BACKGROUND: Although hypochlorhydria, hypergastrinemia and antiparietal cell antibody have been well documented in the patients with hyperthyroidism, a cause of hypochlorhydria or hypergastrinemia is unknown at the present time. Therefore, in order to clarify an inhibitory mechansim of gastric acid secretion in the patients with hyperthyroidism, interrelationship among hypochlorhydria, hypergastrinemia and antiparietal cell antibody was investigated in this study. METHODS: The gastric secretory function, fasting and postprandial plasma concentrations of gastrin and titer of antiparietal cell antibody in the plasma were determined in the patients with hyperthyroidism and normal subjects. Immunoblot analysis was performed to identify the gastric membrane protein, a possible gastric antigen to antiparietal cell antibody. Using a immunocytochemical technique with electron microscopy, intracellular structure of the parietal cell reacted with antiparietal cell antibody was observed. RESULTS: The basal and pentagastrin-stimulated maximal acid output were reduced in the patients with hyperthyroidism. The fasting and postprandial plasma concentrations of gastrin were markedly elevated in the patients. The plasma gastrin concentration in the patients with the antiparietal cell antibody was higher than that of the norrnal subjects as well as the patients without the antibody not only in the fasting state but also in the postprandial state. However, the plasma gastrin concentration of the patients without the antiparietal cell antibody was elevated in the fasting state only. There was no difference in the gastrin content of the antral mucosa between the norrnal subjects and the patients. The antiparietal cell antibody was detected in 5 (38.5 %) out of 13 patients by using the indirect immunofluorescence method. Patient IgG dose-dependently inhibited rabbit gastric H (+),K (+)-ATPase activity. Among proteins of the rabbit gastric mucosa membrane, four high molecular weight proteins (91, 140, 170 and 210 K dalton) were reacted to the patient IgG. The patient IgG positive peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) activity was electron microscopically detected on the intracellular cannalicular membrane of the parietal cell CONCLUSION: We conclude that hypochlorhydria and hypergastrinemia in the patients with hyperthyroidism are partially related to the antiparietal cell antibody and that the antigen to the antiparietal cell antibody may be H (+),K (+)-ATPase in the intracellular canalicular membrane of the parietal cell.
Achlorhydria ; Fasting ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Gastric Acid* ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastrins ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Membrane Proteins ; Membranes ; Microscopy, Electron ; Molecular Weight ; Mucous Membrane ; Plasma ; Rabeprazole

No abstract available.
Impetigo*

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

Coronary stent dislodgement is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. We report a case of stent dislodgement in the ascending thoracic aorta. The stent was mechanically distorted in the left circumflex artery (LCX) while being delivered to the proximal LCX lesion. The balloon catheter was withdrawn, but the stent with the guide wire was remained in the ascending thoracic aorta. The stent was unable to be retrieved into the guide catheter, as it was distorted. A goose neck snare was used successfully to catch the stent in the ascending thoracic aorta and retrieved the stent externally via the arterial sheath.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary/*adverse effects/*instrumentation ; *Aorta, Thoracic/radiography ; Cardiac Catheterization/*adverse effects/*instrumentation ; Coronary Angiography ; Device Removal/*instrumentation ; Foreign Bodies/etiology/radiography/*therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography, Interventional ; *Stents ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: It is not unusual to decompress two consecutive disc levels in treating patients with multiple radiculopathy or uncertain level diagnosis. However, the controversy over whether to use corpectomy or bisegmental diskectomy for anterior cervical fusion is still largely unsettled. The aim of this study is to define the properties of these two surgical options. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of radiological data and clinical records only in patients whom the follow up period is longer than 12 months. Functional outcome, fusion rate, complication rate, and duration of anesthesia were analyzed in both groups. RESULTS: In total of 61 cases, corpectomy was performed in 34 and the bisegmental diskectomy in 27 patients. Mean follow-up periods were over 24 months in both groups. Anesthesia time was shorter in corpectomy patients(280 minutes vs. 300 minutes in segmental diskectomy). However, the bisegmental diskectomy group was better in achieving good clinical outcome(92.6% vs. 82%). Overall fusion rate in bisegmental diskectomy was 100%. Hardware failure rate was lower in bisegmental diskectomy group(11% vs. 18%). Revision was needed in 6% of corpectomy group. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, although the anesthesia time is slightly longer in bisegmental fusion, we believe the method of bisegmental diskectomy is better in accomplishing higher fusion rate and lower complication rate.
Anesthesia ; Diagnosis ; Diskectomy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Radiculopathy ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Chondromatosis, Synovial* ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Osteoarthritis*

Tuberculosis is a common chronic infectious disease, although the spleen is an uncommon organ to harbor tubercle bacilli. Immunocompromised subjects are primarily prone to miliary tuberculosis and in them the spleen is invaded by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Spleen tuberculosis is manifested commonly as a miliary form. The basic pathology is granulomatous inflammation. The CT finding of splenic tuberculosis are multiple, well-defined, roung or ovoid, low-density masses. Lymphadenopathy in the abdomen and mediastinum and pleural effusion can be found. We report two cases with tuberculosis of the spleen proved by computed tomography and histologic identification. One paitient did not improve following antituberculous medication, so splenectomy was performed. The other patient has been treated with antituberculous medication.
Abdomen ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mediastinum ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Pathology ; Pleural Effusion ; Spleen* ; Splenectomy ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Miliary ; Tuberculosis, Splenic

From January 1988 to January 1996, 42 infants and children (44 renal units) had undergone surgical management to correct ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Median patient age was 8.5 years (range from 2 months to 17 years) and 11 patients were less than 1 year old at operation. Of 44 renal units surgically managed, 30 were on the left side and 10 were right side. 2 patients had undergone bilateral surgical management. Presenting symptoms were febrile urinary tract infection in 14 cases, abdominal pain in 14 cases, abdominal mass in 5 cases, gross hematuria in 3 cases and 3 cases were detected prenatally. We used imaging antegrade pyelography (AGP) in 15 cases, additional retrograde pyelography (RGP) in 12 cases and both AGP and RGP were performed in 1 case. To correct ureteropelvic junction obstruction, we performed dismembered pyeloplasty in 33 renal units, ureterolysis in 2 renal units, ureterocalycostomy in 1 renal unit, endopyelotomy in 1 renal unit and nephrectomy in 7 renal units. To diverge the urinary flow, we used nephrostomy in 19 renal units, ureteral stenting in 6 renal units and both nephrostomy and ureteral stenting were used in 10 renal units. As postoperative complications, restenosis was developed in 5 renal units, delayed open in 5 renal units, urinary tract infection in 2 renal units and wound infection, prolonged urine leakage, ureteral stone in each 1 renal unit. Postoperative success rate in followed-up patients, who had undergone pyeloplasty, was 91.6%. The success rate in children, who was less than 1 year old, was 100% and in children, who was more than 1 year old, was 88.4%. Finally we suggest that the surgical correction is safe and proper method for ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children. Additionally early operation of ureteropelvic junction obstruction is recommendable.
Abdominal Pain ; Child* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Infant ; Nephrectomy ; Postoperative Complications ; Stents ; Ureter ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Urography ; Wound Infection

No abstract available.
Human ; *Internet ; *Liver Diseases ; *Patient Education

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is an essential component of tumor growth and metastasis, and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most important angiogenic factors. Several solid tumors produce substantial amounts of VEGF, which stimulates proliferation and the migration of ednothelial cells, therby inducing neovasculization by a paracrine mechanism. To evaluate the prognostic roles of angiogenesis and VEGF expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the relationship between VEGF expression in tumor tissues, the clinicopathologic features and the overall survival rate were analysed. METHODS: Sixty-nine resected primary non-small cell lung cancer specimens were evaluated. The pareffinembedded tumor tissues were stained by anti-VEGF polyclonal antibodies using an immunohistochemical method to assess VEGF expression. RESULTS: In Forty-one patients (59%), the VEGF antigen was expressed weakly in their tumor tissue, whereas in twenty-eight patients (41%) the VEGF antigen was expressed strongly. The median survival time of the weak VEGF expression group was 24 months, and that of the strong VEGF expression group was 19 months. The three year-survival rates were 35%, 33%, respectively. The survival difference between both groups was not statistically significnat. CONCLUSION: Although results were not statistically significant, the strong expression group tended to poorer prognosis than weak expression group.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Antibodies ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A