The purpose of this study is to review epidemiological and clinical characteristics of diverticular disease of the colan in Korea and to discuss the difference of the findings from those in other countries. Reviewing all thebarium enema films taken at the Seoul National University Hospital retrospectively for the last 8 years. that is, from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 1987, we observed the annual and overall incidence of the disease, the number and location of the diverticula, and the presenting symptoms of the cases. The results are summarized as follows: 1) Out of the patients examined, 237 cases had one or more diverticula in the colon, the overall incidence being 1.32%, 2) The annual incidence increased progressively for the last 8 years, from 0.25% in 1980 to 2.53% in 1987. 3) The mean age of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 51 years. The male to female ratio was 2.5. 4) The diverticula were located on the right side in 81.0% of the cases, on the left side in 10.6%, and on both sides in 8.4%. 5) In 82 cases (34.6%) single diverticulum was found, whereas 34 cases (14.3%) had more than 10 diverticula. 6) The most frequent symptoms for taking barium enema were abdominal discomfort and pain (34. 2%) and changes in bowel habits (33.8%}, whereas 45 casea (19.0%) had the examination just for a routine health check. In conclusiion, the diverticular disease of the colon is still uncommon in Korea as compared with in western countries, and the right colon type is far more freqtaent than the left colon type. However in recent years the incidence increases quite rapidly and the left colon type is getting more common.
Barium ; Colon* ; Diagnosis ; Diverticulum ; Enema ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul

Liver function tests before treatment showed abnormalities of liver function tests during treatment, while 15(68. 2%) of 22 patients who had abnormal liver function tests before treatment showed abnormalities during treatment. In 12 of the 25 patients who showed abnormalities of liver function tests during treatment with allopurinol, allopurinol was stopped and all patients showed improvement of liver function tests. In remaining 13 patients, 10 patients were improved and other 2 patients showed only mild abnormalities of liver function tests despite of continuing allopurinol and 1 patient was lost during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Abnormalities of liver function tests were common during treatment with allopurinol. Most patiensts who had mild abnormalities of liver functions tests during treatment with allopurinol were improved regardless of continuing allopurinol.
Allopurinol* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gout* ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests* ; Liver*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha/*therapeutic use ; Korea

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: p53 mutation is the most common genetic abnormality in human cancers. However, although it has been reported that p53 overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with the aggressive behavior of tumor, the prognostic significance of p53 overexpression in HCC remains controversial. The aims of the present study were to examine the correlations between p53 overexpression and the clinicopathologic parameters of HCCs, and to determine the prognostic significance of p53 overexpression in HCC. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis of p53 overexpression was performed in 105 consecutive cases of HCC who underwent curative hepatic resection. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate analysis of outcome predictors for HCCs was assessed by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: p53 overexpression was observed in 20 of 105 HCCs (19.0%). Multivariate analysis identified significant correlations between p53 overexpression and microvascular invasion (p=0.027), liver cirrhosis (p=0.035), 1-year survival rate (p=0.016), multiple tumors (p=0.014), and the presence of tumor capsule (p=0.010). The 2-year survival rate was poorer in patients without tumor capsule (p=0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show a positive association between p53 overexpression and microvascular invasion in HCC, and indicate that p53 overexpression is a poor prognostic factor of survival, especially within 1 year after liver resection in HCC patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*metabolism/mortality/surgery ; Female ; *Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*metabolism/mortality/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/*metabolism

Although there have been several reported cases of enterocolitis caused by Yersinia enterocolitica, its colonoscopic findings have not been reported in Korea. We recently experienced two cases of Y. enterocolitica enterocolitis, where the colonoscopic examinations were performed. Two patients visited our hospital due to right lower quadrant pain. The thickened terminal ileum and right side colon with enlarged mesenteric nodes were observed on ultrasonography using graded compression method. Y. enterocolitica was isolated from stool in both cases, The colonascopy revealed nodular elevations, erosion., hyperemia, and edema on the terminal ileum and small hyperemic erosions or aphthoid ulcers on the colon, especially on the right side of the colon. In one of the cases, the aphthoid ulcers could be also seen on the sigmoid colon. Their clinical symptoms and signs improved 3-5 days after their visit without using antibiotics. We report these cases with a review of the relevant literature.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colonoscopy ; Edema ; Enterocolitis* ; Esophagus* ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Ileum ; Intestines* ; Korea ; Lymphadenitis* ; Stomach* ; Ulcer ; Ultrasonography ; Yemen* ; Yersinia enterocolitica* ; Yersinia*

A case of resected primary duodenal cancer associated with early gastric cancer is reported. A 67-year-old male complaining of nausea and vomiting was admitted. Endo-scopic examination showed an ulcerative lesion withblood clot in the angle of the stomach and stricture in the duodenum. The stomach lesion was proven to be signet ring cell carcinoma by biopsy. Exploratory laparotomy was done and frozen specimen of duodenum was revealed to be malignant. Subtotal gastrectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy with lymph node dissection were done and the specimen from stricture of duodenum was proven to be adenocarcinoma. The gastric cancer was limited to the mucosa and metastasis was not recognized in regional lymph node, Furthermore, there was normal mucosa between gastric cancer and duodenal cancer. Therefore, cancers in the stomach and duodenum were considered to be a case of double prim~iary cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Duodenal Neoplasms* ; Duodenum ; Esophagus* ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Intestines* ; Laparotomy ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Nausea ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach* ; Ulcer ; Vomiting

Malakoplakia is an uncommon granulomatous disease most frequently found in the bladder or ureter. Howevcr, it has been reyorted in almost every ather organ and structure, the colon is the most common site of malakoplakia outside the urogenital tract and colonic carcinoma is the most commonly associated disease. A case of malakoplakia of the colon in a 54-year-old female is reported. Sigmoidoscopy revealed multiple whiteyellowish nodules simulating polypoid lesion at 10cm from the anal verge. The biopsy showed characteristically comprised submucosal proliferations of histiocyte and chronic inflammatory cells with typical cytoplasmic inclusions known as Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. Intravenous pyelogram showed no evidence of involvement of the urinary system. These nodules were removed by endoscopic polypectomy, So far, this is the first case of isolated colonic malakoplakia in Korea.
Biopsy ; Colon ; Female ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Korea ; Malacoplakia* ; Middle Aged ; Rectum ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder

Sparganosis is a parasitic infectious disease by sparganum which is a plerocercoid larva of spirometra, a kind of cestode. We experienced a case of intramural sparganosis of cecum presenting as chronic intermittent abdominal pain. A 39 year old man was hospitalized due to intermittent abdominal pain for 6 months and the operation was done under the impreesion of the intestinal tuberculosis or submucosal tumor of cecum after diagnostic work-up. Resected cecum revealed diffuse wall thickening and luminal narrowing. The microscopic findings showed a degenerated larva in the muscle layer with typical tissue reaction which was basically noncaseating cavitary granulomatous inflammation and many calcareous corpuscles which were pathognomonic features of cestode were prominent within the degenerated worm.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Cecum ; Cestoda ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intestinal Obstruction* ; Intestines ; Larva ; Phenobarbital ; Sparganosis* ; Sparganum ; Spirometra ; Tuberculosis