No abstract available.
Biopsy* ; Fatty Liver* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Liver*

OBJECTIVE: Sialosyl-Tn (sTn), a mucin-associated carbohydrate antigen, is not expressed by normal mucin- producing cells of the stomach but is expressed in metaplastic, premalignant and malignant gastric tissues. In general, the rate of immunohistochemical expression of sTn in gastric cancer tissue is about 50~70%, and its prognostic role in gastric cancer is variable. And there is no report in Korea about serum sTn expression of gastric cancer patients, so we have examined the expression of sTn with the serum of gatric cancer patients and examined the possibility of tumor marker and of factors for prognosis. METHODS: Serum sTn expression was examined by enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) in 46 patients with advanced gastric cancer, confirmed at the Dong-A University Hospital, between June, 1997 and June, 1998. We examined the correlations between the expression of serum sTn antigen and patients age, sex, tumor location and size, degree of differentiation, stage, serosal invasion, peritoneal dissemination, hepatic metastasis, lymph node metastasis and Borrmann type. RESULTS: The overall serum sTn expression was higher in cases of advanced gastric cancer than controls (p<0.05). Advanced stages had higher serum sTn expression than lower stages (p=0.0001). And in cases of serosal invasion, peritoneal dissemination and hepatic metastasis, the serum sTn expression was higher than not (p<0.05). Lymph node metastasis, one of determinant factors of stage, had high serum sTn expression but it had not statistical significance (p=0.067), and in cases of sex, tumor location and size, histologic grade and gross findings of tumor (Borrmann type) had not high expression of serum sTn (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Higher expression of serum sTn in advanced gastric cancer can be proposed the possibility of the role as a tumor marker. And its higher expressions in many fields of independent prognostic factors also can be proposed the possibility of another independent prognostic factor.
Humans ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms*

Endoscopic variceal ligation(EVL) is newly developed method to manage esophageal variceal bleeding. This study asse initial control rate of active variceal bleeding, incidence of rebleeding and complications in EVL. From June in l992 to December in 1994, this study was performed on 70 patients who had visited to our medical center for melena or hematemesis by acute esophageal variceal bleeding. In all of 70 cases, eradication of esophageal varix was performed and variceal bleeding was controlled well. And first session was performed successfully with EVL. But rebleeding was occured in 12 cases(11 cases caused by esoyhageal varix and 1 case caused by esophageal ulcer) during follow-up period, so EVL therapy was performed repeatedly and 8 cases were eradicated and 4 cases were uncontrolled and died, and then 94% hemostatic effect was achieved during follow-up period. Complications of EVL therapy were mild(substernal discomfort in 12 cases, substernal pain in 4 cases, fever in 3 cases, mild dysphagia in 2 cases) and well controlled. Superficial esaphageal ulcer was shown in 18 cases by follow-up endoscopy after 1 week. These results show that EVL is a good therapeutic method to control active variceal bleeding and eradication of varix with repeat treatment. In conclusion, EVL is an effective and safe method of treatment and prevention for esophageal variceal bleeding.
Deglutition Disorders ; Endoscopy ; Equidae ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematemesis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ligation* ; Melena ; Ulcer ; Varicose Veins

Alport syndrome is a hereditary, progressive disease characterized by progressive nephritis, sensorineural deafness, and ocular abnormalities, including anterior lenticonus. The ultrastructure of the lens capsule abnormalities in Alport syndrome is reported. Four anterior lens capsules from 31-year-old patient and 26-year-old patient with lenticonus who were affected by the Alport syndrome were obtained at capsulectomy. And all four anterior lens capsules were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The histopathologic findings showed that the thickness of the anterior lens capsules was decreased (4~13 micrometer) and that there were many vascular dehiscences localized at the inner part of the lens capsule. There were large numbers of capsular dehiscences containing fibrillar materials and vacuoles. The anterior capsules were clearly fragile in this disease, forming the basis for the progressive lenticonus and anterior polar cataract.
Adult ; Epithelial Cells/ultrastructure ; Humans ; Lens Capsule, Crystalline/*ultrastructure ; Lens Diseases/genetics/*pathology ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Male ; Nephritis, Hereditary/genetics/*pathology ; Phacoemulsification

PURPOSE: To compare the effect of astigmatism correction upon Mel 80 excimer laser surgery with or without an eye registration system. METHODS: This retrospective analysis investigates a group (eye registration group) of surface laser ablation surgeries for myopic astigmatism correction, with operation on 27 eyes from 15 patients with guidance of the eye registration system and 40 eyes from 29 patients without guidance from the eye registration system. The evaluation of astigmatism correction was performed by the Alpins method, measuring the amount and axis of astigmatism before and after the operations. RESULTS: The average of the correction index (the ratio of the surgically induced amount of astigmatism correction to the intended amount of astigmatism correction) for the eye registration group was calculated to be 0.94+/-0.30 and, for non-eye registration group, was 0.92+/-0.41, showing no statistical significant difference between the two groups (p=0.762). However, the comparison of the index of success (the ratio of the difference vector to the intended amount of astigmatism correction) favorably demonstrated the effectiveness of eye registration (0.23+/-0.34 for eye registration group, 0.47+/-0.54 for non-eye registration group, p=0.03). The absolute angle of error (AE), a measure of difference in angle between the ablated axis of astigmatism correction and the desired axis of astigmatism correction, was lower on average for the eye registration group than for the non-eye registration group (3.52+/-7.69 to 12.5+/-20.69 degrees, p=0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Eye registration-guided surface laser ablation is suggested to be beneficial for the reduction of errors in astigmatism correction.
Astigmatism ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Eye ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Excimer ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To measure normal retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) in the peripapillary region of Koreans using a scanning laser polarimeter, the nerve fiber analyzer (GDx VCC). METHODS: Two hundred ninety-nine eyes of 299 healthy subjects (156 men, 143 women) were recruited for this study. No subject had diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or any other neurologic disorders. All subjects were normal at ophthalmologic examination, which was assessed by slit-lamp biomicroscopy using a 90-diopter lens, Goldmann applanation tonometry, and Humphrey visual field analysis. Using the GDx VCC, we analyzed the mean value of each parameter in GDx VCC (average at global, superior, inferior, superior maximum and inferior maximum) and evaluated the difference between men and women and each decade of age. RESULTS: Mean RNFLT parameters in GDx VCC were global 56.42 +/- 6.84 micrometer, superior 70.51 +/- 8.70 micrometer, inferior 67.55 +/- 9.04 micrometer, superior maximum 83.52 +/- 12.38 micrometer, and inferior maximum 82.64 +/- 12.70 micrometer. The parameters which showed a difference between men and women were superior average and superior and inferior maximum average RNFLT. The superior RNFLT was thicker than the inferior ones. RNFLT was not statistically different in each decade of age. CONCLUSIONS: We can make good use of the normal parameters of GDx VCC in Koreans for early diagnosis and follow-up of glaucoma.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Manometry ; Nerve Fibers* ; Nervous System Diseases ; Retinaldehyde* ; Visual Fields

PURPOSE: To evaluate the reproducibility and accuracy of axial length and anterior chamber depth measurements from IOL Master(R). METHODS: The axial length and anterior chamber depth measurements in 30 eyes with normal crystalline lens, 30 eyes with cataract and 30 pseudophakic eyes were measured by two practitioners using IOL Master(R) followed by A-scan and Orbscan II. The reproducibility of IOL Master(R) was analyzed by comparing the results from the first and second practitioners. To evaluate the accuracy of IOL Master(R), the axial length was compared to A-scan and the anterior chamber depth was compared to A-scan and Orbscan II. RESULTS: The difference between the axial length and anterior chamber depth measurements from the two practitioners using IOL Master(R) were not statistically significant (p>0.05). The axial length of measurement from IOL Master(R) was 0.16 mm, 0.18 mm, and 0.96 mm longer than that from A-scan, in the normal, cataract and pseudophakic groups, respectively. In addition, the anterior chamber depth measurement from IOL Master(R) was significantly deeper than that from A-scan and Orbscan II (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was good reproducibility and accuracy of axial length and anterior chamber depth measurements from IOL Master(R). However, some patients who had media opacity were not measured using IOL Master(R). It is a noncontact method, which provides an alternative to A-scan.
Anterior Chamber ; Biometry* ; Cataract ; Humans ; Lens, Crystalline

Manganese intoxificaton is a well-known cause of Parkinson's like syndrome. We describe a 46-year-old man who had been occupationally exposed to manganese and report the case with hydrogen magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS). Ratios of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) to creatine were significantly reduced in basal ganglia regions compared to normal subjects. The level of NAA was decreased in basal ganglia regions may indicate neuronal dysfunction. 1H MRS can provide detailed information of brain damage, therefore the 1H MRS is very useful in diagnosis of manganese intoxification.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Creatine ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hydrogen ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Manganese* ; Middle Aged ; Neurons ; Occupations

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Compensatory hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate is frequently observed in case of nasal septal deviation. In case of surgical treatment, some advocate that septoplasty must be accompanied by reduction of inferior turbinate. So, the authors analyzed the structural change of the inferior turbinate in nasal septal deviation using the CT scan. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The CT films of 154 patients who had undergone septoplasty were reviewed retrospectively. All subjects had only Cshaped septal deviation and had no abnormality. Inferior turbinate was divided equally into three portions as anterior, middle and posterior portions. The thickness of mucosa and bone of the inferior turbinate and the degree of inferior conchal bone medialization were measured. RESULTS: In the anterior and middle portion, the degree of medialization at concave side of inferior conchal bone was significantly increased compared to the convex side. In addition, the thickness of bone and mucosa at the concave side was significantly thicker than those of the convex side (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were found in the posterior portion. CONCLUSION: In the nasal septal deviation, the degree of medialization of inferior conchal bone and the thickness of bone and mucosa at the concave side were significantly greater than those of the convex side in the anterior and middle portion.
Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Septum ; Retrospective Studies ; Turbinates

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is very rare anomaly. It occurs most commonly in the pancreatic head portion and gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common symptom. The management of PAVM is rather complex, with complete treatment usually accomplished by a total extirpation of the affected organ or at least its involved portion. We report the clinical presentation and management of 64 year-old male patient with PAVM, which was developed in pancreatic tail portion with sudden abdominal pain. Pancreatic computed tomography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography were consistent with a vascular formation on pancreatic tail portion and simultaneously revealed with pseudocysts beside it. A subsequent superior mesenteric artery angiographic findings depicted PAVM on pancreatic tail portion. The patient underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy and had a favorable outcome.
Abdominal Pain ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance ; Head ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Splenectomy ; Tail