PURPOSE: Relaxation of the penile cavernosum smooth muscle is a critical event in erection. Artemisia iwaymogi(AI) is a perennial herb growing in Korea. The aerial parts have been used in folk medicine. Bioassay-guided fractionation of an H2O extract of AI has furnished an inhibitory substance (PCLS-2). We investigated compound extracted in the rabbit corporal cavernosum smooth muscle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bioassay-guided fractionation of an H2O extract was used. A strip of rabbit corpus cavernosum was mounted in an organ chamber to measure the isometric tension. PCLS-2 compound induced relaxations were evaluated by in vitro study using muscarinic receptor blocker atropine (ATR), cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor indomethacin, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) ihibitor Nitro-L Arginine-Methyl Ester (NAME), guanylate cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin 1-one (ODQ), intrinsic neurotransmission inhibitor tetrodotoxin (TTX), or/and potassium channel blockers. RESULTS: PCLS-2 showed relaxation in a dose-dependent manner. Atropine, Indomethacin, NAME, ODQ, TTX, glibenclamide, tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine, charybdotoxin, or apamin did not inhibit the relaxation induced by PCLS-2 compound. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that the PCL-2 compound has effect of relaxation of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle and the relaxation was not involved muscarinic receptor, nitric oxide, prostaglandin, potassium channels and intrinsic neurotransmission. Other mechanisms may by involved in the PCLS-2 induced relaxation in the rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle.
4-Aminopyridine ; Apamin ; Artemisia ; Atropine ; Charybdotoxin ; Glyburide ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Indomethacin ; Korea ; Medicine, Traditional ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Potassium Channel Blockers ; Potassium Channels ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; Relaxation ; Synaptic Transmission ; Tetraethylammonium ; Tetrodotoxin

We have made a clinical analysis of emergency operations which were performed from January to December 1983 at the Chonbuk National University Hospital. The Clinical analysis compared sex and age distribution, physical status, frequency of emergency operation, department, anesthetic method, time, and seasonal distribution. The results were as follows: 1) About forty-eight percent of emergency patients were between 20 to 40. 2) Emergency operative cases were about forty-one percent of all anesthetized patients. 3) About forty-three percent of emergency operations were performed by the Department of General Surgery and the most common surgical operation was appendectomy. 4) Emergency operations in the winter were significantly less common than those of other seasons. 5) About forty percent of emergency operations were performed during daytime office hours.
Age Distribution ; Anesthesia* ; Appendectomy ; Emergencies* ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Seasons

No abstract available.
Neuroblastoma*

The malignant potential of a tumor is related to its ability to dissociate invasion and seed other sites-metastasis. In either instance, the tumor cells are confronted with a barrier signif icantly composed of type IV collagen. This type IV collagen is a major structural protein of basement membranes. Using immunohistochemical method to detect type IV collagen, intensity of stain and continuity of basement membrane at the tumor-stromal border was studied in surgical specimens from 47 colorectal carcinomas at the Pusan Paik-Hospital. Immunoreactivity was evaluated semi-quantitatively as three categories; Type-1, thick or normal basement membrane with or without minimal discontinuity; Type-2, thin basement membrane with or without moderate discontinuity; Type-3, fragmented or absent basement membrane. Also, in each case the tumor morphologic features were identified. The histologic type, differentiated grade, desmoplastic response, lymphatic and vascular invasion, lymph node involvement, tumor size and modified Dukes' stage were estabilished. Type-1 immunoreactivity was significantly observed in well-differentiated, negative lymph node, Dukes' stage B1/B2 tumors, and Type-3 was in poorly differentiated, positive lymph node, Dukes' stage C2/D. The expres sion of collagen IV in basement membrane was statistically significant correlated with differentiated grade, lymph node metastasis and modified Dukes' stage. By contrast, no statistically significant correlation was found between paucity of type IV collagen and the other parameters. The result suggest that expression of type IV collagen in basement membrane may be a useful prognostic marker, and may play a part in the invasive and metastatic process of colorectal carcinomas.
Basement Membrane ; Busan ; Collagen Type IV ; Collagen* ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis

During the course of anesthetic administration, appreciate volume of nitrous oxide can move into closed gas spaces. The use of nitrous oxide during abdominal surgery may cause distension of the intestine and make difficulty in operating procedure. We studied 29 patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery and they were classified into two groups -N2O group and Air group, N2O group was administered with air-oxygen-enflurane before peritoneal opening and administered with N2O- oxygen-enflurane after peritoneal opening. Air group was administered with air-oxygen-enflurane throughout the surgery. We measured N2O concentration in the terminal ileum, the degree of distension in the small and large intestine during anesthesia, and the time of postoperative flatulence and feces passage. The N2O concentration in the intestine increased throughout the time course in N2O group. The distension score of the small and large bowel had a tendency to increase in N2O group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in postoperative bowel motility. These results suggest that a long-term N2O administration in patients undergoing colorectal surgery may interfere surgical conditions of the intestine because of the bowel distension.
Anesthesia* ; Colorectal Surgery ; Feces ; Flatulence ; Humans ; Ileum ; Intestine, Large ; Intestines ; Nitrous Oxide

BACKGOUND: Prolongation of the corrected QT interval (QTc) has a potential risk of inducing life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmia. Although 5-HT3 antagonists are useful antiemetics, several cases of cardiac dysrhythmia after administration of 5-HT3 antagonists have been reported. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the changes in QTc interval that occur after administration of a clinical dose of ondansetron during general anesthesia. METHODS: Seventy-five patients, who underwent elective surgery under standardized general anesthesia were evaluated. After anesthetic induction, the patients were given either normal saline, 2 mg or 4 mg of iv ondansetron. The QTc on the electrocardiogram was measured immediately prior to administration of the treatment drug and then every minute after injection of the study drug for 10 minutes, 12 and 15 minutes. RESULTS: There were no differences observed in the baseline QTc of the different treatment groups. In addition, there were no significant changes in the QTc interval of the control group, however, the QTc interval was prolonged significantly in both the ondansetron 2 mg and 4 mg groups. Further, DeltaQTc (the difference in QTc interval from the baseline value) was significantly prolonged in the ondansetron 2 mg and 4 mg groups when compared with the control group. There were no differences in the number of patients who showed abnormal QTc and there were no incidences of dysrhythmia in any of the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ondansetron administration for emesis prophylaxis during general anesthesia was associated with statistically significant prolongation of the QTc interval. The authors recommend that caution be used when ondansetron is administered to prevent and/or treat postoperative nausea and vomiting, particularly in patients who have a prolonged QTc interval.
Anesthesia, General* ; Antiemetics ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Electrocardiography* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ondansetron* ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists ; Vomiting