Mediastinum is bounded by sternum, vertebra, 1st rib, and diaphragm externally, and by pleural cavity internally and includes important structures such as great vessels, nerves, thymus and many lymph nodes. Primary and metastatic cancers, cysts and inflammatory lesions can develop in this region, and the tumor developing in the mediastinum has a tendency to developed in a specific area of mediastinum depending on the histologic type. Therefore the developing site of tumor and the clinical findings are very important in diagnosing the tumor of the mediastinum. We studied not only the characteristics of mediastinal tumor and tumorlike conditions but the histologic classification and frequency of mass to a specific area and then observed if there is any information that could help in diagnosis of the lesion of the mediastinum. Results obtained were as follows: 1) Of the 95 cases of mediastinal lesion which excludes inflammatory process, there were 70 cases (73.5%) of primary tumors, 13 cases (13.1%) of metastatic tumors and 12 cases (12.6%) of tumor-like conditions. 2) Of the 70 cases of primary tumor, 54 cases (76.8%) were benign, 13 cases (20%) were malignant and 3 cases were unclassified or unidentified tumor with the overall 3.8:1 prevalence rate of benign tumor compared to malignancy. 3) Histologic classification of the 70 cases of primary tumor showed 27 cases (28.4%) of germ cell tumor, 22 cases (23.2%) of neurogenic tumor, 7 cases (7.4%) of thymoma, 6 cases (6.3%) of lymphoma and 5 cases (5.3%) of soft tissue tumors with the highest frequency of germ cell tumor. Germ cell tumor and neurogenic tumor exceeded to 50% of total primary mediastinal tumor. 4) Male to female prevalence rate showed that benigh tumor had a high frequency in female with the the ratio of 1:1.4. But malignant tumor showed much higher frequency in male with the ratio of 4.2:1. 5) Anterior mediastinum had germ cell tumor, thymoma and lymphoma in order of frequency. Metastatic tumor was the most common in superior mediastinum. Superior mediastinum had germ cell tumor and neurogenic tumor with about the equal number, and soft tissue tumor was also developed. Middle mediastinal tumor was less common in number compared to other portions of mediastinum but the majority of tumors developed was developmental cysts and metastatic tumors. And the majority of neurogenic tumors occured at the posterior mediastinum. 6) Mass sized 5-10 cm in diameter were about 55.7% of all tumor, 2.5-5 cm and 10-15 cm were 20% respectively. But the mass sized smaller than 2.5 cm and larger than 15 cm were about 5% respectively. And the malignant tumors have more larger size than benign tumors. 7) Patient with benigh tumor had no symptoms at all or some complaints of chest tightness, dyspnea, chest pain, shoulder pain and dysphagia. In addition to above symptoms, patient with malignant tumor complained of systemic symptoms such as weight loss and fever.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Cysts ; Neoplasm Metastasis

No abstract available.
Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver*

Medico-legal investigations in Korea depend mostly on postmortem inspection without autopsy. Both untrained physicians and experienced forensic pathologists may not be able to determine the cause and manner of death only by postmortem inspection. The aim of our study was to show the limitations of postmortem inspection by evaluating the discrepancy between the results of postmortem inspection and autopsy after natural death. The manner of death by postmortem inspection changed to unnatural death in 9.4% of the cases (12 cases/127 cases) after autopsy. The cause of death in most cases was consumption of alcohol, agricultural chemicals, and antipsychotic intoxication. The cause of death by postmortem inspection changed in 24.3% of the cases (26 cases/107 cases) among cases of confirmed natural death after autopsy. The positive predictive value of cause of death by postmortem inspection was higher for cardiovascular disease (79.0%) and lower for chronic alcoholism and/or chronic liver disease (28.6%). This study shows that forensic pathologists could make considerable errors in determining the cause and manner of death without autopsy and emphasizes the necessity to refine medico-legal investigations in Korea by introducing the limited autopsy with toxicologic study and supportive postmortem imaging.
Agrochemicals ; Alcoholism ; Autopsy ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; Korea ; Liver Diseases

Individual tumors, even those of the same histologic type, show varying sensitivity to specific cytotoxic agent. Therefore, sensitivity testing assume an increasingly important as an orientational aid in planning chemotherapy. In the past decade there have been many attempts to develop a chemosensitivity test that would predict the clinical effectiveness of various chemostherapeutic agents against human neoplasms. In the United States National Institue's anticancer drug screening program, a colorimetric assey based on the ability of live cells to reduce a tetrazolium-base compound(MTT) to a blue formazan product was used. There has been an increase in reports of a chemosensitivity assay that use tetrazolium dyes and current the assay is in use in our country. The efficacy of several anticancer drug (vincristine sulfate, Etoposide, doxorubicin CDDP) were evaluated using the in vitro chemosensitivity of MTT assay with two cancer cell lines (MOLT-4, KHOS/NP). The follows obtained. 1) CI50 on MOLT-4 are 0.55ng/ml and 0.81ng/ml for vincristine and oncovin, 142.30ng/ml and 78.75ng/ml for lastet and vepesid, and 19.75ng/ml, 20.43ng/ml and 8.66ng/ml for ADR, ADM and adriblastin, respectively. 2) CI50 on KHOS/NP are 691.35ng/ml, 873.73ng/ml, 1,205.22ng/ml, 768.81ng/ml and 672.19ng/ml for cisplan, cisplatin, cispatin, platinol and cisplatin G, and 9.22ng/ml, 11.46ng/ml and 4.28ng/ml for ADR, ADM and adriblastin, respectively. In conclusion the MTT dye reduction assay to anticancer drug sensitivity using short-term microplate culture might serve as a reliable tool for the selection of effective chemotherapeutic agents in patients with cancers.
Cell Line ; Cisplatin ; Coloring Agents ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drug Therapy ; Etoposide ; Humans ; United States ; Vincristine

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of transurethral microwave thermotherapy(TUMT) for the treatment of urinary retention due to benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH) in the high-risk surgical patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November, 1992 to March, 1997, a total of 26 patients with urinary retention due to BPH underwent TUMT with PRIMUS U+R because of poor physical and medical status at the department of urology, Red Cross hospital in Seoul. Mean patient age was 73years(range 58 to 97years), mean prostatic weight was 35gm(range 14gm to 68gm) and mean duration of retention was 1.7 months(range 1 day to 36months). The once or twice 1-hour TUMT session was well tolerated and without significant adverse effect. Patients were divided into responder and non-responder. In responder group who were catheter free after TUMT, peak flow rate and post-void residual urine(PVR) were assessed at 3, or 6, or 12months of follow-up. RESULTS: Of 26 patients, 16 patients were responders(61.5%) after TUMT for the duration of follow-up. The mean peak flow rate and post-voiding residual urine during 12months of follow-up period were 10.4m1/sec(range 3 to 22m1/sec) and 62.8ml(range 0 to 269m1), respectively. There was no major complication. CONCLUSIONS: From these results TUMT appears to be safe and erective treatment modality in the high-risk surgical patients.
Catheters ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Microwaves ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Red Cross ; Seoul ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate* ; Urinary Retention* ; Urology

Arrythmias are often present and may lead to unexpected death in acute myocarditis. Occasionally, conduction disturbances are seen with varying degree of heart block yet complete atriove ntricular block is rare. We experienced a case of transient complete heart block caused by coxsackie B5myocarditis in a previously healthy 12-year-old girl. During the use of a transvenous temporary pacemaker for 5 days, the abnormal cardiac rhythm changed to sinus rhythm and clinical status improved progressively.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrioventricular Block* ; Child ; Female ; Heart Block ; Humans ; Myocarditis*

No abstract available.
Islets of Langerhans* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

Renal Infarction is a rare disease and in 90% of patients with renal infarction, underlying cardiac disease is presented. Most often this includes valvular heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, rheumatic heart disease with fibrillation, or subacute bacterial endocarditis. The correct clinical diagnosis and appropriate treatment of renal infarction are often delayed. Three cases of renal infarction were presented with review of literature.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Diagnosis ; Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Rare Diseases ; Rheumatic Heart Disease

No abstract available.
Humans ; Thoracic Injuries* ; Thoracotomy*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-1beta ; Islets of Langerhans ; Rats