PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to examine the changes in bladder compliance of a spinal cord injured population, and analyze the effects of several factors, related to the clinical and urodynamic findings, on bladder compliance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The charts, videourodynamic and upper tract radiographic studies of 114 patients with a spinal cord injury were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were categorized according to their bladder and urethral activities from the videourodynamic study, the interval since the time of the injury and the bladder emptying method, including intermittent catheterization (IC), self voiding and Foley catheterization. The association of bladder compliance with upper/lower tract complications was also identified in the population. A bladder compliance threshold values of 12.5ml/cm H2O was selected for the comparison between a normal and decreased compliance. RESULTS: No significant differences in compliance were noted in relation to sex, age or level of injury. Of the 114 patients, 43 (37.4%), by definition, had a low bladder compliance. The patients whose interval since the time of injury was more than one year had a significantly higher incidence of low compliance than those of less than one year. Low compliance was more common in patients using an indwelling catheter than in those using the other methods. A low compliance was statistically associated with more deformity of the bladder shape (p<0.05) and upper tract complications (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In a spinal cord injured population, compliance may be one of the most important factors resulting in upper/lower urinary tract complications. With time, or due to the wrong treatment, there is a great possibility of a low compliance. Therefore, regular observation of the compliance, and other factors, using urodynamic studies, is warranted.
Catheterization ; Catheters ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Compliance* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Cord* ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urinary Catheterization ; Urinary Tract ; Urodynamics

The incidence of distal anterior cerebral artery(ACA) aneurysm is relatively rare, and only a few cases of bilateral symmetrical distal ACA aneurysms which were adhered together have been reported. They are also called kissing aneurysms. We treated bilateral symmetrical distal ACA kissing aneurysms in a 44-year-old woman. We successfully clipped the double aneurysmal sacs individually by interhemispheric approach in spite of intraoperative aneurysmal rupture. The patient was discharged without any neurological deficits two weeks after the operation.
Adult ; Aneurysm* ; Anterior Cerebral Artery* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Rupture

Head and neck cutaneous metastasis of advanced gastric cancer is uncommon, and scalp metastasis is particularly rare. We present the case of a 60-year-old man who was diagnosed with cutaneous metastasis on the scalp originating from advanced gastric cancer. The patient was referred to the plastic surgery department for a scalp mass near the hairline. He had been diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer and undergone total gastrectomy and Roux esophagojejunostomy 3 years previously. The differential diagnosis for a single flesh-colored nodule on the scalp included benign tumors such as epidermal cyst or lipoma; therefore, the patient underwent excision and biopsy. In the operative field, the mass was found to be located in the frontalis muscle. The biopsy result showed that the mass was a metastatic lesion of advanced gastric cancer. Whole-body computed tomography revealed a gastric tumor with blood vessel infiltration, peritoneal carcinomatosis, liver metastasis, and multiple disseminated subcutaneous metastases. Although scalp metastasis originating from an internal organ is extremely rare, plastic surgeons should always consider a metastatic lesion in the differential diagnosis if a patient with a scalp lesion has a history of malignant cancer.

A 46-year-old female presented a mass on her right lower leg where she had a burn injury due to moxibustion 10 years ago. Physical examination revealed a 3 cm sized firm nodule with tenderness. Plain radiograph was performed and it revealed well-defined calcifications. According to the history of moxibustion burn injury and the result of plain radiograph, dystrophic calcinosis cutis caused by burn injury was suspected. The patient underwent excisional biopsy using pre-,intra-, and postoperative ultrasonography (USG). There was no sign of recurrence. Herein, we report a case of a 46-year-old healthy woman who presented with single hard nodule on the right lower leg. Our case is worthwhile in two respects. First, It is first case report of dystrophic calcinosis cutis due to moxibustion burn injury. In east asian culture, moxibustion is a commonly conducted procedure and it often induces burn injury. Second, USG was used pre-, intra-, and post-operatively to assess the shape, location, and depth of the calcinosis cutis and to determine the surgical margin.

Head and neck cutaneous metastasis of advanced gastric cancer is uncommon, and scalp metastasis is particularly rare. We present the case of a 60-year-old man who was diagnosed with cutaneous metastasis on the scalp originating from advanced gastric cancer. The patient was referred to the plastic surgery department for a scalp mass near the hairline. He had been diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer and undergone total gastrectomy and Roux esophagojejunostomy 3 years previously. The differential diagnosis for a single flesh-colored nodule on the scalp included benign tumors such as epidermal cyst or lipoma; therefore, the patient underwent excision and biopsy. In the operative field, the mass was found to be located in the frontalis muscle. The biopsy result showed that the mass was a metastatic lesion of advanced gastric cancer. Whole-body computed tomography revealed a gastric tumor with blood vessel infiltration, peritoneal carcinomatosis, liver metastasis, and multiple disseminated subcutaneous metastases. Although scalp metastasis originating from an internal organ is extremely rare, plastic surgeons should always consider a metastatic lesion in the differential diagnosis if a patient with a scalp lesion has a history of malignant cancer.

Isolated head and neck metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is relatively rare and metastasis to the temple area is very rare. Here, we present the case of a 51-year-old man who was diagnosed with RCC 2 years earlier and had a contralateral metastatic temple area lesion. The patient who was diagnosed with renal cell cancer and underwent a nephrectomy 2 years ago was referred to the plastic surgery department for a temple mass on the contralateral side. In the operative field, the mass was located in the temporalis muscle with a red-to-purple protruding shape. Biopsy of the mass revealed a metastatic RCC lesion. Computed tomography imaging showed a lobulated, contoured enhancing lesion. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging showed high-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the right temporalis muscle. The patient underwent wide excision of the metastatic RCC including the temporalis muscle at the plastic surgery department. Skeletal muscle metastasis of head and neck lesions is extremely rare in RCC. Isolated contralateral temporalis muscle metastasis in RCC has not been previously reported in the literature. If a patient has a history of malignant cancer, plastic surgeons should always consider metastatic lesions of head and neck tumors. Because of its high metastatic ability and poor prognosis, it is very important to keep this case in mind.

OBJECTIVES: The Korean government in January 2006 instigated an exemption policy for hospitalized children under the age of six years old. This study examines how this policy affected the utilization of medical care in Korea. METHODS: A total of 1,513,797 claim records from the Health Insurance Review Agency were analyzed by complete enumeration methods. The changes of medical utilization were compared from 2005 to 2006. In addition, the changes of medical utilization between 2004 and 2005 were compared as a pseudocontrol group. RESULTS: The admission rate increased 1.14-fold from 15.20% in 2004 to 17.32% in 2005, and this further increased 1.08-fold to 18.65% in 2006. The increase of patients with a common cold (1.2-fold) was higher than that of both the general patients (1.08-fold) and the patients with the top 10 fatal diseases (0.91-fold). The average length of stay per case for clinics showed the highest increase rates (1.06-fold). The rates of patients with the common cold showed a higher increase (1.05-fold) than that of the general patients. The average medical expense per case was increased by 1.10-fold from 2005 to 2006, which was higher than that from 2004 to 2005 (1.04-fold). The increase rate for patients with the common cold was higher at 1.18-fold than that of the general patients. CONCLUSIONS: The cost exemption policy has especially led to an increase in the utilization of clinics and the utilization by patients with a common cold.
Child, Preschool ; Cost Sharing/*legislation & jurisprudence ; *Health Policy ; Health Services/*utilization ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Insurance Claim Review ; Korea ; Length of Stay

PURPOSE: Osteoporosis is currently receiving particular attention as a sequela in survivors of childhood osteosarcoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) changes during methotrexate-based chemotherapy in children and adolescents with osteosarcoma. METHODS: Nine patients with osteosarcoma were included in this retrospective study and compared with eight healthy controls. BMD of the lumbar spine and unaffected femur neck of patients was serially measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) before and just after chemotherapy and compared with controls. RESULTS: Four patients (44%) showed decreased lumbar spine BMD and seven patients (78%) showed decreased femur neck BMD, while all controls showed increased lumbar and femur BMD (P=0.024 and P=0.023). The femur neck BMD z-scores decreased from -0.49+/-1.14 to -1.63+/-1.50 (P=0.032). At the end of therapy, five patients (56%) showed femur neck BMD z-scores below -2.0. CONCLUSION: The bone metabolism is disturbed during therapy in children with osteosarcoma, resulting in a reduced BMD with respect to healthy controls. Since a reduced BMD predisposes to osteoporosis, specific attention and therapeutic interventions should be considered.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adolescent ; Bone Density* ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant* ; Child ; Drug Therapy ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Korea ; Metabolism ; Osteoporosis ; Osteosarcoma* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; Survivors

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether annual screening reduces ovarian cancer mortality in women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. METHODS: Data was obtained from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian cancer trial, a randomized multi-center trial conducted to determine if screening could reduce mortality in these cancers. The trial enrolled 78,216 women, randomized into either a screening arm with annual serum cancer antigen 125 and pelvic ultrasounds, or usual care arm. This study identified a subgroup that reported a first degree relative with breast or ovarian cancer. Analysis was performed to compare overall mortality and disease specific mortality in the screening versus usual care arm. In patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer, stage distribution, and survival were analyzed as a secondary endpoint. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in overall mortality or disease specific mortality between the two arms. Ovarian cancer was diagnosed in 48 patients in the screening arm and 44 patients in the usual care arm. Screened patients were more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage than usual care patients. Patients in the screening arm diagnosed with ovarian cancer experienced a significantly improved survival compared to patients in the usual care arm; relative risk 0.66 (95% CI, 0.47 to 0.93). CONCLUSION: Screening did not appear to decrease ovarian cancer mortality in participants with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Secondary endpoints, however, showed notable differences. Significantly fewer patients were diagnosed with advanced stage disease in the screening arm; and survival was significantly improved. Further investigation is warranted to assess screening efficacy in women at increased risk.
Aged ; Breast Neoplasms/*genetics ; *Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms/diagnosis/*genetics

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether annual screening reduces ovarian cancer mortality in women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. METHODS: Data was obtained from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian cancer trial, a randomized multi-center trial conducted to determine if screening could reduce mortality in these cancers. The trial enrolled 78,216 women, randomized into either a screening arm with annual serum cancer antigen 125 and pelvic ultrasounds, or usual care arm. This study identified a subgroup that reported a first degree relative with breast or ovarian cancer. Analysis was performed to compare overall mortality and disease specific mortality in the screening versus usual care arm. In patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer, stage distribution, and survival were analyzed as a secondary endpoint. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in overall mortality or disease specific mortality between the two arms. Ovarian cancer was diagnosed in 48 patients in the screening arm and 44 patients in the usual care arm. Screened patients were more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage than usual care patients. Patients in the screening arm diagnosed with ovarian cancer experienced a significantly improved survival compared to patients in the usual care arm; relative risk 0.66 (95% CI, 0.47 to 0.93). CONCLUSION: Screening did not appear to decrease ovarian cancer mortality in participants with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Secondary endpoints, however, showed notable differences. Significantly fewer patients were diagnosed with advanced stage disease in the screening arm; and survival was significantly improved. Further investigation is warranted to assess screening efficacy in women at increased risk.
Aged ; Breast Neoplasms/*genetics ; *Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms/diagnosis/*genetics