PURPOSE: Caliceal diverticular calculi are mostly asymptomatic. In certain cases they may be associated with chronic or recurrent pain, recurrent urinary tract infections, progressive renal damage and hematur ia. The treatment of symptomatic caliceal diverticular calculi has evolved from open surgery to less invasive procedures, such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL), percutaneous techniques, retrograde ureteroscopy and laparoscopy, but it remains controversial. Percutaneous techniques are frequently used to address the diverticular stone burden, to fulgurate the diverticular wall, to dilated the diverticular neck and improve drainage. For this reason, we reviewed 33 patients with caliceal diverticular calculi to determine whether they could be treated successfully by percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) as the initial treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 33 patients with caliceal diverticular calculi underwent PCNL between February 1990 and February 2000. The majority of diverticula were located at the upper pole. Access was gained via a direct target puncture. After sequential dilatation of the tract, stones were removed and the diverticular wall was fulgurated. The diverticular neck was dilated with the Amplatz dilator upto 24-30 Fr. and a 20 Fr. nephrostomy catheter was placed. RESULTS: PCNL was performed successfully in 30 patients (90.9%), but puncture was failed in 3. Mean operative time was 105 minutes and mean hospital stay was 4.5 days. All patients who were treated successfully with PCNL became stone-free without any complication. Mean follow-up was 20 months (ranged from 1 to 108 months). Of the 26 patients with symptoms preoperatively, 25 patients were rendered symptom-free (96.2%). Twenty-four patients were assessed with an intravenous urogram at 1 or 3 months and 6, 12 months and there was no stone recurrence. The diverticula were obliterated or had improved drainage in 95.8% (23/24) of assessable cases. CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed that PCNL is a safe, less invasive and effective procedure and should be considered an acceptable form of primary management of patients with caliceal diverticular stone.
Calculi ; Catheters ; Dilatation ; Diverticulum ; Drainage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Lithotripsy ; Neck ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Operative Time ; Punctures ; Recurrence ; Shock ; Ureteroscopy ; Urinary Tract Infections

PURPOSE: We applied lateral lithotomy position to the severe ureteral stricture cases supposed to fail with only retrograde approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From October 1997 to April 1999, 13 patients with severe ureteral stricture (lenghth>2cm or complete obstruction) supposed to fail with only retrograde approach and one patient with study. The causes of ureteral strictures were pelvic malignancy in 5, tuberculosis in 4, trauma in 2 and others in 2. The patient's ipsilateral shoulder was rotated and fixed like lateral position. And ipsilateral pelvis was elevated with sandbag or pad and rotated about 45 degrees, too. The retrograde approach was tried at first, if fail, antegrade approach was combined. RESULTS: We could insert ureteral stent via retrograde approach only in 3 patients and we needed aid of antegrade approach for passage through ureteral stricture in the other 11 patients (79%). Percutaneous antegrade approaches were combined in those 11 patients and we could pass the guide wire and indwell the stent in 10 of 11 patients (91%) using this position. CONCLUSIONS: The lateral lithotomy position was very helpful to the simultaneous retrograde and antegrade approach in severe fibrotic or malignant ureteral strictures.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Pelvis ; Shoulder ; Stents ; Tuberculosis ; Ureter*

No abstract available.
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms* ; Thymidine Kinase* ; Thymidine*

We conducted this cohort analytic study to determine whether women with unexplained elevations of maternal serum hCG at 15-18 weeks' gestation are at increased risk for pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcomes. The inclusion criteria were a singleton gestation, a confirmed gestational age, and an hCG level greater than 2.0 multiples of the median (MoM). The exclusion criteria were fetal anomalies, an abnormal karyotype, molar pregnancy, and an MSAFP level greater than 2.5 multiples of the median (MoM). A group of randomly selected women with hCG levels under 2.0 MoM served as controls. Patients with elevated levels of hCG had a significantly higher risk for PIH (17.9% versus 4.5%; P <.05) and preterm delivery (17.9% versus 3.5%; P<, 05) than control. But no significant differences were observed in the incidence of intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight and in the newborn weight. We suggested that pregnancies with unexplained elevated hCG levels should be regarded as high-risk pregnancies. And these patients require careful monitoring with adequate obstetric management.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans* ; Hydatidiform Mole ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, High-Risk

The diagnosis of soft tissue osteochondroma should be considered when a well-defined osseous mass is located in the soft tissues. The differential diagnosis includes myositis ossificans, tumoral calcinosis, synovial chondromatosis, and soft tissue osteosarcoma, true osteochondroma which arises from bone. One case of soft tissue osteochondroma in the knee, a lesion of uncertain pathogenesis is reported.
Calcinosis ; Chondromatosis, Synovial ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Knee ; Myositis Ossificans ; Osteochondroma* ; Osteosarcoma

Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rar, incurable, and progressive clinical entity. When associated with pregnancy, the prognosis of primary pulmonary hypertension is worsened with maternal mortality rates of at least 50%. The patient was a 29-year-old mother in her 2nd pregnancy, with previous uncomplicated gestation, 5 years ago. She had been well until the 28th week of present gestation when she was admitted because of increasing dyspnea on exertion. She was a housewife with no remarkable family and past histories. We have experienced a patient with primary pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy. She was treated with an oral calcium-channel blocker and low-molecular-weight heparin and was delivered vaginally with good maternal and fetal outcome. So we report a case of primary pulmonary hypertension associated with pregnancy and review literature.
Adult ; Dyspnea ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Maternal Mortality ; Mothers ; Pregnancy* ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Bile* ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen* ; Gallbladder* ; Mesenteric Veins*

Intramuscular lipomas are benign adipose tumors of the soft tissues that may resemble liposarcomas because of their size, deep location, and occasionally infiltrative growth. An awareness of their existence is fundamental to treating them correctly, and their differential diagnosis from liposarcoma is essential. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful diagnostic tool to differentiate benign adipose tumors from liposarcoma. Marginal excision and biopsy are required for the definite diagnosis and the treatment of symptomatic intramuscular lipomas. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report in South Korea regarding the treatment of an intramuscular giant lipoma of the ankle.

Functional paraganglioma of the mediastinum is an uncommon tumor of the paraganglion system that causes symptoms and signs of episodic catecholamine release. It has not been reported in Korea. We experienced a case of a 17 years old man with a history of diaphoresis and paroxysmal hypertension refractory to therapy since 14 years old. Urinary execretion of catecholamine and its metabolites were elevated. Computed tomography(CT) scan revealed high density mass located on the posterior mediastinum in the area of the right fifth intercostal space. At thoracotomy, a 3X3X4cm sized lesion was resected and confirmed as a paraganglioma.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Korea ; Mediastinum* ; Paraganglioma* ; Pheochromocytoma ; Thoracotomy

PURPOSE: To present initial and follow-up HRCT findings of lymphangitic carcinomatosis of the lung. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Both initial and follow-up HRCT scans were obtained in 18 patients with lymphangitic carcinomatosis of the lung. After dividing the patients into two groups (with anticancer chemotherapy (n=12) and without chemotherapy (n=6), changes of pulmonary parenchymal abnormalities (percentile increase or decrease in the extent of each pattern) were assessed and compared on initial and follow-up HRCTs. RESULTS: Findings on initial CT were interlobular septal thickening (n=18) (smooth in 15 and mixed smooth and nodular in three), thickening of bronchovascular bundles (n=17), areas of ground-glass opacity (n=15), polygonal lines (n=15), and nodules (n=10). With chemotherapy, the finding of polygonal lines decreased by 20/3%, while findings of ground-glass opacity, bronchovascular bundle thickening, septal thickening, and nodules remained stable. Without chemotherapy, all CT patterns of abnormalities except nodules increased by 45-88%. In three patients who did not undergo chemotherapy, smooth interlobular septal thickening changed to nodular thickening. CONCLUSION: Lymphangitic carcinomatosis of the lung manifests initially as smooth thickening of the interlobular septae, bronchovascular bundle thickening,areas of ground-glass opacity, and polygonal lines, as seen on HRCT. Without chemotherapy, the extent of CT findings increases and there is a tendency for smooth septal thickening to change to nodular thickening. Chemotherapy induces improvement or cessation of the progression of CT findings.
Carcinoma* ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung*