale with corona radiata area were frequently involved lesion sites in carotid artery disease (n=10, 67.5%). CONCLUSION: Single small deep infarcts of th basal ganglia with corona radiata were mostly seen in the middle cerebral artery disease or small artery disease, and small deep infarcts of the centrum semiovale with corona radiata were usually assoicated with internal carotid artery disease. In occurrence of single small deep infarcts, middle cerebral artery disease was more frequent than carotid artery disease, which might be associated with intracranial occlusive disease known to be more common in Asians than in Caucasians.
Angiography ; Arteries ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Basal Ganglia ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Ganglia ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Vascular Diseases