BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma(BCC) is the most common tumor of light-skinned people. Most of them are relatively innocuous, but some may cause extensive tissue destruction, and result in death by local infiltration of vital structure or metastatic disease. The bcl-2 is a protooncogene involved in tumorigenesis by blocking apoptosis or programmed cell death. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether there was a difference in bcl-2 expression in different histopathological types of BCC. Method: We performed immunohistochemical staining by using a monoclonal mouse anti-human bcl-2 oncoprotein in 28 BCC(nodular: 7 cases, micronodular; 3 cases, adenoid; 1 case, infiltrative; 9 cases, and mixed; 8 cases). Result: All 28 BCC expressed bcl-2, and the degree of staining was different according to histopathological types; poor prognostic micronodular(100%) and infiltrative(73.3%) types were relatively strong, and nodular(66.7% ) and adenoid(75.0%) types were moderate. Conclusion . These results suggest that the degree of bcl-2 expression in BCC seems to be dependent to the histopathological types together with clinical behavior.
Adenoids ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Cell Death ; Mice

DNA isolated from human tumor cells can induce malignant transfarmation of tissue culture cells. The DNA is then called an oncogene. Its protein produets have been detected in animal and human tumors and are considered to play a significant role in carcinogenesis. In order to evaluate whether the oncogenes are involved in development of tumors of epidermis and whether they could be used as tumor markers, immunoperoxidase staining was performed for the ras product in sections of squamous cell carcinoma, Bowen's disease, actinic keratosis, keratoacanthoma and seborrheic keratosis. Three cases of sgamous cell carcinoma showed 10~20 positive cells per high power field(HPF). Three cases of Bowen's disease revealed 1-9 positive cells per HPF, whereas the actinic keratosis 1~9 or no positive cells per 10 HPF in all three cases. The keratoacanthoma and seborrheic keratosis showed 1~9 or no positive cells in all observed cases. The positive staining was observed in the cytoplasm. The increasing positivity in parallel with the increase of malignant potential strongly suggests that the ras oncogene is closely related to development of epidermal malignancy and also point out the possibility of ras as a cancer marker.
Animals ; Bowen's Disease ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Epidermis* ; Genes, ras* ; Humans ; Keratoacanthoma ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Oncogenes ; Biomarkers, Tumor

No abstract available.
Keratosis, Seborrheic*

Anisakiasis refers to the accidental infection of humans by a marine nematode as a result of eating a raw flsh which contains larval stages of the nematode sub-family Anisakidae. This patient developed acute epigastric pain three days after eating a raw flsh, Astroconcer myriaster. Gastrofiberscopy revealed Anisakis larva invading the stomach wall and the larva could be extracted using a biopsy forceps via gastrofiberscopy. The worm was identified as Terranova type A larva based on their morphologic features such as its length, width, intestinal cecum reaching to anterior one-third level of ventriculus and a mucron at posterior end.
Humans ; Biopsy

This case report describes a patient with semipedunclated granuylar cell tumor(granular cell myoblastoma) of the proximal ascending colon removed by endoscopic polypectomy. A 39-year old femalie was visited to our hospital for intermittent abdominal pain and loose stool. Colonoscopic examination showed a semipedunclated lesion covered with yellowish white smooth mucosa in the proximal ascending colon. The tumor was removed by endoscopic polypectomy. The collected specimen was 0.9x0.8 cm in size. The cut surface of the specimen showed a white round firm tumor covered with mormal epithelium of the colon. Using immunohistochemical study, the tumor cells were to be positively stained by S-100 protein and negatively stained by desmin, which supports the concept of the Schwann cell origin of granular cell tumor. In Korea, 2 cases of granular cell tumor of the colon and rectum, which were treated by surgical removal, have been reported. This case in the first endoscopic polypectomy of granular cell tumor of the colon and retum in Korea. The endoscopic polypectomy is thought to be useful for the therapy of small pedunclated or semipedunclated granular cell tumor, intracolonic type.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Colon ; Colon, Ascending* ; Desmin ; Epithelium ; Granular Cell Tumor* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mucous Membrane ; Rectum ; S100 Proteins

The authors developed a computerized documentation system to record and store all the data pertaining to an endoscopic examination of the upper digestive tract. The system was programmed using the database management system Clipper Version 5.01. It is easy and convenient to use due to advanced deaign of input screen using menu bars and pull down menu and windows. The system was designed to permit the easy storage and retrieval of data by personnel who lack computer skills and who may only have limited typing ability. Today this system has been in daily use for 1 year at the endoscopic units of 8 different branch hospitals of Catholic university,medical college. Overall the experience in these centers has been positive, with excelient or good participation. Characteristics of this system are a menu-driven system, data input by predefined list, instantaneous report generation, on line access to previous examination, late entry of yathologic regerts. and record retrieval, listing according to different criteria. For the description of endoscopic findings and diagnosis, structured input is maintained. All of the findings are chosen from predefined list using pop-up screen and also free text typing is allowed. Therefore time effort was not increased compared to conventional documentation. Structured input and the resulting categorical data affer several advantages.
Database Management Systems ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hospitals, Satellite ; Information Systems

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Blastoma*

Efforts from many different approaches have been made to cure Raynand's phenomenon, such as a dorsal sympathectomy, topical injection of nitroglycerin, phentolamin and procaine, and oral or parentral administration of various drugs. However, there has been no successful management proven yet. In recent years, it was reported that intra-arterial administration in normal subjects as well as patients with Raynaud's syndrome has demonstrated a significant rise in blood flow to the hands. We used intermittent stellate ganglion blocks in conjunction with intra-arterial injections of reserpine and procaine in 10 patients suffering from finger necrosis. The stellate ganglion block was performed in a paratracheal approach by injection of 1% lidocaine purposely mixed with adrenaline followed by the administration of reserpine 1mg and procaine 50mg through a butterfly needle inserted in the radial or brachial artery. The administration of reserpine and procaine was done only twice at intervals of 1 week because of the development of suspected arterisclerosis. The stellate ganglion block was carried out once a week for about 3 months, then once a month as needed for 6 to 12 months. AS the procedure was carried out and the necrotic tissue sloughed off, oozing appeared and new granulation tissue was observed. 5 out of 10 patients were healed completely and the rest improved considerably but were not followed to the end. We concluded that the intra-arterial administration of reserpine and procaine helped initiate and accelerate increasing blood flow to the hand and the stellate ganglion block continued to help revascularization by dilating the peripheral beds.
Brachial Artery ; Butterflies ; Epinephrine ; Fingers ; Granulation Tissue ; Hand ; Humans ; Injections, Intra-Arterial ; Lidocaine ; Necrosis ; Needles ; Nitroglycerin ; Procaine ; Reserpine* ; Stellate Ganglion* ; Sympathectomy

The technique of radial artery cannulation and its complications are well documented. However, serious complications are rare. This is a report of one case of finger necrosis developed from the arterial cannulation in a patient who had open heart surgery. This 33 year old female underwent mitral valve replacement surgery with Carpentier Edward porcine prosthesis during a cardiopulmonary bypass. Right radial artery cannulation was carried out percutaneously using an 18 gauge angiocath after the Allen's test appeared to be positive. It was intermittently flushed by heparinized solution. Cardiac arrest occured and the patient was resusciated 3 hours postoperatively. After that her blood pressure was maintained around 60/40 by dopamin drips. On the second postoperative day, her right hand became cold and dusky purple so that the catheter was removed, and a right stellate ganglion blcok was carried our. However, necrotic change on right thumb, index finger and little finger became worse and the whole palm became blue and edematous. She died of cardiac arrest on the 4th postoperative day.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Catheterization* ; Catheters ; Female ; Fingers* ; Hand ; Heart Arrest ; Heparin ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Necrosis* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Radial Artery* ; Stellate Ganglion ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thumb

A 4-year-old girl developed acute motor, sensory impairment, lower abdominal pain and urinary dysfunction after URI. In acute stage of disease, MRI showed diffuse spinal cord swelling and high signal intensity on T2WI below T2 body level. The patient did not improved and one month later, follow-up MRI showed diffuse spinal cord atrophy and syrinx formation as sequelae of ATM on T1WI below T9 level. To our knowledge, this is the first case showing the sequelae of acute transverse myelitis seen in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Atrophy* ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelitis, Transverse* ; Spinal Cord*