Although it is commonly appreciated that there is an inordinately large number of anormalies associated with the excretory ducts of the liver, comparatively little attention has been paid to the position of the orfice of the common bile duct into the duodenum. But, obiviously the site of entrance of the common bile duct into the duodenum becomes of great importance to the endoscopist, radiologist, and surgeon in diseases of the extra-hepatic biliary tract diag-nostically and therapeutically. We report 'a case of anomalous termination of the common bile duct into the duodenal bulb with the gall bladder empyema.
Biliary Tract ; Cholecystitis* ; Common Bile Duct* ; Duodenum ; Liver

As the number of Korean adults with diabetes is expected to increase continuously, the health care for these patients is becoming increasingly important. In recent years, the prevention of infectious diseases through vaccination of the adult population has attracted much interest. Patients with diabetes are more vulnerable to various infectious diseases and the prevention of these diseases through adequate vaccination is especially important. With the recent introduction of newly developed vaccines throughout the country, clinicians have more options for vaccinating their patients. In 2012, the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases developed revised guidelines for adult vaccination, which include recommendations for diabetic patients. Generally, vaccines for healthy adults are also recommended for diabetic patients, and these vaccines include those for Streptococcus pneumoniae, influenza, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, hepatitis A and B and herpes zoster. In this review, we will focus our discussion on the pneumococcal (PSV-13 and PPSV 23), influenza and zoster vaccines.
Adult ; Appointments and Schedules ; Communicable Diseases ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Hepatitis A ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Immunization ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Vaccination ; Vaccines

The authors report two cases of X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) manifested as bilateral vitreous hemorrhage as early as in an 1-month-old infant and in a 3-month-old infant. The one-month-old male infant showed massive bilateral vitreous hemorrhage. During vitrectomy, thin membrane representing an inner part of schisis cavity was excised and intraschisis hemorrhage was evacuated. As intraschisis cavities were cleared, the stump of inner layer appeared as the demarcation line between the outer layer of the schisis retina and non-schisis retina. The other three-month-old male infant presenting with esodeviation also showed bilateral vitreous hemorrhage. Typical bilateral retinoschisis involving maculae could be seen through vitreous hemorrhage in both eyes on fundus examination. Spontaneous absorption of hemorrhage was observed on regular follow-up. XLRS could be manifested as massive hemorrhage inside or outside of the schisis cavity early in infancy.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Electroretinography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Retinoschisis/*complications/diagnosis ; Vitrectomy ; Vitreous Hemorrhage/diagnosis/*etiology/surgery

No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Twins, Conjoined*

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to assess the risk factors, histologic and clinical features of breast cancer in postmenopausal women receiving hormone therapy (HT). METHODS: We evaluated 40 breast cancer patients who received HT due to postmenopausal symptoms by reviewing their medical charts at Pusan National University Hospital. Research variables, including patients' history, type and duration of received HT, moment of cancer debut after starting HT, radiological characteristics of breast cancer stage, histologic type, tumor size, grade, lymph node metastasis, estrogen and progesterone receptor status and 5-year survival were investigated. RESULTS: In the risk factors of breast cancer patients, only one patient had familial history of breast cancer. No patient had smoking history. The average body mass index (BMI) was 23.2 kg/m2. Twelve patients (30%) had estrogen only therapy, 13 patients (32.5%) had combined estrogen and progesterone therapy, 10 patients (25%) had tibolone therapy and the others consecutively received combination therapy of the above regimens. The mean duration of treatment was 31 +/- 27.9 months (range 0.4-115 months). In the distribution of the cancer debut after starting HT, in 4 cases (10%) was within 1 year, 5 cases (12.5%) within 1-2 years, 10 cases (25%) within 2-3 years, 4 cases (10%) within 3-4 years, 1 case (2.5%) within 4-5 years, and 16 cases (40%) within more than 5 years. The average diameter of tumor size was 1.7 cm. In 92.5% of cases, the tumor was of ductal type. Tumor stage 0 and 1 appeared in 66% and grade I was present in 38% of investigated cases. Hormone receptor-positive breast cancers were 85% and 70% of patients had negative lymph node metastases. The 5-year survival rate was 92%. CONCLUSION: The breast cancers which emerged during HT in postmenopausal women had hormone receptor-positive tendency. The size and stage of these breast cancers were shown as small and low, and represented low-grade differentiation. Recurrences of disease were uncommon and we found favorable 5-year survival rates and good prognosis.
Body Mass Index ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Norpregnenes ; Progesterone ; Prognosis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Survival Rate

Treatment-induced neuropathy in diabetes (TIND) is a reversible neuropathy that occurs in patients with diabetes, usually after a fast improvement in glycemic control. TIND is defined as the sudden onset of neuropathic pain or autonomic dysfunction with a large improvement in glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] level of ≥ 2% over 3 months). We report the first case of a 24-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus who developed TIND in Korea. Her HbA1c level had decreased from 16.7% to 7.3% within a 3-month period. She developed acute-onset, severe, and continuous burning pain affecting her back and lower extremities. She was administered tapentadol (50 mg), pregabalin (75 mg), and vitamin B with minerals twice daily for neuropathic pain. She complained of orthostatic hypotension; thus, midodrine (2.5 mg) and anti-embolic stockings were prescribed. She almost completely recovered 6 months after the onset. A physician should be aware of TIND and gradually reduce HbA1c levels to prevent the occurrence of TIDN. They must also try to provide relief from severe pain or autonomic dysfunction and emphasize on an almost complete recovery.

Treatment-induced neuropathy in diabetes (TIND) is a reversible neuropathy that occurs in patients with diabetes, usually after a fast improvement in glycemic control. TIND is defined as the sudden onset of neuropathic pain or autonomic dysfunction with a large improvement in glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] level of ≥ 2% over 3 months). We report the first case of a 24-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus who developed TIND in Korea. Her HbA1c level had decreased from 16.7% to 7.3% within a 3-month period. She developed acute-onset, severe, and continuous burning pain affecting her back and lower extremities. She was administered tapentadol (50 mg), pregabalin (75 mg), and vitamin B with minerals twice daily for neuropathic pain. She complained of orthostatic hypotension; thus, midodrine (2.5 mg) and anti-embolic stockings were prescribed. She almost completely recovered 6 months after the onset. A physician should be aware of TIND and gradually reduce HbA1c levels to prevent the occurrence of TIDN. They must also try to provide relief from severe pain or autonomic dysfunction and emphasize on an almost complete recovery.

Objective: To compare postural balance ability in patients with low back pain between groups with and without lumbosacral radiculopathy. Methods: Patients who were referred for electromyography because of low back pain during the period from April 2017 through June 2018 were chosen as subjects. They were divided into groups with and without lumbosacral radiculopathy based on the results of electromyography. We used Tetrax (Sunlight Medical Ltd., Ramat Gan, Israel) to objectively evaluate postural balance ability, and to measure the fall risk, stability index, weight distribution index, and Fourier index. Results: Patients in the lumbosacral radiculopathy group showed significantly higher fall risk (73.25 vs. 38.00; p<0.05), weight distribution index (8.57 vs. 5.00; p<0.05), and stability index (21.19 vs. 13.16; p<0.05) than those in the group without lumbosacral radiculopathy. The Fourier index at high-medium frequency was significantly increased in the lumbosacral radiculopathy group (8.27 vs. 5.56; p<0.05), whereas weight-bearing on the side of radiculopathy was significantly decreased. Conclusion Patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy have decreased postural balance compared with patients without this condition. Somatosensory disturbances in lumbosacral radiculopathy might cause postural balance impairment. Assessment and treatment plan not only for pain reduction but also for postural balance improvement should be considered in the management of patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy.

BACKGROUND: Chromosomal translocation t (15 ; 17), the breakpoints of which are in the PML gene on chromosome 15 and RARA gene on chromosome 17, is specifically found in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). According to the site of breakpoint on PML gene, two major isoforms (Long or Short) of PML-RARA mRNA are produced. METHODS: To detect long (L) and short (S) isoforms, we extracted RNA and amplified PML-RARA mRNA by RT-PCR from leukemic cells of 20 cases of APL. We compared the result of cytogenetic study and the clinical response after chemotherapy or ATRA therapy for remission induction with the isoforms of PML-RARA mRNA. RESULTS: In 19 cases (94%) among 20 cases with APL, PML-RARA mRNA was positive, and negative in a case who showed only i (17q) without t (15;17). In 12 cases (63.2%), L isoform of PML-RARA mRNA was detected, and S isoform (36.8%) in 7 cases of APL. All the cases with t (15;17) were positive for PML-RARA mRNA. In a case of trisomy 8 without t (15;17), PML-RARA mRNA of L isoform was detected. There was no significant difference between L and S isoform in laboratory findings and clinical response after chemotherapy or ATRA treatment. Excluding 6 cases with death before or within 10 days of ATRA treatment or chemotherapy, among 13 patients of positive PML-RARA mRNA, 11 cases (84.6%) reached to complete remission, but a case of negative PML-RARA mRNAwas resistent to ATRA treatment. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that detection of PML-RARA mRNA with two major isofroms using RT-PCR is more sensitive to diagnose APL and to detect minimal residual disease than cytogenetic study and that further study with more cases may be substantiated the types of PML-RARA mRNA isoform as a prognostic marker.
Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 ; Cytogenetics ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute* ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Protein Isoforms* ; Remission Induction ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger* ; Translocation, Genetic ; Trisomy

Churg-Strauss syndrome is characterized by asthma, peripheral and tissue eosinophilia, extravascular granuloma formation, and vasculitis of multiple organ systems. The gastrointestinal tract may be involved in 20% to 50% of patients, mainly with abdominal pain, diarrhea and GI bleeding. Ulcers in the small and large bowel are an uncommon manifestation, usually detected during laparotomy performed in the setting of bowel perforation. Endoscopically proven segmental colonic aphthous ulcers with typical pathologic findings such as extravascular granuloma formation, eosinophilic infiltration, or vasculitis are a rarer manifestation. We present a patient with Churg-Strauss syndrome and two aphthous ulcers in the sigmoid colon that healed after treatment with high dose steroids and cyclophosphamide.
Abdominal Pain ; Asthma ; Churg-Strauss Syndrome ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Cyclophosphamide ; Diarrhea ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Granuloma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Steroids ; Stomatitis, Aphthous ; Ulcer ; Vasculitis