Pressure sores are common complications in patients with spinal injuries or cerebrovascular accidents. The management of pressure sores requires prolonged hospitalization and repeated surgical interventions with a high recurrence rate. Particularly osteomyelitis following initial pressure sores persistently complicates wound healing and recovery. Furthermore, it may also ultimately result in serious sepsis; thus an early diagnosis of osteomyelitis in pressure sore patients is crucial along with appropriate surgical and antibiotic therapy. Although many diagnostic methods were reported, there is no single 'gold' standard for early diagnosis of pressure sore-associated osteomyelitis. Authors reviewed pre-operative CBC, plain X-ray, Tc-99m bone scan, and post-operative biopsy results in 37 patients who had received surgical treatment for pressure sores in a 5-year period from September 1991 to August 1996. Based on these reviews, authors compared and analyzed the sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing osteomyelitis.The results were as follows: 1. Of 37 patients studied, 25 cases were confirmed histologically as osteomyelitis. Ischial region revealed the highest incidence of pressure sore-related osteomyelitis(78%, 14 out of 18 cases) while the regional incidence was as following in descending order : ischial, sacral, and greater trochanteric area. 2. Tc-99m bone scan had superior sensitivity(100%) and specificity(83%) to other pre-operative studies in diagnosing osteomyelitis.In conclusion, authors suggest that Tc-99m bone scan is the best diagnostic method because of its high sensitivity and specificity if osteomyelitis is clinically suspected in pressure sore patients. And in case the test result is positive, agressive surgical bone resection and appropriate antibiotic therapy based on bacterial culture from deep bone specimen should be combined to prevent complications or recurrences.
Biopsy ; Early Diagnosis ; Femur ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Osteomyelitis ; Pressure Ulcer* ; Recurrence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sepsis ; Spinal Injuries ; Stroke ; Wound Healing

PURPOSE: We used MRI to retrospectively analyze the brain of patients suffering from cerebral palsy. Our aim is to determine MRI's role in the assessment of brain damage, the relationship of gestational age. METHODS: A total of 66 patients(29 preform group and 37 term group), who visited Kang-Dong Sacred Heart Hospital from January, 1994 to July, 1998, were enrolled in this study. RESULTS: Among the 29 in the preform group, 13 patients showed MR images of hypoxic ischemic injury in which periventricular leukomalacid(PVL) and multifocal ischemic necrosis in 12(41.3%) and 1(3.4%) respectively. Neuronal migration disorders were 6(20.8%), other congenital malformations 5(17%) and normal MR images 5(17%) in this preform group. Among the 37 in the term group, 22 patients showed MR images of hypoxic ischemic injury in which selective neuronal necrosis were 11(29.7%), PVL 4(10.8%), focal and multifocal ischemic necrosis 4(10.8%) and status marmoratus 3(8.1%). Neuronal migration disorders were 4(10.8%), other congenital malformations 5(13.5%) and normal MR images 6(16.2%) in the term group. CONCLUSION: MRI provided useful information in a majority of children with cerebral palsy. Hypoxic ischemic injury was significantly different in preform and term groups. PVL was frequent in the preterm group and selective neuronal necrosis was statistically common in the term group.
Brain* ; Cerebral Palsy ; Child* ; Gestational Age ; Heart ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Movement Disorders ; Necrosis ; Neuronal Migration Disorders ; Neurons ; Paralysis* ; Retrospective Studies

Ginseng has been used as a herb medicine and a vital-additive drug for a long time, and recently its compositions and its pharmacologic actions have been studied scientifically. Particularly, since the initial reports suggesting that ginseng has an anticancer effect, there have been many other studies of this anticancer effect and its mechanisms. The anticancer effect of ginseng is explainable by two mechanisms: the direct cancer-cell-killing effect and reinforcement of the immune function of the host. The authors performed long-term administration of ginseng to patients with gastric cancer who had undergone curative surgery, observed the subjective symptoms, immune status, and nutritional status, and thereby analyzed the clinical anticancer effect of ginseng. The authors randomly selected 39 patients from among the patients with curative operations for gastric cancer. We divided the patients into two groups: 20 patients formed the study group and were administered red ginseng powder with a dose of 5400 mg per day in the form of capsules for two years postoperatively, and 19 patients formed the control group on which only follow-up was done. All the patients received postoperative adjuvant immunochemotherapy. The authors compared the preoperative and postoperative changes in appetite, the body weight to height ratio, the triceps skinfold thickness, the serum protein, the albumin and transferrin levels, the percentage of lymphocytes and the T-cell percentage in peripheral blood to examine the effect of ginseng on the subjective symptoms, as well as on the immune and the nutritional status. Although our data does not show that the long-term administration of ginseng to gastric cancer patients with curative resections improved the nutritional status, it does suggest that it improved the patients' subjective symptoms and immune functions and prevented postoperative recurrences.
Appetite ; Body Weight ; Capsules ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Nutritional Status* ; Panax* ; Pharmacologic Actions ; Recurrence ; Skinfold Thickness ; Stomach Neoplasms ; T-Lymphocytes ; Transferrin

No abstract available.
Cisplatin*

Lateral malleolar bursitis rarely progresses to septic arthritis. In our case, the 27 year old man visited due to progressive left ankle pain, despite the antibiotics treatment of lateral malleolar bursitis. 8 years ago, modified Brostrom procedure was performed owing to chronic ankle instability. Previous surgery altered anatomical structure of lateral ankle bursa, so it may cause the infection to spread to the ankle joint. We reported rare case of secondary septic arthritis caused by lateral malleolar bursitis.
Adult ; Ankle ; Ankle Joint ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arthritis, Infectious* ; Bursitis* ; Humans

PURPOSE: Docetaxel (Taxotere(R)) and capecitabine are used in combination to treat advanced gastric cancer. Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) is an essential enzyme for the activation of capecitabine in tumors. This study sought to identify the best combination therapy with capecitabine and using two different schedules for docetaxel, a TP up-regulator, to enhance capecitabine's efficacy. METHODS: The human gastric cancer cell line SNU-484 was cultured and docetaxel (2 microgram/ml) was added to the 24-well plates that contained 5 x 10(5) cells/well. The total RNA was isolated and RT-PCR was done to identify the TP expression. Four- or five-week-old BALB/c-nu/nu mice were subcutaneously inoculated with the SNU-484 cells. The nude mice were divided into two groups and they were given capecitabine 539 mg/m2 p.o. from days 1 to 14: Group 1 was given docetaxel 15 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1; Group 2 was given docetaxel 7.5mg/m2 on days 1 and 8. Tumor tissues were excised on days 1, 8 and 15 to measure the TP and bcl-2 levels. RESULTS: TP was expressed 2 hours after docetaxel administration. Group 2 had a higher TP concentration in the tumor tissues and a better antitumor effect than did Group 1. There was no difference in the bcl-2 concentration in the two groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that docetaxel stimulates the TP expression in tumor tissues and it enhances the antitumor activity of capecitabine. A weekly docetaxel injection with capecitabine administration can be used to treat gastric cancer more effectively than when docetaxel is injected once per cycle. Capecitabine had no bcl-2 suppressive effect in this study.
Animals ; Appointments and Schedules* ; Capecitabine ; Cell Line* ; Heterografts* ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude* ; RNA ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Thymidine Phosphorylase* ; Thymidine*

OBJECTIVE: Actinomycosis is a rare entity, especially in the female genital tract, which presents some difficulties in establishing a correct preoperative diagnosis. Pelvic actinomycosis can mimick pelvic or intra- abdominal malignancy leading to mutilating surgical exercise. The authors surveyed 12 cases of pelvic actinomycosis for advice to detection and treatment of the pelvic actinomycosis. METHODS: The authors studied retrospectively 12 cases which have admitted to Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Asan Medical Center for pelvic actinomycosis from January. 1, 1991 to December. 31, 2000. RESULTS: 41.7% of the cases occurred in 31-40 years age group, 91.7% of cases associated with intrauterine devices for 5-21 years. Most common complaints were abdominal pain and palpable mass, and other complaints were vaginal discharge, bowel habit change, nausea, vomiting and fever. The actinomycosis lesions involved one or both ovaries in all 12 cases. In 11 cases, the lesions extended to other areas, such as the uterus, parametrium, pelvic walls, cul-de-sac, colon and bladder. All patients underwent surgery that included removal of the lesions with ipsilateral or bilateral adnexa and, in specific cases, with extension of the lesions, hysterectomy, colostomy and primary repair of bladder or rectum. After surgery, 9 patients were treated with penicillin and the duration of treatment was 12 months in 2 patients, 6 months in 3, < or = 3 months in 3 and one patient was being treated for 2 months. Other 3 patients were treated with metronidazole, cephalosporin and aminoglycoside during 1-3 weeks. All patients were alive and well. CONCLUSION: It is needed to make an earlier and more correct diagnosis of actinomycosis, and high-dose intravenous antibiotic therapy can reduce the risk of nearby pelvic structure injuries. In cases of pelvic actinomycosis where the abscess can be completely resectable, a shorter period of antibiotic therapy can be required.
Abdominal Pain ; Abscess ; Actinomycosis* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Colon ; Colostomy ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Intrauterine Devices ; Metronidazole ; Nausea ; Obstetrics ; Ovary ; Penicillins ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies ; Ulsan ; Urinary Bladder ; Uterus ; Vaginal Discharge ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term fertility and reproductive outcomes after conservative surgery, to observe the recurrence pattern and to elucidate the significance of retroperitoneal lymph node evaluation in patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of fifty patients who had been diagnosed as malignant ovarian germ cell tumors from 1991 to 2001 at Asan Medical Center. RESULTS: During on the median follow-up of 54 months, six patients recurred and five patients died. Out of the six recurred patients, three patients (50%) were found to have retroperitoneal lymph nodes involved, especially in patients with dysgerminoma and one patient contralateral ovary involved after conservative surgery. Out of the forty patients who had received conservative surgery, twenty-two (55.0%) had stage Ia tumors and thirteen (32.5%) had stage II and III. Adjuvant chemotherapy was performed for thirty- one patients (77.5%) and comprehensive surgical staging including retroperitoneal lymph node evaluation was performed for six patients (15%). During chemotherapy, fifteen patients out of nineteen with normal menstrual cycles became amenorrheic but most of them (13/15) recovered their normal menstrual cycles and gave birth to five healthy babies. Out of the thirteen patients with advanced disease who had received conservative surgery, two patients died after recurrences and one died of disease progression. CONCLUSION: Conservative surgery is the treatment of choice in young women with early stage disease, but in case of advanced disease, it requires prudent decision-making. Considering conservative surgery, retroperitoneal lymph node evaluation is needed, especially in patients with dysgerminoma.
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Disease Progression ; Drug Therapy ; Dysgerminoma ; Female ; Fertility ; Follow-Up Studies ; Germ Cells* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Medical Records ; Menstrual Cycle ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Ovary ; Parturition ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of laparoscopico-vaginal (modified) radical hysterectomy and to compare surgical parameters and recurrence rate of these with those of conventional abdominal radical hysterectomy. METHODS: From October 1997 to March 2002, we have performed 37 cases of LVMRH (laparoscopico- vaginal modified radical hysterectomy) +PLND (pelvic lymph node dissection) and 47 cases of LVRH (laparoscopico-vaginal radical hysterectomy) with paraaortic lymph node sampling +PLND. Inclusion criteria for laparoscopic group were patients with FIGO stage IA1 to IB1 which exocervical mass size was less than 2 cm clinically. As a control group, we selected 46 cases for the MRH group and 96 cases for the RH group. These groups had the same FIGO stage and the same tumor size less than 2 cm or tumor volume calculated by MRI being less than 4.2 cm3, while the age for each group were identically matched with the laparoscopic group. RESULTS: The mean duration of surgery, the number of lymph nodes and the rate of perioperative and postoperative complications were similar in both the laparoscopic and the conventional laparotomy group. The mean duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter in patients treated by laparoscopic surgery (LVMRH vs. MRH; 9 vs. 15, LVRH vs. RH; 13 vs. 21 days). No lymph node metastasis was reported in both LVMRH and MRH group. No recurrences but only one patient in MRH group were found in both groups during the median follow up of 34.5 and 43.5 months, respectively. The positive rates of pelvic lymph node metastasis in both RH groups were similarly 6.4%. Four (8.5%) of 47 LVRH patients and two (2.1%) of 96 RH patients had recurrences. However, in patients who had tumor volume being less than 4.2 cm3, recurrence rate was 2.5% (1/40) and 42.9% (3/7) in those with tumor volume larger than 4.2 cm3. There was one death in a patient with pulmonary metastasis who took LVRH in spite of vigorous chemotherapy. Three year progression free survival rates were 96.7% in LVRH group (tumor volume<4.2 cm3) and 97.9% in RH group (p=0.81). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic surgery for treatment of early small volume cervical cancer, especially stage IA is safe and effective alternatives in terms of operative morbidity and mortality. However, patients with large volume disease (>4.2 cm3) who were treated by LVRH had higher recurrence rate compared to those by conventional RH. It is concluded that laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of cervical cancer would be better to be limited to patients with early disease who have the largest tumor diameter less than 2 cm or tumor volume less than 4.2 cm3 carefully measured by MRI.
Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Length of Stay ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mortality ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Tumor Burden ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Radiotherapy*