OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of tumor suppressor genes, p53 and Rb gene, as well as apoptosis in the carcinogenesis of ovarian epithelial tumors. And the value of these factors as prognostic markers to tell the transformation of borderline tumors to overt carcinomas is also studied. METHOD: Thirty cases of ovarian epithelial benign and borderline tumors and invasive carcinoma were used and the expression of the p53 protein and Rb gene protein were evaluated by immunohistochemical method. The apoptosis was evaluated by TUNNEL method. RESULTS: Positive rate of p53 expression in benign, borderline and invasive tumors were 0, 28, and 94 %, respectively. And also, p53 was highly expressed in chemoresistant cases (2/3), in residual tumor (4/5) and in recurred cancer (2/2). Rb protein was partly lost in the borderline tumors, but the rate of Rb protein loss in both borderline tumors and invasive carcinomas were similar. Apoptosis were more active in overt carcinomas than in borderline and benign tumors. In borderline tumors, p53 protein was expressed as 28.6% positivity, and apoptosis was expressed as 28.6% negativity, which showed indirectly that there was apoptosis induction effect of p53. In ten cases of invasive carcinomas showing highly expressed p53, apoptosis revealed all positive reaction except 2 cases, and Rb protein revealed variously. This result supported the apoptosis imduction effect of p53, but it was difficult to find the association of expression degree between the two tumor supressor genes CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the values of p53 is a discriminating factor of malignancy from benign and the expression of p53 is related with clinical aggressivity such as recurrence and residual cancers. Apoptosis are more active in overt carcinoma than in benign & borderline tumor, and in borderline tumor the expression of p53 is related to apoptosis induction which results to carcinomatous change.
Apoptosis* ; Carcinogenesis ; Genes, Retinoblastoma* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Recurrence ; Retinoblastoma Protein

The authors carried out various treatment modalities in 74 consecutive patients with hypertensive basal ganglionic-thalamic intracerebral hemorrhage and were admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery. Konkuk University Hospital, from Jan. 1991 to Dec. 1993. A variety of prognostic factors that influence mortality were observed. The locaton of hematoma was at the basal ganglia in 47 cases and at the thalamus in 27 cases. The prognosis gets poorer as the hematoma extended wider and deeper. The prognosis was unfavorable when the hematoma was over 30cc(P<0.001). The mortality rate was higher in cases with IVH than in cases without IVH(P<0.005). In cases with IVH, 19 cases(26%) showed dilated 4th ventricular hemorrage and higher mortality rate(P<0.001). Cases in which the GCS were less than 9 on admission showed higher mortality rate(P<0.0001). The mortality rate was also higher if the midline shift was more than 10mm on the initial brain CT scan(P<0.005). THe group where the unilateral or bilateral pupillary light reflex was unreactive(35cases) showed poorer prognosis than the group where the bilateral pupillary light reflex was reactive(P<0.0001). The ventriculocranial ratio(VCR), hydrocephalus, surrounding edema edema around the heamtoam, and treatment modality were not related to the prognosis. The significant prognostic factors in patients with hypertensive basal ganglionic-thalamic intracerebral hemorrhage were location and type of hematoma, whether or not the volume of hematoma is more than 30cc, IVH, dilated 4th ventricular hemorrhage, Graeb's score of more than 7, GCS of less than 9, midline shift of more than 10mm, and reactivity of pupillary light reflex.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Edema ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Mortality ; Neurosurgery ; Prognosis ; Reflex ; Thalamus

PURPOSE:It is important to evaluate the healing process of avascular necrosis (AVN) involving femoral head after treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of pinhole bone scintigraphy in the AVN of femoral head after surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the changing pattern of pinhole bone scintigram in 21 femoral heads of 16 patients (14 lesions/11 male, 7 lesions/5 female, mean age: 39.4 yrs) before and after multiple drilling or vascularized bone grafting for AVN of the femoral head. In all patients, pre-operative scintigrams were obtained at 1 to 3 months before treatment and the first post-operative scintigrams were obtained at 1 to 3 months after treatment. All patients were followed for 2 to 4 years after operation. RESULTS: The findings of the pinhole scintigrams were divided into three patterns: 1) curvilinear, 2) scattered spotty and 3) undetermined. The 10 of 11 lesions with curvilinear pattern had good postoperative clinical and radiological follow-up findings. However, all 6 lesions with scattered spotty pattern showed poor postoperative findings, which necessitated total hip joint replacement. Of the 4 lesions with undetermined pattern, 2 required total hip joint replacement. There was significant difference in postoperative prognosis between the curvilinear and scattered spotty patterns (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the pattern of pinhole bone scintigram obtained within 1 to 3 months after multiple drilling or vascularized bone graft operation is a useful prognostic indicator in the AVN of femoral head.
Bone Transplantation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head* ; Hip Joint ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis* ; Prognosis* ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate ; Transplants*

No abstract available.
Pre-Eclampsia*

The term 'rhombencephalitis' refers to inflammatory diseases affecting the hindbrain. We experienced a case of rhombencephalitis in a 14 years old girl, who presented with fever, headache, and intractable hiccup for one week prior to admission. Brain MRI on admission showed bilateral high signal intensities in the dorsal portion of the medulla oblongata on T2WI and FLAIR. Examination of cerebrospinal fluid showed increased WBC count (33/mm3, Lymphocyte 81%), normal protein and glucose level. Immunoserologic study showed decreased C3, C4 level and increased Anti-ds DNA level. However, FANA was negative. The hiccup was controlled by administration of IVIG (1 g/kg/day for 2 days) and steroid (30 mg/kg/day for 3days) without any neurologic symptoms. We report a case with the brief review of related literatures.
Brain ; DNA ; Encephalitis ; Fever ; Glucose ; Headache ; Hiccup ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Lymphocytes ; Medulla Oblongata ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Rhombencephalon

Changes in arterial blood gases and arterial pressure during laparoscopic cholecystectomy under the general anesthesia (enflurane in N2O/O2 50%) were investigated in 30 patients, who were divided into two groups according to control of minute ventilation. During surgery, minute ventilation was set 100 ml/kg in group I and 150 ml/kg in group II, and intraabdominal pressure was maintained at 15mmHg by CO2 insufflation, in both groups. Variables were measured before CO2 gas insufflation, 15 and 30 minutes after insufflation, just after exsufflation, 15 and 30 minutes after exsufflation and in recovery room. 1. PaCO2 was increased significantly during CO2 gas insufflation and just after exsufflation in both group, and degree of increase (PaCO2) was significantly greater in group I compared to group II. 2. Changes of PaO2 were not statistically significant in comparison to control value and between two groups during CO2 gas insufflation and exsufflation. 3. Blood pH in both groups were lowered significantly compared to control value during CO2 gas insufflation and exsufflation, and group II (increased minute ventilation group), represents lower risk of acidosis compared to group I. 4. Mean arterial pressure and airway pressure were significantly increased compared to control value during CO2 gas insufflation, but there was no significant difference between two groups. These results suggest that minute ventilation during laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be increased up to maintaining normal PaCO2 for prevention of hemodynamic and blood gas changes due to CO2 retention.
Acidosis ; Anesthesia, General* ; Arterial Pressure ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Gases* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Insufflation ; Recovery Room ; Ventilation

BACKGROUND: Intrathecal gabapentin is effective on nociceptive states evoked by tissue injury. In addition, gabapentin interacts synergistically with clonidine at the spinal level, suggesting that a mechanism of gabapentin may be related to spinal adrenoceptors. However, it has not been established whether this drug is associated with cholinergic receptors. The aim of this study was to examine the role of spinal adrenergic and cholinergic receptors on the antinociceptive action of intrathecal gabapentin. METHODS: Rats were implanted with lumbar intrathecal catheters. For a nociceptive test, 50nl of 5% formalin solution was injected into the hindpaw. The effect of intrathecal gabapentin, administered 10 min before the formalin injection, was assessed. Next, antagonistic effects of intrathecal prazosin, yohimbine, atropine and mecamylamine for the action of intrathecal gabapentin were evaluated. RESULTS: Formalin injection caused a biphasic incidence of flinching of the injected paw. Intrathecal gabapentin produced a dose-dependent suppression of only the phase 2 flinching response in the formalin test. Intrathecal atropine, but not prazosin, yohimbine nor mecamylamine, reversed the antinociception of intrathecal gabapentin. CONCLUSIONS: The antinociceptive effect of intrathecal gabapentin on facilitated states may be mediated through the muscarinic receptor but by neither the nicotinic receptor nor the adrenergic receptor at the spinal level.
Animals ; Atropine ; Catheters ; Cholinergic Antagonists* ; Clonidine ; Formaldehyde ; Incidence ; Mecamylamine ; Nociception ; Pain Measurement ; Prazosin ; Rats ; Receptors, Adrenergic ; Receptors, Cholinergic ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; Receptors, Nicotinic ; Spinal Cord ; Yohimbine

PURPOSE: To report clinical and functional results in two female siblings with Bietti crystalline retinopathy. CASE SUMMARY: Recently, a 48-year-old female with bilateral intraretinal depositions presented with a complaint of decreased visual acuity and night blindness in both eyes. Several tiny glistening yellow intraretinal crystalline depositions were observed. Fluorescein angiography showed a well-demarcated choriocapillaris filling defect and pigment epithelial window defect. Electrophysiologic tests showed decreased amplitude and OCT scans showed fine intraretinal lesions with increased signal intensity. In addition, a 50-year-old female sibling presented with bilateral yellow, intraretinal crystalline depositions. A choriocapillaris filling defect and pigment epithelial window defect in a fluorescein angiography was observed. Electrophysiologic tests showed severely decreased amplitude. CONCLUSIONS: Two female siblings with Bietti crystalline retinopathy are reported.
Crystallins ; Eye ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Night Blindness ; Siblings ; Visual Acuity

This 32 year-old man sustained crush injury and resultant in paraplegia. Lumbar MRI was taken and revealed fracture and dislocation between L2 and L3 vertebrae bodies. On the day of the injury, he underwent a surgical intervention of posterolateral fixation and bone graft from L1 to L4 vertebrae. He was transferred to Rehabilitation Medicine Department of Asan Medical Center where patient was subsequently found to have an unexpected neurologic finding of decreased sensation below T5 dermatome on right and below T6 on left. Accordingly we took a thoracic MRI which showed features consistent with arachnoiditis at thoracic and lumbar cord segment. A dermatomal somatosensory evoked potential study was performed with finding of abnormal somatosensory pathway below mid thoracic dermatome. We reported an unusual case of thoracic arachnoiditis occurred after the surgical fixation of the lumbar vertebral fracture and dislocation.
Adult ; Arachnoid* ; Arachnoiditis* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Dislocations ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Paraplegia ; Rehabilitation ; Sensation ; Spine ; Transplants