Expandable metallic stents(EMS) were implanted in 7 patients with malignant (4 cholangio- carcinnoma, 1 pancreatic cancer, 1 ampullary carcinoma and 1 lymph node metastasis) biliary stricutres and 17 patients with benign(13 intrahepatic strictures of primary intrahepatic stone patients, 2 postoperative stricutres, 1 ampullary stenosis followed by endoscopic sphineterotomy and 1 bilioenteric anastomosis) biliary stricutures. In the fifteen patients out of 17 patients with benign biliary stricture, relief of cholangitis, improvement of liver function or loss of pruritus was observed. But in the 2 patients with.biliary cirrhosis, no clinical improvement was noted. In the malignant strictures with cholangio-carcinoma, the occlusion of EMS occurred in 3 patients and the duration of stent patency was average 2 months in those patients.
Cholangitis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Pruritus ; Stents*

PURPOSE: We investigated the causative organism and its antibiotic susceptibility of community acquired urinary tract infection (UTI) in children at a secondary hospital to test the adequacy of the current guidelines. METHODS: Children diagnosed with UTI at the Department of Pediatrics, Kwandong University Myongji Hospital by pyuria and bacterial growth of greater than 1.0x10(5) CFU/mL on clean catch midstream urine from January 2005 to December 2008 were studied retrospectively. The epidemiologic data, causative organism, and the antibiotic susceptibility were analyzed. RESULTS: Sixty two children were diagnosed with sixty four cases of UTI's. Two bacteria were isolated in one case and thus data on 65 urine cultures were analyzed. The male:female ratio was 1.6:1 and 78.1% were less than 12 months of age. Escherichia coli was the predominant cause consisting of 53 cases (82.8%) of the cases. K. pneumoniae (5), Enterobacter (4), Enterococcus (1), beta-streptococcus (1), Diphtheroides (1) were isolated. The antibiotic resistance of E. coli were as follows; ampicillin 69.8%, cefotaxime 1.9%, gentamicin 15.1%, amikacin 0.0%, levofloxacin 1.9%, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 26.4%. Only one case of the E. coli was extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) positive. CONCLUSION: Compared to prior reports from other tertiary hospitals in Korea, E. coli was the predominant cause in childhood UTI and the rate of ESBL positivity was low. The antibiotic resistance was also different compared to prior reports. We conclude that a difference in the cause and antibiotic resistance of childhood UTI exists between centers and this should be taken into consideration when prescribing antibiotics for childhood UTIs.
Amikacin ; Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; beta-Lactamases ; Cefotaxime ; Child ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Enterobacter ; Enterococcus ; Escherichia coli ; Gentamicins ; Humans ; Korea ; Ofloxacin ; Pediatrics ; Pneumonia ; Pyuria ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections

Bradykinin has been known to elicit a pressor effect when administered centrally, and a depressor effect when administered peripherally. The present study was aimed at investigating whether the blood pressure response to bradykinin is dependent on the endogenous generation of nitric oxide (NO). Effects of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on the pressor and depressor responses to intracerebroventricularly and intravenously injected bradykinin (5nmol/rat), respectively, were examined in anesthetized rats. Neither the pressor response nor the depressor response was affected by acute parenteral treatment with L-NAME. The pressor and depressor effects of bradykinin were also noted in rats chronically supplemented with L-NAME in drinking water for 4 weeks. Bradykinin caused a relaxation of the isolated thoracic aorta in vitro, which was not affected in the presence of L-NAME. However, bradykinin failed to cause a relaxation of the aorta isolated from rats chronically treated with L-NAME. These findings suggest that endogenous generation of NO may not completely account for the blood pressure responses to bradykinin in rats.
Animals ; Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Blood Pressure* ; Bradykinin* ; Drinking Water ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide* ; Rats* ; Relaxation

PURPOSE: Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is a rare benign inflammatory breast disease of an unknown etiology and the optimal treatment remains controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of surgically complete excision in patients with idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. METHODS: Between March 2005 and November 2008, we treated 14 cases that were diagnosed with idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. Prospectively, we treated the cases with complete surgical excision with or without steroid therapy in all patients. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 36 years (range 30 to 53 years). All cases performed were complete excision with or without steroid therapy. The median follow up period was 26 months (range 5 to 50 months) and all cases had no recurrence. 13 patients out of the 14 were satisfied with the cosmesis of the treated breast. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the treatment of choice for idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is surgically complete excision.
Breast ; Breast Diseases ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granulomatous Mastitis ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are often combined with liver cirrhosis, which limits the extent of liver resection. We evaluated the effect of preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) on perioperative course of major hepatectomy of cirrhotic livers. A case-controlled study categorized by PVE and liver cirrhosis was perfomed in 63 cases undergone right lobectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma. The cirrhotic PVE group showed the following changes before and after PVE, respectively; indocyanine green 15 minutes retention rate of 7.5% and 9.1%, left lobe volume of 433.8 ml and 461.5 ml, and portal pressures of 13.0 mmHg and 18.8 mmHg. The non-cirrhotic PVE group showed a smaller increase in the portal pressure after PVE. There were no PVE-related complications. Postoperative changes in the remnant liver volume at 2 weeks and 3 months showed no significant differences between the cirrhotic PVE and the cirrhotic non-PVE groups. Postoperative bleeding and hepatic failure occurred in 5.3% versus 22.7% and additional hepatic decompensation at postoperative 3 months was found in 10.5% versus 18.2% of the cirrhotic PVE and the cirrhotic non-PVE groups, respectively. The mean size of the tumor in mortality cases was 3.8 cm, and there was no mortality in PVE cases with a tumor less than 5 cm. PVE of a functionally preserved cirrhotic liver was a safe procedure and lowered liver function-related complications, which may be at least partially due to atrophy-hypertrophy of the liver parenchyme and to the attenuated portal pressure change following right lobectomy after PVE. Conclusively, preoperative PVE may provide safety after major hepatectomy for the patients with cirrhotic livers or small-sized tumors.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Case-Control Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatectomy* ; Humans ; Indocyanine Green ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Failure ; Liver* ; Mortality ; Portal Pressure ; Portal Vein*

Extensive hepato-biliary-pancreatic (H-B-P) surgery is still associated with a high postoperative morbidity and mortality than other intraabdominal organ operation. Especially, iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm of splanchnic artery after major H-B-P surgery, although not frequent, can be a devastating and often leads to fatal hemorrhage due to aneurysm rupture. In a series of 300 patients who underwent major hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery between 1989 and 1995, 6 patients with iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm were reviewed retrospectively. There were 1 hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after hepatopancreaticoduodenectomy and portal vein resection for Klatskin tumor, 1 proper hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after extended right hepatectomy and bile duct resection for Klatskin tumor, 1 superior mesenteric artery and common hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after pancreatoduodenectomy for periampullary cancer, 1 hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after pancreatoduodenectomy for periampullary cancer,1 pseudoaneurysm of anastomotic site between hepatic artery and splenic artery after type II regional total pancreatectomy for periampullary cancer, and 1 pseudoaneurysm of iliac artery conduit for hepatic artery reconstruction after orthotopic liver transplantation. Five of these 6 pseudoaneurysms were resulted from aggressive radical surgery including skeletonization of hepatoduodenal ligament. Pseudoaneurysm should be highly suspected when continued leukocytosis, fever and gastrointestinal bleeding such as hematemesis or melena are shown. Celiac angiogram should be considered for the early detection of pseudoaneurysm. Angiographic embolization might be considered as a primary treatment, however, if it is not successful, early surgical intervention might be an another life-saving option.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False* ; Arteries* ; Bile Ducts ; Fever ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatectomy ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Klatskin's Tumor ; Leukocytosis ; Ligaments ; Liver Transplantation ; Melena ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Mortality ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Portal Vein ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Skeleton ; Splenic Artery

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Tamoxifen is a widely used anticancer drug for breast cancer with frequent gastrointestinal side effects. Changes in gastrointestinal motility is associated with altered activities of membrane ion channels. Ion channels have important role in regulating membrane potential and cell excitability. This study was performed to investigate the effects of tamoxifen on the membrane ionic currents in colonic smooth muscle cells. METHODS: Murine colonic smooth muscle cells were isolated from the proximal colon using collagenase, and the membrane currents were recorded using a whole-cell patch clamp technique. RESULTS: Two types of voltage-dependent K+ currents were recorded (A-type and delayed rectifier K+ currents). Tamoxifen inhibited both types of voltage-dependent K+ currents in a dose-dependent manner. However, tamoxifen did not change the half-inactivation potential and the recovery time of voltage-dependent K+ currents. Chelerythrine, a protein kinase C inhibitor or phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate, a protein kinase C activator did not affect the voltage-dependent K+ currents. Guanosine 5'-O-(2-thio-diphosphate) did not affect the tamoxifen-induced inhibition of voltage-dependent K+ currents. Tamoxifen inhibited voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents completely in whole-test ranges. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that tamoxifen can alter various membrane ionic currents in smooth muscle cells and cause some adverse effects on the gastrointestinal motility.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/*pharmacology ; Calcium Channels/drug effects ; Colon/*drug effects/physiology ; English Abstract ; In Vitro ; Membrane Potentials ; Mice ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/*drug effects/physiology ; Potassium Channels/*drug effects ; Tamoxifen/*pharmacology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pancreas transplantation (PT) as the ultimate treatment for insulin-dependent diabetes has been the subject of debate clinically. Marked improvements in patient and graft survival, and decreases in postoperative morbidity have been achieved due to technical refinements, improved immunosuppressants, and better postoperative management. Here, we report our 18-year experience with PT performed at our institute. METHODS: All recipients who underwent deceased donor or living donor PT between July 1992 and December 2009 were included. We reviewed the medical records, including operation records, progress, and laboratory findings during follow-up. Graft and patient survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: In total, 119 cases of pancreas transplantation were performed between July 1992 and December 2009 at our institute. Indications for pancreas transplantation were type I diabetes in 93 (78.2%) patients and type II diabetes in 16 (13.4%) patients. The transplanted pancreas was obtained from a deceased donor in 108 cases (90.8%) and a living donor in 11 cases (9.2%). Median follow-up duration was 39.3 months posttransplantation (range 0~176 months). Overall graft survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 81.6%, 63.4%, and 57.1%, respectively. Following the introduction of tacrolimus as an immunosuppressant in 1999, graft survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was 89.1%, 72.9%, and 66.2%, and overall patient survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was 93.0%, 86.0%, and 86.%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the quality of life and long-term patient survival, PT is an effective treatment strategy in non-obese diabetic patients requiring insulin regardless of the type of diabetes.
Follow-Up Studies ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Insulin ; Korea ; Living Donors ; Medical Records ; Pancreas ; Pancreas Transplantation ; Quality of Life ; Tacrolimus ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

PURPOSE: This study was designed to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with immediate distant metastasis after preoperative chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer and to help select patients for preoperative chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: Two hundred eight patients, who underwent preoperative chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer, were included. Patients were excluded from the study if they had tumor types other than an adenocarcinoma, prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. The clinicopathological characteristics of patients with distant metastasis immediately after preoperative chemoradioterapy were compared with those of patients without distant metastasis. RESULTS: Distant metastases immediately after preoperative chemoradiotherapy were identified in 15 patients (7.2%). The liver was the most common site of metastasis (8/15), followed by peritoneal seeding (4), the lung (2), bone (1), and the aortocaval lymph node (1). Age, sex, chemotherapy regimen used, and primary tumor response for patients with distant metastases were similar to those for patients without distant metastasis. In patients with immediate distant metastasis, pre-chemoradiotherapy CEA was significantly higher (11.1 vs. 7.4 ng/ml; P= 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Immediate distant metastasis after preoperative chemoradiotherapy is associated with pre-chemoradiotherapy CEA level. A careful work-up is necessary when pre-chemoradiotherapy CEA is higher than the normal range.
Adenocarcinoma ; Chemoradiotherapy* ; Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Radiotherapy ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Reference Values