To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of transthoracic fine needle aspiration cytology(TFNAC) in the preoperative diagnosis of pulmonary nodules, a retrospective analysis was carried out on a consecutive series of 200 TFNACs. They included 186 primary malignant tumors, 66 squamous cell carcinomas, 65 adenocarcinomas, 36 small cell carcinomas, 7 large cell carcinomas, 4 carcinoids, 8 others, 9 metastatic tumors, and 5 benign tumors. On cytohistologic correlation of malignant pulmonary tumors, the pro- cedure had a sensitivity of 97.3% and a specificity of 100%. A 86.6% correct correlation between the cytologic and histologic diagnoses was achieved. Five out of the 7 undifferentiated large cell carcinomas, 10 out of the 65 adenocarcinomas, 2 out of the 36 small cell carcinomas, and 2 out of the 66 squamous cell carcinomas were turned out to be mistyped in cytologic diagnosis. We concluded that TFNAC is a highly sensitive and specific preoperative diagnostic procedure in the investigation of patients with discrete pulmonary nodules in whom the specific cell type of the malignant neoplasm has important implications in treatment modality and prognosis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bezafibrate ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoid Tumor ; Carcinoma, Large Cell ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnosis ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Kidney* ; Natural History* ; Papanicolaou Test ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

A statistical survey was made on 729 inpatients during the period of 4 years and 9 months, 1961-1965, in the Department of Urology, The First Army Hospital, in reference to age distribution, monthly distribution on various diseases of the genitourinary tracts and operative procedures.The tables in the text represent the result of the observation and are summarized as follows: The majority of the patients (85%) was distributed between the ages 21 and 26. Of 729 in patients, there were 270 cases (37%) of genito-urinary tuberculosis, 84 cases (11.5%) of urinary calculus,69 cases of trauma and 60 cases of non-specific urinary tract infection. There were 379 operative procedures including 91 nephrectomies, and 108 epididiymectomies.
Age Distribution ; Hospitals, Military ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Nephrectomy ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tuberculosis ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Urology

PURPOSE: Dexamethasone intramuscular injection and oral prednisolone have been known to be effective in the treatment of croup. The aim of this study was to determine whether nebulized budesonide leads to clinically important improvement in respiratory symptoms within four hours for child with mild to moderate croup. METHODS: Patients with croup visited to the department of Pediatrics, Han Il General Hospital from March 1995 to June 1996 were enrolled in this study. Patients were eligible if their age was between six months and six years, their total croup score was higher than 2 after breathing humidified air for at least 15 minutes. 28 patients were treated with 2mg (8ml) of nebulized budesonide and 8 patients with 8ml of normal saline as control group over the 30 minutes. Croup score, heart rate and respiratory rate were then assessed hourly for up to four hours. Side effects were also observed. RESULTS: 1) The croup score was improved from 3.6+/-0.8 to 1.9+/-0.9 at 4 hours after the nebulized budesonide treatment. 2) No significant differences in changes in heart rate were observed until 4 hours after both the nebulized budesonide group and control group. 3) Significant decrease in respiratory rate was observed at 4 hours after the nebulized budesonide group. 4) No specific side effects were noted during and 4 hours after the nebulized budesonide treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that nebulized budesonide leads to a prompt and important clinical improvement in children with mild to moderate croup without any specific side effects.
Budesonide* ; Child ; Croup* ; Dexamethasone ; Heart Rate ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Pediatrics ; Prednisolone ; Respiration ; Respiratory Rate

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) during sustained ventricular fibrillation (VF), the effects of gliburide, a specific blocker of KATP channel and PCO400, an KATP opener, were studied in isolated and perfused swine right ventricular free walls (n=). METHODS: Recording of single cell transmembrane potentials was performed and constructed action potential duration restitution (APDR) curve by plotting APD 90%(APD90) versus preceding diastolic interval (DI). RESULTS: All isolated tissues fibrillated spontaneously. In this preparation, stable VF could persist over a 4-hour period if it was allowed to continue undisturbed (n=). Gliburide (1-5 uM) increased DI without significant changes in APD90 during VF, resulting in more regularization of VF. Higher concentration (10-20 uM) increased both APD90 and DI, and converted to monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (MVT) through the transitional period characterized by APD alternans. PCO400 (1-2.5 uM) caused a significant shortening of APD during MVT and a period of APD alternans became more evident before conversion from MVT to VF. Gliburide eliminated profibrillatory effect of PCO400. This antifibrillatory action of gliburide was accompanied by gradual decrease in the maximum slope of APDR curve during VF. CONCLUSION: KATP channel blockade causes a transition from VF to MVT via lengthening of DI and APD alternans, concomitantly with a reduction of the slope of APD restitution curve.
Action Potentials ; Membrane Potentials ; Potassium Channels ; Swine ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Ventricular Fibrillation*

Intractable pain was controlled in 5 cases using dorsal root entry zone lesions. All patients had failed to conservative therapy. Dorsal root entry zone lesions were made to include the involved dermatomes added one half of the dermatomes above and below the painful areas. Four patient noticed good pain relief with follow up period ranging from 6 to 24 months. Patient whose lesions were performed using a CO2 laser mas suffered no complicated deficit. Dorsal root entry zone lesions appeared to be a satisfactory treatment for intractable pain in patients, who have failed to respond to more conservative mode of therapy.
Evoked Potentials ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lasers, Gas ; Pain, Intractable* ; Spinal Nerve Roots*

OBJECTIVES: Several researchers have shown that three dimensional (3D) distribution analysis of prostate cancer is helpful when initiating needle biopsy procedures. Knowledge regarding the distribution of prostate cancer could enhance understanding of the pathophysiology involved and improve detection of these malignancies. We propose utilizing digital processing techniques to analyze prostate cancer distribution in a 3D setting. METHODS: Pre-made radical prostatectomy sample slices were digitized with a resolution of 76 dpi. Slices of each sample were aligned and registered by deformation algorithm and interpolated for analysis of relative distribution statistics. We analyzed 80 samples saved in electronic medical record and compared the detection rate of preoperative needle biopsies and radical prostatectomies using our 3D analysis technique. RESULTS: The statistical 3D distribution of prostate cancer was evaluated using a 36-sector process. Results were represented in the following two ways: distribution of a single patient, and statistical distribution of prostate cancers of multiple patients. The overall concordance rate was 62.7% between the two methods; therefore a technique is needed which can raise this percentage. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest using the normalization method to develop a software tool which permits reconstruction of the 3D distribution of prostate cancer from 2D legacy images and reduces the loss of image quality as well. This application will facilitate detection of prostate cancer by aiding in the determination of the most effective clinical position via partial sampling with decreased patient inconvenience.
Biopsy, Needle ; Electronic Health Records ; Humans ; Prostate ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Software

Amebiasis is an infectious disease caused by Entameba histolytica. Amebiasis remains an extremely important consideration in the differential diagnosis of diarrhea, especially when there is associated bleeding. It is imperative that appropriate studies to establish or exclude the diagnosis of amebiasis be carried out in all patients who present with a clinical and sigmoidoscopic picture of colitis, and that patients treated with metronidazole for amebiasis have adequate clinical and parasitological follow-up. We have experienced one case of intestinal amebiasis with protein losing enteropathy in 30month-old boy whose chief complaint was mild fever, vomiting and blood tinged diarrhea. His laboratory findings were compatible with protein losing enteropathy. The diagnosis of amebiasis is confirmed by observation of trophozoite of E. histolytica in the stools. A brief review with related literatures is also presented.
Amebiasis ; Colitis ; Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Dysentery, Amebic* ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Metronidazole ; Protein-Losing Enteropathies* ; Tolnaftate ; Trophozoites ; Vomiting

It has been known that right side bypass tract ablation is more difficult and has higher recurrence rate than that of left side bypass tract, and often associated with atrioventricular block in patients with septal bypass tract. Multielectrode basket catheter (MBC) allows simultaneous rapid acquisition of numerous electrical signals generated by a selected surface area or volume of myocardium. We experienced two cases of successful catheter ablation of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia by right septal bypass tract which were mapped by MBC with greater ease.
Atrioventricular Block ; Catheter Ablation* ; Catheters* ; Humans ; Myocardium ; Recurrence ; Tachycardia*

Purpose: The Eyelike K-flex Aspheric® (Koryoeyetech, Seoul, Korea) is manufactured in 0.25-diopter (D) intervals, which allows the target refractive error after surgery to be achieved. We here evaluate the refractive power outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively studied 95 eyes of 72 patients who underwent cataract surgery with implantation of the Eyelike K-flex Aspheric®. Refractive error was measured at 1 and 2 months postoperatively (33 eyes of 27 patients) and compared to that of patients fitted with 0.50-D-interval lenses (62 eyes of 49 patients). Results: At 1 month postoperatively, the mean absolute error between the spherical equivalent and planned value was 0.33 ± 0.28 and 0.41 ± 0.39 D in the 0.25- and 0.50 D-interval lens groups, respectively (p = 0.318). At 2 months postoperatively, the respective values were 0.21 ± 0.15 and 0.34 ± 0.29 D (p = 0.009). Conclusions The Eyelike K-flex Aspheric® shows excellent refractive predictability; use of 0.25-D-interval intraocular lenses close to the target refractive power allows the desired spherical equivalent to be achieved.

Purpose: The Eyelike K-flex Aspheric® (Koryoeyetech, Seoul, Korea) is manufactured in 0.25-diopter (D) intervals, which allows the target refractive error after surgery to be achieved. We here evaluate the refractive power outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively studied 95 eyes of 72 patients who underwent cataract surgery with implantation of the Eyelike K-flex Aspheric®. Refractive error was measured at 1 and 2 months postoperatively (33 eyes of 27 patients) and compared to that of patients fitted with 0.50-D-interval lenses (62 eyes of 49 patients). Results: At 1 month postoperatively, the mean absolute error between the spherical equivalent and planned value was 0.33 ± 0.28 and 0.41 ± 0.39 D in the 0.25- and 0.50 D-interval lens groups, respectively (p = 0.318). At 2 months postoperatively, the respective values were 0.21 ± 0.15 and 0.34 ± 0.29 D (p = 0.009). Conclusions The Eyelike K-flex Aspheric® shows excellent refractive predictability; use of 0.25-D-interval intraocular lenses close to the target refractive power allows the desired spherical equivalent to be achieved.