Crohn's disease is a rare inflammatory bowel disease in Korea which requires a differential diagnosis with intestinal tuberculosis. In the early stages of Crohn's diseaae, the combiation of bowel wall edema and spasm produces intermittent obstructive manifestations, so the usual subjective symptoms were appeared long standing diarrhea, low grade fever and abdominal pain and distension. We recently experienced a case of Crohn's colitis with repeated bowel obstruction in female adult who underwent surgical resection.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Colitis ; Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Edema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Korea ; Spasm ; Tuberculosis

Crohn's disease is a rare inflammatory bowel disease in Korea which requires a differential diagnosis with intestinal tuberculosis. In the early stages of Crohn's diseaae, the combiation of bowel wall edema and spasm produces intermittent obstructive manifestations, so the usual subjective symptoms were appeared long standing diarrhea, low grade fever and abdominal pain and distension. We recently experienced a case of Crohn's colitis with repeated bowel obstruction in female adult who underwent surgical resection.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Colitis ; Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Edema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Korea ; Spasm ; Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of phacoemulsification in treating phacomorphic glaucoma. METHODS: We observed 25 eyes of 25 patients who had undergone phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation for the treatment of phacomorphic glaucoma. Intraocular pressure (IOP), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), depth of anterior chamber, management and complications between preoperative and postoperative periods were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean IOP was 49.0 +/- 10.6 mmHg (range: 31~70 mmHg) before the operation and 13.2 +/- 2.8 mmHg (range: 8~20 mmHg) at 36 months after surgery (Paired T-test, p<0.0001). We could not find any case with increased IOP in our series for more than 3 years. The postoperative IOP decreased significantly the day after surgery (Paired T-test, p<0.0001). Improvement of postoperative visual acuity was remarkable from the first week after operation (Paired T-test, p<0.0001). Postoperatively, the visual acuity was improved except for one eye with preoperative visual acuity of no light perception. Especially, BCVA in 15 cases (60%) was above 20/40. Preoperatively, the anterior chambers were extremely shallow (average: 1.5 +/- 0.3 mm) by the swollen lens, and the average postoperative anterior chamber depth increased significantly by 2.6 +/- 0.1 mm on A-scan. The ratio of lens thickness to axial length factor was 2.5 +/- 0.1, indicating the shallow anterior chamber. Continuous postoperative medical treatment for IOP control was needed in one case, where peripheral anterior synechiae were observed by gonioscopy immediately after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Phacoemulsification is a very safe and effective procedure for the treatment of phacomorphic glaucoma.
Anterior Chamber ; Glaucoma* ; Gonioscopy ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular* ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Phacoemulsification* ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To compare and analyze intraoperative and postoperative complications of corneal flap in the LASIK procedures using different types of manual microkeratomes (MLK, LSK, disposable Barron). METHODS: Eight hundred sixty-two eyes were retrospectively evaluated to study the effects of 3 different microkeratomes on the frequency of complications, managements, and postoperative best visual acuity. The eyes were grouped according to the microkeratomes used in making corenal flap: Group 1 (334 eyes) treated with MLK(SCMD, USA); Group 2 (256 eyes), LSK(Moria, France); Group 3 (272 eyes), disposable Barron(Katena, USA). RESULTS: Mean follow-up period was 6.3 months and mean age was 29.2 years (range 20 39). Complications of corneal flap were observed in 74(7.9%) of 862 eyes. Intraoperative flap complications occurred in 15 eyes (4.5%), 6 eyes (2.4%) and 3 eyes (1.2%) in each group, respectively. The postoperative flap complications were observed in 24 eyes (7.2%), 17 eyes (6.7%) and 9 eyes (3.3%) in each group. The postoperative best corrected visual acuity decreased by 2 lines or more in 2 eyes (0.6%), 1 eye (0.4%) and none (0%) of each group. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of corneal flap-related complications by manual microkeratomes was relatively low. Disposable Barron microkeratome showed the lowest complication rate in our series. It also has an advantage of easy maneuverability, and reproducibility (equal size and thickness of corneal flap).
Follow-Up Studies ; Incidence ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (PCCC) performed simultaneously with cataract surgery to inhibit after-cataract. METHODS: Among patients who underwent phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation from December 1999 through December 2001, we had followed on 94 eyes of 80 patients who underwent PCCC intraoperatively and 100 eyes in 92 patients without PCCC as control group. Both groups were divided into 4 categories: nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR); uveitis; below 60 years without ocular and systemic disease; over 60 years without ocular and systemic disease. Preoperative and postoperative visual acuity and complications were analyzed from 6 months to 12 months. RESULTS: There was statistically no difference in the best corrected visual acuity at 6 months between PCCC and control group in all categories. Transient increase in the intraocular pressure was noted in 5 eyes (5%) of PCCC group and 3 eyes (3%) in control group. Vitreous prolapse into anterior chamber was found in 2 eyes (2%) of PCCC group. Cystoid macular edema was found in only 1 eye (1%) in NPDR patients of PCCC group. Progression of diabetic retinopathy was found in 1 eye (5.6%) and 3 eyes (12.5%) in each group respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in progression of diabetic retinopathy after surgery between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Primary PCCC is a safe procedure to perform in patient who has a predisposition to after-cataract.
Anterior Chamber ; Capsulorhexis* ; Cataract ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Macular Edema ; Phacoemulsification ; Prolapse ; Uveitis ; Visual Acuity

PUPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the validity of WHOQOL-BREF (Brief form of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument) and to explore quality of life (QOL) by using WHOQOL-BREF in patients with stomach cancer after a curative resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty (50) patients with stomach cancer after a curative resection were recruited with informed consents. Age- and gender matched hospital staffs served as controls. The 100-item WHOQOL instrument was employed for the all subjects. The scores of the WHOQOL-BREF, which is a short version (26 questions) of the WHOQOL, and includes four domains (physical, psychological, social, and environmental), were compared with those of WHOQOL. RESULTS: The scores of the WHOQOL-BREF were significantly correlated with those of the WHOQOL in all domains. Two domains, physical and social, were associated with worse quality of life in patients with stomach cancer after a curative resection. CONCLUSION: The WHOQOL-BREF is a valid instrument that is useful for evaluating the quality of life in patients with stomach cancer.
Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach* ; World Health Organization

PURPOSE: We conducted this study to evaluate the feasibility and the safety of a delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy after totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) and to know about the factors having influence on surgeons' performance of anastomosis and technical details of this operation. METHODS: The clinical characteristics and the surgical results of 57 consecutive patients with delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy after TLDG at Incheon St. Mary's Hospital were reviewed. The patients were divided into 2 groups (before and after 20 cases) and their clinical characteristics and surgical results were compared. The factors which influenced the anastomotic time and the technical details of the operation were also investigated. RESULTS: There was no difference in age, gender, body mass index, surgical results except for operation time, anastomotic time, and starting day of oral feeding between the 2 groups. The experience of the surgeon was the only factor that influenced the anastomotic time. CONCLUSION: Delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy is a feasible and safe procedure even in the early years of a surgeon's career. It could feasibly be done in less than 20 minutes in relatively experienced hands.
Body Mass Index ; Gastrectomy ; Hand ; Humans

PURPOSE: We wanted to evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) for treating early gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 11 consecutive patients who underwent TLTG after being diagnosed with early gastric cancer at Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea from February 2005 to September 2009 were retrospectively reviewed and their clinicopathologic characteristics and the surgical results were investigated. RESULTS: The mean operation time was 385.6+/-94.1 minutes, the mean time for creating an intracorporeal anastomosis was 97.5+/-60.0 minutes and the mean number of the harvested lymph nodes was 46.6+/-15.4. The mean number of days after operation until starting a liquid diet was the 6.15+/-7.6th postoperative day and the mean hospital stay after surgery was 14.2+/-11.9 days. There was no case of open conversion, but there were 2 cases of intraoperative complication and 3 cases of postoperative complication. There was one case of postoperative mortality. The patient suffered from thrombocytopenia of an unknown cause, which was refractory to platelet transfusion, on 4th postoperative day and the patient died of intraabdominal bleeding on the 6th postoperative day. CONCLUSION: TLTG was a technically feasible and relatively safe procedure. However, a long time for creating the intracoproeal anastomosis and a long operation time are still problems to be solved.
Diet ; Gastrectomy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Lymph Nodes ; Medical Records ; Platelet Transfusion ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Thrombocytopenia

PURPOSE: Gastric epithelial dysplasia (GED) was defined as "unequivocally neoplastic epithelium that may be associated with or give rise to invasive adenocarcinoma" and GED also represents a direct precursor of intestinal type adenocarcinoma of the stomach. The recommended treatment guidelines for GED in the medical literature are endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or surgery for high grade dysplasia (HGD) and annual endoscopic surveillance with biopsy for low grade dysplasia (LGD) The aim of this study was to determine the treatment plan for GED that is diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 148 patients who were treated by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for GED: there were 63 patients with HGD and 85 patients with LGD and all of them were diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy from January 2006 to December 2008. The results of the final histopathologic reports after EMR or ESD were compared with the results of the endoscopic biopsies. RESULTS: The final histopathologic results of the 148 patients with GED showed 49 (33.1%) patients with adenocarcinoma, 40 (27.0%) patients with HGD and 59 (39.9%) patients with LGD. Among the 63 patients with HGD, 34 (54.0%) patients had adenocarcinoma, 20 (31.7%) patients had HGD and 9 (14.3%) patients had LGD. For the 85 patients with LGD, 15 (17.6%) patients had adenocarcinoma, 20 (23.5%) patients had HGD and 50 (58.8%) patients had LGD. CONCLUSION: Complete resection, including EMR or ESD, is needed for patients with GED diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy and they have HGD. For patients with LGD, EMR or ESD may be needed in addition to endoscopic surveillance with biopsy for making the correct diagnosis and proper treatment because of the possibility of adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Stomach

A debate is currently ongoing about whether a large gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) should be treated by the laparoscopic approach because of the increased risk of tumor rupture during manipulation of the tumor with laparoscopic instruments and the resultant peritoneal tumor dissemination. Herein, we report a case of a large GIST of the stomach which was successfully treated by the laparoscopic approach. A 57 year old female patient visited our institution complaining of postprandial epigastric discomfort. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy and an abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a 10x8 cm sized submucosal tumor at the greater curvature side of the gastric antrum. The patient underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with intracorporeal Billroth-II reconstruction without any breakage of the tumor. Her postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged on the 7th postoperative day. Even a large GIST of the stomach can safely be treated by the laparoscopic approach when it is performed with proper techniques by an experienced surgeon.
Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Pyloric Antrum ; Rupture ; Stomach