To investigate role of autonomic nerves on penile erection and to further characterize the laboratory rat as animal model of penile erection, this experiment was performed by means of monitoring intracavernosal pressure following nerve stimulation in 46 rats. The results obtained were summarized as follows: Increased intracavernosal pressure as well as erection was observed following electrical stimulation( 1-10 volt, 0.5-5 Hz) on each autonomic nerve, although the hypogastric nerve required higher intensity of electrical stimuli than the parasympathetic nerve (pelvic or cavervnous nerve) to induce erectile response. Combined stimulation of the pelvic nerve and the hypogastric nerve resulted in synergistic increase of intracavernosal pressure. These results indicate the hypogastric nerve may have a potential role in mediation of penile tumescence as the parasympathetic(pelvic or cavernous) nerve and that this rat model would contribute to the further study of penile erection.
Animals ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Autonomic Pathways* ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Negotiating ; Penile Erection* ; Rats*

Sleep may be disrupted by a variety of undiagnosed sleep disorders including sleep apnea and periodic leg movement, which are of special concern because they may disrupt sleep without the knowledge of the patient. Therefore, sleep disorder screening is necessary for the accurate interpretation of nocturnal penile tumescence data. Failure to determine the presence of sleep apnea or periodic leg movements during sleep may result in an apparently abnormal nocturnal penile tumescence that does not accurately reflect the erectile capacity of the patient. In addition, penile expansion without significant rigidity could be misinterpretated as being within the range of normal activity and could, thereby, be responsible for a false diagnosis of psychogenic impotence when simultaneous measurement of penile rigidity is not performed. Herein, we introduce examples of periodic leg movement in sleep and penile expansion without significant rigidity which were detected using polysomnographic NPTM with EEG, EOG, EKG, anterior tibialis EMG, tumescence monitoring and rigiscan.
Diagnosis ; Electrocardiography ; Electroencephalography ; Electrooculography ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Humans ; Leg* ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Penile Erection ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; Sleep Wake Disorders

Urethral carcinomas represent a rare and challenging subset of genitourinary malignancies. Treatments are variable from a radical operation to only radiotherapy, depending upon the size, extent and location of the lesion. Despite of the various treatments, the prognosis for urethral carcinoma is poor. We report a case of a 41-year-old woman with squamous cell carcinoma which occurred concomitantly in the urethra and vulva.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Female* ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Urethra* ; Urethral Neoplasms ; Vulva*

Accidental ingestion of caustic substance is one of the common problems among children around the world. Acid intake accounts for a mere 5% of all reported cases of corrosive ingestion in the West. Because of the esophageal sparing effect of acid, clinically significant esophageal involvement after acid ingestion occurs in only 6 to 20 per cent of the instances. Numerous studies attempting prevention of stricture formation following caustic burns have appeared in the literature. Despite effort of prevention, 7% to 15% of children sustaining caustic esophageal burns develop esophageal strictures. If balloon dilatation or bougie dilatation fails to resolve the esophageal strictures, successful outcome following replacement by colon or stomach has been reported in children. But the complications and morbidity following these operations are still relatively high. seven patients with corrosive-acid induced esophageal strictures who were operated upon at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital from 1991 to 1995 were reviewed. Primary resection and anastomosis was performed on all of 7 patients, and the stricture segments were located at the level of the lower cervical and the upper thoracic vertebra in short distance. The operations were approached with left cervical incisions or a left thoracotomy. In one patient, operative repair of anastomotic leakage was done, and three patients required re-resection of anastomotic strictures postoperatively, and one patient required a third operation ( reversed gastric tube) due to an anastomotic stricture. The other anastomotic leakages, strictures or pulmonary complications were resolved with conservative treatment. In conclusion, primary resection and anastomosis of the esophagus was performed successfully on the 6 of 7 children with acid induced corrosive esophageal strictures. This approach is physiologic, especially in children who should have a long life expectancy, and recommended for the treatment of short-distance acid induced corrosive esophageal strictures.
Anastomotic Leak ; Burns ; Child* ; Colon ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Eating ; Esophageal Stenosis* ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Life Expectancy ; Seoul ; Spine ; Stomach ; Thoracotomy