We report a cace of 69-year-old man who developed massive pulmonary hemorrhage and subsuquent adult respiratory distress syndrome following intravenous urokinase for acute myocardial infarction. Pulmonary hemorrhage is a rare but a potentially life-threatening complication after thrombolytic therapy and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates of falling hemoglobin after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction with no obvious site of bleeding.
Adult* ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult* ; Thrombolytic Therapy* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

Objective To assess the clinical factors impacting on the effective time of endocrine therapy for patients with prostate cancer.Methods The chnical data of 432 patients with prostate cancer who accepted endocrine therapy were analyzed retrospectively.The endpoint of the study was failure of endocrine therapy which was defined as continuous elevation of prostate specific antigen (PSA) from nadir for 2 times and more than 0.2 μg/L.The clinical data such as age,clinical stage,lymph node metastasis,bone metastasis,Gleason score,initial PSA,and PSA nadir were collected and their rehtionship with the effective time of endocrine therapy were further assessed via COX regression model.Results Age of onset was 57-88(73.70 ± 7.28) years.Initial PSA was 10.30-588.10(27.15 ± 75.90) μ g/L.The effective time of endocrine therapy was 3-62 (27.01 ± 13.10) months.Univariate regression analysis showed that initial PSA,clinical stage,Gleason score,PSA nadir,lymph node metastasis,bone metastasis were correlated with the effective time of endocrine therapy (P ＜ 0.01).Multivariate regression analysis showed that only Gleason score was correlated with the effective time of endocrine therapy(P=0.001).Compared with patients with Gleason score equal to or less than 3+4,patients with Gleason score equal to or more than 4+3 showed 2.49 fold increased risk of therapy failure (OR =2.49,95％ CI 1.44-4.30).Conclusion Gleason score has close relationship with the effective time of endocrine therapy for patients with prostate cancer,Gleason score equal to or more than 4+3 is an indicator for poor response to endocrine therapy.

Objective To study osteoporosis in patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with prostate cancer, and determine whether once-weekly oral alendronate can prevent bone loss in men receiving ADT. Methods One hundred and twelve men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer receiving ADT were divided into two groups from April 2007 to April 2008, 56 cases in each group. Group A took alendronate (70 rng once-weekly orally) and calcium supplement, group B received calcium supplement only. Bone mineral density (BMD) were measured both before and 6 months, 12 months after treatment for both groups. Results There were no statistically differences in age, persistence time of castration, prostate specific antigen level and adverse effect between two groups(P＞ 0.05). At baseline, 39.3%(44/112) of men had osteoporosis and 51.8%(58/112) had low bone mass. After 12 months treatment, in group A, BMD increased 3.7% (95% CI 2.80% to 4.60% ,P＜0.01 ) at the spine,0.7%(95% CI 0.10% to 1.40% ,P=0.031)at the total hip and 1.6% (95% CI0.40% to 2.80%,P =0.008) at the femoral neck. In group B decreased 1.4% (95% CI-2.70% to -0.03%, P = 0.045 ) at the spine, 0.7% (95% CI - 1.50% to -0.01%,P = 0.052) at the total hip and 0.7% (95% CI -1.50% to 0.10%, P = 0.081 ) at the femoral neck. The estimated changes in BMD were significantly different between two groups (P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusions It suggests that ADT induce bone loss which should be treated in early stage. Bone loss that occurred with ADT is prevented and improved with once-weekly oral alendronate.

Primary chondrosarcoma of the extraskeletal soft tissue is extremely rare. Extraskeletal chondrosarcoma was first described as entity in 1953 by Stout and Verner, who were able to collect a series of seven cases. Because of the rarity of this lesion in extremities, neither the clinical course nor the preferred method of treatment has been clearly established. Authors report a case of extraskeletal chondrosarcoma which occurred on the right forearm of a thirty-nine-year-old man. The lesion was completely excised with free resection margins. There was no recurrence or metastasis for four years follow up.
Chondrosarcoma ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forearm ; Methods ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVE: The adolescent presentation of tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is well-recognized, but continues to pose significant diagnostic and management controversies. The authors conducted a retrospective study of clinical outcomes after surgical intervention in 24 school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults with TCS. METHODS: All 83 patients with a lipomyelomeningocele (LMMC) underwent untethering surgery for caudal cord tethering between 1987 and 2007. The clinical charts and follow-up data were reviewed. Of these patients, 24 school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults with TCS were studied with respect to the clinical, radiologic, pathologic features, and surgical outcomes. RESULTS: Untethering procedures were performed in 24 patients (age range, 7-25 years) for TCS of various origins (lipoma, lipomyelomeningocele, and tight filum terminale). Specific circumstances involving additional tugging of the already tight conus, and direct trauma to the back precipitated the onset of symptom in 50% of the patients. Diffuse and non-dermatomal leg pain, often referred to the anorectal region, was the most common presenting symptom. Progressive sensorimotor deficits in the lower extremities, as well as bladder and bowel dysfunction, were also common findings, but progressive foot and spinal deformities were noted less frequently. The most common tethered lesions were intradural lipomas, thickened filum and fibrous band adhesions into the placode sac. The surgical outcome was gratifying in relation to pain and motor weakness, but disappointing with respect to resolution of bowel and bladder dysfunction. Of the 24 patients with TCS, pre-operative deficits improved after surgery in 14 (58.3%), remained stable in 8 (33.4%), and worsened in 2 (8.3%). CONCLUSION: The pathologic lesions of tethered cord syndrome in school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults, are mostly intradural lipomas and tight filum. It is suggested that the degree of cord traction results in neurologic dysfunction in late life due to abnormal tension, aggravated by trauma or repeated tugging of the conus during exercise. Early diagnosis and adequate surgical release might be the keys to the successful outcome in school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults with TCS.
Adolescent ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Conus Snail ; Early Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Humans ; Leg ; Lipoma ; Lower Extremity ; Meningomyelocele ; Neural Tube Defects ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Retrospective Studies ; Traction ; Urinary Bladder ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: We evaluated the feasibility of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RARC) with pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND), especially extended PLND (ePLND), during our initial experience with this technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 2007 to March 2009, prospective data were obtained from the 21 consecutive patients who underwent RARC with PLND at Korea University Hospital. Data included baseline characteristics, perioperative variables, pathological outcomes, and complications. Evidence of the lymph node yield curve was examined by using linear regression to compare the number of lymph nodes obtained. RESULTS: Among 21 patients who underwent RARC, 13 had ileal conduit urinary diversion and 8 had orthotopic neobladder. Standard PLND (sPLND) was performed in the first 15 patients, and ePLND was performed in the more recent 6 patients. The mean total operative time was 515.5+/-145.1 minutes, and the mean estimated blood loss was 346.8+/-205.9 ml. The mean time for PLND was 106.7+/-25.2 minutes in patients with ePLND and 72.1+/-14.1 minutes in patients with sPLND (p=0.001). All patients had negative surgical margins. The mean number of retrieved nodes was 23.5+/-12.8 (range, 8-50) in all patients: 38.6+/-10.8 (range, 29-50) in ePLND and 15.7+/-12.2 (range, 8-21) in sPLND. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative data and oncologic features showed that RARC with PLND is feasible. Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery is a safe and effective procedure with acceptable morbidity and good oncologic results from the viewpoint of PLND, especially ePLND.
Cystectomy ; Humans ; Korea ; Laparoscopy ; Linear Models ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Operative Time ; Prospective Studies ; Robotics ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Diversion

BACKGROUND: Camptothecin (CPT), which has been used for cancer treatment and apoptosis as an inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase I. We investigated the possibility that camptothecin induces anti-appoptotic bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic bax, cytochrome c and caspase-3. METHODS: We performed immunocytochemical stains for bcl-2, bax and cytochrome c, and also performed westem blots for caspase-3 and the three proteins above using mouse 3T3 fibroblasts treated with CPT (0.5 microgram/mL). The immunostain for bcl-2 was done 12 hours after a microinjection of antisense oligomer to bcl-2 in the nuclei of the cells. RESULTS: On immunocytochemistry, bcl-2 showed no expressions regardless of CPT treatment and microinjection of the antisense oligomer. The expression of cytochrome c was not changed before and after CPT treatment, and bax demonstrated weak or moderate expressions at 36 and 48 hours afte the treatment. There were no expressions at 0, 12, and 24 hours after CPT treatment. On westem blot, bcl-2 exhibited no expressions before and after CPT treatment. Expressions of ctyochrome c and caspase-3 increased after CPT treatment, and expressions of bax decreased 24 hours after CPT treatment followed by a tendency of increased expressions as time went by. CONCLUSIONS: In the CPT-induced apoptosis of mouse 3T3 fibroblasts, CPT induced increased expressions of bax, cytochrome c and caspase-3 with no expressions of bcl-2, which are associated with the apoptosis pathway.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Camptothecin ; Caspase 3* ; Coloring Agents ; Cytochromes c* ; Cytochromes* ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type I ; Fibroblasts* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice* ; Microinjections

PURPOSE: In advanced prostate cancer, malignant cells generally tend to spread into the bone, and metastasis into nonregional lymph nodes (NRLNs) at the time of initial diagnosis is relatively rare. We investigated the prognostic significance of NRLN metastasis in patients receiving hormonal therapy and chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 2005 to August 2011, we identified 105 patients who had metastatic prostate cancer. First, we assessed the prognostic effect of NRLN metastasis on the prostate-specific antigen response through logistic regression and the progression-free time to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) by using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Second, we investigated the prognostic influence of NRLN metastasis on the chemotherapy response through logistic regression and on cancer-specific survival of CRPC patients receiving chemotherapy by using Cox proportional analysis. RESULTS: Of these 105 patients, 12 patients (11.4%) had only NRLN metastases without bone metastases. Progression-free time to CRPC was significantly less in patients with NRLN metastases by Cox proportional hazard regression multivariate analysis (p=0.020). However, NRLN metastasis was not an independent factor for predicting the response to chemotherapy in CRPC patients, and NRLN metastasis did not reduce cancer-specific survival in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Twelve (11.4%) of 105 patients with NRLN metastases had lymph node metastases without bone metastases. In addition, NRLN metastasis was a significant prognostic factor for predicting reduced progression-free time to CRPC. Thus, although we speculate that prostate cancer with NRLN metastasis exhibits unique tumor biology, additional molecular and genetic studies are needed.
Biology ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Neoplasms

PURPOSE: We report here on our initial experience with 3rd generation nephron-sparing renal cryoablation, which is one of the minimal invasive nephron-sparing surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 10 patients who had renal neoplasm identified on computed tomography (CT) and who underwent 3rd generation cryoablation from August 2004 to May 2006. The operative indications were a tumor less than 4cm in diameter, an exophytic mass with malignant potential and those cases like solitary kidney, bilateral tumor or renal insufficiency that needed preservation of renal function. Eight patients underwent minimal incision open cryoablation, and the other two underwent laparoscopic cryoablation. In every case, there were 2-3 cycles of freeze and thawing and we monitored the tumor and ice ball via intraoperative ultrasound. RESULTS: The size of the iceball was maintained more than 1cm apart from the margin of the tumor to secure a safety margin. The average operation time of open cryoablation was 1.7 hr and that of laparoscopic cryoablation was 2.2 hr; the average blood loss was 194cc and 55cc, respectively. The average period of hospitalization after operation was 6.6 days and 3 days, respectively, and there was no complication except for one patient who had postoperative pulmonary effusion. During a mean follow-up of 14.1 months, no patient died and all the patients except one remained without local recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: As a result of our initial experience, renal cryoablation turned out to have an excellent effect of tumor erradication and few complications. Although long term follow-up results are necessary, laparoscopic renal cryoablation is considered a minimal invasive nephron- sparing surgery that could be substituted for laparoscopic partial nephrectomy in the future.
Cryosurgery* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Ice ; Kidney ; Kidney Neoplasms ; Nephrectomy ; Recurrence ; Renal Insufficiency ; Ultrasonography

Objective To evaluate the ergotropic effect of bone cement on pedicle screw fixation in treatment of osteopo-rotic thoracolumbar fracture.Methods Fifty-three patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture, admitted from Jun. 2013 to Dec. 2014, were included for treatment by augmentation of pedicle screw fixation with bone cement. All patients underwent pre-operative examination of bone mineral density with T-score ≤-2.5 and augmentation of pedicle screw fixation with injection of 1.5 ml bone cement in adjacent to fractured vertebra. All patients were treated with anti-osteoporosis therapy pre- and post-operation, ob-served and recorded with basic conditions and complications. At pre-operation, one-week post-operation and last follow-up, pain vi-sual analogue scale (VAS) and neurological function score (ASIA) of all patients were recorded, and the compression rats of anterior and posterior edge of fractured vertebra, and compression rats of spinal canal and Cobb angel of all patients were measured.Results All the 53 patients were successfully undergone operation in about 90-140 min with blood loss of about 150-350 ml. No spinal cord or nerve injury, dural tear and obvious leakage of bone cement and screw loosening occurred during operation. All patients were followed up for 12 to 36 months and the neurological function obviously recovered contrasted with pre-operation. X-ray and CT examination at last follow-up showed good fractures healing, good position and non-loosening of internal fixation device and non-leakage of bone cement. At one week post-operation and last follow-up, VAS, compression rats of anterior edge and posterior edge of fractured vertebra, compression rats of spinal canal and Cobb angel were significantly lower than those at pre-operation (P<0.05), but no significant differences existed on these parameters between 1 week post-operation and last follow-up (P>0.05).Conclusions Augmentation of pedicle screw fixation with bone cement can effectively strengthen the initial stability of pedicle screw in osteo-porosis, restore the height of fractured vertebra and reduce the compression of spinal canal, which will help the correction of spinal kyphosis and neurological function recovery. This method can well maintain long-term stability of internal fixation in osteoporosis and height of fractured vertebra, and significantly reduce the risks of long-term screw loosening and vertebral collapse.