Many different kinds of anorectal physiologic studies were performed for the evaluation of defecation disorders. Some of these studies are anorectal manometry and pudendal nerve conduction study. In pudendal nerve conduction study, pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML) was considered to be very useful for the evaluation and management of these patients. However, evaluation of amplitude in pudendal nerve conduction study has been clinically seldom used. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significane of amplitude in pudendal nerve conduction study in patients with defecation disorders by comparing to manometric profiles. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between February, 1997 and February, 1998 all patients who underwent pudendal nerve conduction study and anorectal manometry for the evaluation of defecation disorders (constipation and fecalincontinence) were analyzed. Latency as well as amplitude in pudendal nerve conduction study were compared in both groups to the pressure profiles in manometric study according to the subgroups of these patients. Statistical analysis were performed by a Chi-square or Student's t-test and significance was assumed when p<0.05. RESULTS: A total of 80 patients, forty constipation with a mean age of 55.3+/-14.5 (GI: range; 24~86) years and forty fecal incontinence with a mean age of 61.1+/-10.3 (GII: range; 37~74) years and a male to female ratio of 25:15 (GI), 28:12 (GII), were studied. PNTML in both sides in GI were significantly decreased in comparision to those of GII (GI: Rt, 2.17+/-0.7 ms Lt, 2.03+/-0.5 ms, GII: Rt, 2.50+/-0.7 ms, Lt 2.64+/-0.8 ms, p<0.05), However, there were no differences between the two groups in terms of amplitudes (GI: Rt 399.0+/-348 uV, Lt 426.8+/-403 uV, GII: Rt, 406.9+/-273 uV Lt, 392.9+/-291 uV, NS) in pudendal nerve conduction study. In manometric findings, even though maximal resting, mean, minimum and maximal pushing pressures were no differences in both groups, mean resting and maximal squeezing pressure were significantly increased in GI than those of GII (GI: 82.4+/-31 cmH20, GII: 60.5+/-25 cmH20 in mean resting pressure, GI: 213.1+/-108 cmH20, GII: 178.7+/-66 cmH20 in maximal squeezing pressure, p<0.05) When we analyzed the overall values of amplitudes according to the diagnosis, age, gender, and the value of PNTML, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. But, when the one side of PNTML shorter than the other side, it tended to have a high amplitude in that side than that of the other side in the same patient (the probability for trend was 74%). CONCLUSION: Constipation patient has a shorter PNTML, higher mean resting, and maximal squeezing pressure than fecal incontinene patient. The amplitude in pudendal nerve conduction study had a trend of inverse correlation to the latency in the same patient. Therefore, amplitude in pudendal nerve conduction study might be useful to monitor or predict the outcome after treatment in patients with defecation disorders.
Constipation ; Defecation* ; Diagnosis ; Fecal Incontinence ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Manometry ; Pudendal Nerve*

PURPOSE: Measurement of colon transit time is well-known physiologic study for patients with chronic constipation. But information we get from it is frequently inconsistent with patient's complaint. This study was designed to ascertain the actual significance of that measurement. METHODS: The subjects included two groups of patients with chronic constipation. One group consists of 32 patients(group A), The other group 36 patients(group B). Colon transit time study and defecographic examinations were done using previously described methods. But the former study was a little modified in group A, in which sodium phosphate enema was given at the previous day of oral intake of radio-opaque markers. Findings of colon transit time study and their relations to the defecographic results were compared with each other. RESULTS: As for the 5th day-findings of colon transit time, 6 cases(18.7%) were abnormal in group A and 3 cases(8.4%) in group B(statistically not different). As for the 3rd day-findings, 15 cases(46.9%) were abnormal in group A and 7 cases(19.5%) in group B( statistically different, p=0.0163). Defecographic findings showed 7 cases(21.9%) of outlet obstruction pattern in group A and 9 cases(25%) in group B. Correlations between these findings and those of colonic transit time studies were not proven statistically. CONCLUSION: Colon transit time study with single marker bolus and the 5th day photography technique was considered not to reflect the actual conditions of patients with chronic constipation. But sodium phophate enema, given to patients before starting the study, seemed to enhance the accuracy of study.
Colon* ; Constipation* ; Enema ; Humans ; Photography ; Sodium ; Time and Motion Studies*

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to evaluate the physiological spectrum of anorectal dysfunction among patients with full thickness circunferential rectal prolapse. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 1988 and March 1995, 88 patients who visited department colorectal surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida with rectal prolapse were studied. There were 8 males and 80 females, with a mean age 69 (range 28~101) years. Patients underwent a detailed history and the following anorectal physiology tests were performed: anal canal manometry, pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML) assessment, anal electromyography and cinedefecography.4 standard continence scoring system, based on the frequency and type of incontinence (0=full continence, 20=complete incontinence) was used. Patients with rectal prolapse (n=88) were divided into two subgroups: Group I=continent patients (n=33) and Group II= incontinent patients (n=55). RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between each group when comparing mean resting pressures, anal pressures, anal canal length, rectal compliance, rectoanal inhibitory reflex, increased fiber density, the occurrence of premature evacuation (p<0.001), and rectal capacity (p<0.05). However, dynamic changes of anorectal angle, resting anorectal angle, puborectalis length, and rectal sensitivity were not significantly different (p>0.05) between groups. CONCLUSION: Continence may be disturbed in patients with rectal prolapse; knowledge of impairment in continence may assist in surgical management.
Anal Canal ; Colorectal Surgery ; Compliance ; Constipation ; Defecography ; Electromyography ; Fecal Incontinence ; Female ; Florida ; Humans ; Male ; Manometry ; Physiology* ; Pudendal Nerve ; Rectal Prolapse* ; Reflex

Intussusception is a condition of invagination of the proximal segment of bowel into the more distal receiving bowel. Intussusception is one of the common pediatric and surgical emergencies of infancy and childhood in Korea. Intussusception is the most common cause of acquired intestinal obstruction in infancy and childhood, and it needs emergency treatment. 1) On the age and sex distribution, the age under 15 month was the most common(70.6%), and the peak incidence was 3-12 months of age(60.1%). In sex distribution, male to female ratio was 1.25:1. 2) The seasonal distribution was summer(27.4%), spring, autumn and winter in order of frequency. 3) As to the etiology of Intussusception treated by surgery, idiopathic was the most common(75%). 4) The cardinal symptoms and signs were vomiting(72.5%), bloody or bloody mucoid stool(57.5%), abdominal pain(49.7%), abdominal distention(20.9%), abdominal mass(19.6%) and others in order of frequency. 5) On the hematologic finding, 60.8% revealed leukocytosis above 10,000/mm3. 6) As to the duration from the onset of the symptom to admission, 84.2% was within 24 hours, 9.8% was from 24 hours to 48 hours, and 5% was over 48 hours. 7) The common anatomical types were ileocolic(73.2%), and ileocecal(17.0%). 8) The success rate of air reduction was 84.3%. 9) In the method of operation, manual reduction was performed in 91.7% and intestinal resection in 8.3%. 10) The recurrence rate after air reduction was 12.4% and after operative manual reduction was 8.3%.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Emergency Treatment ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intussusception* ; Korea ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Recurrence ; Seasons ; Sex Distribution

No abstract available.

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare intrathoracic neoplasm in children. Although surgery with or without chemotherapy mainly conducted, the response of radiotherapy (RT) has not been evaluated yet. For unresectable tumor, RT might be considered as one option to decrease tumor extent to relieve obstructing symptoms or to facilitate successive treatment. We report one child in whom PPB with DICER1 mutation recurred after surgery and lead to respiratory distress. She emergently received palliative RT with a relatively low dose (20 Gy), and symptoms sufficiently relieved. Even she showed an 84.3% reduction in diameter and maintained the remission status for 1 year. These might reflect possible radiosensitivity of PPB, and further investigations of RT might be necessary for unresectable PPB.

Epilepsy can be divided into idiopathic epilepsy and symptomatic epilepsy according to the existence ofunderlying organic disease. It has been said that the incidence of the symptomatic epilepsy caused by underlyingorgainic brain disease is higher in late-onset epilepsy after the age of 20 than in childhood-onset epoilepsy. CTis very sensitive and non-invasive method for detection of organic brain disease. 168 cases of late-onset epilepsyafter the age of 20 were studied by CT in recent 2 years were analyzed. The results were as follows; 1. The 3rddecade was the most frequent age group, and the ratio of male to female was 2.5;1. 2. Structural abnormality onbrain CT was demonstrated in 51.8% of hte patient. 3. The older the onset of age was, the higher the rate of theabnormal CT finding, except 5th decade which showed less CT abnormality than 4th decade. 4. The most frequenthistory related to epilepsy was trauma. 63.1% of the patients had no relevant history; and they showed CT findingsof brain tumor, atrophy and infarction in decreasing order of frequency. 5. Abnormal CT finding was demonstratedin 49.2% of normal neurologic examination and in 46.4% of normal EEG study. 6. The most frequent lesion ofabnormal CT scan in late-onset epilepsy was 30 cases(18.4% )of brain atrophy. The next frequent lesion was 18cases (10.7%) of brain tumor. Infarction, parasites and calcification were other frequnet lesions.
Atrophy ; Brain ; Brain Diseases ; Brain Neoplasms ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Male ; Methods ; Neurologic Examination ; Parasites ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Special considerations should be made when selecting medications for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in older patients especially those over 65 years old. This review summarizes the relationship between current treatments for LUTS and cognitive impairment. Although the recently reported association between dementia and tamsulosin is debatable, the effects of α-blockers and pharmacokinetics are not reported in this context. Five-alpha reductase inhibitors appear to affect mood. However, the association between the development of dementia and cognitive impairment is unlikely. Anticholinergic agents, other than trospium, fesoterodine, and imdafenacin have a relatively high distribution in the central nervous system. In particular, oxybutynin is reported to cause cognitive impairment. Several animal studies on the blood-brain barrier permeability of oxybutynin support this. Therefore, care must be taken when they are used in older patients (65 years and older). Beta-3 agonists are an alternative to, or may be used in combination with, anticholinergic drugs for patients with an overactive bladder (OAB). Several phase 2 and 3 clinical studies report high tolerability and efficacy, making them relatively safe for OAB treatment. However, there is a possibility that cognitive function may be affected; thus, long-term study data are required. We have reviewed studies investigating the correlation of urologic medications with cognitive dysfunction and have provided an overview of drug selection, as well as other considerations in older patients (65 years and older) with LUTS. This narrative review has focused primarily on articles indexed in PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Embase databases. No formal search strategy was used, and no meta-analysis of data was performed.

The increasing use of the laparoscopic surgery in the management of gynecologic disease resulted in an increasing incidence of complication and the development of new complications. Incisional hernia through laparoscopic trocar site is an unusual complication of laparoscopy. A rare form of port-associated complication is omental herniation. This report describes a case of omental herniation through a 10-mm subumbilical incision following uneventful laparoscopic surgery.
Female ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Hernia ; Incidence ; Laparoscopy* ; Surgical Instruments

Effects of thoracentesis on thoracic impedance and cardiac performance were studied in patients with uncomplicated unilateral tuberculous pleural effusion. The speed of the removal of the pleural effusion in thoracentesis was essentially similar to that of a generally used for therapeutic purpose in daily practice. Thoracic impedance was measured in 23 cases before, 4 and 10 minutes after thoracentesis to the amount of pleural effusion aspirated was observed. In 11 cases out of 23, the changes in cardiac performance as assessed by stroke volume, cardiac output, heart rate, heather index and ratio of pre-ejection period to left ventricular ejection time(PEP/LVET) were observed 4 minutes after 150 ml to 1,000 ml of thoracentesis. In these cases, stroke volume, cardiac output, and Heather index were determined from impedance cardiograms, and PEP/LVET from mechanocardiograms recorded simultaneously with the former. A significant increase in thoracic impedance was observed both 4 and 10 minutes after thoracentesis. There was a slight but a significant correlation between the changes in thoracic impedance and the amount of pleural fluid aspirated only 4 minutes after thoracentesis. Thoracentesis showed no consistent influence on cardiac performance as reflected to stroke volume, cardiac output, heart rate, heart index and PEP/LVET. These facts suggest that measurement of thoracic impedance may be a useful method reflecting alterations in pleural fluid volumes, particularly when it occurs in a relatively short period of time, and the effects of thoracentesis of less than one liter on the cardiac functions as determined by the above-mentioned parameters were variable.
Cardiac Output ; Electric Impedance* ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Pleural Effusion ; Stroke Volume