PURPOSE: The circular stapled hemorrhoidectomy established by A. Longo involves reducing the mucous membrane prolapse and blocking the end branches of the upper hemorrhoidal artery through transverse incision of a suitable section of the mucosa between the rectum and the anal canal. This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy and the safety of a circular stapled hemorrhoidectomy by comparing it with a conventional Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: One hundred thirty (130) patients with prolapsed hemorrhoids underwent surgical treatment with either a conventional (n=66)(conventional group) or a circular stapled (n=64) (stapled group) hemorrhoidectomy. The operation time was recorded, and the resected specimen was examined. The patients assessed their postoperative pain. Time to first bowel movement, hospital stay, and postoperative complications were analyzed. All patients received follow-up examinations at the out-patient clinic, and the time to return to work and the degree of their satisfaction were checked. RESULTS: The stapled group had a shorter average operation time (19.2 min. vs 26.1 min., P=0.016). The postoperative pain score in the stapled group was significantly lower than it was in the conventional group (P<0.05). Time to first bowel movement and hospital stay were not significantly different between the groups. Return to work was significantly faster in the stapled group (6.5 days vs 15.8 days, P<0.05). The degrees of satisfaction for the two groups were similar, and postoperative complications in the two groups were both similar and acceptable (6.1% vs 11.0%, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A circular stapled hemorrhoidectomy offers a significantly less painful alternative to the conventional technique and is associated with an earlier return to normal activity. However, the long-term outcome needs to be evaluated further.
Anal Canal ; Arteries ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhoidectomy* ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Mucous Membrane ; Outpatients ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Complications ; Prolapse ; Rectum ; Return to Work

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine whether a mechanical bowel preparation with 90 ml of sodium phosphate (NaP) solution (Group II) increased the acceptability of bowel preparation and reduced discomfort compared with 2 liters of polyethylene glycol (PEG) combined with a bisacodyl 20 mg (Group I). METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized, single-blinded study. Forty-four patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery in the National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital from March 2002 to November 2002 were included in this study. We assessed the patients' tolerance and cleansing ability, as well as the surgeon's satisfaction, by using a structured questionnaire. Postoperative complications were also evaluated. RESULTS: Patient tolerance to NaP was higher than it was to PEG (P=0.034). The cleansing ability and the surgeon's satisfaction were not different between the two groups (P=0.217, P=0.349). There is no significant postoperative complication except for 1 case of wound infection in both group. CONCLUSIONS: Both oral solutions proved to be equally effective and safe. However, patient tolerance to the small volume of NaP demonstrated a clear advantage over the traditional PEG solution.
Bisacodyl ; Colorectal Surgery* ; Humans ; National Health Programs ; Polyethylene Glycols* ; Polyethylene* ; Postoperative Complications ; Preoperative Care ; Prospective Studies* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sodium* ; Therapeutic Irrigation* ; Wound Infection

OBJECTIVES: There is limited data regarding the toxicity of methylcyclohexane, despite its wide use in rubber adhesives, paint diluents, and cleansing agents. This study aimed to verify the toxicity and influence on the reproductive system of methylcyclohexane after its repeated injection in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. METHODS: Methylcyclohexane was injected subcutaneously into male and female SD rats once a day, five times a week, for 13 weeks at different doses (0, 10, 100, and 1,000 mg/kg/day) for each group. The toxicity of testing material was verified by observing the change in body and organ weight, hematological change, pathological findings, and effect on the reproductive system at each different concentration. RESULTS: In the 1,000 mg/kg/day group, there were cases of animal deaths. In animals that survived, hematological changes, including a decrease in the red blood cell count, were observed. A considerable weight gain or loss and pathological abnormalities in the liver, kidney, and other organs were found. However, the 10 and 100 mg/kg/day groups did not cause deaths or other specific abnormalities. In terms of reproductive toxicity, there were changes in hormone levels, including a significant decrease in hormones such as estradiol and progesterone (p < 0.001) in male animals. Menstrual cycle change for female animals did not show concentration dependency. CONCLUSION: When injected repeatedly for 13 weeks, methylcyclohexane proved to be toxic for the liver, heart, and kidney at a high dose. The absolute toxic dose was 1,000 mg/kg/day, while the no observed adverse effect level was less than 100 mg/kg/day. The substance exerted little influence on the reproductive system.
Adhesives ; Animals ; Cyclohexanes ; Detergents ; Erythrocyte Count ; Estradiol ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Liver ; Male ; Menstrual Cycle ; No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level ; Organ Size ; Paint ; Progesterone ; Rats ; Rubber ; Weight Gain

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic colorectal procedures are widely used for benign disease but controversial for malignant disease. In early colorectal cancer, laparoscopic colectomy can be performed safely on the basis of oncologic principles. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of laparoscopic-assisted colorectal resection for malignant polyps and benign disease. METHODS: Twenty five patients submitted to surgical treatment between Oct. 1996 to June 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Malignant polyps comprized 7 cases whose resection margins were all positive for cancer cells after endoscopic polypectomy and benign diseases in 18 cases (benign polyp: 7, diverticular disease: 4, submucosal tumor: 4 etc.). The common sugical procedures were anterior or low anterior resection (7 cases) and segmental resection (6 cases). There was no conversion to an open surgery. In malignant polyps, pathologic results revealed early cancer with no lymph node metastasis. There was no operative mortality. Postoperative recovery was uneventful except 2 cases (9.0%) of complications, which were, prolonged ileus in one patient and subcutaneous emphysema in another patient. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic-assisted resection can be recommended as a safe and effective procedure for treatment of colonic malignant polyps and benign disease.
Colectomy ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Ileus ; Laparoscopy ; Lymph Nodes ; Mortality ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polyps* ; Retrospective Studies ; Subcutaneous Emphysema

Hemangiopericytoma is a rare vascular tumor that usually occurs in adults. The tumor is believed to originate from pericytes that are closely related to the capillary walls. Congenital hemangiopericytoma is a more rare disease that occurs in approximately 0.03% of all heamngiopericytomas. Herein, we describe a 1-month-old male newborn with huge congenital hemangiopericytoma in the retroperitoneum that exhibited a typical morphological vascular pattern.
Adult ; Capillaries ; Hemangiopericytoma ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pericytes ; Rare Diseases

As the large defect of peripheral nerve occurs, the autologous nerve graft is the most ideal method but it has many limitations due to donor site morbidities. Various materials have been developed for the nerve defect as the conduits, but none of these materials is satisfactory. Among them, Gore-Tex(R) tube seems to be one of the most ideal nerve conduit materials at peripheral nerve defect. Many researches have focused on finding the neurotrophic factors. It is recently demonstrated that Valproic acid(VPA) has an effect of axonal regeneration as a neurotrophic factor without enzymatic degradation and toxicity problems. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of VPA on the nerve regeneration at the peripheral nerve defect. A 10 mm gap of rat sciatic nerve was made and Gore-Tex(R) tube filled with biceps femoris muscle was placed at the nerve defect site. We let the rat take VPA as drinking water in experimental group and did not give VPA to the control group. We estimated the results as electrophysiologic and histological aspects for 16 weeks after the surgery. The nerve conduction velocity, total myelinated axon count, myelin sheath thickness and mean nerve fiber diameter significantly increased in VPA-treated experimental group when compared to the control (p < 0.05). From the above results, we conclude that VPA promotes the nerve regeneration at the peripheral nerve defect site. It is suggested that Gore-Tex(R) tube filled with skeletal muscle and VPA administration may be a good substitute for autologous nerve graft.
Animals ; Axons ; Drinking Water ; Humans ; Linear Energy Transfer ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Myelin Sheath ; Nerve Fibers ; Nerve Growth Factors ; Nerve Regeneration* ; Neural Conduction ; Peripheral Nerves ; Rats ; Regeneration ; Sciatic Nerve ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants ; Valproic Acid*

During the study of mushroom flora in Hongneung Arboretum, Ileodictyon gracile was confirmed as new to Korea and described based on morphological and microscopic characteristics in here. This species has subhypogeous, clathrate structure, and obovoid spores. The clathrate structures have 4~12 polygonal meshes.
Agaricales ; Korea* ; Spores

OBJECTIVE: The principle operation of acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) is a craniotomy with hematoma removal, but a trephination with hematoma evacuation may be another method in selected cases. Trephine drainage was performed for ASDH patients in subacute stage using urokinase (UK) instillation, and its results were evaluated. METHODS: Between January 2016 and December 2018, the trephine evacuation using UK was performed in 9 patients. The interval between injury and operation was from 1 to 2 weeks. We underwent a burr hole trephination with drainage initially, and waited until the flow of liquefied hematoma stopped, then instilled UK for the purpose of clot liquefaction. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 71.6 years (range, 38–90 years). The cause of ASDH was trauma in 8 cases, and supposed a complication of anticoagulant medication in 1 case. Four out of 8 patients took antiplatelet medications and one of them was a chronic alcoholism. The range of the Glasgow Coma Scale score before surgery was from 13 to 15. Most of patients, main symptom was headache at admission. The Glasgow Outcome Scale score was 5 in 8 cases and 3 in 1 case. CONCLUSION: It is thought to be a useful operation method in selected patients with ASDH that the subdural drainage in subacute stage with UK instillation. This method might be another useful option for the patients with good mental state regardless of age and the patients with a risk of bleeding due to antithrombotic medications.
Alcoholism ; Craniotomy ; Drainage ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Glasgow Outcome Scale ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural, Acute ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Methods ; Trephining ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

This report describes the first clinical case of a transfusion-associated Mycoplasma haemocanis infection in a dog in Korea. A 6-year-old male Maltese underwent a red blood cell transfusion for idiopathic immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Eighteen days after the blood transfusion, the recipient’s packed cell volume decreased and basophilic organisms were found on erythrocytes. A polymerase chain reaction and sequential analysis showed that both the donor dog and recipient dog had M. haemocanis. Six weeks after doxycycline administration, no organisms were detected and the recipient’s anemia had improved.