The authors developed a computer program for use in report printing as well as data storage and retrieval system at the surgical pathology and its efficacy was evaluated at the Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital. This program used IBM PC XT and was written in DBASE III plus language. The main features of the program included an automatic coding and decoding of the diagnosis, automatic searching of the previous biopsy during gross dictation, powerful word processing function and flexibility of the program. The data storage was carried out during the typewriting of the report, so that the typist's workload became markedly reduced. Two kinds of data files wer stored in the hard disk ; the temporary file contained full informations and the permanent file contained the core data only. Searching of a specific case was performed by pathology accession number, chart number, patient's name or by SNOMED code within a second. All the cases were arranged by copied to the diskette during the daily service automatically, with which data were easily restored in case of hard disk failure. The advantages of this program using a persosnal computer were discussed with comparison to those of larger computer system. Based on the experience of 8 months usage in Seoul National University, we assume that this program gives a sufficient solution to the surgical pathology service of many institutes where a large computer system with well designed software is not available yet.
Biopsy

The pathologic features of acute corrosive esophago-gastritis by ingestion of "Trapunc", a common commercial drain cleansing liquid, is presented. A 37-year-old woman ingested abut 30 ml of Trapunc (3 gm NaOH/100 ml) to commit suicide and received piecemeal esophagectomy and total gastrectomy 9 days after the episode. The esophagus and stomach were extremely friable and necrotic. The most part of the stomach showed acute toxic necrotizing gastritis which was manifested by extensive greenish brown discoloration due to liquefaction necrosis of the mucosa except for a few rugae along the greater curvature. The antrum and distal body revealed severe mucosal detachment and even transmural necrosis. The tissue reaction was basically the same as those of NaOH-induced corrosive esophago-gastritis of acute stage, although it appeared to be severer probably due to sodium hypochlorite, and additive constituent of the ingested cleanser. A unique distribution pattenr of mucosal involvement is discussed.
Female ; Humans

Decubitus ulcer is often seen in the skin and underlying tissue of debilitated or immobilized patients as the result of prolonged pressure and impaired circulation. It manifests chiefly as an ulcer over bony prominences, but tumefaction is an extremely unusual presentation. A 53-year old male, a paralytic of the lower extremity for 18 years, developed a recurrent decubital ulcer despite repeated surgical repair, from which a rapidly growing, large fungating mass grew within a month. The last resected mass was bosselated and measured 15x9x3 cm with a major area of cicatrix-like induration, interdigitated with skeletal muscle bundles at the central area. Microscopically, the mass was composed of an upper half of active granulation tissue layer and a deeper half of dense, poorly cellular, fibrocollagenous bundles admixed with florid proliferation of atypical fibroblasts, but the absence of mitosis and the multifocal admixture of active inflammatory process-granulation tissue formation seemed to help exclude genuine fibromatosis, nodular fasciitis or proliferative myositis. We assume that this rapidly growing pseudofibromatosis is an additional manifestation of a prolonged decubitus ulcer, possibly related to the modified reparative process of decubitus ulcer following repeated excisions, for which we propose a term of decubitoma.

BACKGROUND: For the purpose of early detection of breast cancer, a localization biopsy is necessary in case of mammographically or ultrasonographically suspicious, but nonpalpable, breast lesions. METHODS: One hundred nine consecutive localization biopsies for nonpalpable lesions of the breast were performed upon 101 patients from May 1992 to September 1998. RESULTS: The localizations were done in 48 cases under the guidance of mammography and in 61 cases under the guidance of ultrasonography. Complications occurred in 15 cases (13.7%). The mean volume of the excised specimens was 11.6 cm3. The miss rate was 3.6% (4 cases). Malignant lesions of the breast were found in 16 cases (14.7%). Among the malignant lesions, 10 cases involved invasive ductal cancer. Among the patients diagnosed as having breast cancer, 8 patients were treated with a conservative operation, 5 patients with a modified radical mastectomy, and 2 patients with observation; 1 patient was discharged. The chance of a biopsy containing a malignant lesion was 16.7% if the biopsy was done because of mass, 9.8% for a microcalcification, and 11.1% for an abnormal asymmetric density. CONCLUSIONS: A needle localization biopsy can be performed accurately under local anethesia, and the volume of the excised specimen can be minimized, so the cosmetic effect is excellent and proper early treatment is possible in diagnosed cases of breast cancer.
Biopsy* ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Humans ; Mammography ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Needles* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Lipoproteins* ; Nephrosis, Lipoid*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Peritonitis*

To determine the clinical and prognostic significance of EEG study in acute carbon monoxide intoxication, the EEGs of 107 patients, whom the study was performed relatively early in the course of intoxication, were analyzed and compared with the clinical courses and CT brain scans retrospectively. The final outcome of the patients consisted of 78 cases of recovery, 20 cases of prolonged coma and 9 cases with delayed neurologic sequeles. Statistically, there was no evidence of the age and sex influencing the clinical outcome or EEG finding. The EEG abnormalities depended upon the level and duration of unconsciousness, showing more abnormal EEG in the patient with deeper and longer coma. Many serial EEGs revealed almost parallel improvement to the clinical recovery but not always. Usually the EEG abnormality had the tendency to persist a little longer than the clinical. The patterns and grades of EEG abnormalities were also important to provide the prognostic significance. Almost all of the patients revealing, rarly in the course, some normal alpha background or high amplitude regular 1.5-2.5 Hz slow waves which looked like triphasic wave would be recovered soon or later. The irregular geneeralized delta slow waves, not responding to the outer stimuli suggested poor prognosis and prolonged coma. The abnormal CT brain scan such as low density in basal ganglia and/or white matter also showed some prognostic value, but not that of EEG studies. The development of delayed neurologic sequeles, however, could not be predicted by EEG or CT brain scan.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Coma ; Electroencephalography* ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Unconsciousness

PURPOSE: In this retrospective study, we attempted to evaluate the treatment outcome and the prognostic factors of thymoma treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1979 and 1998, 55 patients with thymoma were treated at the Seoul National University Hospital. Of these, 11 patients underwent surgery only, 33 patients received postoperative radiotherapy and 11 patients received radiotherapy only. Twenty-three patients had gross total resection and 21 patients subtotal resection. For postoperative radiotherapy, the radiation dose consisted of 41.4-55.8 Gy. The average follow-up was 64 months, and ranged from 2 to 160 months. The sex ratio was 1:1 and the median age was 48 years (15-74 years). Overall survival and disease-free survival were determined via the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank was employed to evaluate for differences in prognostic factor. RESULTS: The five- and 10-year survival rates were 87% and 65% respectively, and the median survival was 103 months. By univariate analysis, only stage ( p=0.0017) turned out to be significant prognostic factors of overall survival. Also, stage ( p=0.0007) was significantly predictive for overall survival in mutivariated analysis. CONCLUSION: This study showed the stage was found to be important prognostic factors, which influenced survival. Especially, as incomplete resection is related with poor results, complete resection is important to cure the invasive thymoma.
Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Sex Ratio ; Survival Rate ; Thymoma* ; Treatment Outcome*

A computer program using automatic coding of the diagnosis has been used for report printing as well as data storage and retrieval system at the Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital. Previous surgical pathology files were also computerized by the automatic coding system using personal computer, and 100,000 cases of surgical pathology data during 7 years were computerized at present. The cpmputerized surgical files were counted and listed according to topograph and morphologic diagnosis. It is available to print out the list of a specific diagnosis or to copy the records to a floppy diskette. Collection of cases in surgical pathology files using cpmputerized automatic coding system becomes much convenient and accurate than using stored file cards or log books. In addition, previous biopsy records of the patient are automatically searched during the routine work so that understanding of a patient as a whole is possible through the informations about previous pathologic diagnosis. We confirm that automatic coding methods is the most practical and economic method for computerization of the surgical pathology records.
Biopsy