Priapism is the condition of persistent penile erection, most often accompanied by pain and unaccompanied by sexual desire. Recently we experienced one case of priapism associated with chronic myelocytic leukemia. So we report this case of secondary priapism with some review of literatures.
Leukemia* ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; Male ; Penile Erection ; Priapism*

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma is a recently characterized neoplasm with relatively favorable prognosis despite aggressive histological features. Two cases of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma involving the left temporal lobe are reported, both occurring in adolescents. The tumor is considered to arise from the subpial astrocytes of the superficial cortex. Electron microscopic examination and immunoperoxidase stains for glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) are helpful in making a definitive histologic diagnosis. In contrast to malignant gliomas, pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma does not appear to require aggressive postoperative radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Therefore, It is important to recognize and identify this type of glioma as a distinct entity.
Adolescent ; Astrocytes ; Coloring Agents ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Glioma ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Temporal Lobe

The upper thoracic vertebrae through anterior approach depends upon several variables; The diameter of the thoracic inlet, the height of the clavicles and manubrium anteriorly, and the extent of the cervicothoracic kyphosis. Preoperatively, the upper margin of the manubrium should be compaired with the vertebral body level on a standard lateral roentegenogam or mid-sagittal MRI of the upper thoracic spine. We measured the distance and the level of the corresponding vertebra of line A(horizontal line from the suprasternal notch to the corresponding vertebra) and line B(perpendicular line from the suprasternal notch to the corresponding vertebra ; thoracic inlet) on mid-sagittal MRI of normal subjects. The results were as follows: 1) In 95 cases(94 cumulative %), the line A fell to the T2 lower one third through T4 lower one third and the mean distance was 49.8+/-4.2mm(means standard deviation). 2) In 92 cases(91 cumulative %), the line B fell to the T1 lower one third to T3 middle one third and the mean distance was 45.5+/-4.9mm(means standard deviation). 3) The relation of the height and the distance with age, sex, weight, height, and body mass index were not statistically significant. We concluded that anatomical analysis of the mid-sagittal MRI of the cervicothoracic vertebrae will be helpful in selecting the access route to the cervicothoracic lesion.
Adult* ; Bays ; Body Mass Index ; Clavicle ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Manubrium ; Spine* ; Thoracic Vertebrae

Reconstruction of chest wall defects has been a continuing challenge to surgeons. Defects due to resection of tumors, infection, radiation injuries, and congenital anomalies may require chest wall reconstruction. Recent advances in plastic surgery have made reconstruction of the chest wall a reliable procedure. We reviewed fourteen consecutive chest wall reconstructions except mediastinitis over the past eight years. Among the patients, ten patients had chest wall tumors and remaining four patients had radiation necrosis, pressure sore, Poland's syndrome and Tuberculous empyema. Skeletal resection of the chest wall was done in six patients; Total or partial stemectomies were performed in three patients and an average of three point six ribs were resected in six patients. Soft tissue resection was performed in twelve patients. After resection, the thoracic skeletal defect was reconstructed with polypropylene mesh (Marlex) alone in one patient, with a composite of polypropylene mesh (Marlex) and methyl metacrylate in two patients, and with autogenous ribs in one patient. Soft tissue reconstructive procedures were predominantly muscle transpositions: five pectoralis major, three latissimus dorsi,two rectus abdominis and three fasciocutaneous flaps. Eleven patients who were alive after operation have protective and functional chest wall with excellent cosmesis at the time of last follow-up. We conclude that chest wall reconstructive procedures with prosthetic, or autogenous materials and musculocutaneous flaps are safe, durable and contributive to long-term survival and quality of life.
Empyema, Tuberculous ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mediastinitis ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Necrosis ; Polypropylenes ; Pressure Ulcer ; Quality of Life ; Radiation Injuries ; Rectus Abdominis ; Ribs ; Surgery, Plastic ; Thoracic Wall* ; Thorax*

Trigeminal neuralgia is a cranial rhizopathy characterized by paroxysms of hyperactivity strictly limited to the anatomical distributions of the fifth cranial nerve. One of a documented cause is vascular cross-compression at the root entry zone of the fifth cranial nerve near the brain stem. The offending vessels are the superior cerebellar artery, anterior inferior cerebellar artery, small arteriole, vein only, and vertebrobasilar artery in order of frequency. When trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm occur together in the same patient in rare occasions, they are termed "tic convulsif" We have recently experienced three cases of trigeminal neurlgia caused by unusual offending vessels and one case of tic convulsif. They were treated by microvascular decompression using Teflon felt. Post-operative courses were uneventful and marked symptomatic improvement had been achieved.
Arteries ; Arterioles ; Brain Stem ; Hemifacial Spasm ; Humans ; Microvascular Decompression Surgery ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Tics* ; Trigeminal Nerve ; Trigeminal Neuralgia* ; Veins

The authors had studied the microsurgical anatomy of the choroidal fissure and the operative approaches directed through the fissure. In this study, eight formalin-fixed cadaveric hemisheres were examined. In four hemispheres, the intracranial vessels were perfused with colored silicone latex. The choroidal fissure is divided into three portion : (a) body portion, (b) atrial portion, and (c) temporal portion. Dissection through the body portion of the choroidal fissure exposes the velum interpositum, internal cerebral vein, and third ventricle. The quadrigeminal cistern, pineal region, and posterior part of the ambient cistern can be exposed through the atrial portion of the choroidal fissure. Opening through the temporal portion of the choroidal fissure exposes the structures in the ambient cistern, which include the basal vein, posterior cerebral artery, anterior and lateral posterior choroidal arteries, and hippocampal formation. This study provides valuable knowledges of microsurgical approaches to the third ventricle and basal cistern by demonstrating the neural nd vascular relaionship around the choroidal fissure.
Arteries ; Cadaver ; Cerebral Veins ; Choroid* ; Hippocampus ; Latex ; Posterior Cerebral Artery ; Silicones ; Third Ventricle

OBJECTIVE: Many different methods have been undertaken to increase the success rate of tuboplasty. Ttubal reanastomosis, Nd-YAG laser, splint he development of a new generation of surgical lasers has offered a possibility for the practical use of the laser technique in microsurgical fields. In gynecology, the laser beam has been reported to be a precise instrument for successful tubal surgery with minimal bleeding and postoperative reaction. The authors studied the effect of the infrared laser beam in the area of tubal reanastomosis. METHODS: To compare tubal patency, pregnancy rate, and histologic difference in site of anastomosis, total 120 tubes of 60 rabbits were used for experimental tuboplasty. The study groups were divided according to the kinds of reanastomosis methods. Group I : 1 layer(right tube) and 2 layer(left tube) anastomosis without using splint, group II : 1 layer(right tube) and 2 layer(left tube) anastomosis with using splint, group III : reanastomosis using laser with splint(III-b) and without splint(III-a). RESULTS: 1. The infiltration of inflammatory cell were observed in all group by optical microscopic examination. Group II revealed more fibrotic change and inflammatory cell without significant statistical difference and there was no significant difference between left and right tubes in each group. 2. The tubes of group II were significantly more patent(75%) than that of group I(50%). Especially the patency of group III performed Nd-YAG laser with splint was the highest(90%). 3. The pregnancy rates in groups without splint were 40%(one layer without splint, group I-right tube), 60%(two layer without splint, group I-left tube), 30%(Nd-YAG laser without splint, group III-a), were significantly lower than that of group with splint, 60%(one layer with splint, Group II-right tube), 60%(two layer with splint, Group II-left tube), 80%(Nd-YAG laser with splint, Group III-b). Especially the group IIIb showed the hightest pregnancy rate(80%). CONCLUSIONS: From the above results, it is considered that the tubal reanastomosis using splint and Nd-YAG laser will improve the pregnancy rate and could be the procedure of choice in the future.
Fallopian Tubes* ; Female ; Gynecology ; Hemorrhage ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy* ; Rabbits ; Splints ; Sterilization Reversal ; Sutures*

BACKGROUND: In spite of the improvement in the quality of artificial heart valves and surgical techniques, the incidence of the complications following valve replacement is still high. We reviewed the clinical results of the valve replacements performed in Korean University Anam Hospital during the last 26 years. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The data of 571 patients who received valve replacement between December 1976 and December 2003 were reviewed. RESULT: There were 304 cases of MVR which was the most common procedure performed. There were 122 cases of AVR, and 111 cases of AVR with MVR. Among the 47 patients who received redo operation 38 cases were redo cases including 31 cases of MVR. 32.5% of the patients who had tissue valve replacement had second valve replacement with 10.2+/-3.9 years interval. 24.3% (139/571) of the patients developed valve related complications and cerebral infarction was the highest in frequency. Atrial fibrillation was related with increased complication rates and the mechanical valve replaced group had higher hemorrhagic complication rate than tissue valve replaced group. The operative mortality was 3.68% and the most common cause of the failure was low output syndrome. The operative mortality was higher in the patient group who had valve replacement before the year 1990. The patient group who had mechanical valve replacement had higher operative mortality rate than the tissue valve group. The 5-year survival rate was 92.2% and 10 year survival rate was 85.7%. CONCLUSION: The operative mortality of valve replacement has been improved. The mechnical valve replaced patients had higher hemorrhagic complication rate than the tissue valve replaced patients and more tissue valve replaced patients received redo valve replacement.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Cerebral Infarction ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Heart Valves* ; Heart* ; Heart, Artificial ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: False negatives of cervical smears due to screening errors pose a significant and persistent problem. AutoPap 300 QC System, an automated screening device, is designed to rescreen conventionally prepared Pap smears initially screened by cytotechnologists as normal. Clinical experience and sensitivity of the AutoPap 300 QC System were assessed and compared with current 10% random quality control technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In clinical practice, a total of 18,592 "within normal limits" or "benign cellular changes" cases classified by The Bethesda System were rescreened by the AutoPap System. In study for sensitivity of The AutoPap System to detect false negatives, a total of 1,680 "within normal limits" or "benign cellular changes" cases were rescreened both manually and by the AutoPap System. The sensitivity of the AutoPap System to these false negatives was assessed at 10% review rate to compare 10% random manual rescreen. RESULTS: In clinical practice, 38 false negatives were identified by the AutoPap System and we had achieved 0.2% reduction in the false negative rate of screening error. In study for sensitivity, 37 false negatives were identified by manual rescreening, and 23 cases(62.2%) of the abnormal squamous cytology were detected by the AutoPap System at 10% review rate. CONCLUSONS: The AutoPap 300 QC System is a sensitive automated rescreening device that can detect potential false negatives prior to reporting and can reduce false negative rates in the laboratory. The device is confirmed to be about eight times superior to the 10% random rescreen in detecting false negatives.
Mass Screening ; Quality Control ; Vaginal Smears

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of transcatheter arterial embolization(TAE) and the relationshipbetween therapeutic effect and prognostic factors after this procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-fivepatients with hemoptysis caused by pulmonary tuberculosis(TB) underwent TAE. We reviewed medical records of thehistory and activity of pulmonary TB, and the extent of treatment, and assessed plain chest PA for the extent oflesions ; we also evaluated the angiographic findings of embolized arteries, and embolic agents. The initialsuccess rate, as shown by immediate response, and recurrence during follow-up, were then observed. Using theChi-square test, differences in these findings were analysed. RESULTS: Immediate control of hemoptysis wasachieved in 46 of 55 patients(84%); 24 of 46(52.2%), experienced recurrence. Initial failure and partial responserates were higher in patients with active pulmonary TB(p<0.05) than in those in whom the condition was inactive.The recurrence rate was higher among those who had had pulmonary TB for between one and ten years (p<0.05). Therewas, however, no significant correlation between therapeutic effect and the extent of anti-TB treatment, theextent of lesions seen on plain chest PA, angiographic findings, embolized arteries, and embolic agents. CONCLUSION: The initial success rate of TAE was 84% and the recurrence rate was as high as 52.2%. Both activityand duration of pulmonary TB were prognostic factors in immediate response and recurrence.
Arteries ; Bronchial Arteries ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemoptysis* ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Recurrence ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*