BACKGROUND/AIMS: To date, the best therapeutic modality for gastric adenoma, especially low-grade adenoma, has not been established. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of argon plasma coagulation (APC) in treating gastric adenoma compared with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). METHODS: We included 210 patients with gastric adenoma, who underwent treatment with either APC (97 patients) or ESD (113 patients). The clinical and pathologic characteristics, mean duration of hospital stay, complications, and recurrence rates between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The mean adenoma size was 0.9 cm and 1.1 cm in the APC group and ESD group, respectively (p<0.001). The mean duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the APC group than in the ESD group (1.6 days vs. 5.8 days, p<0.001). Complications did not occur in the APC group. However, one case of perforation (0.9%) and 6 cases of bleeding (5.3%) occurred in the ESD group. The recurrence rates were 15.3% (15/97 patients) in the APC group and 3.5% (4/113 patients) in the ESD group (p=0.003). The proportion of hospitalization was less in the APC group (43.3%, 42/97) than in the ESD group (100.0%, 113/113) (p<0.001). Medical expense was less in the APC group (377,172 won) than in the ESD group (1,430,610 won) (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that APC is a safe treatment method for gastric adenoma without serious complications. However, regular endoscopic follow-up is necessary to detect any residual or recurrent lesions due to the relatively high rate of local recurrence after APC.
Adenoma* ; Argon Plasma Coagulation* ; Argon* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Methods ; Recurrence

A 57-year-old man with chronic kidney disease and a history of using numerous herbal medications visited Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital for abdominal pain and vomiting. An abdominal radiograph showed diffuse small bowel distension containing multiple air-fluid levels and extensive calcifications along the colon. Computed tomography showed colon wall thickening with diffuse calcification along the colonic mesenteric vein and colonic wall. Colonoscopy, performed without bowel preparation, showed bluish edematous mucosa from the transverse to the distal sigmoid colon, with multiple scar changes. At the mid transverse colon, a stricture was noted and the scope could not pass through. A biopsy of the stricture site revealed nonspecific changes. The patient was diagnosed with phlebosclerotic colitis. After the colonoscopy, the obstructive ileus spontaneously resolved, and the patient was discharged without an operation. Currently, after 2 months of follow-up, the patient has remained asymptomatic. Herein, we report the rare case of an obstructive ileus caused by phlebosclerotic colitis with a colon stricture.
Abdominal Pain ; Biopsy ; Cicatrix ; Colitis* ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonoscopy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Ileus* ; Mesenteric Veins ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Vomiting

A 57-year-old man with chronic kidney disease and a history of using numerous herbal medications visited Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital for abdominal pain and vomiting. An abdominal radiograph showed diffuse small bowel distension containing multiple air-fluid levels and extensive calcifications along the colon. Computed tomography showed colon wall thickening with diffuse calcification along the colonic mesenteric vein and colonic wall. Colonoscopy, performed without bowel preparation, showed bluish edematous mucosa from the transverse to the distal sigmoid colon, with multiple scar changes. At the mid transverse colon, a stricture was noted and the scope could not pass through. A biopsy of the stricture site revealed nonspecific changes. The patient was diagnosed with phlebosclerotic colitis. After the colonoscopy, the obstructive ileus spontaneously resolved, and the patient was discharged without an operation. Currently, after 2 months of follow-up, the patient has remained asymptomatic. Herein, we report the rare case of an obstructive ileus caused by phlebosclerotic colitis with a colon stricture.
Abdominal Pain ; Biopsy ; Cicatrix ; Colitis* ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonoscopy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Ileus* ; Mesenteric Veins ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: To investigate the percentage of colonies with 16 or more cells distribution of human skin fibroblast according to in vitro aging, and to evaluate the relationship between percentage of colonies with 16 or more cells and in vivo donor age in human skin fibroblast culture. MATERIAL AND METHOD: C1, C2, C3a, and C3b human skin fibroblast samples from three breast cancer patients were used as subjects. The C1, C2, and C3a donor were 44, 54, and 55 years old, respectively. C3a and C3b cells were isolated from the same person. Single cell suspension of skin fibroblasts was prepared with primary explant technique. One hundred cells are plated into 100ml tissue culture flask and cultured for two weeks. The colony size was defined as colonies with 16 or more cells. The cultured cell was stained with crystal violet, and number of cells in each colony was determined with stereo microscope at x10 magnification. Passage number of C1, C2, C3a and C3b skin fibroblast were 12th, 17th, and 14th, respectively. RESULTS: Percentage of colonies with 16 or more cells of skin fibroblast samples decreased with increasing in vitro passage number. In contrast, cumulative population doublings of skin fibroblast sample increased with increasing in vitro passage number. Percentage of colonies with 16 or more cells also decreased with increasing population doublings in human skin fibroblast culture. There was strong correlation with percentage of colonies with 16 or more cells and population doublings in C3a skin fibroblast sample. At the same point of population doublings, the percentage of colonies with 16 or more cells of the young C1 donor was higher level than the old C3a donor. CONCLUSION: The population doublings increased with increasing in vitro passage number but percentage of colonies with 16 or more cells decreased. The results of this study imply that percentage of colonies with 16 or more cells is useful as a indicator of in vitro human skin fibroblast aging and may estimate the in vivo donor age.
Aging* ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts* ; Gentian Violet ; Humans* ; Middle Aged ; Skin* ; Tissue Donors

Colonic lipomas are rare diseases. Incidence of colonic lipomas is only 0.1~4.4%. However, after benign adenomatous polyp, they are the second most common benign disease of the colon. Most colonic lipomas do not require treatment. However, large colonic lipomas or those that cause symptoms require treatment (>2 cm). There are several options for treatment. For example, endoscopic removal, laparoscopic surgery, and open surgery can all be considered. We report on two cases of giant colonic lipomas that caused symptoms. Both were located at the splenic flexure colon, and were safely treated with laparoscopic surgery.
Adenomatous Polyps ; Colectomy ; Colon ; Colon, Transverse ; Incidence ; Laparoscopy ; Lipoma ; Rare Diseases

Due to the anatomical characteristics of the radial nerve, a humeral shaft fracture can induce radial nerve palsy. Although the treatment for radial nerve palsy remains debatable, the options can be broadly classified as early exploratory surgery and initial expectant treatment. In cases of secondary paralysis, the definitive treatment primarily depends on the causative factor, with appropriate consideration of other important factors, such as the fracture characteristics and the patient's age and occupational factors, and after adequate discussion with the patient. However, if radial nerve function does not recover, a tendon or nerve transfer may be considered.

Due to the anatomical characteristics of the radial nerve, a humeral shaft fracture can induce radial nerve palsy. Although the treatment for radial nerve palsy remains debatable, the options can be broadly classified as early exploratory surgery and initial expectant treatment. In cases of secondary paralysis, the definitive treatment primarily depends on the causative factor, with appropriate consideration of other important factors, such as the fracture characteristics and the patient's age and occupational factors, and after adequate discussion with the patient. However, if radial nerve function does not recover, a tendon or nerve transfer may be considered.

Due to the anatomical characteristics of the radial nerve, a humeral shaft fracture can induce radial nerve palsy. Although the treatment for radial nerve palsy remains debatable, the options can be broadly classified as early exploratory surgery and initial expectant treatment. In cases of secondary paralysis, the definitive treatment primarily depends on the causative factor, with appropriate consideration of other important factors, such as the fracture characteristics and the patient's age and occupational factors, and after adequate discussion with the patient. However, if radial nerve function does not recover, a tendon or nerve transfer may be considered.

Due to the anatomical characteristics of the radial nerve, a humeral shaft fracture can induce radial nerve palsy. Although the treatment for radial nerve palsy remains debatable, the options can be broadly classified as early exploratory surgery and initial expectant treatment. In cases of secondary paralysis, the definitive treatment primarily depends on the causative factor, with appropriate consideration of other important factors, such as the fracture characteristics and the patient's age and occupational factors, and after adequate discussion with the patient. However, if radial nerve function does not recover, a tendon or nerve transfer may be considered.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Combination therapy of pegylated interferon-alpha (PEG-IFN-α) and ribavirin (RBV) is a current standard treatment for chronic HCV infection in Korea, which has considerable adverse effects. Acute pancreatitis is a rare complication of PEG-IFN-α administration. We report a case of a 62-year-old female who experienced acute pancreatitis after 4 weeks of PEG-IFN-α-2a and RBV combination therapy for chronic HCV infection. The main cause of the acute pancreatitis in this case was probably PEG-IFN-α rather than RBV for several reasons. A few cases have been reported in which acute pancreatitis occurred during treatment with PEG-IFN-α-2b. This is the first report of acute pancreatitis associated with PEG-IFN-α-2a in Korea.
Amylases/analysis ; Antiviral Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/diagnostic imaging/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Lipase/analysis ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/*etiology ; Polyethylene Glycols/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Recombinant Proteins/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Republic of Korea ; Ribavirin/therapeutic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed