To evaluate the etiology and treatment of options in patients with hemospermia, we retrospectively reviewed 21 patients who had both transrectal ultrasound and MRI and have been followed for more than 6 months after initiation of treatment. Mean age was 40 years (range 20 - 50 years) with duration of infliction being 24 months (range 1 week to 16 years). Among the 14 patients with prostatic cyst, 9 patients underwent transurethral unroofing (TUUR) of cyst. All 9 patients were completely cured, but one patient developed postoperative epididymitis. Among the 6 patients with prostatitis, hemospermia was resolved in 4 patients after mean treatment of 12 weeks with antibiotics. In DES (Diethylstilbestrol) group, 50 % showed resolution of symptoms among 6 patients after 4 weeks of treatment, and two patients complained breast discomfort which were developed after medication. In conclusion, the antibiotic treatment is advisable in hemospermia patients with prostatitis. Prostatic cystic lesion is believed to be a factor in hemospermia, thus TUUR of cyst wall and removal of stone and hematoma in cyst can be a viable option.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Breast ; Epididymitis ; Hematoma ; Hemospermia* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Prostatitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of terazosin in chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) and compare the effect of terazosin between CPPS IIIa and IIIb. Materials end Methods: Between January 2004 and February 2005, CPPS patients, aged 45 or below, with a small size prostate (0.05). In category IIIb (n=56), the T group (n=29) showed significant improvements in all NIH-CPSI domains and the Qmax (p<0.05), but the non-T group (n=27) showed no significant improvement in the NIH-CPSI domains or the Qmax (p>0.05). Comparing both category IIIb groups, the T group showed a greater improvement in the pain score in the NIH-CPSI domains and the Qmax than the non-T group. Conclusions: Terazosin was effective in all domains of the symptom score and in the Qmax for CPPS.
Humans ; Massage ; Pelvic Pain* ; Prostate ; Prostatitis ; Quality of Life ; Ultrasonography ; Urinalysis

PURPOSE: We evaluated the relative long-term longitudinal changes in the levels of serial prostate specific antigen in healthy men without urinary tract infection and initial PSA of 4.0ng/ml or less. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between February 1996 and June 2000, the rate of PSA change (PSAV) in 1,132 healthy men with an initial PSA of 4.0ng/ml or less who were clinically free of urinary tract infection and known prostate disease were analyzed. In all cases, a minimum of 2 PSA levels were measured at intervals of at least 12month. The influence of age, initial PSA and interval between measurements were assessed. RESULTS: The mean age, initial PSA, interval between measurements, change in PSA and PSAV were 45.2 (24-80) years, 1.05 (0.04-4.0)ng/ml, 19.2 (12-39) month, 0.13 ( 1.0-3.1)ng/ml and 0.08 ( 0.8-1.22)ng/ml/year. A cumulative frequency plot of PSAV demonstrated that 50%, 95% and 97% of subjects had PSAV 0.06ng/ml/year, 0.55 ng/ml/year and 0.60ng/ml/year or less, respectively. PSAV was correlated with age (r=0.090, p=0.002) and initial PSA (r=0.331, p <0.001) but not with interval between measurements (r=0.046, p=0.132). Age was directly correlated with initial PSA (r=0.118, p<0.05). However, age was not correlated with PSAV (r=0.052, p>0.05) when adjusted by the initial PSA level. Percentage of the men with PSAV of great than 0.75ng/ml/year was 1.8% (20/1,132); 0.6% (4/708) for those whose initial PSA were less than 1.0ng/ml, 1.7% (6/358) for 1.1-2.0ng/ml and 15.1% (10/66) for 2.1-4.0ng/ml. CONCLUSIONS: Among men with normal PSA whose PSA is sampled over relatively long-term interval, PSAV is directly correlated with initial PSA but not with age and interval between measurements. Men with a PSA of 2.0ng/ml or less are at low risk for abnormal PSAV and annual PSA monitoring may not be necessary, but the annual longitudinal monitoring may be clinically useful in men with an initial PSA of 2.1-4.0ng/ml. Large prospective studies are required to assess the precise cut-off point of PSAV for Korean men in the early detection of prostate cancer.
Humans ; Male ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen* ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Urinary Tract Infections

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare results of the macroscopic one-layer vasovasostomy with those of microscopic one-layer vasovasostomy and to analyze the change of semen parameters according to the interval of vasal obstruction. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Between March 1987 and December 1997, we performed 121 vasovasostomies using modified one-layer technique with loupe magnification (macroscopic vasovasostomy) or microscope. Among the 68 could be followed post-operatively, 37 patients were treated by macroscopic technique with loupe, and 31 patients by microscopic technique. We compared rates of anatomical patency (sperm count above than 10x106/ml) and pregnancy of macroscopic vasovasotomy with those of microscopic vasovasostomy. Patency and pregnancy fates according to vasal obstructive interval were also examined. RESULTS: The patency rates of macroscopic and microscopic technique were 86.5% and 87.1%, and pregnancy rates of macroscopic and microscopic technique were 64.9% and 67.7%. There was no statistical significance between these two methods (p>0.05). The pregnancy rates and sperm motility were decreased if more than 10 years had elapsed following vasectomy(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We found little difference in success rates resulting from macroscopic and microscopic vasovasostomy and the former had the advantage of reduced cost and a lower operator skill level. in post-operative semen analysis, the sperm motility was the most probable factor associated with vasal obstructive interval.
Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Motility ; Vasovasostomy*

BACKGROUND: The Ivor-Lewis operation has been widely applied for treating thoracic esophageal cancer, but more acceptable results from three-field lymph node dissection have recently been reported. In this study the efficacy of the Ivor-Lewis operation was evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Among the 273 patients, who underwent operation for esophageal cancer between September 1994 and August 2004, we retrospectively studied 172 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and who had no other primary cancer and who underwent complete resection with an Ivor-Lewis operation. The postoperative complications, the short and long-term survival and the recurrence patterns were analyzed. RESULT: The postoperative staging was as follows: stage I in 40 cases, IIA in 48 cases, IIB in 18 cases, III in 55 cases, IVA in 5 cases and IVB in 6 cases. The operative mortality rate was 4% (7 of 172 pts). Postoperative complication occurred in 32 patients (18%) and tumor recurred in 55 patients (32%). The overall 5-year survival rate was 48%; it was 85.6% in stage I patients, 47.6% in IIA patients, 65% in IIB patients, 22.8% in III patients and 0% for those in IV (p<0.05). The 5-year survival rate according to the location of esophageal cancer was 26.5% for patients with tumor in the upper 1/3 of the esophagus and 52.4% for patients with tumor in the mid and lower 1/3 (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The Ivor-Lewis operation is an acceptable surgical procedure for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Yet it is necessary to consider other surgical procedures, and especially three-field lymph node dissection for treating upper 1/3 esophageal cancer.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: We evaluated the effect of prostatitis on prostatic-specific antigen(PSA) in 79 patients aged under 45 years old complained symptoms of prostatism. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The patients were divided into 2 groups: 61 patients who were diagnosed with prostatitis(group P) and 18 patients with prostatodynia and a history of prostatitis(group PD). As a control(group N) the PSA data obtained in the serial screening program of primary health clinic of 3,992 men under 45 years old were used. PSA was measured by Enzyme Immuno-Assay (AxSYM kit, Abbott Co.) and Tandem-R techniques. Prostate size was measured by the ellipsoidal method using the transrectal ultrasonogram (SonoAce 5000, Medison, Korea). RESULTS: Mean age was 37 years old for both control and patients(Group p,36; Group PD, 39; Group N, 37). Average serum PSA level(ng/ml) was 2.00(Group p, 1.99; Group PD, 2.05; Group N, 0.97). When PSA level was correlated with different age groups (20's; 30's; 40-45), PSA levels were 1.04, 0.96, and 0.96ng/m1 for group N and 1.77, 2.00, and 2.17ng/m1 for groups P & PD, which was significantly higher than group N(p<0.05). The numbers of patients with PSA above 4.0ng/ml were more frequently seen in group P & PD than N(group P & PD 11%, group N 0.88%). The average prostatic volume was 20.9cc (Group p,20.2; Group PD,23.3). The prostatic volume was significantly larger in Group PO but no significant correlations were noted between PSA and PSAD and between PSA and EPS WBC count. There were 19 patients in the first decade,30 in the second decade and 40 between 41-45 years and the average PSA levels were 1.77, 2.00, and 2.17ng/m1, respectively. Average prostate volumes were 18.6, 19.9, and 23.4cc, and the average PSAD 0.10, 0.10, 0.09, respectively; no significant correlation was seen in any of the measurements between the three age groups. Conclusions: These findings indicate that serum PSA level can be elevated in prostatitis and careful consideration be made when PSA is used as a tumor marker.
Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged* ; Prostate ; Prostatism ; Prostatitis* ; Ultrasonography

Cryptococcosis is a subacute or chronic inflammation that's caused by infection from cryptococcus neoformans in the soil or dust that's contaminated by pigeon droppings. Pulmonary cryptococcosis occurs in immunocompromised patients, and particularly in HIV positive patients, but it rarely occurs in immunocompetent individuals. It is most often detected as asymptomatic single or multiple nodules that are found by chest X-ray examination. In these situations, the diagnosis for most cases is made by the histology of the resected lesion. We report here on a case of solitary nodular pulmonary cryptococcosis that occurred in a 32 years old female patient who underwent thyroidectomy for treating her thyroid cancer.
Columbidae ; Cryptococcosis ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Dust ; Female ; HIV ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Soil ; Thorax ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroidectomy

PURPOSE: It is generally believed that chronic prostatitis is initiated by urethritis. However in actual clinical situations, many male patients without histories of urethritis present with prostatitis. To evaluate the possible relationship, we reviewed of patients with chronic prostatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 326 consecutive patients with prostatitis were reviewed retrospectively on: duration of prostatitis, any history of urethritis, and history of intercourse including incidents with a high risk partner (eg. prostitutes). Prostatic ultrasonographic findings and voiding symptoms were compared with history of urethritis. RESULTS: A history of urethritis was found in 228 (70%) of patients, but 36 (11%) denied both sexual intercourse and urethritis. In 62 (19%) patients, there was no history of urethritis but there existed a sexual encounter with a high risk partner. There is no statistically difference between the history of urethritis and the duration of prostatitis, the prostatic ultrasonographic findings, and voiding symptoms. Therefore no significant relationship between urethritis and chronic prostatitis was found. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that having urethritis is not an important risk factor in chronic prostatitis. These studies may be comforting to those who are inflicted with chronic prostatitis and concerned with the nature of the disease. Thus chronic prostatitis can be explained as an inflammation of the prostate, not a dreadful end result of sexually transmitted disease.
Coitus ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatitis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Urethritis*

No abstract available.
Leiomyoma*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Thoracic Injuries* ; Thoracotomy*