PURPOSE: Defecography is a technique of examining the rectum and anal canal by using fluoroscopy during defecation. This study was done to determine the range of normal findings of defecography in young asymptomatic Korean volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine asymptomatic young volunteers underwent defecography. Anorectal angle, perineal descent, length and width of anal, rectocele, rectal intussusception and incontience were evaluated. RESULTS: The range of anorectal angle was 82 degrees-149 degrees in resting state, compared to the 63 degrees -116 degrees in squeezing state, and 95 degrees -116 degrees in straining state respectively. The pelvic floor in straining state descended on average of 1.62cm from the inferior margin of ischial tuberosity that its broad range of position from --5.2cm to 0.8 cm implies a wide variation of anorectal angle and periheal descent. Mild degree of rectocele with less than 2cm of depth was found in 12 out of 29 cases. Rectal intussusception was noted in six and rectal incontinence was seen in one case. Formation of rectocele and intussusception during defecation was common in asymptomatic young volunteers. CONCLUSION: The wide range of defecographic measurements warrants the necessity of other complementary studies on anorectal function to improve the diagnostic accuracy. The interpretation of defecographic measurement should therefore be made with caution and should not be used as the sole criteria for seliction of treatment modality.
Anal Canal ; Defecation ; Defecography ; Fluoroscopy ; Intussusception ; Pelvic Floor ; Rectocele ; Rectum ; Volunteers*

No abstract available.
Pituitary Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVES: Some antioxidants are believed to restore dentin bond strength after dental bleaching. This study was done to evaluate the influence of antioxidants on the bond strength of bleached bovine dentin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty incisors were randomly assigned to 10 groups (two unbleached control and eight bleached groups: immediate bonding IB, 4 wk delayed bonding DB, 10% sodium ascorbate treated SA, 10% alpha-tocopherol treated TP groups). Teeth in half of groups were subjected to thermal stress, whereas the remaining groups were not. Resin-dentin rods with a cross-sectional area of 2.25 mm2 were obtained and microtensile bond strength was determined at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. Fifteen specimens were prepared for SEM to compare the surface characteristics of each group. The change in dentin bond strength from thermal stress and antioxidant treatment was evaluated using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Sheffe's post hoc test at a significance level of 95%. RESULTS: The control group exhibited the highest bond strength values, whereas IB group showed the lowest value before and after thermocycling. The DB group recovered its bond strength similar to that of the control group. The SA and TP groups exhibited similar bond strength values with those of the control and DB groups before thermocycling. However, The TP group did not maintain bond strength with thermal stress, whereas the SA group did. CONCLUSIONS: Applying a 10% sodium ascorbate solution rather than 10% alpha-tocopherol solution for 60 sec is recommended to maintain dentin bond strength when restoring non-vitally bleached teeth.
alpha-Tocopherol ; Antioxidants* ; Ascorbic Acid ; Dentin* ; Incisor ; Tooth ; Tooth Bleaching

More than 95% of all cases of lymphangioma occur in head, neck and axilla. But, intraabdominal lymphangioma is rare. The etiology of intraabdominal lymphangioma is thought to be related with the congenital malfomation of lymphatics. It is more common in children than in adults and most of them are known to be cystic lymphangioma in pathology. The clinical symptoms of mesenteric lymphangioma seem to be related with the size and location of the tumor. We report a case of lymphangioma which was diagnosed preoperatively by lipoprotein electrophoresis in a 21-year-old woman with periumblical pain.
Adult ; Axilla ; Child ; Electrophoresis* ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Jejunum ; Lipoproteins* ; Lymphangioma* ; Lymphangioma, Cystic ; Mesentery* ; Neck ; Pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the findings of rectal intussusception and to find the other accompanied functional anorectal diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed defecograms in 25 patients with rectal intussusception among 77 patients taken with obstructed defecatory symptom. Females were 16 (64%), males were 9 (36%), and the mean age was 55 years old. The changes of anorectal angle (ARA) and movement of anorectal junction were measured, and the morphologic changes of rectal wall during defecation were analyzed. RESULTS: ARAs measured by central axis method (CAM), the mean angles were 114.6, 102.2, and 119.8 degree, respectively in resting, squeezing, and straining period. By posterior wall methods (PWM), those were 86.7, 72.0, 93.3 degree. The differences of ARA between resting and straining period were 5.2, 6.6 degree, respectively by CAM and PWM. The mean descent of anorectal junction during defecation was 0.83 cm. The most frequent finding associated with rectal intussusception was rectocele (12 cases;48%). The other accompanied findings were 9 spastic pelvic floor syndrome (36%) and 4 fecal incontinence (16%). Total 18 patients out of 25 patients were accompanied with other functional anorectal diseases (72%). CONCLUSIONS: Recognition of rectal intussusception with accompanied diseases would be important for the proper treatment planning.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Defecation ; Fecal Incontinence ; Female ; Humans ; Intussusception* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Spasticity ; Pelvic Floor ; Rectocele

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the findings of rectal intussusception and to find the other accompanied functional anorectal diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed defecograms in 25 patients with rectal intussusception among 77 patients taken with obstructed defecatory symptom. Females were 16 (64%), males were 9 (36%), and the mean age was 55 years old. The changes of anorectal angle (ARA) and movement of anorectal junction were measured, and the morphologic changes of rectal wall during defecation were analyzed. RESULTS: ARAs measured by central axis method (CAM), the mean angles were 114.6, 102.2, and 119.8 degree, respectively in resting, squeezing, and straining period. By posterior wall methods (PWM), those were 86.7, 72.0, 93.3 degree. The differences of ARA between resting and straining period were 5.2, 6.6 degree, respectively by CAM and PWM. The mean descent of anorectal junction during defecation was 0.83 cm. The most frequent finding associated with rectal intussusception was rectocele (12 cases;48%). The other accompanied findings were 9 spastic pelvic floor syndrome (36%) and 4 fecal incontinence (16%). Total 18 patients out of 25 patients were accompanied with other functional anorectal diseases (72%). CONCLUSIONS: Recognition of rectal intussusception with accompanied diseases would be important for the proper treatment planning.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Defecation ; Fecal Incontinence ; Female ; Humans ; Intussusception* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Spasticity ; Pelvic Floor ; Rectocele

We recently experienced a case of spontaneous perforation of infected necrosis into the colon and duodenum during the course of acute pancreatitis in a 63 year-old male patient. Enteric perforations or fistulas in the setting of acute pancreatitis implicate severe underlying pathology and have substantial morbidity and mortality. In the meantime it has generally been accepted that infected pancreatic or peripancreatic necrosis should be managed surgically as soon as possible. Enteric perforations in the present case contributed to transient improvement of the patient's infection sign and condition, and thus an early operation was able to be avoided. Delayed surgical management resulted in complete recovery of the patient without postoperative morbidity. Herein we report an unusual complication of acute pancreatitis.
Acute Disease ; Case Report ; Human ; Intestinal Perforation/*etiology ; Male ; Middle Age ; Pancreatitis/*complications

Mirizzi syndrome with a biliobiliary fistula (Mirizzi syndrome type II) is a rare complication of a long-standing gallbladder stone disease. It is even rarer for a gallbladder stone to migrate through a biliobiliary fistula into the common duct. We encountered this interesting complication of Mirizzi syndrome type II in an 86 year-old female patient. A large gallbladder stone migrated into, and impacted into the distal common bile duct through a cholecystohepaticodochal fistula. The stone was resistant to mechanical lithotripsy and was treated with biliary endoprosthesis and oral bile acids.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biliary Fistula/*complications ; Case Report ; Cholelithiasis/*complications ; Common Bile Duct Calculi/*etiology ; Common Bile Duct Diseases/*complications ; Female ; Fistula/*complications ; Human ; Liver Diseases/*complications ; Syndrome

Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disease. Clinical descriptions of the disorder focus principally on skeletal muscle degeneration. Another manifestation, which involves the gastrointestinal tract, may be fatal. But its prevalence remains undefined. We report here a case of acute gastroparesis associated with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. In our case, the patient's symptoms were improved by prokinetic agents and timely decompression in life-threatening acute gastric dilatation.
Acute Disease ; Adolescence ; Case Report ; Contrast Media ; Decompression ; Gastric Emptying/physiology ; Gastrointestinal Agents/therapeutic use ; Gastrointestinal Motility/drug effects ; Gastroparesis/radiography ; Gastroparesis/physiopathology ; Gastroparesis/etiology* ; Human ; Male ; Muscular Dystrophies/complications* ; Radiography, Abdominal

Mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis is rare in adults, and it is even rarer for dysphagia to be the presenting symptom of mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis. Mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis with esophageal symptoms has been presented as esophageal ulceration, mucosal or submucosal mass with ulceration, fistula or sinus formation, extrinsic compression, or displacement of the esophagus. An exaggerated form of extrinsic compression may be presented as a submucosal tumor, radiologically or endoscopically. A barium esophagography of a 34 year-old woman with painful dysphagia revealed a large submucosal tumor-like mass on the mid-esophagus. The symptom was spontaneously improved over a 3-week period together with reduction of the mass size. A computed tomography of the chest disclosed an enlarged subcarinal lymph node and histologic examination of the specimen obtained by thoracoscopic biopsy brought about a diagnosis of tuberculosis. We herein report a case of mediastinal tuberculosis with unusual manifestations.
Adult ; Case Report ; Deglutition Disorders/*etiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Esophagoscopy ; Esophagus/pathology/radiography ; Female ; Human ; Mediastinal Diseases/*complications/*diagnosis ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node/*complications/*diagnosis