OBJECTIVE: Hysterectomy is one of the most common gynecological operations. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of suturing methods of vaginal cuff between laparoscopic and vaginal approach. METHODS: One hundred and sixty one cases of laparoscopic hysterectomy were devided into two groups. In group A(n=67), vaginal cuff was sutured by laparoscopic suture technique and in group B(n=94), vaginal cuff was repaired by vaginal approach. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in uterine weight, hospital stay, pre-and postoperative hemoglobin level and complications including febrile morbidity in two groups. Operation time was significantly shorter in group B(p=0.05). CONCLUSION: Transvaginal repair of vaginal cuff showed shorter duration of operation time than laparoscopic suture technique in total laparoscopichy sterectomy.
Hysterectomy* ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Suture Techniques

Craniosynostosis has a varied clinical spectrum, ranging from isolated single suture involvement to multi-sutural fusions. Greater understanding of the pathogenesis of craniosynostosis has led to the development of practical treatment protocols. Three stages of growth have determined the approach to managing craniosynostosis : the early period, up to 12 months; the intermediate period, from 1 to 10 years; and the late period, beginning at 10 years. This review discusses current surgical management and future perspectives in craniosynostosis.
Clinical Protocols ; Craniosynostoses* ; Neurosurgery ; Sutures

Teramethylammonium(TMA) in one of the synthetic compounds of nicotine that act at ganglionic site. The major action of TMA consists of initial stimulation followed by a more persistent depression of all autonomic ganglia by binding to a cholinergic receptor. It is well believed that the level of membrane potential in arterial smooth muscle is an important regulator of tension development. Depolarization and hyperpolarization by only few millivolts results in significant changes in tension. In general, the agents of vascular smooth muscle induce vascular relaxaion. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of TMA on vascular contractility in the isolated rabbit thoracic aorta with or without endothelial cell, and mechanisms involved in the change of vascular contractility by TMA. The results obtained are summarized as follows ; 1) In the presence of endothelial cell, TMA induced a relaxtion of the aorta precontracted with norepinephrine but induced a contraction in the aorta without endothelial cells, indicating that in the rabbit aorta, relaxations produced by TMA were the endothelium-dependent. 2) The addition of inhibitor such as methylene blue, hemoglobin, hydroquinone and p-bromophenacyl bromide during the TMA-induced relaxation reversed the contractile tension to a level similar to or higher than that before the addition of TMA in rabbit thoracic aorta.This relaxation effect of TMA suggest that the TMA-inducdd relaxation in rabbit aorta is due to the release of endotheline derived relaxing factor(EDRF). 3) Relaxation induced by TMA was antagonized by atropine and thus the TMA does seem to act on the muscarinic receptors. 4) TMA reduced the norepinephrine-induced Ca++ influx into rabbit smooth muscle membrane. From the above results, it may be concluded that TMA-induced vacular relaxation in rabbit aorta is due to the release of EDRF. Mechanism involved in the relaxation induced by TMA may be the stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase and increased tissue cGMP concentrations.
Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic* ; Atropine ; Depression ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelins ; Endothelium ; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors* ; Ganglia, Autonomic ; Ganglion Cysts ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Membrane Potentials ; Membranes ; Methylene Blue ; Muscle, Smooth ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Nicotine ; Norepinephrine ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; Relaxation

To define indications of primary treatment in ureteroscopic stone manipulation with comparing the success rates and complications of A(11.5F rigid ureteroscopy from March 1989 to April 1993) and B(7.5F rigid ureteroscopy from May 1993 to February 1995) groups, 216 ureteroscopies were performed for ureteral stone removal between March 1989 and February 1995 in our urologic department. The overall success rates of ureteroscopic stone manipulation were obtained and compared according to stone locations, sizes and anesthesia or not. The overall success rate was 85.6%(80% in group A and 94.2% in group B respectively). The success rates in each group A and B were 60% and 77.8% in the upper ureter, 100% and 66.7% in the middle ureter, 80.0% and 95.9% in the lower ureter. There were the more success rates and the less complication rates in group B than group A. The success rates of stone removal are increased and the complications are decreased remarkably in group B(especially in the lower ureter stone). The rapid relief of ureteral obstruction and colic is possible immediately after ureteroscopic stone manipulation. So, we conclude that ureteroscopic stone manipulation is primarily indicated in the treatment of lower ureteral stones.
Anesthesia ; Colic ; Ureter ; Ureteral Obstruction ; Ureteroscopes ; Ureteroscopy

Compared with osteosarcoma of bone, primary osteosarcoma of the soft tissue is very rare. Extraskeletal osteosarcoma is also a highly malignant pleomorphic sarcoma composed of cells exhibiting primarily osteoblastic, and to a lesser extent, chondroblastic differentiation. A case of extraskeletal osteosarcoma in the right sole is presented in a 67 year old male. The patient had noticed a progressively enlarging soft tissue mass, during about 14 months. This sarcoma was located in the soft tissues without attachment to the skeleton, as determined by examination of the X-Ray findings. The mass of right plantar portion was simply excised and pathologically confirmed to be an extraskeletal osteosarcoma. The clinical and pathological features of this sarcoma are described, and brief review of the literature is made.

Agenesis of the dorsal pancreas is one of the rare congenital anomalies of the pancreas. Six cases of them have been reported. We have experienced an autopsy case of agenesis of the dorsal pancreas associated with fetal death in the uterus. Grossly, the body and tail of the pancreas and uncinate process were not found and those were partially replaced by adipose tissue. No abnormality was noted in the other organs. Microscopically, pancreatic tissue with autolytic change was identified only in the head portion of the pancreas.

The clincopathologic features of microcystic adnexal carcinoma are presented. Microcystic adnexal carcinoma is a recently described, very rare neoplasm characterized by a locally aggressive growth pattern, and as far as we know, only two reports on the microcystic adnexal carcinoma have been published in the Korean literature. Recently we experienced two cases of microcystic adnexal carcimoma occurred in a 32-year-old male and 27-year-old female patient. They had 2.5 x 2.0 x 2.0 cm and 1.2 x 0.9 x 0.9 cm sized, slowly growing mass in the glabella and below the lower lip, respectively. The immunohistochemical staining for CEA antigen stains the glandular structures but not pilar structures. So we thinked that this tumor would be originated from primitive adnexal cells differentiating into both pilar and eccrine structures.
Female ; Male ; Humans

The trichofolliculoma is a rare tumor of the hair follicle occuring most often on the head and neck. We have experienced a case of 24-year-old female who had a small, dome-shaped, tan brown firm nodule on the nose. Under the clinical impression of a granuloma, an excisional biopsy of the nodule was done. Microscopically the lesion was composed of a large central cystic hair follicle with many srhall but well differenciated secondary hair follicles branching from the wall. Well developed secondary hair follicles were often grouped and were surrounded by a prominent stroma.
Female ; Humans ; Biopsy

The rhabdomyosarcoma of the prostate is very rarely encountered in the western literature, and only a few reports have been published in Korea. The authours recently experienced two cases of rhabdomyosarcomas of the prostate in 35-year-old and 51-year-old males who had suffered from gross hematuria and difficulty of urination. Microscopic studies showed embryonal type of rhabdomyosarcoma in two cases. The clinical and pathological features of the distinctive prostatic rhabdomyosarcoma are described, and a brief review of the literature is made.
Male ; Humans

Pulmonary histiocytosis X is a rare granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology that alters the interstitium of the lung. When confined to the lung, it is known as primary pulmonary histiocytosis X or eosinophilic granuloma of the lung. The chest radiograph shows characteristic nodular, reticular, and cystic abnormalities, which are most apparent in the upper and middle lung zones, but spare the costophrenic angles, The CT demonstrates innumerable small cysts with thin walls, and fine nodules. Recently we experienced pathologically proven primary pulmonary histiocystosis X in 35 years old male patients who had recurrent pneumothorax.
Eosinophilic Granuloma ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Pneumothorax ; Radiography, Thoracic