Hurthle cell tumors are an infrequent neoplasm of the thyroid gland in adults. Hurthle cell tumors represent 4. 5% to 10% of all primary thyroid epithelial neoplasms in the foreign literature. It has been known as Hurthle cell tumor since Ewing was the first to use this term in 1928. Tumor occurring in an infant was described by Symmers(1941) and Morrow(1945). The authors experienced a case of congenital Hurthle cell tumor of the thyroid gland in a 2 months old boy. He was admitted to the pediatric surgical department because of a growing mass in the neck since birth. Ultrasonogram showed a huge lobulated homogenous solid mass with medium level echogenicity in the region of the thyroid gland. Subtotal thyroidectomy of right lobe and total thyroidectomy of left lobe were done. The specimen measures 2x3x1.5 cm and 7x3x3 cm, respectively. It was an encapsulated, yellow gray firm and solid mass. The cut surface was smooth, glistening and homogenous. Microscopicully, the tumor was composed of tightly packed regular follicles lined by polyhedral, cuboidal, large cells with a granular acidophilic cytoplasms. The nuclei are vesicular, usually only a little bit larger than those of normal thyroid cells.
Infant ; Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans

No abstract available.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Male ; Pericarditis, Constrictive/*complications/diagnosis/therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Humans ; Twins, Monozygotic*

The debate over the clinical meaning of plasma uric acid level is still a very hot issue. As the interest in health grows larger in the general public, the number of having a regular health check-up is increasing rapidly. Most of the health care centers routinely check the plasma uric acid level but it is not simple to interpret and explain the appropriate meaning of that. Over the past decade, there have been several studies on clinical implication of plasma uric acid level but the question still remains. However the clinical significance of the results might be different according to the severity of cardiovascular risk among subjects studied, and the findings for correlation with the established risks have enough proof to be applied to clinical practice. Additionally, the uric acid-lowering agents should not be used in general population even though it has reason to be prescribed in a specific high risk patient. Thus, this review seeks to be helpful in clinical practice by examining the preexisting related studies in a different perspective.
Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia ; Plasma ; Uric Acid

To evaluate the nephrotoxicity of cisplatin, serum levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, BUN, creatinine and creatinine clearance were measured before and after administration of cisplatin in 18 cases of patients with malignant neoplasm. The results were as follows: 1) Serum calcium, magnesium, potassium and BUN levels were changed after cisplatin administration, but those changes were not statistically significant. 2) The mean value of creatinine clearance was not decreased significantly after treatment with cisplatin. 3) Acute renal failure was developed in one case, and four cases of hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia were also detected after administration of cisplatin.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Calcium ; Calcium Chloride ; Cisplatin* ; Creatinine ; Humans ; Hypocalcemia ; Magnesium ; Potassium ; Sodium

Diencephalic syndrome is a rare cause of failure to thrive in infancy and early childhood. The syndrome is characterized by profound emaciation with normal appetite, loss of cutaneous adipose tissue, hyperactivity, euphoria, and nystagmus. It commonly occurs in association with chiasmatic and hypothalamic gliomas. It has also been described in association with other histologic types. There is the marked increase of serum growth hormone, which may exhibit an inappropriate, even paradoxical response in stimulation test. A male infant of 12 months of age, showed markedly elevated growth hormone but he had failure to thrive findings. Evenly enhanced round mass was seen at suprasella area in brain CT. Its histological findings was "Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma", very rare histologic type. Here we report a case of diencephalic syndrome presented by failure to thrive in association with hypothalamic tumors.
Adipose Tissue ; Appetite ; Brain ; Emaciation ; Euphoria ; Failure to Thrive ; Glioma ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Hypothalamic Neoplasms ; Infant ; Male

Achilles tendon injuries are one of the most common tendon injuries in the lower extremities, but spontaneous bilateral achilles tendon rupture without any external force is extremely rare. We present a case of a patient who had spontaneous bilateral achilles tendon rupture related to multiple steroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetes. According to this case, we suggest that we should take special precaution to use steroid to the diabetes though it is not applied to the achilles tendon directly.
Achilles Tendon ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Rupture ; Tendon Injuries

BACKGROUND: Transforaminal epidural steroid injection is one of the effective treatments in managing radicular pain. There have been some prospective studies on the depth to the epidural space with the transforaminal approach. However, there have been no studies about the depth in Asians, especially Koreans. This study was carried out in order to evaluate the depth to the epidural space and the oblique angle and factors that influence the depth to the epidural space during lumbar transforaminal epidural injection. METHODS: A total of 248 patients undergoing fluoroscopically guided transforaminal epidural steroid injections were evaluated. At the L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1, and S1 levels, we measured the oblique angle and depth to the epidural space. RESULTS: Needle depth was positively associated with body mass index (correlation coefficient 0.52, P = 0.004). The median depths (in centimeters) to the epidural space were 6.13 cm, 6.42 cm, and 7.13 cm for 50-60 kg, 60-70 kg, and 70-80 kg groups, respectively, at L5-S1. Age and height were not significantly associated with the needle depth. CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive association between the BMI (and weight) and transforaminal epidural depth but not with age, sex, and height.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Mass Index ; Epidural Space ; Humans ; Needles

BACKGROUND: Inguinal hernia repair is a common surgical intervention in the elderly. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients over 80 years of age undergoing inguinal hernia repairs. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 150 patients older than 65 years of age who had undergone an inguinal hernia repair between January 2006 and December 2010. Dividing our subjects by age into two groups, 65 to 79 years and 80 years and older, we compared their clinical features and surgical outcomes. RESULTS: There were 122 patients (81.3%) in the 65 to 79 years group and 28 (18.7%) in the over 80 years group. Average body mass index was 22.8 kg/m2 in the 65 to 79 group and 21.8 kg/m2 in the over 80 group. Comorbidities were present in 63.9% of the cases in the 65 to 79 group and 67.9% in the over 80 group. American Association of Anaesthetists score was significantly higher in the over 80 group (1.6+/-0.3 vs. 1.9+/-0.3, p=0.046). Comparisons of operative time for each operative method were statistically not different. Postoperative hospital stay and analgesic use also showed no significant differences between the groups. Among the postoperative complications, wound hematoma was most prevalent in both groups but was not statistically different. There was no surgery-related mortality in either group. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that inguinal hernia repair can be done safely in those older than 80 years, unless there is high surgical risk per se.
Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Comorbidity ; Hematoma ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cancer care cost during the last year of life of patients in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied the breakdown of spending on the components of cancer care. Cancer decedents in 2009 were identified from the Korean Central Cancer Registry and linked with the Korean National Health Insurance Claims Database. The final number of patients included in the study was 70,558. RESULTS: In 2009, the average cancer care cost during the last year of life was US $15,720. Patients under age 20 spent US $53,890 while those 70 or over spent US $11,801. Those with leukemia incurred the highest costs (US $43,219) while bladder cancer patients spent the least (US $13,155). General costs, drugs other than analgesics, and test fees were relatively high (29.7%, 23.8%, and 20.7% of total medical costs, respectively). Analgesic drugs, rehabilitation, and psychotherapy were still relatively low (4.3%, 0.7%, and 0.1%, respectively). Among the results of multiple regression analysis, few were notable. Age was found to be negatively related to cancer care costs while income level was positively associated. Those classified under distant Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results stages of cancer and higher comorbidity level also incurred higher cancer care costs. CONCLUSION: Average cancer care costs varied significantly by patient characteristics. However, the study results suggest an underutilization of support services likely due to lack of alternative accommodations for terminal cancer patients. Further examination of utilization patterns of healthcare resources will help provide tailored evidence for policymakers in efforts to reduce the burdens of cancer care.
Analgesics ; Comorbidity ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Drug Costs ; Epidemiology ; Fees and Charges ; Health Care Costs ; Humans ; Korea ; Leukemia ; National Health Programs ; Psychotherapy ; Rehabilitation ; Terminal Care ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms