No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficiency of a fluoroscopy-guided double balloon technique in removal of esophageal foreign bodies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients with esophageal foreign bodies were treated by fluoroscopy-guided double balloon technique. They suffered from dysphagia. Foreign bodies were meats(n=3), a pig bone, a beef bone, a tablet, and a chinese cabbage leaf. Three patients had underlying diseases:corrosive stricture (n=2) and postoperative stricture(n=1). Double balloon technique for removal of the foreign bodies was performed by trapping a foreign body with two valvuloplasty balloons under fluoroscopic guidance. After removal of a foreign body, stricture sites in three patients were dilated by single balloon. RESULTS: Foreign bodies were removed successfully in all patients with improvement of symptoms. Three patients with stricture were successfully treated by single balloon dilatation. There was no complication with the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Removal of esophageal foreign bodies with fluoroscopically guided double balloon technique is effective and promising alternative to esophagoscopic removal. In addition, balloon technique is effective in the treatment of underlying esophageal stricture.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Brassica ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dilatation ; Esophageal Stenosis ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and problems of Gianturco stent for treatment of esophagorespiratory fistulas caused by esophageal carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a 6~year period, we have treated 95 patients of esophageal carcinomas with silicone-covered modified Gianturco stent. Among those patients, ten had an esophagorespiratory fistula. We retrospectively analyzed the effect of stent for the occlusion of esophagorespiratory fistula, food intake capacity of patients, clinical and procedural problems of the stent. RESULT: After procedure, all fistulas were occluded successfully. Of the 10 patients, two could swallow all kinds of food, four most of foods, three soft foods, and one only liquid foods. In one patient, the fistula was reopened probably resulting from the reflux due to the presence of another lesion in the distal esophagus at 1 week after procedure. Two patients complained of dyspnea due to tracheal compression by the proximal tip of the stent and tracheal invasion of tumor after 4 and 11 weeks. In one patient, fistula was recurred due to tumor overgrowth on proximal and distal portion after 24 weeks. The fistulas recurred from the tumor overgrowth or reflux were sucessfully treated with another esophageal stent. The tracheal compression by the proximal tip of the stent and invasion by esophageal cancer was treated with tracheal stent and radiation therapy. CONCLUSION: Insertion of silicone-covered modified Gianturco stent was an effective method for the palliative treatment of esophagorespiratory fistula caused by esophageal cancer. Simultaneous use of tracheal stent is also recommended in patients with tracheal compression by the proximal tip of the stent and invasion by esophageal cancer.
Dyspnea ; Eating ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; Esophagus ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Palliative Care ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents*

PURPOSE: The prevalence and significance of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) after kidney transplantation has been varies among authors. While these results suggested that VUR can be a source of repeated infections, which might be a prognostic factor impairing long-term graft function. We evaluated the prevalence, clinical manifestations and diagnostic methods of VUR after living donor kidney transplantation and their proper management with the results of each treatment. METHODS: We reviewed thirty-four patients among five hundreds and thirteen living donor kidney transplant recipients, who developed VUR after the transplantations at our center from June 1998 to June 2003. Twenty-three patients underwent a corrective surgical procedure, ureteroneocystostomy, and we excluded 3 patients who underwent the procedure less than 1 year. The patients were divided into three groups: those with severe VUR underwent a corrective surgical procedure with more than 1 year follow-up (group I, n=20), those with mild VUR underwent a conservative management (group II, n=8) and control group of patients without VUR (group III, n=20). The incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) and graft function were assessed for 1~7 years. Voiding cystoureterography (VCUG) was performed in patients with recurrent urinary tract infections and reflux was classified from Grade I to Grade IV. RESULTS: We examined immunological and non-immunological risk factors such as age, sex, primary diseases, duration on dialysis, diuresis prior to the treatment, donor selection, the degree of HLA mismatches, cold ischemia time, the incidence of acute rejection. There was no significant demographic difference among study groups except sex (female). Analysis of patients and grafts survival rates revealed no statistical differences among three groups. CONCLUSION: VUR dose not seem to negatively affect graft function if surgical correction were performed in proper period after the diagnosis. The indication of surgical correction of VUR is clinically significant UTIs, UTI sepsis, Grade III or IV VUR. Close attention, proper diagnosis and prompt surgical correction are necessary to minimize the adverse influence of VUR after kidney transplantation.
Cold Ischemia ; Diagnosis ; Dialysis ; Diuresis ; Donor Selection ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Living Donors ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sepsis ; Survival Rate ; Transplantation ; Transplants ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare contrast dacryocystography with lacrimal dacryo-scintigraphy in correlation with epiphora, superiority in localization of the site of obstruction and discomfort of partient during procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy and contrast dacryocystography were performed in 200 lacrimal drainage systems in 100 patients who were referred to our hospital with epiphora since January, 1993. RESULTS: Lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy showed 88% in correlation with epiphora, 90% in positive predictive value and 74% in negative predictive value. Contrast dacryocystography showed 72% in correlation with epiphora, 97% in positive predictive value and 60% in negative predictive value. Contrast dacryocystography was superior to lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy in localization of the site of the obstruction because of limitation of resolution of 6mm pin hole collimator. But discomfort of patient was variable and severe on contrast dacryocystography. CONCLUSION: When obstruction is suspected, we recommend the lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy as initial radio-graphic study. If adequate information is not available and confirmation is necessary, contrast dacryo-cystography should be done in next step. Inspite of patient symptom, if finding of contrast dacryocystography is normal, lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy should be performed to exclude functional obstruction.
Drainage ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare contrast dacryocystography with lacrimal dacryo-scintigraphy in correlation with epiphora, superiority in localization of the site of obstruction and discomfort of partient during procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy and contrast dacryocystography were performed in 200 lacrimal drainage systems in 100 patients who were referred to our hospital with epiphora since January, 1993. RESULTS: Lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy showed 88% in correlation with epiphora, 90% in positive predictive value and 74% in negative predictive value. Contrast dacryocystography showed 72% in correlation with epiphora, 97% in positive predictive value and 60% in negative predictive value. Contrast dacryocystography was superior to lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy in localization of the site of the obstruction because of limitation of resolution of 6mm pin hole collimator. But discomfort of patient was variable and severe on contrast dacryocystography. CONCLUSION: When obstruction is suspected, we recommend the lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy as initial radio-graphic study. If adequate information is not available and confirmation is necessary, contrast dacryo-cystography should be done in next step. Inspite of patient symptom, if finding of contrast dacryocystography is normal, lacrimal dacryoscintigraphy should be performed to exclude functional obstruction.
Drainage ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases*

The annual incidence of a first episode of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (PE) in the general population is 120 per 100,000. Cancer is associated with an approximately 4- to 7-fold higher risk of thrombosis. Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare type of malignancy, accounting for 0.02% of all cancers reported annually. Approximately 40% of ACCs are nonsecretory. Most patients with nonsecreting tumors have clinical manifestations related to tumor growth (e.g., abdominal or flank pain). Often the adrenal mass is detected by chance via radiographic imaging. As a result, most ACC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and have a poor prognosis. Herein, we report a case of a 54-year-old woman who was admitted to our emergency department complaining of dyspnea. She was diagnosed with ACC accompanied by thrombi in the pulmonary artery and inferior vena cava. We performed a left adrenalectomy and administered adjuvant radiotherapy. The patient is currently receiving warfarin and adjuvant mitotane therapy. She was incidentally diagnosed with ACC, with PE as the initial manifestation.
Accounting ; Adrenalectomy ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma ; Dyspnea ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Mitotane ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Thrombosis ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; Venous Thrombosis ; Warfarin