No abstract available.
Leg*

Bronchogenic cysts are rare congenital malformations, most often occurring in the pulmonary parenchyma or posterior mediastinum. But they can develop in the ectopic area, especially in the retroperitoneal space. We report a case of adrenal bronchial cyst treated with laparoscopic excision. A 55-year-old woman was admitted with a left adrenal tumor on computed tomography during a study for dyspnea, cough, and sweats. The function of the adrenal glands was examined, and as a result, the adrenal tumors were determined to be nonfunctional. Magnetic resonance imaging showed about an 8-cm-sized large unilocular cystic lesion with mild and high signal intensities at left suprarenal fossa on T1 and T2 images. Iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine scan showed no scintigraphic evidence of neuroendocrine tumor in the left adrenal gland. We performed laparoscopic adrenalectomy with transperitoneal approach. The round, cystic mass was completely excised saving normal adrenal tissues. The operative time was 75 minutes and there was no definitive bleeding and complication. The pathologic tissue weighed 35 g and measured 88 mm×45 mm×28 mm, and cystic changes were observed on the cut surface. The pathologic examination confirmed an adrenal bronchogenic cyst. We report a very rare disease, adrenal bronchial cyst, which could be easily and safely treated with laparoscopic surgery.

PURPOSE: We assessed the accuracy of urinary detection by visualization compared with a method using the urethral channel of a transurethral, three-channel urodynamic catheter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a case series of 52 patients presenting with stress urinary incontinence over 2 years. Patients underwent video-urodynamic studies in both the supine and the erect positions by use of two techniques for measuring leak point pressure (LPP) by one examiner. LPP was determined as the intravesical pressure simultaneous to the starting point of urethral pressure changes through the urethral channel of a urodynamic catheter (LPP-ure) and then by visualization (LPP-vis) during different events. We also measured the time related to the provocations and the time to mark the leakage on the urodynamic machine by the examiner. RESULTS: The LPP-ure values (cough supine: 42.1+/-18.7, cough erect: 42.1+/-21.8, Valsalva supine: 42.2+/-23.3, Valsalva erect: 41.0+/-22.6 cmH2O) were significantly lower than the LPP-vis values (89.9+/-29.4, 97.4+/-30.4, 70.6+/-25.2, and 74.4+/-32.6 cmH2O, respectively, all p<0.001). Whereas the actual leakages happened during the pressure increases, urodynamic recording by visualization was done after those increases had finished. CONCLUSIONS: The use of visualization as a urinary detection method entails potential errors that cannot be adjusted for on that time scale. Our results emphasize the need to standardize the methodologies used for urinary leakage detection, because this measurement is closely related to the accuracy of measurement of leak point pressure.
Catheters ; Cough ; Female ; Humans ; Urinary Incontinence ; Urodynamics

BACKGROUND: Multi-organ failure from sepsis is very lethal disease entity, which is suspected to be caused by activated inflammatory cells. Inflammatory cells activated by endotoxins generate oxidants and cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-6, which in turn stimulate macrophages and neutrophils. Augmented inflammation makes an organ-injury deteriorate into an organ-failure, which may progress to multi-organ failure. This study is designed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of vitamin-C, a scavenger of oxidants, in sepsis. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups : a control group, a group injected intrapetoneally with LPS(lipopolysaccharide), and a group injected intraperitoneally with LPS and vitamin-C. Each eight rats were sacrified 24 hours and 48 hours after injection, and samples of the blood, the liver and the lung were obtained. Biochemical assays of TNF-alpha level in the blood and malondialdehyde(MDA) level, catalase activity and nitric oxide synthase(NOS) activity in the liver and the lung tissues were performed. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha level, tissue lipid peroxidation and tissue i-NOS activity were dramatically increased, and tissue catalase activity was exhausted rapidly in sepsis. High dose vitamin-C administration decreased serum TNF-alpha level, tissue lipid peroxidation and tissue i-NOS induction, and protected against catalase exhaustion. CONCLUSION: high dose vitamin-C therapy was proved to have definite antioxidant effect in septic condition.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Catalase ; Cytokines ; Endotoxins ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Male ; Models, Animal* ; Neutrophils ; Nitric Oxide ; Oxidants ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

No abstract available.

The prevalence of urolithiasis is increasing not only in South Korea but also around the world. Urolithiasis has a high recurrence rate, therefore, reducing it is very important in the quality of life for stone formers. For this purpose, dietary modifications and drug therapy can be performed through stone analysis and 24-hour urine collection. Stone analysis is recommended for all stone formers, and the 24-hour urine collection is usually recommended for recurrent stone formers or high-risk groups. A general dietary modification for all stone formers includes a sufficient fluid intake, low levels of sodium, sugar, and animal protein, a normal calcium diet, as well as a high amount of citrate intake. Drug therapy should be performed in cases such as the recurrence of stones or increase of the existing ones, even after the application of preservation therapy, such as dietary modification. The ideal drug therapy should prevent the occurrence of urolithiasis, have no side effects, and have a suitable patientsʼ compliance. Follow-up should be performed periodically, through 24-hour urine collections and imaging studies. For follow-up imaging studies, a lowdose non-enhanced computed tomography is recommended, and it can be performed once a year if the patient is in a stable state. To control various and complex metabolic abnormalities in recurrent stone formers, multiple approaches may be required through diet modifications, drug therapy, treatment of the metabolic syndrome, and lifestyle modifications.

BACKGROUND: Chronic shoulder pain draws the attention of doctors since it is a very common and serious disease at primary care level. The patients with this pain usually have a tendency to see many doctors, to take an abundance of medication, and sometimes to even suffer from depression. The pain and the symp- toms thereof often disable the patients in their every day lives. This study aims to seek the most efficient way of treatment between two therapies, namely, the existing drug therapy based on NSAID and the intramuscular stimulation(herein after IMS) therapy, which has re- cently been introduced, by comparing them in accordance with the following method. METHODS: The two therapies were applied for 3 weeks to female patients aged between 50 and 70 who had visited a hospital over a period of more than 3 months due to this type of pain. The patients were randomly given each therapy although the treatment and monitoring was done by the same physiotherapist. The monitoring was performed four times, the day before the start of treatment, 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks after respectively. It measured the following elements: (1) pain scale by VAS(Visual Analogue Scale), (2) Sleep hygiene scale by VAS, (3) ROM(Range of Motion), Repeated measure ANOVA was used for analysis. RESULTS: While both therapies reduced the pain significantly during the 3 weeks, the study showed that IMS was more effective than the drug therapy in every element monitored(p<0.05). IMS turned out to be more effective the 1st week in every measured element, however, the drug therapy was more effective the 3rd week if compared to the 2nd week in terms of Sleep VAS score. CONCLUSION: IMS is more effective in easing chro nic shoulder pain since it has better results than NSAID in pain VAS score, sleep VAS score and ROM.
Chronic Pain ; Depression ; Drug Therapy ; Female* ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Physical Therapists ; Primary Health Care ; Shoulder Pain* ; Shoulder*

Since 1990 when Wolff and co-authors proved that both RNA and DNA expression vectors containing interest gene were directly injected into mouse muscle and expressed the protein in vivo, the concept of gene vaccine has been broadly tested in the vaccine field. However, due to the limitations of technology and the misconception about RNA, most previous studies have focused on the DNA vaccine. Recently, the RNA vaccine has emerged as a new game-changing disruptive innovation technology in the vaccine field. This review has covered the characteristics of the RNA vaccine, including its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, we have suggested future directions for the RNA vaccine.
Animals ; DNA ; Mice ; RNA*

Background/Aims: Esophageal cancer is not an uncommon cancer in Korea, however, the prognosis still remains very poor with a 5 year survival rate bemg less than l0% mainly becauae of the delayed diagnosis. Although chromoscopy with lugol solution has been received to diagnose the esophageal cancer in an early stage without difficulty, its clinical use has not been popular yet in Korea. This study was performed prospectively to evaluate the usefulness of the chromoscopy for the detection of superficial esophageal cancer in risk patients for esophageal cancer. Methods: Ninety-five patients were selected among persons who received gasiroscopy at Asan Medical Center between Jan. 1996 and May 1996 and were prospectively included for chromoscopy. Inclusion criteria for the chromoscopy were patients older than 60 years of age with smoking history of more than 30 packyears, and/or past or family history of cancers. After conventional endoscopic examination, lugol solution was sprayed to stain the glycogen granules in the epithelial cells. The size of unstained lesion was measured and stainability was classified into 5 grades. All lesions unstained were biopsied for histological diagnosis.(continue...)
Chungcheongnam-do ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Epithelial Cells ; Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Glycogen ; Humans ; Korea ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Survival Rate

Renal angiomyolipomas are benign mixed mesenchymal tumors, which are composed of atypical blood vessel, smooth muscle and fat cells. A 34-year-old woman presented with a palpable right abdominal mass, accompanied with discomfort. A CT scan showed a large right perinephric mass, with heterogeneous density, surrounding the kidney, with enlargement of the regional lymph nodes. The presumptive diagnosis was one of a malignant tumor of the retroperitoneum, with lymph node metastasis or an angiomyolipoma, involving both the kidney and lymph nodes. A right radical nephrectomy, including the tumor, was performed. The final diagnosis was an angiomyolipoma arising from the kidney, with the dissected lymph nodes having the same pathology. There was no evidence of a tumor recurrence during the six month follow-up period. This was an unusual case of a multicentric angiomyolipoma.
Adipocytes ; Adult ; Angiomyolipoma* ; Blood Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lymph Nodes* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nephrectomy ; Pathology ; Recurrence ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed