BACKGROUND: Hemorrhage itself has been shown to produce abnormalities in immunity, particularly depression of the lymphocyte function. In order to better examine the amount of hemorrhage required to suppress the lymphocyte function, we determined the effect of graded fixed-volume hemorrhage on splenocyte proliferation and the lymphocyte subpopulation. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats(weight, 350~400g) were anesthetized, subjected to hemorrhages of 7.5ml/kg, 15ml/kg, and 22.5ml/kg by percutaneous cardiac puncture with 26G needles. After 1, 2, 4, and 7 days, animals were killed to obtain the blood and spleen. The splenocyte proliferative capacity was measured by using the tritiated thymidine incorporation technique, and the peripheral lymphocyte subpopulation was determined using flow cytometry with the following monoclonal antibodies: T cell(CD3+), T helper cell(CD4+), T cytotoxic cell(CD8+), and B cell(CD45RA+). RESULTS: Hemorrhage of 7.5ml/kg did not induce depression of splenocyte proliferation. However, for hemorrhage greater than 15ml/kg, the splenocyte proliferative capacity was significantly depressed at 2 days after hemorrhage and recovered at 4 days. Hemorrhage induced no changes in the relative percentage of lymphocyte subpopulations and in the number of each cell in peripheral blood. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that cellular immunity is depressed at 48 hrs after a hemorrhage greater than 15ml/kg without any change in the peripheral lymphocyte subpopulation.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Depression ; Flow Cytometry ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Lymphocytes* ; Male ; Needles ; Punctures ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spleen ; Thymidine

No abstract available.
Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Lasers, Gas*

The clinical usefulness of organ-preserving pancreatectomy is not well established due to technical difficulty and ambiguity of functional merit. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of organ-preserving pancreatectomy such as duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas (DPRHP), pancreatic head resection with segmental duodenectomy (PHRSD), central pancreatectomy (CP) and spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP). Between 1995 and 2007, the DPRHP were performed in 14 patients, the PHRSD in 16 patients, the CP in 13 patients, and the SPDP in 45 patients for preoperatively diagnosed benign lesions or tumors with low-grade malignant potential. The clinical outcomes including surgical details, postoperative complications and long-term functional outcomes were compared between organ-preserving pancreatectomy and conventional pancreatectomy group. Major postoperative complications constituted the following: bile duct stricture (7.1% [1/14]) in DPRHP, delayed gastric emptying (31.2% [5/16]) in PHRSD, pancreatic fistula (21.4% [3/14]) in CP. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications and long-term functional outcomes between two groups. Organ-preserving pancreatectomy is associated with tolerable postoperative complications, and good long-term outcome comparing to conventional pancreatectomy. Organ-preserving pancreatectomy could be alternative treatment for benign or low-grade malignant potential lesion of the pancreas or ampullary/parapapillary duodenum.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/diagnosis/*surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Suture Techniques ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: There are several reports that intraoperative transfusion may be a prognostic factor in periampullary cancer, but it is not conclusive. The purpose of this study is to clarify the prognostic significance of a transfusion following a pancreatoduodenectomy for periampullary cancers. METHODS: We analyzed 357 periampullary cancers from 1985 to 1997 (ampullary cancer: 130 cases; distal bile duct cancer: 141 cases; and pancreatic head cancer: 86 cases). Analytic variables for possible prognostic factors were various clinicopathologic factors combined with the presence of the perioperative transfusion. RESULTS: Of the overall 357 patients, 215 (60%) have received an intraoperative transfusion. The 5-year survival rate of the 130 ampullary cancer patients was 59%, and 76 cases (58%) underwent an intra operative transfusion. The 5-year survival rate of patients without intraoperative transfusion was 79% whereas that of patients with a transfusion was 47% (p=0.029). Following multivariate analysis, an intraoperative transfusion was an independent prognostic factor in ampullary cancer (relative risk: 2.174). In common bile duct cancer, the overall 5-year survival rate was 33%, and the 5-year survival rates of patients with (N=87) or without (N=54) a transfusion were 25% and 38% respectively, which showed a marginal statistical significance (p=0.0717). In pancreatic head cancer, the overall 5-year survival rate was 16% and there was no survival difference between transfused (N=52) and untransfused (N=34) patients. CONCLUSION: In the present study, intraoperative transfusion was an independent significant prognostic factor in ampullary cancer. Careful dissection to minimize intraoperative bleeding is mandatory in pancreatoduodenectomy for ampullary cancer.
Bile Duct Neoplasms ; Common Bile Duct ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy* ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical properties and cytocompatibility of microporous, spherical biphasic calcium phosphate(BCP) ceramics with a 60/40 hydroxyapatite/beta-tricalcium phosphate weight ratio for application as a bone graft substitute. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Microporous, spherical BCP granules(MGSB) were prepared and their basic characteristics were compared with commercially available BCP(MBCP; Biomatlante, France) and deproteinized bovine bone mineral(Bio-Oss; Geistlich-Pharma, Switzerland, BBP; Oscotec, Korea). Their physicochemical properties were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method. Cell viability and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells on different graft materials were evaluated. RESULTS: MGSB granules showed a chemical composition and crystallinity similar with those in MBCP, they showed surface structure characteristic of three dimensionally, well-interconnected micropores. The results of MTT assay showed increases in cell viablity with increasing incubation times. At 4d of incubation, MGSB, MBCP and BBP showed similar values in optical density, but Bio-Oss exhibited significantly lower optical density compared to other bone substitutes(p < 0.05). MGSB showed significantly greater cell number compared to other bone substitutes at 3, 5, and 7d of incubation(p < 0.05), which were similar with those in polystyrene culture plates. CONCLUSION: These results indicated the suitable physicochemical properties of MGSB granules for application as an effective bone graft substitute, which provided compatible environment for osteoblast cell growth. However, further detailed studies are needed to confirm its biological effects on bone formation in vivo.
Bone Substitutes ; Calcium* ; Cell Count ; Cell Survival ; Ceramics* ; Crystallins ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Plasma ; Polystyrenes ; Spectrum Analysis ; Switzerland ; Transplants*

The spleen may be preserved during distal pancreatectomy (DP) for benign disease. The aim of this study was to compare the perioperative and postoperative courses of patients with conventional DP and spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) for benign lesions or tumors with low-grade malignant potential occurred at the body or tail of the pancreas. A retrospective analysis was performed for the hospital records of all the patients undergoing DP and SPDP between January 1995 and April 2006. One-hundred forty-three patients underwent DP and 37 patients underwent SPDP. There were no significant differences in age, sex, indications of operation, estimated blood loss, operative time, and postoperative hospital stay between the two groups. Pancreatic fistula occurred in 21 (13.3%) patients following DP and in 3 (8.1%) following SPDP without a significant difference (p=0.081). Portal vein thrombosis occurred in 4 patients after DP. Splenic infarction occurred in one patient after SPDP. Overwhelming postosplenectomy infection was observed in one patient after DP. SPDP can be achieved with no increase in complication rate, operative time, or length of postoperative hospitalization as compared to conventional DP. Additionally, it has the advantage of reducing the risk of overwhelming postsplenectomy infection and postoperative venous thrombosis.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatectomy/adverse effects/*methods ; Pancreatic Fistula/etiology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology/*surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; *Splenectomy ; Treatment Outcome

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: In order to increase preload with reducing the friction coefficient, abutment screws coated with pure gold and Teflon as dry lubricant coatings have been introduced. But the reported data indicate that if screw repeated tightening and loosening cycle, an efficiency of increasing preload was decreased by screw surface wearing off. PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the influence of tungsten carbide/carbon coating, which has superior hardness and frictional wear resistance, on the preload of abutment screws and the stability of coating surface after repeated closures. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The rotational values of abutment screws and the compressive forces between abutment and fixture were measured in implant systems with three different joint connections, one external butt joint and two internal cones. Moreover, the stability and the alteration of coating surface were examined by comparison of the compressive force and the removable torque values during 10 consecutive trials, observation with scanning electron microscope and analyzed the elemental composition with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: 1. Application of coating resulted in significant increase of compressive force in all implant systems(P<.05). The increasing rate of compressive force by coating in external butt joint was greater than those in internal cones(P<.05). 2. Coated screw showed the significant additional rotation compared to non-coated screw in all implant systems(P<.05). There were no significant differences in the increasing rate of rotation among implant systems(P>.05). 3. Removable torque values were greater with non-coated screw than that with coated screw (P<.05). 4. Coated screw showed insignificant variations in the compressive forces during 10 consecutive trials(P>.05). 5. After repeated trials, the surface layer of coated screw was maintained relatively well. However, surface wearing and irregular titanium fragments were found in non-coated screw.
Friction ; Hardness ; Joints ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission ; Titanium ; Torque ; Tungsten*

Spinal hemangioblastomas at the filum terminale are rare. Only a few reports present immunohistopathological features of spinal hemangioblastomas. A 55-year-old woman presented with sustained low back pain and intermittent numbness in both lower extremities. She already had a decompressive surgery for a left L5-S1 extraforaminal lesion 7 months ago. Her incidental mass lesion had been slightly enlarged for 7 months and concordant symptoms had also been prolonged. Her tumor was removed en bloc with a unilateral hemilaminotomy and bilateral decompression technique. The patient's symptoms improved immediately after the surgery. In immunohistochemical stains, the stromal cells were positive for inhibin-alpha, neuron specific enolase (NSE), and the endothelial cells were positive for CD31, CD34, and factor VIII related antigen in confirming the diagnosis of hemangioblastoma. We report a rare case of intradural extramedullary spinal hemangioblastoma at the filum terminale. Complete en bloc resection was achieved with no morbidity. The immunohistopathological staining include inhibin-alpha confirmed an accurate diagnosis of the hemangioblastoma distinguishing from other vascular tumors.
Cauda Equina ; Coloring Agents ; Decompression ; Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Hemangioblastoma ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Middle Aged ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Stromal Cells ; von Willebrand Factor

PURPOSE: Composite neuroendocrine-exocrine carcinomas are malignancies that have two distinct components residing within the same tumor: an adenocarcinomatous portion and a neuroendocrine portion. This is rare in gastric cancers; however, poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas can sometimes reveal evidence of neuroendocrine features (NEF) or be 'mixed endocrine and exocrine carcinomas'. This study aimed to review NEF in gastric adenocarcinoma and to evaluate its prognostic significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 29 patients who were diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma with NEF and received gastrectomies at the Department of Surgery, Ajou University Hospital between January 2001 and December 2009. We analyzed the clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer with NEF and the prognosis associated with such tumors. RESULTS: The pathologic result with respect to TNM staging of the gastric cancers with NEF were as follows: 5 cases of T1, 5 cases of T2, 10 cases of T3, and 9 cases of T4. There were 7 cases of N0, 7 cases of N1, 8 cases of N2 and 7 cases of N3. The staging of patients with NEF was higher than that of patients without NEF. Especially tumor lymphovascular invasion rate was 82.8%. The overall survival of patients with gastric cancer characterized by NEF was 73.8 months. CONCLUSIONS: Positive NEF status might be correlated with clinicopathologic parameters such as a high stage and high frequency of regional lymph node metastasis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The prognosis of a ductal adenocarcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas is poor because it is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and is rarely resectable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes after a surgical resection of an adenocarcinoma of the distal pancreas. METHODS: A total of 311 patients with an adenocarcinoma of the distal pancreas were admitted between 1985 and 2001, and of these, 54 patients were surgically treated; 29 patients underwent a distal pancreatectomy (extended resection in 12 cases), 9 underwent a palliative bypass, and 16 underwent a open biopsy. The clinical outcome of the 29 patients who underwent a surgical resection for the adenocarcinoma of the distal pancreas was retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The resectability rate was 9.3% (29/311). In the resected cases, the cumulative 3-year survival rate was 14.9%, whereas it was 0% (p=0.013) in the non-resected cases. Moreover, a significant survival difference was found between the curatively resected cases (n=16, 28.1%) and the palliatively resected cases (n=13, 0%)(p=0.003). After the curative resection, 11 patients (68.8%) developed a recurrence. Three patients survived more than 3 years (46, 74, 56 months), of whom only one had no recurrent disease. The size of the tumor and the residual tumor were identified as independent significant prognostic factors by multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Only a curative resection can offer long-term survival as well as a survival benefit in patients with a ductal adenocarcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas. Therefore, a surgical resection should be preferably performed and efforts for a curative resection should be made. However, adjuvant therapy, local and systemic, needs to be further developed because most patients develop a recurrence after the resection.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatectomy ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate