PURPOSE: Variable modalities, with more comfortable and less incidence of post-operative complications over TURP, have been used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH) with bladder outlet obstruction. Recently, we performed Interstitial Laser Coagulation(ILC) with the 830nm diode laser, which is considered as a method of minimally invasive treatments for BPH, to assess the efficacy and safety of the device, and to evaluate its capability of replacing TURP for managing BPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed 16 patients, who had suffered from symptomatic BPH, treated with ILC using diode laser retrospectively from April 1996 to January 1997. Mean age of the patients was 71.7(52-84) years old and mean size of prostates before the treatments was 52.2(26.8-100.7)gm. Treatment outcome was estimated by comparing IPSS, QOL, Qmax, Qave and residual urine before the operations with them of first and second month after the operations. Post-operative transrectal ultrasonography was able to several cooperative cases and they were compared with them of pre-operative volumes, too, although it was unavailable to evaluate statistically. RESULTS: The operation were performed under epidural or spinal anesthesia with average time of 62 minutes and with 10 days of post-operative catheterization. IPSS reduced from 22.25(+/-4.82), mean value before the operation, to 11.00(+/-5.58) and 5.00(+/-3.10) at first and second month after ILC. QOL was gradually decreased from 4.44(+/-0.51) to 2.31(+/-1.20) and 1.19(+/-0.91), too. In terms of Qmax, mean was 12.29(+/-5.55)ml/sec before the operation and it was increased to 15.94(+/-7.38)ml/sec and 20.75(+/-8.48)ml/sec. Average flow rate was also increased from 6.98(+/-2.05)ml/sec to 10.38(+/-3.72)ml/sec and 14.93(+/-4.37)ml/sec. Significant reduction was observed in residual urine volume from 98.13(+/-91.72)ml to 33.19(+/-36.58)ml and 9.56(+/-11.24)ml respectively. Minimal hematuria and mild bladder irritations were common symptoms after the procedure, and possible significant complications as like anemia, electrolyte imbalance(post-TUR syndrome), epididymoorchitis, erectile dysfunction, urethral stricture, retrograde ejaculation had not found in our experience, but 1 patient was retreated with TURP because of continued bladder outlet obstruction. CONCLUSIONS: Our initial results with ILC showed that it is a relatively simple and minimally invasive method with minimal occurrence of bleeding and no electrolyte imbalance. We concluded that ILC is a safe and efficacious treatment modality, and it can be used even for elder patients with co-morbidity illness as well as patients with too large prostate to perform TURP.
Anemia ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Ejaculation ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Hematuria ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lasers, Semiconductor ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Retrospective Studies ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction

No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Humans ; Prospective Studies*

No abstract available.
Angiotensin II* ; Angiotensins* ; Animals ; Endocrine System* ; Rats*

AC/A ratio of alternating fixation metbod(AF) using Major Amblyoscope was compared with that of simultaneous fixation method(SF). Under SF, AC/A ratio was greater than that of AF and standard deviation of both method was not significantly different. This indicates tbat AC/A ratio of SF was not accurate, because fusional convergence was invariably participated. Therefore, when we measure the AC/A ratio by tbe gradient method using the Major Amblyoscope, AF was desirable.

AC/A ratio of alternating fixation metbod(AF) using Major Amblyoscope was compared with that of simultaneous fixation method(SF). Under SF, AC/A ratio was greater than that of AF and standard deviation of both method was not significantly different. This indicates tbat AC/A ratio of SF was not accurate, because fusional convergence was invariably participated. Therefore, when we measure the AC/A ratio by tbe gradient method using the Major Amblyoscope, AF was desirable.

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hemolytic* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Vitamin E* ; Vitamins*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital*

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a technique to deliver a high dose to a target region and a low dose to a critical organ through only one or a few irradiation. The SRS must be planned exactly. Currently the surgery plan is performed by trial and error method. There are many questions about the reliability and reproducibility of the plan result. This study improve each step of the Oh's method based on heuristic target shaping to obtain the better result. The target was reconstructed using cylinders with same height and the neighbored cylinders were combined according to the difference of each center and diameter. Then, spheres were packed within each cylinders by the packing rules. Two virtual targets were used to compare this method with Oh's method. As a result, the numbers of isocenter were successfully reduced - more than 36% and 26% - without serious differences of prescription isodose to tumour volume ratio (PITV) and maximum dose to prescription dose ratio (MDPD). This technique using cylinder piling and sphere packing will be a helpful tool to planner in stereotactic radiosurgery.
Planning Techniques* ; Prescriptions ; Radiosurgery*

We present one case report of anterior urethral diverticulum in a male with giant calculi. The patient was a 56-year-old male with the complaints of base-ball sized palpable scrotal mass and post-void dribbling for 15-16 years. The diverticulum was filled with multiple whitish-yellow stones. The largest one was 8X7X6cm in size.
Calculi* ; Diverticulum* ; Humans ; Male* ; Middle Aged