Hypokalemic familial periodic paralysis is one of the rare familial disease characterized by recurrent and transient attacks of weakness or paralysis of the somatic musculature. Also, this disease is usually inherited as an autosomal dominant trait in most cases. During an attack, the plasma potassium falls as a rasults of shift of potassium from the extracellular to the intracelluar compartment, but there is no loss of total potassium from the body. We have experienced hypokalemic familial periodic paralysis recently which affected 4 members in a family,and report this disorder.
Accidental Falls ; Humans ; Paralyses, Familial Periodic ; Paralysis ; Plasma ; Potassium

Polands syndrome is a congenital disorder associated with thoracic anomalies and ipsilateral syndactly. It was described first by Alfred Poland in 1841 year. We has been experienced 2 cases of Polands Syndrome recently. Two cases were male. Each case revealed one side thoracic muscle anomalies, that is, absence of sternocostal head of pectorails major with hypoplasia of nipple and, breast, and ipsilateral syndactyly with partial aplasia and hypoplasia of midphalanges.
Breast ; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities ; Head ; Humans ; Male ; Nipples ; Poland ; Syndactyly

Neurilemmoma is a benign neoplasm arising from the Schwann cell of the nerve sheath. Acoustic nerve is the most common site of neurilemmoma and mandible is the most frequently involved in intraosseous neurilemmoma. Extradurally located dumbbell type neurilemmoma was rarely reported. The histology of neurilemmoma was first described by Verocay in 1908 and elaborated upon by Stout in 1935. Characteristic histologic patterns of neurilemmoma were encapsulation and Verocay bodies, Antoni type A and B areas, palisading nuclei, and lack of malignant characteristics. We experienced such a rare case of neurilemmoma which probably arised from the left first lumbar spinal nerve root, and located extradurally and paravertebrally, and confirmed by radiologic and pathologic findings.
Cochlear Nerve ; Mandible ; Neurilemmoma ; Spinal Nerve Roots

The cryopreservation of Red Blood Cells has many advantages of which the most important one is that it can be stored for a long period. However, in Korea, Research regarding frozen blood is still in its early stage. We evaluated the effects of transfusion of the frozen-thawed RBCs in dogs. The whole bloods were collected from 5 dogs, and the packed RBCs were obtained by centrifugation method. We made the frozen RBCs by using 40% glycerol method and stored it in -80 degrees C refrigerate for 1 month. The frozen RBCs were thawed in the 37 degrees C water bath and washed by Cell washer according to the standard protocol, and evaluated the status of them being compared with that of the unfrozen. The majorirty of the results were satisfactory to the allowable limit except high plasma hemoglobin and potassium. The frozen-thawed bloods were transfused to the two dogs and carefully observed the effects and its complications. The results were that the average value of the hemoglobin was elevated about 0.6g/dL more after transfusion than before, and there were no significant complication related to the transfusion. Thus, The frozen thawed blood transfusions in case of the experiment with dogs were proved to be safe and as effective as fresh blood, and The above method appeared to be feasible to human blood.
Animals ; Baths ; Blood Transfusion ; Centrifugation ; Cryopreservation ; Dogs* ; Erythrocytes ; Glycerol ; Humans ; Korea ; Plasma ; Potassium ; Water

Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), which is divided into low and high grade, has different clinicopathologic significance. We reviewed 158 prostatic tissues, which consisted of 144 cases of nodular hyperplasias and 14 cases of adenocarcinomas, to evaluate incidence of PIN, its histologic finding, and its clinical significance. Ten cases of PIN, 4 low grade and 6 high grade, were found. Four cases of low grade PIN (LPIN) and five cases of high grade PIN (HPIN) were associated with nodular hyperplasia. Only one case of HPIN occurred in carcinoma. The constant histologic findings of LPIN were nuclear stratification and nucleomegaly. The most prominent characteristics of HPIN were hyperchromasia and prominent nucleoli. Anisonucleosis was not so helpful for differential diagnosis between LPIN and HPIN. Basal layer disruption was present in one case of high grade PIN associated with adenocarcinoma, and important for the differentiatial diagnosis of cribriform HPIN from the cribriform adenocarcinoma. There was no significant difference in age incidence between the two groups with the mean age of 70.9 years in nodular hyperplasia and 69.4 years in adenocarcinoma. Serum PSA level was significantly different between the two group with the mean PSA value of 11.03 ng/ml in nodular hyperplasia and that of 73.76 ng/ml in carcinoma (p=0.000). However, PSA values between "nodular hyperplasia only" group and "PIN associated nodular hyperplasia" group were not significantly different. PIN association changed neither age distribution nor serum PSA level. During the follow up period, no adenocacinoma has occurred in the cases having PIN although serum PSA level has elevated in some cases. One case of adenocarcinoma associated with HPIN developed in the nodular hyperplasia patient. Although PIN did not increase the possibility of subsequent prostatic adenocarcinoma in transurethral resection specimens, it could not be excluded that PIN was a precursor of prostatic adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma ; Age Distribution ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia*

Primary gallbladder cancer is a highly malignant tumor and is characterized by early metastasis and rapid progression of disease. Since the majority of patients have unresectable disease, laparotomy, instead of providing relief of symptoms, often adds to the morbidity and needs to be avoided in patients with advanced disease. Clinical features, peritoneoscopic findings, and comparison of peritoneoscopy with radiologic studies were reviewed in 29 patients, who underwent peritoneoscopy, with primary gallbladder cancer at Severaace Hospital, College of Medicine, Yonsei University between Aug. 1982 and Mar. 1994. (continue...)
Gallbladder Neoplasms* ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy* ; Laparotomy ; Neoplasm Metastasis

We report a case of papillary carcinoma arising in a thyroglossal duct cyst, presenting with an anterior neck mass of a 31-year-old woman. The tumor was judged to be a primary lesion on the basis of intraoperative examination of the thyroid and pathologic findings of the mass. One year later, a small nodular mass in the left thyroid gland and lymph node enlargement of the right cervical lymph node were noted by follow-up imaging studies. Total thyroidectomy, right modified radical neck dissection and central neck dissection were performed. The thyroid gland revealed nodular hyperplasia without evidence of malignancy. On the other hand, the dissected neck lymph nodes revealed metastatic papillary carcinoma. Taken together, these findings suggested the tumor was a primary papillary carcinoma arising in the thyroglossal duct cyst.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Papillary/*complications/*pathology/radiography ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; Thyroglossal Cyst/*complications/*pathology/radiography ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*complications/*pathology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We report a case of papillary carcinoma arising in a thyroglossal duct cyst, presenting with an anterior neck mass of a 31-year-old woman. The tumor was judged to be a primary lesion on the basis of intraoperative examination of the thyroid and pathologic findings of the mass. One year later, a small nodular mass in the left thyroid gland and lymph node enlargement of the right cervical lymph node were noted by follow-up imaging studies. Total thyroidectomy, right modified radical neck dissection and central neck dissection were performed. The thyroid gland revealed nodular hyperplasia without evidence of malignancy. On the other hand, the dissected neck lymph nodes revealed metastatic papillary carcinoma. Taken together, these findings suggested the tumor was a primary papillary carcinoma arising in the thyroglossal duct cyst.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Papillary/*complications/*pathology/radiography ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; Thyroglossal Cyst/*complications/*pathology/radiography ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*complications/*pathology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: We investigated the correction methods following wrong-settings of emulsion concentrations of propofol as a countermeasure against erroneous target-controlled infusions (TCI). METHODS: TCIs were started with targeting 4.0 microg/ml of effect-site concentration (C(eff)) of propofol, and the emulsion concentrations were selected for 2.0% instead of 1.0% (FALSE(1-2), n = 24), or 1.0% instead of 2.0% (FALSE(2-1), n = 24). These wrong TCIs were corrected at 3 min after infusion start. During FALSE(1-2), the deficit was filled up while injecting after equilibrium (n = 12), or while overriding (n = 12). During FALSE(2-1), the overdose was evacuated while targeting C(eff) (n = 12) or targeting plasma concentration (C(p)) (n = 12). The gravimetrical measurements of TCI reproduced the C(p) and C(eff) using simulations. The reproduced C(eff) at 3 min (C(eff-3min)) and the time to be normalized within +/- 5% of target C(eff) (T(+/-5%)), were compared between the correction methods. RESULTS: During the wrong TCI, C(eff-3min) was 1.98 +/- 0.01 microg/ml in FALSE(1-2), and 7.99 +/- 0.05 microg/ml in FALSE(2-1). In FALSE(1-2), T(+/-5%) was significantly shorter when corrected while overriding (3.9 +/- 0.25 min), than corrected after equilibrium (6.9 +/- 0.05 min) (P < 0.001). In FALSE(2-1), T(+/-5%) was significantly shorter during targeting C(p) (3.6 +/- 0.04 min) than targeting C(eff) (6.7 +/- 0.15 min) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The correction methods, based on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics, could effectively and rapidly normalize the wrong TCI following erroneously selections of the emulsion concentration of propofol.
Drug Delivery Systems ; Infusion Pumps ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Plasma ; Propofol*

BACKGROUND: The cryopreservation of Red Blood Cells have been proved to have many advantages in western countries. However, in Korea, clinical application of frozen-thawed blood is still in its early stage. We tried autologous frozen-thawed blood transfusion and evaluated the effects and complications. METHODS: Nine units of whole blood were collected from the autologous (n=1) and allogeneic bone marrow donors (n=3) and made packed RBCs by a centrifugation method. We made frozen RBCs using high glycerol method and stored them in -80degrees C freezer for 1 month. Eight units of frozen RBCs were thawed and washed by Cobe spectra (Cobe, USA). Autologous transfusions were done to the patient and donors while the bone marrow collection procedures were in process for bone marrow transplantation and we carefully observed its effects and complications. RESULTS: The mean RBC recovery rate were 89.8% and the supernatant plasma hemoglobin, K+, LD, osmolality, and simulation test were satisfactory to the allowable limit. After transfusion, the hemoglobin value was significantly elevated being comparable to that of the fresh blood. A case showed mild hematuria related to this transfusion but soon it disappeared in a day. CONCLUSION: The autologous frozen-thawed blood transfusions were safe and as much effective as the fresh blood. It would be essential to have skillful techniques in post-thaw washing process.
Blood Transfusion* ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Bone Marrow* ; Centrifugation ; Cryopreservation ; Erythrocytes ; Glycerol ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Korea ; Osmolar Concentration ; Plasma ; Tissue Donors*