Introduction: Several investigators demonstrated that routine nasogastric decompression after abdominal surgery was unnecessary and can be safely eliminated. Some authors suggested that early feeding could be tolerated by the majority of patients after elective colorectal surgery. PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to prospectively assess the safety and tolerability of early oral feeding after colorectal surgery. METHODS: This trial included 69 patients who underwent an colon or rectal operation between April 1997 and August 1998. Patients were randomized after the operative procedure into one of two groups. Group 1: early oral feeding-all patents received a clear liquid diet on the first postoperative day followed by a regular diet as tolerated. Group 2: delayed feeding-all patients were treated in the traditional way with feeding only after the resolution of their postoperative ileus. Both groups had intraoperative nasogastric tubes that were removed at the end of surgery. The patients were monitored for vomiting, nasogastric tube reinsertion, time of regular diet consumption, complication, and length of hospitalization. The nasogastric tube was reinserted if two or more episodes of vomiting of more than 100 ml occurred in the absence of bowel movement. RESULTS: Sixty-nine consecutive patients were studied, 34 patients in group 1 (12 males and 22 females, mean age 58.1+/-12.7), and 35 patients in group 2 (16 males and 19 females, mean age 58.5+/-12.7). Significant differences were not noted in age and type of procedures. No significant differences were seen in rates of vomiting and overall complications. However, early feeding group well tolerated a regular diet (postoperative period to take regular diet of group 1: 5.4+/-4.0 days, group 2 : 8.1+/-4.6 days, p=0.013), and were discharged from hospital significantly earlier than the delayed feeding group(group 1: 14.0+/-5.1 days, group 2: 19.1+/-8.6 days, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: Early feeding after colorectal surgery is successfully tolerated by the majority of patients and led to earlier hospital discharge.
Colon ; Colorectal Surgery* ; Decompression ; Diet ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Ileus ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Research Personnel ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: In the most of emergency department, the diagnosis of appendicitis has been carried by clinical history, physical examination and plain X-ray. But the diagnostic accuracy by these methods was so low that unnecessary operation was common performed, and sometimes the operation was delayed till the physicians could confirm the acute appendicitis clinically. Although many kinds of diagnostic tools such as CT scan, laparoscope, and etc, we believe that ultrasonography(US) would be a quick and sensitive diagnostic method for the evaluation of acute appendicitis in the Emergency Department. METHODS: Forty-seven patients who were clinically suspected as acute appendicitis were evaluated with the grayscaled US by emergency physician. The probe of US was placed on maximal tender point of abdomen, and the appendix image was evaluated while probe was pressed deeply and gentry. When the blind loop was fecund at maximal tender point of abdomen, we evaluated the diameter of appendix, the presence of compressibility, peri-aspen-diceal fluid collection and other mass effect. As soon as the ultrasonographic evidences of the appendicitis were noticed, the operations were done and pathologic report were reviewed later. RESULTS: Among the forty-seven patients, forty patients were diagnosed as a appendicitis by US, and most common ultrasonic findings were as follows; 1) non-compressible blind loop larger than 5 mm in diameter, 2) wall thickening more than 3 mm, 3) peri-appendiceal fluid collection, 4) periappendiceal mass. Among remaining 7 patients in whom we could not get any positive findings of appendicitis, abdominal CT scan was carried in 2 cases who had direct and rebound tenderness on right lower abdomen, and CT scan showed the evidences of the appendicitis. The other 5 cases without rebound tenderness were observed far 2 hours, and abdominal pain was disappeared lately. Finally forty-two patients were operated and confirmed as acute appendicitis by pathologic reports; 24 were reported as suppurative appendicitis, and 12 cases of gangrenous appendicitis, 3 cases of perforated appendicitis, and 3 cases were peri-appendiceal abscess. The specificity of US in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis was 71.4%, and the sensitivity was 95.2%. CONCLUSIONS : In some patients suspected appendicitis, emergency physicians could diagnosis acute appendicitis accurately and rapidly by use of ultrasonography. Although the US was an actuate imaging modality to diagnosis acute appendicitis and evaluate its complications, we recommend a laparotomy or abdominal Cf scan in the patients with negative US findings in spite of presence of peritoneal irritation signs such as rebound tenderness and/or muscle guarding on right lower abdomen.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Abscess ; Appendicitis* ; Appendix ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Laparoscopes ; Laparotomy ; Physical Examination ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Adrenocortical Carcinoma* ; Cushing Syndrome ; Humans ; Infant* ; Male* ; Puberty, Precocious

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVE: The HPV vaccination target adolescents, and may be influenced by opinion of parents and other family member. For implementation of HPV vaccine, we measured knowledge of HPV infection and acceptability of vaccination among adults in Korea. METHODS: From August 2006 to November 2007, we provided a written questionnaire to females (above 19 years- olds) who visited Il-sin Christian hospital for prenatal care or gynecological examination. The questionnaire was built using elements of The Health Belief Model. We measured (1) awareness of HPV (2) perceived susceptibility (3) perceived seriousness (4) perceived benefit of vaccination (5) perceived barriers (6) cues to action. RESULTS: Total 975 females answered the questionnaire, and the mean age was 40 years. Only 23.8% knew the fact cervical cancer is related to HPV infection. 78.3% of respondents were willing to accept HPV vaccination after they understood HPV vaccination can prevent cervical cancer. Financial burden and possible side effect were barriers to vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Despite of low awareness of HPV infection, most (78.3%) adults favored having HPV vaccination. But the vaccine was more likely to be accepted if it is recommended by a physician and reasonably priced.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Cues ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Female ; Gynecological Examination ; Humans ; Korea ; Papillomavirus Infections ; Parents ; Prenatal Care ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Vaccination

Recurrent trichiasis is a persistent annoyance and, too often, resists conventional treatment. We tried the application of argon laser in the treatment of trichiasis. The technique involves the destruction of the follicles of the abnormal cilia. This method proved safe, convenient, precise, and effective in 6 cases out of 6. The technique is most suitable when a few fine cilia are involved, but repeated treatment may be required for more and thicker eyelashes.
Argon* ; Cilia ; Eyelashes ; Trichiasis*

Exchanging liquid vitreous with an air bubble was used to treat the eye with retinal detachment caused by a myopic macular hole. This retina was successfully reattached after keeping the patient in a prone position for 24 hours. No cryotherapy, diathermy, or photocoagulation was used to creat a choroidal adhesion. This procedure may be the treatment of choice in patients with retinal detachment due to macular holes but withour other breaks or visible vitreous adhesion.
Choroid ; Cryotherapy ; Diathermy ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Prone Position ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinal Perforations* ; Retinaldehyde*

No abstract available.
Myocardial Infarction*

Eczema herpeticum is a herpes simplex virus infection with disseminated skin involvement superimposed on a pre-existing dermatosis. Dariers disease has been reported to be among the dermatoses susceptible to the sudden onset of a widespread vesicular eruption accompanied by high fever known as Kaposis varicelliform eruption. We report a case of eczema herpeticum in a 46-year-old woman associated with Dariers disease.
Darier Disease* ; Eczema* ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Kaposi Varicelliform Eruption* ; Middle Aged ; Simplexvirus ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

Transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization (THAE) is one of the treatment modalities that can be applied to hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) and metastatic tumors of the liver. Complications such as cholecystitis and gallbladder necrosis, are common with THAE, but liver and peripheral bile duct necrosis are rare, and intrahepatic stones with main bile duct necrosis have never been reported. To prevent intrahepatic spread during operative manupulation and to decrease the vascularity and size of the tumor, we performed a THAE on a huge-sized HCC five times before performing the hepatectomy. We succesfully undertook a right lobectomy after the THAE with lipiodol, gelform, and adriamycin. However, severe bile duct stricture and intrahepatic stones were confirmed during the operation.
Bile Ducts* ; Bile* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cholecystitis ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Doxorubicin ; Ethiodized Oil ; Gallbladder ; Hepatectomy ; Liver ; Necrosis