No abstract available.
Echocardiography* ; Heart*

No abstract available.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukins*

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study evaluate to assess the feasibility and safety of performing vaginal hysterectomy on our experience. METHODS: Between 1990 year and 1997 year, 3408 women underwent vaginal hysterectomy without laparoscopic assistance at Hallym University Hospital in Korea. All hysterectomies(abdominal & vaginal) were reviewed and these were compared with all hysterectomy cases from most recent year available for complete analysis. RESULT: 1. In 1990 yrs~1997 yrs, vaginal hysterectomies compromised 51%(vaginal hysterectomy [below VH]: 268 / total abdominal hysterectomy [below TAH]: 258; 1990), 55%(VH: 254/TAH: 212; 1991), 60%(VH: 346/TAH: 227; 1992), 64%(VH: 341/TAH: 190; 1993), 72%(VH: 434/TAH: 168; 1994), 75%(VH: 489/TAH: 156; 1995), 76.%(VH: 632/TAH: 196; 1996), 78%(VH: 657/TAH: 190;1997), a high increased rate of vaginal hysterectomy significantly. 2. The average age of patients was 41.9+/- 8.18(26~84) years old and 25 nullipara and 274 primiparas and 3109 multiparas. The mean parity was 2.74+/-0.36. 3. The common surgical indications were uterine myoma(53.9%), prolapse of uteri(23.3%), CIN II-III or microinvasive cervical cancer(6.5%), others(16.3%) 4. The average time of operation(hysterectomy and colporrhaphy) was 78.3+/- 14.2 min(40~230). 5. The average weight of uterus was 166.5+/- 111.4 gm(60~1130 gm), 34.0% was done morcellation. 6. 5.7% of operated women had previous abdominal operaton (without tubal ligation). 7. The common associated procedures were posterior colporrhaphy(47.4%), anteroposterior colporrhaphy(45.6%), adnexectomy(4.9%), other(2.1%). 8. The mean blood loss was 280+/- 104.4 ml and 12.4% of operated women were need of transfusion. 9. The minor complication rate was 10.6% e.g. urinary retention(5.3%-179cases), abdominal bleeding (including conversion TAH) (0.3%-9cases), pelvic hematoma(0.3%-11cases), post operation fever(2.8%-94cases), mortality cases none. 10. The mean hospital days were 7 days(4~20) CONCLUSION: In our experience the following conclusions have been reached that vaginal hysterectomy is usually well tolerated by most women, a safe operation with few complications and without notable blood loss and without the need of expensive laparoscopic equipment. The incidence of vaginal hysterectomy is characterized by pronounced fluctuations suggested that no valid general guidelines have yet been established for the indication via vagina of surgical treatment. The incidence of vaginal hysterectomy correlates with the experience of individual surgeon strongly. Vaginal hysterectomy remains the method of choice for removal of the uterus in the absence of absolute contraindication.
Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Mortality ; Parity ; Prolapse ; Uterus ; Vagina

OBJECTIVE: To review recurrence and prognosis of microivasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix that are associated with depth of invasion, pathologic finding and management(conservative or radical treatment) STUDY DESIGN: We conducted retrospective study in order to evaluate the results of therapeutic approaches in 46 patients with microinvasive cervical cancer from Jan 1987 to Oct 1996. RESULT: The mean age of patients was 44.6+ 8.86 years. Only one woman was nullipara, and the mean parity was 2.8, Overall diagnostic accuracy of pap smear and punch biopsy were 54.3% and 79.4%. As the depth of invasion was deeper, the diagnostic accuracy of punch biopsy increased(p<0.05), The confluence pattern and lymphovascular space involvement were observed in 39.1% and 4.9%. The confluence pattern was observed with statistical significant in advanced depth of stromal invasion. In the surgical management, vaginal hysterectomy was done in 28 patients, conization(l patient), total abdominal hysterectomy(8 patients) and radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection(9 patients) was done, no positive node was in 104 pelvic lymph node dissected. Though all cone margin was free and all endocervical curettage was negative, residual lesion(2 patients) was present in the hysterectomy after conization, The median follow-up period was 64 months. There was no recurrence in all cases and 5 years survival rate was 100% CONCLUSION: We suggest that microinvasive carcinoma of the cervix may be the disease of good prognosis and no recurrence, and less radical therapy for the patients with microinvasive carcinoma may be sufficient.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri* ; Conization ; Curettage ; Diagnosis* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal ; Lymph Nodes ; Parity ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was (1) to determine if serum creatine kinase (CK) activity is reduced in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with that of noninflammatory rheumatic diseases, (2) to examine the recently described association of low CK activity and disease variables in our RA population, and (3) to examine the influence of steroid on serum CK activity in patients with RA. METHODS: Cross sectional and longitudinal retrospective analyses of clinical and biochemical data of consecutive patients with RA and noninflammatory arthropathies. In all subjects we evaulated age, sex, weight, and, only for patients with RA, history of use of corticosteroids and Ritchie index. C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hemoglobin, and platelet count were simultaneously determined as variables of disease activity. CK activity was determined by automated biochemical analyzer (Hitachi 747, Japan). RESULTS: Serum CK activity was significantly reduced in RA (mean+SD: 45.7 +24.2 IU/L) compared to controls (81.3+33.9 IU/L) (p < 0.001). Ritchie index, CRP, and platelet count correlated inversely with CK values (correlation coefficient: 0.31, p < 0.01; 0. 45, p < 0.001; 0.42, p < 0.001, respectively). Patients taking steroids had lower CK activity than those without steroid, but not statistically significant.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Creatine Kinase* ; Creatine* ; Humans ; Platelet Count ; Retrospective Studies ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Steroids

PURPOSE: High false negative results on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) have been reported in the diagnosis of breast cancers, which are small sized, desmoplastic type, infiltrating lobular cancers, tubular cancers, and mucinous cancer. METHODS: From Jan. 1997 to Dec. 1998, we performed 622 FNACs at the Department of Surgery, Korea University Hospital. Among those aspirates, 246 cases were followed by subsequent pathological confirmation and were included in this study. Pathological reports for breast specimens were reviewed for the size, the location, the grade or the pathological subtype, and the presence of fibrosis in the breast lesions. The pathological characteristics were compared statistically with the results of the fine needle aspiration cytology. RESULTS: The likelihood ratios for malignant, suspicious, atypical, benign, and unsatisfactory cytological diagnoses were 98.7, 5.5, 1.1, 0.07, and 0.6, respectively. The absolute and the complete sensitivities for the malignant lesions were 64.5% and 90.3%, respectively. The rate of unsatisfactory diagnosis was 9.3%, and the false-negative rate was 4.3%. The concordance rates of FNAC results were 75% for tumors less than 1 cm in size, 60.7% for 1-2 cm, 76.5% for 2-5 cm, and 50% for greater than 5 cm (p=0.01). The location of the tumor also affected the FNAC result, and the highest concordant rate was found in tumors of the lower outer quadrant of the breast (73.3%, p=0.001). The Bloom-Richardson grade and histologic type of the breast cancer also affected the FNAC result. Low-grade tumors, medullary carcinomas, metaplastic carcinomas, lobular carcinomas, adenoid cystic carcinomas, and mucinous carcinomas usually showed discordant FNAC results. The presence or the absence of fibrotic pathology did not affect the FNAC result (p=0.39). CONCLUSION: The sensitivity of FNAC was 90.3% in the diagnosis of breast cancer and the false negative rate was 4.3%. The greatest concordance of FNAC diagnosis was found in the patients with tumor less than 5 cm in size and located in the axilla and locoregional recurrent area. The FNAC results for breast cancer were frequently incorrect for low-grade tumors and cancers of a rare pathological type.
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Axilla ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Brain Stem Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; Diagnosis* ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Mucins ; Pathology

PURPOSE: This study was performed to analyse urine gamma-hydroxybutyric acid(GHB) in children with seizures, and to investigate the pattern of seizures and neurologic abnormalities in children related with gamma-hydroxybutyric aciduria. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively medical records of children who admitted to our hospital with seizures between August 1. 2001 and February 28. 2003. We compared urine GHB levels with controls, and also analyzed the clinical features of patients who showed increased urine GHB. RESULTS: The mean urine GHB was 1.7+/-1.6 mmol/mol cr in febrile seizures, 1.8+/-2.5 mmol/mol cr in non-febrile seizures, and 1.8+/-2.0 mmol/mol cr in controls. Compared with control group, there was no significant difference in urine GHB levels(P>0.05). In 8 of 64 children with seizures, GHB levels increased above 2 standard deviation of normal controls. The types of seizure in children who showed increased urine GHB were generalized tonic clonic seizure in 3 patients, complex partial seizure in 2 patients, febrile seizure in 2 patients, and benign Rolandic epilepsy in 1 patient. 3 patients showed neurologic abnormalities, 4 patients showed electroencephalographic abnormalities, and 2 patients of 6 patients who performed brain imaging study showed brain imaging abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Children with gamma-hydroxybutyric aciduria should be suspected succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency as a cause of underlying disease.
Child* ; Epilepsy* ; Epilepsy, Rolandic ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Neuroimaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures* ; Seizures, Febrile ; Succinate-Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pulpal response to direct pulp capping with dentin sialoprotein (DSP)-derived synthetic peptide in teeth of dogs, and to compare its efficacy to capping substances Ca(OH)2 and white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA). A total of 72 teeth of 6 healthy male beagle dogs were used. The mechanically exposed pulps were capped with one of the following: (1) DSP-derived synthetic peptide (PEP group); (2) Ca(OH)2 (CH group); (3) a mixture paste of peptide and Ca(OH)2 (PEP+CH group); or (4) white MTA (WMTA group). The access cavity was restored with a reinforced glass ionomer cement. Two dogs were sacrificed at each pre-determined intervals (2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months). After the specimens were prepared for standard histological processing, sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Under a light microscope, inflammatory response and hard tissue formation were evaluated in a blind manner by 2 observers. In the PEP group, only 3 of 17 specimens showed hard tissue formation, indication that the DSP-derived synthetic peptide did not induce proper healing of the pulp. Compared with the CH group, the PEP group demonstrated an increased inflammatory response and poor hard tissue formation. The CH and WMTA groups showed similar results for direct pulp capping in mechanically exposed teeth of dogs.
Acrylic Resins ; Aluminum Compounds ; Animals ; Calcium Compounds ; Calcium Hydroxide ; Dental Pulp Capping ; Dentin ; Dogs ; Drug Combinations ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Glass Ionomer Cements ; Glutamates ; Guanine ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Light ; Male ; Oligopeptides ; Oxides ; Phosphoproteins ; Sialoglycoproteins ; Silicates ; Silicon Dioxide ; Tooth ; Pemetrexed

PURPOSE: Antiepileptic drugs may alter serum lipid status in epileptic patients. We conducted this study to assess the effect of valproate on serum levels of total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein(LDL), high-density lipoprotein(HDL), and TC/HDL ratio, and to investigate the factors affecting serum lipid status in children with epilepsy who had been receiving valproate therapy. METHODS: Thirty epileptic children(16 males, 14 females, mean age 7.4+/-3.3 years) were evaluated for serum lipid status at the onset and the 6, 12 and 24 months of valproate therapy, and were analysed changes and potential factors of affecting changes such as sex, body mass index, valproate concentration, in serum lipid levels during valproate therapy. RESULTS: TC were significantly lowered during first 12 months of valproate theraphy (P<0.05). LDL were lowered during first 12 months. HDL and TC/HDL ratio were not changed and TG were increased during valproate theraphy but not reach to statistical significance. TC, TG, LDL, and HDL return to pretreatment levels after 24 months of valproate theraphy. TC, LDL, HDL, and TC/HDL ratio changes were not significantly different by sex and initial body mass index, but TG were significantly increased in group of BMI below 20(P<0.05). LDL levels were significantly decreased correlation to serum valproate concentration(r=-0.2915. P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that valproate therapy would not increase a risk for atherosclerotic disorders in adulthood, but weight gain with a metabolic consequence of obesity would increase risk for atherosclerotic disorders in adulthood.
Anticonvulsants ; Body Mass Index ; Child* ; Epilepsy* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Valproic Acid* ; Weight Gain