OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the relationship between the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the peritoneal fluid of women with and without endometriosis and infertile women. METHODS: This study is prospective and case-control study in University hospital, enrolled thirty-four women with laparoscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis, and thirty-seven women with no visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in peritoneal fluid were determined using commercial ELISA. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were compared among women with and without endometriosis, and with infertile and fertile women, and then also compared according the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULTS: IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were higher than in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis than in matched normal controls. Cyclic variations in IL-6 concentrations were seen in peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis: the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. The concentrations were higher than among of infertile women than in fertile women. A significant correlation between IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations and endometriosis stage III and IV was noted. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with endometriosis in the peritoneal fluid may be relate to the pathogenesis of endometriosis suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in patients with endometriosis.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Case-Control Studies ; Classification ; Endometriosis* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fertility ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Prospective Studies ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

OBJECTIVE: Endometriosis is a disease affecting a large population of women all over the world. A local sterile inflammation occurs in the peritonel cavity of patients with endometriosis. It suggests that immunological events play a major role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. We have studied the levels of serveral T cell and monocyte derived cytokines, especially IL-6 (promoter of immune response) and IL-10 (inhibitor of immune response), in the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis to characterize the change of immune response that occurs at the site of endometriosis. Method: This study was performed in Hallym university hospital from October, 1997 to October 1998 and enrolled 29 women with gross or microscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis in case group, and 28 women without visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease in control group. IL-6 and IL-10 levels in the peritoneal fluid were determined using commercial ELISA and compared between endometriosis and controls and between fertile and infertile women with endometriosis and according to the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULT: IL-6 was higher and IL-10 was lower in the peritoneal fluid of endometriosis group than of control group. Cyclic variations in the IL-6 concentrations were seen in endometriosis group : the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. In endometriosis group, IL-6 concentrations of infertile women were higher than fertile women. Both IL-6 and IL-10 in the peritoneal fluid of endomtriosis group did not show significant correlation according to r-AFS stages. CONCLUSION: Increased IL-6 and decreased IL-10 levels in the peritoneal fluid may be related to infertility and pathogenesis in the endometriosis, suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in endometriosis.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Classification ; Cytokines ; Endometriosis* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fertility ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6* ; Monocytes

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the relationship between the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the peritoneal fluid(PF) of women with and without endometriosis and infertile women. Design: Prospective and case-control study. Setting: University hospital. Patients: Twenty-nine women with laparotomy or laparoscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis, and twenty-eight women with no visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease. Main Outcome Measures: PF IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were determined using commercial ELISA. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were compared among women with and without endometriosis, and with infertile and fertile women, and then also compared according the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULTS: IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were higher than in the PF of women with endometriosis than in matched normal controls. Cyclic variations in IL-6 concentrations were seen in PF from patients with endometriosis: the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. IL-6 concentrations were higher than in the PF among of infertile women than in fertile women. A significant correlation between PF IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations and endometriosis stage III and IV was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Increased PF levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with endometriosis may be relate to endometriosis-associated infertility and to the pathogenesis of endometriosis suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in patients with endometriosis.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Case-Control Studies ; Classification ; Endometriosis* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fertility ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular* ; Infertility ; Interleukin-6 ; Laparotomy ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether hysterectomy by the vaginal route is safe and feasible in patients with previous pelvic operation. METHODS: A retrospective study of the records of Hallym University Hospistal patients who underwent vaginal hysterectomy performed by the senior author. Between January 1990 and January 1997, 212 patients who had previous pelvic operation were studied with special reference to operative difficulties, previous operation type, intraoperative complications, surgical time, hospital stay. RESULTS: 1. Patients characteristics was that ; The average age was 44.5+/-6.6 years old, the average parity was 2.3 , the average stay of hospitalization was 7.5+/-0.89 days, the frequency of Morcellation was in 24.5%, the average surgical time including associated procedure was 82+/-16.2 minutes, the average uterine weight was 164+/-85.1gm. 2. The most common previous pelvic operation was cesarean section(95 cases). 3. The most common indication was uterine myoma(51.9%). 4. Surgical technique used to gain access to the pouch of Douglas was done anteriorly; 52 patients of previous cesarean section(24.5%) and 112 patients of others operation(52.8%) were easily opened by blunt dissection, 43 patients of previous cesarean section(20.3%) and 5 patients of others operation(2.4%) were required sharp dissection. posterioly ; 190 patients(89.6%) were easily opened by blunt dissection, 22 patients(10.4%) were required sharp dissection. 5. Significant complications were bladder injury(1 case) , postoperative transfusion due to bleeding(6 cases). No cases of postoperative laparotomy was done and other minor compications were fever(15 cases), bladder retention(11 cases), others. CONCLUSIONS: It was possible to perform vaginal hysterectomy safely in patients with previous pelvic operation. Vaginal hysterectomy remains the method of choice for removal of the uterus of the previous pelvic operations in the absence of other contraindications.
Cesarean Section ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal* ; Intraoperative Complications ; Laparotomy ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Parity ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder ; Uterus

No abstract available.
Lung Injury* ; Lung* ; Paraquat*

A perplexing developmental error is 46,XX congenital absence of vagina ( Mayer-Rokitan-sky-Kster-Hauser syndrome, Mullerian dysgenesis, vaginal aplasia ). The Mayer-Rokitansky-Kster-Hauser syndrome refers to the climical entity consisting of primary amenorrhea associated with congenital absence of the vagina, 46,XX karyototype, a rudimentary uterus or complete absense, normal overian function and normal ovulation, normal female breast development, body proprotion and body hair, frequent association of renal, skeletal and other cpngenital anomalies. This syndrome results from agenesis of both Mllerian ducts or from a failure of the Mllerian ducts to estavlish a proper communication with that part of the vagina from the urogenital sinus. A case of mayer-Rokitansky-Kster-Hauser syndrom was reviewed briefly.
Amenorrhea ; Breast ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Ovulation ; Uterus ; Vagina

BACKGROUND: Diabetic ketoacidosis(DKA) is serious acute metabolic complication and the most important cause of high morbidity and mortality of diabetes. The object of this study is to examine the clinical characteristics of patients with DKA who had a prior history of diabetes or not. METHOD: Authors reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 49 cases adimitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital from January 1991 to June 1997 with a diagnosis of DKA and classified cases as type I, type II and newly diagnosed diabetics according to prior history of diabetes. RESULTS: 1. Of 49 cases of DKA, 24(49%) were classified as type I, 17(35%) as type II from data available in the medical records, and 8(16%) had DKA as the initial manifestation of the disease. 2. The male to female ratio was 0.5 : 1 in type I, 1.1 : 1 in type II and 1.7 : 1 in newly diagnosed diabetics, and the mean age was 24.4 in type I, 57.9 in type II and 23.9 years old in newly diagnosed diabetics. 3. The mean duration between initial diagnosis of diabetes and the occurrence of DKA was 2.6 in type I and 6.9 years in type II diabetes. The occurrence of DKA within 2 years of initial diagnosis of diabetes was 54% in type I and 18% in type II diabetes, but the occurrence of DKA after 5 years of initial diagnosis of diabetes was 17% in type I and 47% in type II diabetes. 4. The precipitating factors of DKA were identified in 88% in type I, 76% in type II and 38% in newly diagnosed diabetics, and the most common precipitating factor was omission of treatment in both type I and type II(type I: 56%, type II: 35%). 5. The altered mental status was correlated with increased osmolality (p<0.05), but not with other laboratory values such as pH, bicabonate, glucose, anion gap and dehydration status(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: It is necessary to conduct early aggressive evaluation for early diagnosis and proper treatment of DKA, because DKA occurs in patients with prior history of type II diabetes and without prior diabetic history as well as patients with prior history of type I diabetes.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Dehydration ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Glucose ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Osmolar Concentration ; Precipitating Factors ; Retrospective Studies

Barrett's esophagus is a metaplastic process in which the squamous epithelium of the lowet esophagus is replaced by columnar epithelium. Most cases are believed to be related to prolonged gastroesophageal reflux. Detection of Barretts esophagus is important in that it results in adenocarcinoma in about 10% of patients. We report a case of adenocarcinoma arising from Barrett's esophagus in a 56 year-old man, diagnosed incidentally at a physical check-up. Grossly, the esophagogastric junction was irregular and there were two small ulcers in the lower esophagus. Microscopically, ihe squamous epithelium of the lower hagus was replaced by specialized intesinal mucosa with a small focus of adenocarcinona confined to the submucosa in one area. Many separate dysplastic foci were also present in the nearby esophageal mucosa.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Barrett Esophagus* ; Epithelium ; Esophagogastric Junction ; Esophagus* ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Intestines* ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Stomach* ; Ulcer

We report a caae of hepatic and intestinal infestation with paragonimus wewstermani complicating abscess formation. The pathway by which the paragonimus westermani reaehea liver and intestine is not well understood. However, there was possiblity that it may become lodged in other organs that the lung because of polonged larval migrations through the diaphragm or into various sites in the abdomen. The patient, 52-year-old female gave a history of having reyeatedly consumed raw crabs. An x-ray film of the chest showed clear lunga Skin test for paragonimus-westermani was positive. Abdominal ultrasonogram showed enlargement of the liver with multiple hypoechoic lesiona ERCP revealed multiple ie lesions in the right lobe of the liver. Abdaminal CT showed multifocal abscess cavities with slight rim enhancements. Above meetioned diagnostic procedures suggested liver abscess or hepatoma. Then, an exploratory laparotomy was done for a definite diagnosis, Frozen biopsy, from liver and surgically exe mass from ileocecal region revealed extrpulmonary paragnomiasis involving liver and cecum. Thus, the patient was treated with prasiquantel. Three months later, abdominal ultrasonogram demonstrated slight enlargement of the liver but no evidence of abnormal mass like lesions.
Abdomen ; Abscess ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cecum* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragm ; Female ; Humans ; Intestines ; Laparotomy ; Liver Abscess ; Liver* ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Paragonimiasis* ; Paragonimus ; Paragonimus westermani ; Praziquantel ; Skin Tests ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography ; X-Ray Film

No abstract available.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*