A 70 year-old male visited with 1 month history of dark brown, hard, non-movable subcutaneous nodule on the anterior chest. Histopathologic findings were compatible with the metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Thorax ; Urinary Bladder*

Fibrofolliculoma is a benign follicular neoplasm which usually occurs in multiple and rarely solitarily. We have found only seven cases of previous reports of solitary fibrofolliculomas worldwide and only two in Korean literature. Herein we report on a 40-year-old female patient with a solitary flesh-colored bean sized mass on the scalp which histopathologically proved to be a fibrofolliculoma.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Scalp

Although vitiligo is a common disorder with well-known clinical features, its etiology is still vague. It has been suggested that immunologic factors are important in the pathophysiology of vitiligo. And the association of HLA antigens with vitiligo has been reported. Authors examined HLA phenotypes in thirty-nine patients, T lymphocytes in thirty- three patients, B lymphocytes in thirty-one patients, and quantitation of IgG, IgA, IgM and IEP(immunoelectrophoresis) in twenty-five patients with vitiligo in this study. T3 and T4 were investigated in twelve patients, CBC in thirty-nine and urinalysis in thirty-five patients with vitiligo for screening of associated diseases ; thyroid disease, anemia and diabetes mellitus. The results are as follows; The frequency of HLA A9, Bw15 and Bw22 was significantly decreased in vitiligo patients compared to control group(p=0. 003, 0. 02, 0. OR) 2. There were no significant differences in the results of total and active lymphocytes and B lymphocytes in vitiligo patients compared to the control group. The results of quantitation of IgG, IgA, IgM and IEP showed within normal lirnits except one, an increased IgG, 2,200rng/100ml (normal: 500 1,500) and polyclonal gammopathy. 4. Among twelve vitiligo patients, one showed increased TR, 355ng/100ml (normal: 80 220) and T4, 17. 3pg/100ml (normal: 5 13). 5. CBC and urinalysis were within normal limits in all patients.
Anemia ; B-Lymphocytes* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; HLA Antigens* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunologic Factors ; Lymphocytes ; Mass Screening ; Phenotype ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thyroid Diseases ; Urinalysis ; Vitiligo*

For the patients suffering from extensive deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the placement of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter in conjunction with anticoagulant therapy has been used to prevent pulmonary embolisms. However, for the patients who anticoagulant is contraindicated or if this is complicated, the use of an IVC filter without concurrent anticoagulation may become the sole treatment for pulmonary embolisms. In this situation, the thrombi trapped in the IVC filter may cause significant clinical problems. We report here on a case of IVC filter thrombosis that was successfully treated by aspiration thrombectomy after placing another filter proximal to the previous filter.
Humans ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Thrombectomy* ; Thrombosis* ; Vena Cava Filters* ; Vena Cava, Inferior* ; Venous Thrombosis

BACKBROUND AND PURPOSE: The flow diverting effect of a low-wall coverage stent remains controversial. We evaluted patients who underwent stenting for small aneurysms with a low but potential risk of growth and reviewed related literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 9 small aneurysms among 19 unruptured intracranial aneurysms from eight patients who underwent stenting. The patients had unexplainable severe headache (n = 8), aneurysm originating from the anterior choroidal artery (n = 3), potential growth or rupture risks including hypertension (n = 5), and multiple aneurysms (n = 6). Stents with a relatively low-wall coverage ratio (8-10%) were used. Clinical and angiographic outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: One (n = 8) or two stents (n = 1) were used without any procedural difficulties or complications. Although no immediate changes of aneurysm morphology were observed, aneurysms decreased in size (n = 8) when examined by DSA (n = 8) or MRA (n = 1) during a median 28.9-month follow-up. There were no adverse events, including thromboembolism, aneurysm rupture, or stent movement during a median 31.9-month clinical follow-up (range: 17-69 months). CONCLUSION: Although a variable degree of aneurysm size decrease may not prevent further growth or rupture of small aneurysms, stenting with a low-wall coverage ratio may have some advantageous hemodynamic effect. Flow modification of stent architecture vs. aneurysm characteristics, including size and location, on long-term outcome, requires further clarification.
Aneurysm* ; Arteries ; Choroid ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Rupture ; Stents* ; Thromboembolism

D2GSNP is a web-based server for the selection of single nucleotide polymorph isms (SNPs) within genes related to human diseases. The D2GSNP is based on a relational database created by downloading and parsing OMIM, GAD, and dbSNP, and merging it with positional information of UCSC Golden Path. Totally our server provides 5,142 and 1,932 non-redundant disease genes from OMIM and GAD, respectively. With the D2GSNP web interface, users can select SNPs within genes responding to certain diseases and get their flanking sequences for further genotyping experiments such as association studies.
Databases, Genetic ; Humans* ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To determine the indications of fusing the proximal thoracic curve when treating an idiopathic thoracic scoliosis with segmental instrumentation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Failure to recognize a significant proximal thoracic curve often results in postoperative shoulder asymmetry due to relative overcorrection of the lower thoracic curve. With segmental instrumentation that enhances the correction of the instrumented curve, the double thoracic curve pattern that needs fusion of both the proximal and the distal thoracic curves needs to be redefined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty thoracic AIS patients with a right lower thoracic curve > 40 and a left proximal thoracic curve > 25 treated by segmental pedicle screw instrumentation were analyzed after a minimum follow up of 2 years. RESULTS: Of the 40 patients, 18 were treated by fusion of both the proximal and the distal curves while 22 were treated by fusion of the distal curve only. The postoperative shoulder height difference(SHD, mm) was 0.9 x preoperative SHD(mm) + 5.3 for the both curve fusion and 0.6 x preoperative SHD(mm) + 12 for the distal curve fusion(linear regression), showing that proximal thoracic curve fusion improved the SHD when the left shoulder was level with or higher than the right. CONCLUSIONS: An idiopathic thoracic scoliosis with a proximal thoracic curve > 25 and level or elevated left shoulder should be considered a double thoracic curve pattern and treated by both the proximal and the distal curve fusion when using a segmental instrumentation.
Adolescent* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis* ; Shoulder

A 16-year-old male patient was diagnosed as chondroid osteosarcoma of the left humeral shaft. He showed normal serum creatinine level and no complications following the first course of high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) chemotherapy with a total dose of 12g/m2. After the 2nd HD-MTX chemotherapy with the same dosage as in the 1st course, plasma MTX levels soared up to 72micromol/L and serum creatinine level increased to 1.39mg/dL. We failed to lower the plasma MTX levels and to recover the renal function by high-dose leucovorin rescue and plasmapheresis. Plasma MTX level was successfully lowered after three consecutive total plasma exchanges and the withdrawal of aceclofenac which was suspected as an aggravating agent. No rebound in plasma MTX level was observed. We report that total plasma exchanges were effective in a patient with renal failure and delayed MTX excretion which occurred after HD-MTX chemotherapy.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Adolescent ; Creatinine ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; Male ; Methotrexate ; Osteosarcoma ; Plasma Exchange* ; Plasma* ; Plasmapheresis ; Renal Insufficiency

Critical ill patients with pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza A are associated with mortality, including cardiovascular, respiratory and renal dysfunction. Understanding of risk factor and clinical manifestation that suggest a higher mortality can recognize high risk patients earlier. There are many reports for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ failure and renal failure with pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza A. But cardiovascular disease with pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza A remains unknown. This is the report of pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza A association with apical balloning syndrome.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Pandemics ; Renal Insufficiency ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Risk Factors ; Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

Malakoplakia is a rare chronic inflammatory process, most commonly affecting the urinary tract. This entity was first described by Michaelis and Gutman in 1902. As of 1995, only 85 cases of malakoplakia of the gastrointestinal tract has been reported. The common sites of colonic involvement are the rectum, sigmoid, and right colon, in descending order of frequency. The most common disease associated with malakoplakia is colorectal carcinoma. Surgical resection is the treatement of choice for cases associated with carcinoma or complications. But in other cases, medical treatment could be attempted. Antimicrobial drugs, such as trimethoprime-sufamethoxazole, rifampin, or as recently suggested, ciprofloxacin can be used. We report a case of rectal malakoplakia treated by ciprofloxacin with a review of literatures.
Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Ciprofloxacin ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Malacoplakia* ; Rectum* ; Rifampin ; Urinary Tract