PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of various factors on the extent of thermal coagulation necrosis after radiofrequency (RF) tissue ablation using a cooled-tip electrode in bovine liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: RF ablation was induced by a monopolar 500 KHz-RF generator (CC-1; Radionics,Burlington, Mass., U.S.A.) and an 18-G cooled-tip with single or clustered electrodes. The ablation protocol involveda combination of varying current, ablation time, power output, gradual or abrupt increase of this out-put, and pulsed radiofrequency techniques. The maximum diameter of all thermal lesions which showed a color change was measured perpendicular to the electrode axis by two observers who reached their decisions by consensus. Twenty representative lesions were pathologically examined. RESULTS: With increasing current lesion diameter also increased, but above 1500 mA no further increase was induced. Extending the ablation time to 9 minutes for a single electrode and 15 minutes for a clustered electrode increased lesion diameter until a steady state was reached. Higher power levels caused larger lesions, but above 100 W no increase was observed. Ample exposure time coupled with a stepwise increase in power level induced a lesion larger than that resulting from an abrupt increase. Continuous pulsed RF with a high current led to increased coagulation necrosis diameter. CONCLUSION: These experimental findings may be useful thermotherapy. The data suggest that all involved factors significantly affect lesion size: if the factors are better understood, cancer thermotherapy can be better controlled.
Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Consensus ; Electrodes ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Liver* ; Necrosis

No abstract available.
Hyperplasia*

No abstract available.
beta-Endorphin* ; Exercise* ; Pain Threshold* ; Plasma*

No abstract available.

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is an atypical form of severe chronic parenchymal infection and usually occurs in associated with urinary tract infection, obstruction and/or calculi. An accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult because of its clinical and radiological similarities to various other renal lesions. We experienced two cases of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis, so we report with review of some literatures.
Calculi ; Diagnosis ; Pyelonephritis, Xanthogranulomatous* ; Urinary Tract Infections

The cerebral arteriovenous malformation(AVM) rarely coexists with primary intracranial tumor. The authors experienced a patient with intracerebral hematoma due to AVM rupture in whom intracranial meningioma and intracranial aneurysms coexisted. The meningioma was located at convexity of right frontal lobe, and arteriovenous malformation at temporo-occipital lobe of same hemisphere with feeding from right middle cerebral artery, and three intracranial aneurysms exist at the cavernous portion of right internal carotid artery, AVM feeding artery, and intranidal of the AVM. The authors report a rare case of coexisted intracranial AVM, meningioma and aneurysms with review of literatures.
Aneurysm* ; Arteries ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Frontal Lobe ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Meningioma* ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Rupture

Ceftriaxone, a third-generation cephalosporin, is a very potent, broad spectrum antibiotic commonly used in patients with meningitis, osteomyelitis, pyelonephritis, Lyme disease and many other severe infectious diseases. Up to 46% of those receiving this antibiotic develop gallbladder sludge. Most of them are asymptomatic, but a small proportion may develop right upper quadrant pain, nausea, vomiting and even cholecystitis. We report a case of ceftriaxone-induced pseudocholelithiasis in a 5-year-old boy. We also emphasize the fact that surgical interventions such as cholecystectomy is not necessary, because the condition may resolve spontaneously after cessation of the drug.
Ceftriaxone ; Child, Preschool ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis ; Communicable Diseases ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Lyme Disease ; Male ; Meningitis ; Nausea ; Osteomyelitis ; Pyelonephritis ; Sewage ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Infant*

The purpose of this study is to understand women's menstrual changes in connection with a kidney transplantation and to present basic data useful for supplying an appropriate care for those women. A total of 72 women participated. A semi-structured questionnaire which was constructed by the researcher was used. Results are as follows: 1) many of subjects had no mensturation(45.9%) or irregular menstruation(29.3%) from the time they were diagnosed of chronic renal failure to the kidney transplantation, while only a few kept regular menstruation(23.6%). After the kidney transplantation, now the number of women having no menstruation was reduced(15.5%), but the number of women undergoing irregular menstruation(33.8%) and regular menstruation(47.9%) increased, showing the recovery toward regular menstruation after the transplantation. As to changes in menstruation after the transplantation, 73.9% of the subjects experienced changes. Of them, 53.7% had positive changes, from no menstruation to irregular menstruation or to regular menstruation. Meanwhile, 20.3% experienced negative changes, from regular menstruation to irregular or no menstruation. It took 5.1 months, on the average, to resumption of menstruation and 6.9 months to recovery to regular menstruation after the transplantation. 2) These changes showed statistically significant differences in accordance with creatinine level at 12 months after the transplantation, and prednisone dosage at 3, 6 and 12 months after the operation. 3) The two groups having menstrual changes and no change showed a significant difference in necessity of counselling or education about pregnancy or contraception. The group that experienced changes showed a higher positive attitude toward necessity of counselling or education. Subjects lack knowledge about menstrual recovery and fertility after the kidney transplantation so that they may damage their health due to improper self-care or unnecessary pregnancy. A proper care and support, especially supply sufficient knowledge and education must be provided by all health care professional. Furthermore, Nurse have to play a key role in this field.
Contraception ; Creatinine ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Female ; Fertility ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Menstruation* ; Prednisone ; Pregnancy ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Self Care

No abstract available.
Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Prenatal Diagnosis*