Adhesion formed between tendon and its sheath after repair often impairs functional recovery. There have been many attempts to reduce adhesion around a repaired tendon, but most results have been unsatisfactory or impractical in clinical application. Moreover, most attempts were focused on extrinsic tendon healing. whereas studies on the intrinsic tendon healing are sacrce in the literature. We have previously reported that fibrotic tendon adhesion after repair was decreased by decorin, a natural inhibitor of TGF-beta. Accordingly, the serial tensile strength was measured after complete tensection and repair of the tendon severance in order to confirm the effect of decorin inhibition of intrinsic healing capability. Forty White Leghorn chickens were subject to complete transection and repair of the third toe flexor digitorum profundus tendon in Zone II. In the experimental group, 0.5ml of diluted decorin(50microgram/ml) was injected around the repaired site, and the same volume of saline solution in the control group. Tendons were harvested at 1, 3, 5 and 7 weeks. The disrupting force of the repair site was analyzed using tensiometry(LLOYD LR 30K, U.K). The tensile strength of repaired tendon was similar in both groups for all postoperative periods. This indicates that intrinsic healing proceeds normally within the decorin group in spite of the blockade of TGF-betaactivity. Decorin, a natural inhibitor of TGF-beta, showed a significant inhibitory effect on reducing post-repair tendon adhesions, without disruption of intrinsic healing in the chicken flexor tendon injury model. Therefore, decorin is expected to be a useful agent for preventnion on tendon adhesion after the repair in clinical usage.
Chickens ; Decorin* ; Postoperative Period ; Sodium Chloride ; Tendon Injuries ; Tendons* ; Tensile Strength* ; Toes ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of high dose cisplatin-cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy on patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: A review of 63 patients previously diagnosed as primary epithelial ovarian cancer after initial operation and histology at Pusan National University Hospital from Jul. 1993 to Jun, 1997 was performed. Patients were received the combination chemotherapy including cisplatin 100mg/m2/day and cyclophosphamide 750mg/m2/day, repeated 6 cycles every 4 weeks. The mean age was 48 years old, and previous surgical procedures were total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with omentectomy. The patients were classified into FIGO stage and pathologic results. RESULTS: The clinical response rate was 100% in the FIGO stage Ic patients with PC combination chemotherapy, 100% in stage II, 53.5% in stage III, and 25% in stage IV. The overall response rate was 69.8%. The 3-year survival rate according to the treatment groups was 93.3% in stage Ic group, 60% in stage II, 50% in stage III and 0% in stage IV. The mean survival duration was 34.6 months. Hematologic toxicities in cisplatin-cyclophosphamide chemotherapy were neutropenia and anemia. Nausea and vomiting were the most common side effects and occurred in 96.8%. Most of the toxicities were grade 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: The combination chemotherapy with cisplatin-cyclophosphamide is relatively safe and effective method in the treatment of primary epithelial ovarian cancer.
Anemia ; Busan ; Cisplatin* ; Cyclophosphamide* ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate ; Vomiting

Background and Objectives: Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an inherited arrhythmia syndrome that presents as sudden cardiac death (SCD) without structural heart disease. One of the mechanisms of SCD has been suggested to be related to the uneven dispersion of transient outward potassium current (Ito ) channels between the epicardium and endocardium, thus inducing ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Artemisinin is widely used as an antimalarial drug. Its antiarrhythmic effect, which includes suppression of Ito channels, has been previously reported. We investigated the effect of artemisinin on the suppression of electrocardiographic manifestations in a canine experimental model of BrS. Methods: Transmural pseudo-electrocardiograms and epicardial/endocardial transmembrane action potentials (APs) were recorded from coronary-perfused canine right ventricular wedge preparations (n=8). To mimic the BrS phenotypes, acetylcholine (3 μM), calcium channel blocker verapamil (1 μM), and Ito agonist NS5806 (6–10 μM) were used.Artemisinin (100–150 μM) was then perfused to ameliorate the ventricular tachyarrhythmia in the BrS models. Results: The provocation agents induced prominent J waves in all the models on the pseudoelectrocardiograms. The epicardial AP dome was attenuated. Ventricular tachyarrhythmia was induced in six out of 8 preparations. Artemisinin suppressed ventricular tachyarrhythmia in all 6 of these preparations and recovered the AP dome of the right ventricular epicardium in all preparations (n=8). J wave areas and epicardial notch indexes were also significantly decreased after artemisinin perfusion. Conclusions Our findings suggest that artemisinin has an antiarrhythmic effect on wedge preparation models of BrS. It might work by inhibition of potassium channels including Ito channels, subsequently suppressing ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation.

Background: The mechanism of Brugada syndrome (BrS) is still unclear, with different researchers favoring either the repolarization or depolarization hypothesis. Prolonged longitudinal activation time has been verified in only a small number of human right ventricles (RVs). The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate RV conduction delays in BrS. Methods: The RV outflow tract (RVOT)-to-RV apex (RVA) and RVA-to-RVOT conduction times were measured by endocardial stimulation and mapping in 7 patients with BrS and 14 controls. Results: Patients with BrS had a longer PR interval (180 ± 12.6 vs. 142 ± 6.7 ms, P = 0.016). The RVA-to-RVOT conduction time was longer in the patients with BrS than in controls (stimulation at 600 ms, 107 ± 9.9 vs. 73 ± 3.4 ms, P= 0.001; stimulation at 500 ms, 104 ± 12.3 vs. 74 ± 4.2 ms, P = 0.037; stimulation at 400 ms, 107 ±12.2 vs. 73 ± 5.1 ms, P= 0.014). The RVOT-to-RVA conduction time was longer in the patients with BrS than in controls (stimulation at 500 ms, 95 ± 10.3 vs. 62 ± 4.1 ms, P= 0.007; stimulation at 400 ms, 94 ±11.2 vs. 64 ± 4.6 ms, P= 0.027). The difference in longitudinal conduction time was not significant when isoproterenol was administered. Conclusion The patients with BrS showed an RV longitudinal conduction delay obviously. These findings suggest that RV conduction delay might contribute to generate the BrS phenotype.

Little is known as to why elevated red cell distribution width (RDW) is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that RDW value might predict the intensity of anticoagulation, resulting in higher adverse events in patients with AF taking warfarin. We analyzed 657 patients with non-valuvular AF who took warfarin. The intensity of anticoagulation was assessed as mean time in the therapeutic range (TTR) and defined TTR ≥60% as an optimal intensity. The primary end-point was the composite of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding. The secondary end-point was the composite of stroke/systemic embolism, major bleeding and death. The relationship between the baseline RDW with TTR and clinical outcomes was assessed using categorical variables as quartiles or dichotomous variables. The mean value of TTR decreased as an increment of the RDW (45.2% vs. 44.7% vs. 40.8% vs. 35.2%, p < 0.001). Primary and secondary end-points were significantly increased when TTR was less than 60% and RDW was more than 13.6%. Ratio of patients achieving optimal anticoagulation were significantly decreased as an increment of RDW. A RDW of ≥13.6% was a significant predictor for poor anticoagulation control (adjusted Odds ratio [OR] 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23–0.82), stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 3.86, 95% CI 1.11–13.40), primary (adjusted HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.12–3.16) and secondary end-point (adjusted HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.26–4.81). RDW was negatively associated with TTR in patients with AF. Therefore, RDW might be a useful marker for the prediction of anticoagulation response and clinical outcomes in patients with AF.
Anticoagulants ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Embolism ; Erythrocyte Indices* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Prognosis ; Stroke ; Warfarin

Background: The mechanism of Brugada syndrome (BrS) is still unclear, with different researchers favoring either the repolarization or depolarization hypothesis. Prolonged longitudinal activation time has been verified in only a small number of human right ventricles (RVs). The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate RV conduction delays in BrS. Methods: The RV outflow tract (RVOT)-to-RV apex (RVA) and RVA-to-RVOT conduction times were measured by endocardial stimulation and mapping in 7 patients with BrS and 14 controls. Results: Patients with BrS had a longer PR interval (180 ± 12.6 vs. 142 ± 6.7 ms, P = 0.016). The RVA-to-RVOT conduction time was longer in the patients with BrS than in controls (stimulation at 600 ms, 107 ± 9.9 vs. 73 ± 3.4 ms, P= 0.001; stimulation at 500 ms, 104 ± 12.3 vs. 74 ± 4.2 ms, P = 0.037; stimulation at 400 ms, 107 ±12.2 vs. 73 ± 5.1 ms, P= 0.014). The RVOT-to-RVA conduction time was longer in the patients with BrS than in controls (stimulation at 500 ms, 95 ± 10.3 vs. 62 ± 4.1 ms, P= 0.007; stimulation at 400 ms, 94 ±11.2 vs. 64 ± 4.6 ms, P= 0.027). The difference in longitudinal conduction time was not significant when isoproterenol was administered. Conclusion The patients with BrS showed an RV longitudinal conduction delay obviously. These findings suggest that RV conduction delay might contribute to generate the BrS phenotype.

Infantile hemangioendothelioma of the liver is a common vascular tumor in infancy. The tumor is usually multinodular or diffuse and classified into two types. We present a case of infantile hemangioendothelioma of the liver, which predominantly consists of type 2. A 4-month-old female was admitted for an evaulation of an abdominal distension. A CT scan of the liver showed a multinodular mass. The right lobectomy was done. Grossly, the mass consisted of round nodules ranging from 2cm to 5cm in diameter. Microscopically, the tumor revealed proliferation of small vascular channels lined by endothelial cells. Bizarre cells and mitotic cells were frequently noted. Vesicular nuclei and multilayering of the endothelial cells were also noted.
Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Hemangioendothelioma* ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Phakomatosis pigmentova.scularis is a disease complex with dermal melanocyto sis such as nevus of Ota, nevus of Ito, or Mongolian spots and extensive hemangiomatous change such as nevus flammeus, which are associated with systemic organ involvement. We report a 23-year-old female, who showed bilateral nevus of Ota and nevus of Ito with widespread nevus flammeus and Mongolian spots since birth. She was also associated with megalocornea due to congenitol glaucoma and cataract.
Cataract ; Female ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Mongolian Spot ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes* ; Nevus ; Nevus of Ota ; Parturition ; Port-Wine Stain ; Young Adult

Maligant melanomas of the oral or nasal cavity, and the vulvovaginal area are relatively common among the melanomas of non-ocular mucosa. But, primary malignant melanoma arising in the mucosa of the palatine tonsil is rare. We present a case of primary malignant melanoma arising in the mucosa of the palatine tonsil. A 36-year-old male was admitted for evaluation of a recurrent sore throat. Tonsillectomy was performed on the basis of clinical suspicion of chronic tonsillitis. Grossly, the left tonsil was focally dark. Microscopically, the tonsillar mucosa was diffusely infiltrated with tumor cells. Tumor cells revealed numerous melanin pigments. Intraepithelial nests of tumor cells were noted, but pagetoid spread of tumor cells was not found. Tumor cells were positive for S-100 protein and HMB45 stain. There was no evidence of melanoma in the skin or eye.
Male ; Humans

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common solid pelvic tumors in women and endometriosis is an exceedingly common gynecologic problem. The most common site of endometriosis is the ovary, and other organs affected are posterior cul-de-sac, anterior uterovesical peritoneum, uterosacral ligaments, tube, uterus, rectovaginal septum, sigmoid colon, cervix and vulva. Cevical endometriosis is usually regarded as an uncommon lesion. We experienced a case of endometriosis of ovary and cervix with huge uterine myoma.
Cervix Uteri* ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Ligaments ; Ovary* ; Peritoneum ; Uterus ; Vulva