As transplantation for end-stage renal disease has become more common, avascular necrosis has become a major cause of disability after a successful transplantation. We studied the relationship between development of avascular necrosis of bone and the administration and dosage of steroid, cholesterol level and triglyceride level after transplantation in 909 patients who received kidney transplantation from March 1969 until August 1994 at Catholic University, Medical College. These patients were compared against 60 patients who received kidney transplantation and steroid therapy without developing osteonecrosis. Osteonecrosis was observed in 62 of the patients (6.8 per cent) from 3 to 37 months (mean 10) after the transplant operation. The average age was thirty-eight years (range, twenty to sixty-three years). A single bone was involved in 28 patients, while in the rest of the patients there were between two and four different sites. Altogether 109 bones were affected, 102 of them being weight-bearing. The most common sites were the femoral heads, with 32 patients having bilateral involvement. There was no association between the cumulative dosage of prednisone and the development of avascular necrosis. Although the post renal transplant cholesterol and triglyceride level were significantly elevated compared to the pre-renal transplant state, there were no significantly difference between the avascular group and control group.
Cholesterol ; Head ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Necrosis* ; Osteonecrosis ; Prednisone ; Triglycerides ; Weight-Bearing

Neurilemmoma, also refired to as Schwannoma, neurinoma and perineural fibroblastoma, is well capsulated solitary tumor of Schwann cell origin. The most common sites for benign solitary neurilemmoma are the extremities or the head and neck region. In the retroperitoneum, they are commonly seen in the presacral region. It is incidentally detected and confirmed by pathologic findings. We report a case of retroperitoneal neurilemmoma arising from adjacent to kidney, in 49 years old man.
Extremities ; Head ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Neurilemmoma*

The success of radioation therapy depends on exact treatment of the tumor with significant high dose for maximizing local control and excluding the normal tissues for minimizing unwanted complications. To achieve these goals, correct estimation of target volume in three dimension, exact dose distribution in tumor and normal critical structures and correction of tissue inhomogeneity are required. The effect of therapy oriented CT (planning CT) were compared with conventional simulation method in necessity of planning change, set dose, and proper distribution of tumor dose. Of 365 new patients examined, planning CT was performed in 104 patients (28%). Treatment planning was changed in 47% of head and neck tumor, 79% of intrathoracic tumor and 63% of abdmonial tumor. In breast cancer and musculoskeletal tumors, planning CT was recommended for selection of adequate energy and calculation of exact dose to critical structures such as kidney or spinal cord. The average difference of tumor doses between CT planning and conventional simulation was 10% in intrathoracic and intra-abdominal tumors but 20% in head and neck tumors which suggested that tumor dose may be overestimated in conventional simulation. Although some limitations and disadvantages including the cost and irradiation during CT are still criticizing, our study showed that CT planning is very helpful in radiotherapy planning.
Breast Neoplasms ; Head ; Humans ; Kidney ; Neck ; Radiotherapy ; Spinal Cord

Hamartomas are non-neoplastic malformations or congenital errors of tissue development. Hamartoma is composed by an excessive growth of mature tissue present in wrong proportions and abnormal arrangements. The lesion usually presents as a submucosal mass with ill-defined margins. Hamartoma occurs in all areas of the body, especially in the liver, spleen, kidney and lung. However, hamartoma is very rare in the head and neck. Presenting symptoms of hamartoma are typically vague and nonspecific. Treatment of hamartomas consists of adequate surgical excision. We present a 59 year-old male patient who presented with submental swelling. Malignancy could not be ruled out with preoperative radiologic examination, so surgical excision was planned. The mass was excised with transcervical approach. Histopathologic examination has confirmed the mass as a mucinous gland adenomatoid hamartoma.
Hamartoma ; Head ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Mucins ; Neck ; Spleen

Kaposi's sarcoma was first descrided by Kaposi in 1872 as an idiopathic multiple hemorrhagic sarcoma. Its clinical features revealed to be erythematous red or purple macule started out, and developing into palpable dome-shaped nodules. Etiology is not defined to detail at present. Kaposi's sarcoma is classified to 4 categories; Classical, African, Epidemic and Transplant type. Epidemic or AIDS categories is found approximately 20 % of all AIDS and has strong predilection for head and neck region. The first case of Kaposi's sarcoma observed in patients with kidney transplants was reported in 1969. Kaposi's sarcoma now accounts for 5% of all tumors associated with transplanted patients and alteration of the immunosuppression may have played a key role in these recipients. The most common site of Kaposi's sarcoma in transplanted patients are extremities but rare in head and neck area. We report a case of Kaposi's sarcoma on the hard palate in the kidney transplantation patient.
Extremities ; Head ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Mouth* ; Neck ; Palate, Hard ; Sarcoma ; Sarcoma, Kaposi*

BACKGROUND: The immunomodulatory effects of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album Coloratum) on the innate immune responses of eel (Anguilla japonica) were studied. METHODS: Mistletoe, Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as a control was injected into eel peritoneal cavities. RESULTS: Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)-positive cells in the head kidney of eel were significantly augmented by the second day post-injection of mistletoe. Reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) were more produced in mistletoe-injected fish kidney leucocytes than in FCA-injected ones. The level of lysozyme activity in the serum of fish 2 days after injection with mistletoe was also significantly higher than that in the serum of the control fish. The optimal concentration of mistletoe in inducing the highest serum lysozyme activity was revealed to 500microgram/200 g of fish. In phagocytic activity assay, mistletoe-sensitized eel kidney phagocytes captured more zymosan than did the control fish. CONCLUSION: Korean mistletoe appeared to be a good activator of the non-specific immune responses of eel.
Eels ; Head Kidney ; Immunity, Innate ; Kidney ; Mistletoe ; Muramidase ; Nitroblue Tetrazolium ; Oxygen ; Phagocytes ; Zymosan

The shortage of donor organs is one of the major barriers of transplantation worldwide. After the success of the direct exchange donor (swap) program in Korea since 1991, a swaparound program has been developed. Recently, a web-based (computerized) algorithm to facilitate donor kidney exchange was devised and tested in multi-center settings. An excellent longterm outcome was achieved by using the donor exchange program as an option to reduce the donor organ shortage. Herein, we discussed on the current status of the exchange donor renal transplantation in Korea, a couple of problems we have had, and future directions we have to head and make better to improve organ donation activities.
Head ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Korea ; Tissue and Organ Procurement ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Extramedullary plasmacytoma is a rare malignancy, composed of plasma cell dyscrasias localized to an extramedullary site in the soft tissue. The great majority of extramedullary plasmacytoma occurs in the head and neck region, mainly in the upper respiratory tract and oral cavity. Extramedullary plasmacytoma arising in the kidney, termed a primary renal plasmacytoma, is a very rare malignancy. Primary renal plasmacytoma is not distinguished from a renal cell or transitional cell carcinoma using conventional imaging studies. The diagnosis of a primary renal plasmacytoma is only made on histopathological examination. Herein, a case of primary renal plasmacytoma, in a 39-year-old male patient, is reported.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Diagnosis ; Head ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Neoplasms ; Male ; Mouth ; Neck ; Paraproteinemias ; Plasmacytoma* ; Respiratory System

The Russell-Silver syndrome (RSS) is a disease characterized by intrauterine growth retardation with preserved head circumference, facial dysmorphism and short stature. Reported renal and urinary manifestations of RSS include horseshoe kidney, renal tubular acidosis, hydronephrosis, ureteropelvic obstruction and vesicoureteral reflux. Here we report a case of end-stage renal disease associated with RSS, which, to the best of our knowledge, has not been reported yet.
Acidosis, Renal Tubular ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Head ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Silver-Russell Syndrome ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

Treatment of rainbow trout macrophages with glycyrrhizin (GL), an aqueous extract of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), enhanced their respiratory burst activity. Maximal effects were seen using concentrations of 10-100 ug/ml. GL also modulated trout lymphocytes, increasing proliferation responses to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin two-fold over a range of GL concentrations. In addition, GL elicited the release of a macrophage activating factor (MAF) kom head kidney leukocytes, as assessed by the ability of generated supernatants to increase respiratory burst activity of target macrophages. MAF activity was most apparent using 100 ug/ml GL to induce MAF release and a 48 h incubation period with the target macrophages. Finally, GL was shown to enhance the release oF MAF in response to the mitogen concanavalin A. The results suggest that GL might modulate the innate defences in fish.
Concanavalin A ; Glycyrrhiza ; Glycyrrhizic Acid* ; Head Kidney ; Leukocytes* ; Lymphocytes ; Macrophages ; Oncorhynchus mykiss* ; Oncorhynchus* ; Respiratory Burst ; Trout